Massimo Tommasoli is the Director of Global Programmes. Tommasoli is a policy specialist with extensive experience in democracy building, democratic governance, social analysis and evaluation in aid agencies.

He leads and manages a portfolio of programmes that supports democracy world-wide through the development and application of global comparative knowledge resources and tools, enhancing democratic reforms, as well as actively contributing to shaping global and regional policy agendas by bringing the democracy lens and perspective to debates at that level. This portfolio includes workstreams on Electoral Processes, Constitution-Building Processes, Political Participation and Representation (with focus on parliamentary strengthening and money in politics), Democracy Assessment, Gender and Inclusion, Climate Change, and Digitalization.

As Permanent Observer for International IDEA to the United Nations (2007-2023) he has led policy advocacy initiatives at the UN General Assembly and in other multilateral policy fora. He had previously been International IDEA’s Director of Operation in Stockholm (2004-2007); Head of the Good Governance and Conflict Prevention Unit in the Development Cooperation Directorate at the OECD in Paris (1999-2003); Social Development and Evaluation Specialist at the Directorate General for Development Cooperation of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Rome (1989-1999). He held positions at UNESCO in Addis Ababa and the Istituto Italo-Africano in Rome.

He is distinguished scholar at the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership at the City College of New York. He has been visiting scholar at the LUISS University in Rome, and has lectured at the Universities of Bergamo, Chieti, Milan, and Pisa, and at the UN System Staff College in Turin. He has field experience in sub-Saharan Africa (Ethiopia, Somalia, Tanzania), Latin America (Colombia) and the Russian Federation.

Author of seven books and several essays and articles on participatory development, aid evaluation and conflict and resettlement policies. His publications include: Democracy and the Pillars of UN Work (Stockholm & New York 2014); Nel nome dello sviluppo (Rome 2013); Politiche di cooperazione internazionale (Rome 2013); Sviluppo partecipativo (Rome 2001; Spanish edition, Madrid 2003; French edition, Paris 2004).