I help organisations and leaders communicate with clarity, credibility, and conviction. No jargon — just the right message for the right purpose, expertly delivered.
When in 2019 African Development Bank President Dr Akinwumi Adesina needed a speechwriter to position Africa as the world's next business frontier and attract more investment, I didn’t hesitate and boarded the first plane to Côte d’Ivoire.
For more than four years, I lent Dr Adesina my craft — building on earlier work for CEOs and government ministers in Europe, as well as for Education Above All Foundation Chair Sheikha Moza bint Nasser and prominent Australians including Queensland Governor Paul de Jersey.
Helping Dr Adesina make his case with clarity, credibility, and conviction, I played a key part in securing billions in funding and elevating the African Development Bank’s standing as one of the most trusted multilateral finance institutions on the continent. I operated in a high-pressure, high-stakes environment where swift, strategic decision-making was essential to success, directly influencing policy and securing long-term financial sustainability.
Next stop: the Pacific, where I established and now lead a high-performing team of local and international advocacy and communication professionals at UNICEF. By equipping frontline staff with tools to tell the stories of our beneficiaries, I’ve ensured we inspire action where it matters most. I also chair the UN Communications Group in Papua New Guinea, coordinating efforts to strengthen capacity and amplify the collective voice of UN agencies in the country.
From my early days as a freelance journalist in the Netherlands to my current role as Head of Advocacy & Communication, I’ve been driven by a commitment to excellence — amplifying vital information, shaping public discourse, and turning bold ideas into meaningful outcomes.
No matter the industry, I bring a rare mix of big-picture thinking and hands-on delivery. With a journalist’s instinct for storytelling and a strategist’s eye for impact, I turn complexity into clarity — crafting messages that engage, influence and deliver results that last.
I get things done — at the highest levels of leadership, and where it matters most: on the ground, where reputations are built.
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How I help organisations and leaders communicate with clarity, credibility and conviction.
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Niels Kraaier, PhD
hello@niels.com.au
The Netherlands (Prior to 2008)
Senior Ministerial Advisor, Government of the Netherlands
Speechwriter to the CEO, Royal Dutch Touring Club ANWB
Deputy Managing Editor, Royal Dutch Touring Club ANWB
Other Activities
Student Mentor, CPRA and The University of Queensland (UQ)
Co-Founder and Committee Member, Media Diversity Queensland (2018–2020)
Board Member, Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (2011–2015)
President, Griffith University Postgraduate Students Association (2011–2015)
Board Member, Alliance Poland–Netherlands Foundation (2006–2008)
Education
Leadership Principles, Business Certificate Course, Harvard Business School
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Political Communication, Griffith University
MA (Hons1), Journalism & Mass Communication, Griffith University
Foundational Diploma in Copywriting, inHolland University
Memberships
Communication & Public Relations Australia (CPRA)
Griffith Centre for Social and Cultural Research
Residence
Dual citizen of Australia and the European Union
Expertise
Executive Communication
Strategic Messaging
Narrative Development
Thought Leadership & Storytelling
Stakeholder Engagement & Influence
Government & Donor Relations
Cross-sector Partnerships
Advocacy & Visibility
Brand, Media & Content
Positioning & Voice
Media Relations & Crisis Response
Campaign Design & Delivery
Leadership & Impact
Team Building & Mentoring
Organisational Change
Communication for Reform
Experience
Asia-Pacific (2024-Present)
Head of Advocacy & Communication, UNICEF
Chair, United Nations Communication Group
Africa & The Middle East (2019-2024)
Chief Communication Officer | Presidential Speechwriter, AfDB
Speechwriter to the Chairperson, Education Above All Foundation
Australia & New Zealand (2008-2019)
Speechwriter to H.E. Paul de Jersey AC, Office of the Governor
Doctoral Researcher in Political Communication, Griffith University
Foreign Correspondent, EW Magazine and other media outlets
Media, Communication, & Management Lecturer, Griffith University
Meaningful change, measurable impact
An interim role as Deputy Managing Editor for a magazine published by the Royal Dutch Touring Club ANWB — one of Europe’s largest and most influential membership organisations — led to an offer to become a speechwriter for their CEO. I deepened my writing and advisory skills before joining the Government of the Netherlands in a senior role, serving two consecutive ministers for Transport, Public Works and Water Management.
Over and over, I’ve seen that the greatest opportunities lie outside your comfort zone. In 2008, I moved to Australia as a foreign correspondent for EW Magazine and other prominent media outlets, covering everything from elections to natural disasters. Meanwhile, I completed a PhD in Political Communication, lectured at Griffith University, and continued to advise organisations and leaders on a consultancy basis — shaping messages, strategies and initiatives across sectors, cultures and continents.
My mission is to drive meaningful change and deliver measurable impact. I do this by upholding values I believe in — integrity, mutual respect, and the courage to think differently. Success should always be earned, never demanded — and more than anything, it takes effort to claim it.
If you would like to explore future opportunities to work together, I’d be glad to connect.
