18 September 2025, Dubai – Japan’s Masahiko Metoki has been re-elected as Director General of the UN specialized agency responsible for international postal cooperation and development, while Slovenia’s Marjan Osvald has been re-elected as its Deputy Director General for the next four years.
The UPU Director General was re-elected by acclamation. Metoki has already served one term as head of the UPU, having been elected to the position of Director General at the 27th Universal Postal Congress in 2021. He has enjoyed an extensive career in the Japanese public service, particularly in the postal sector. Before taking up the role of UPU Director General, he was Senior Vice President of International Affairs at Japan Post and represented Japan as Chair of the UPU’s Postal Operations Council between 2012 and 2021. His current mandate ends on 31 December 2025.
Osvald was also re-elected for a second term as Deputy Director General with 99 votes. He is an accomplished executive with 24 years of progressive experience in international postal operations, strategy and sales. Before assuming his responsibilities as UPU Deputy Director General, he served as Senior Adviser to the Executive Management of the Post of Slovenia, responsible for international relations and organizations.
Their second mandate to lead the UPU will begin 1 January 2026 and extends until 31 December 2029.
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For press inquiries, please contact:
Yana Brugier, BrugierY@upu.int
About the Universal Postal Union (UPU):
Established in 1874, the Universal Postal Union (UPU) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for the postal sector. With its 192 member countries, the UPU is the primary forum for cooperation between postal sector players, helping ensure a truly universal network of up-to-date products and services. In this way, the organization fulfils an advisory, mediating and liaison role, and provides technical assistance where needed. It sets the rules for international mail exchanges and makes recommendations to stimulate growth in mail, parcel, and financial services volumes and improve quality of service for customers.