NATO Secretaries General
The Secretary General is the Alliance’s top international civil servant. This person is responsible for steering the process of consultation and decision-making in the Alliance and ensuring that decisions are implemented.
The Secretary General is also NATO’s chief spokesperson and the head of the Organization’s International Staff.
The first Secretary General was appointed in 1952 and as a mark of tradition, the post is always held by a European.
Anders Fogh Rasmussen
Nationality: Danish
Born: 26 January 1953 - Ginnerup, Denmark
Took office: August 1, 2009
Jaap de Hoop Scheffer
Nationality: Dutch
Born: 3 April 1948 - Amsterdam, Netherlands
Took office: January 1, 2004
Left office: August 1, 2009
Length of term: 5 years
Lord Robertson of Port Ellen
Nationality: British
Born: 12 April 1946 - Port Ellen, United Kingdom
Took office: October 14, 1999
Left office: December 17, 2003
Length of term: 4 years
Javier Solana
Nationality: Spanish
Born:14 July 1942 - Madrid, Spain
Took office: December 5, 1995
Left office: October 6, 1999
Length of term: 4 years
Willy Claes
Nationality: Belgian
Born: 24 November 1938 - Hasselt, Belgium
Took office: October 17, 1994
Left office: October 20, 1995
Length of term: 1 years
Manfred Wörner
Nationality: German
Born: 24 September 1934 - Stuttgart, Germany
Took office: July 1, 1988
Left office: August 13, 1994
Length of term: 6 years
Lord Carrington
Nationality: British
Born: 6 June 1919 -
Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom
Took office: June 25, 1984
Left office: July 1, 1988
Length of term: 4 years
Joseph Luns
Nationality: Dutch
Born: August 28, 1911 - Rotterdam, Netherlands
Took office: October 1, 1971
Left office:June 25, 1984
Length of term: 13 years
Manlio Brosio
Nationality: Italian
Born: July 10, 1897 - Turin, Italy
Took office: August 1, 1964
Left office: October 1, 1971
Length of term: 7 years
Dirk Stikker
Nationality: Dutch
Born: 5 February 1897 - Winschoten, Netherlands
Took office: April 21, 1961
Left office: August 1, 1964
Length of term: 3 years
Paul-Henri Spaak
Nationality: Belgian
Born: 25 January 1899 -
Schaerbeek, Belgium
Took office: May 16, 1957
Left office: April 21, 1961
Length of term: 4 years
Lord Ismay
Nationality: British
Born: 21 June 1887 -
Naini Tāl, India
Took office: April 4, 1952
Left office: May 16, 1957
Length of term: 5 years