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Thursday, 29 October 2026 Icelandic stories. Global audience.
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UN Global Compact Iceland head overcame early challenges to build career

Auður Hrefna Guðmundsdóttir, now Executive Director of UN Global Compact in Iceland, faced pregnancy at 17 and personal hardship before earning two master's degrees and building her career.

Grassy foreground with a brown mountain rising behind it
File photo.

Auður Hrefna Guðmundsdóttir, the Executive Director of UN Global Compact in Iceland, overcame significant challenges in her youth and has since built a notable professional career, according to a report by Vísir.

Guðmundsdóttir became pregnant at age 17, a period during which her then-boyfriend was also diagnosed with cancer. She kept herself afloat by working at four jobs at the same time for a period, Vísir reported.

Despite these hardships, she completed two master’s degree programs before taking on key roles in her professional life. Guðmundsdóttir now leads the UN Global Compact’s Iceland office.

Sources