Páll Ásgeir Davíðsson

Background

Páll Ásgeir Davíðsson was born in Reykjavík, Iceland, on January 26, 1970. He is the son of Davíð Janis and Dóra Pálsdóttir. His professional background has combined Icelandic legal practice and academic work with extensive international experience in human rights, corporate responsibility, security and rule-of-law programming.

Education

Davíðsson holds a law degree from the University of Iceland and an LL.M. from Columbia University. His professional interests and publications span human rights, corporate responsibility, governance, corruption, security and institutional reform.

Career

Davíðsson began his international career with the Council of Europe in Strasbourg (1997–1999), followed by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Mission in Kosovo (2000–2001). He subsequently served on the United Nations Panel of Experts on the Illegal Exploitation of Natural Resources in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2003), the UN Al-Qaida and Taliban Monitoring Team in New York (2004–2006), and the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2006–2007).

In 2010 and 2011, he served on the UN Secretary-General's Panel on the Referenda in Sudan, established in connection with South Sudan's independence. He later worked on justice and rule-of-law reform in Darfur (2015–2016). Between 2017 and 2021, he worked with Transition International, advising on governance, peacebuilding and institutional reform in fragile environments. In 2019, he led a UNDP rule-of-law initiative in Haiti.

From 2021 to 2025, Davíðsson served as Chief Technical Adviser to UNDP in Djibouti, leading a programme supporting justice-sector reform, institutional capacity-building and access to justice. His work included strengthening national institutions, digitalizing justice institutions, developing reform strategies and coordinating partnerships with government and international stakeholders.

Alongside his international assignments, Davíðsson has held academic and research positions at Fordham University School of Law and Reykjavík University. He has also initiated and led international projects connecting corporate social responsibility, climate change and environmental sustainability, including Celebrating Glaciers and Faith for Nature, the latter involving cooperation with the United Nations Environment Programme and religious leaders.

Following his return to Iceland in 2025, Davíðsson co-founded RÁS Advisory, a consultancy specializing in risk management, societal and organizational resilience, business continuity and crisis preparedness. The consultancy draws on international experience and recognized standards to help businesses and public institutions anticipate emerging threats, strengthen critical functions and maintain operations amid disruption and uncertainty.

Achievements

• Páll Ásgeir Davíðsson has been listed as a reputable lawyer and director by Marquis Who's Who.

• He has contributed professional and academic work on international law, corporate social responsibility, human rights, corruption, security and rule-of-law programming, including research published by academic journals and international book publishers.

Works

• book chapter

  • Rule of Law Programming in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Justice for Security or for its Own Sake?

    (Book chapter co-authored with Fríða Thoroddsen in Peacebu...)

    2011
  • Revising a Definition of Corruption as a Result of the Global Economic Crisis – The Case of Iceland

    (Book chapter co-authored with Vlad Vaiman and Tómas Örn S...)

    2010

• journal article

  • Legal Enforcement of Corporate Social Responsibility Within the EU

    (Article by Pall A. Davidsson published in the Columbia Jo...)

    2002

Membership

Davíðsson has served in leadership and board roles with the United Nations Association of Iceland, including as vice-chairman and as a member of its board. In 2025 he was listed among the association’s board members for the 2025–2027 term.

• Served as vice-chairman and later as a member of the association’s board; listed as a board member for the 2025–2027 term.

  United Nations Association of Iceland , Iceland

  2017 - present

Connections

Father:

Davíð Janis

Mother:

Dóra Pálsdóttir

References

• Columbia Journal of European Law Documents Davíðsson’s LL.M. affiliation with Columbia University and his article on legal enforcement of corporate social responsibility within the European Union.
  2002
• Reykjavík University annual report 2008–2009 Documents Davíðsson’s role as director of Ethikos and specialist at Reykjavík University, including his work in corporate social responsibility.
  2009
• Reykjavík University School of Law research summary Documents Davíðsson’s academic position, research on corporate social responsibility, corruption and rule-of-law programming, and his published and forthcoming book chapters.
  2009
• United Nations Regional Information Centre Profiles Davíðsson as an Icelandic lawyer working with the United Nations on rule-of-law development in Darfur and describes his earlier work with the Council of Europe, OSCE and United Nations.
  2015
• United Nations Association of Iceland Lists Davíðsson as a board member of the United Nations Association of Iceland and identifies his work as a project manager for rule-of-law and human-rights matters at UNDP.
  2025
• Opni Háskólinn, Reykjavík University Identifies Davíðsson as an LL.M.-qualified lawyer specializing in security matters and institutional reform and as an instructor in a professional course on security and resilience.
  2026