Paul Guerin serves as the International Foundation for Electoral Systems' (IFES) senior country director in Myanmar and is a senior electoral specialist with over 25 years of international experience in democratic governance and electoral processes within transitional democracies. Guerin has served as IFES' country director since 2013. He has worked with a number of international organizations, including the European Union, International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), the Organization for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, United Nations (UN) peacekeeping missions and the UN Development Programme (UNDP). Guerin has been a part of over 25 missions responsible for electoral assistance, observation or evaluation.

Guerin served as a senior expert for UNDP evaluation missions from 2011-12 and senior programme manager for electoral processes at International IDEA from 2006-10. Guerin co-authored the EU Methodological Guide to Electoral Assistance in 2005 and co-developed the Building Resources in Democracy, Governance and Elections (BRIDGE) curriculum in 2000, which is now in use in over 60 countries. He also co-designed the electoral cycle approach (2006) and co-developed the relaunch of ACE Electoral Knowledge Network (2006). As capacity development adviser for electoral management bodies in Cambodia in 1998, East Timor from 2000-01 and Indonesia from 2003-04, he conducted institutional assessments and customized courses using BRIDGE and strategic planning to support electoral management bodies.

Guerin’s experience also includes long-term technical assistance to electoral management bodies in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1996-97, Croatia (Eastern Slavonia) in 1997 and Tanzania in 2000. Guerin worked for the UN, where he was directly responsible for organizing historic elections in Cambodia in 1993 and the popular consultation in East Timor in 1999. He also worked in UN electoral missions in South Africa and Mozambique in 1994.

Guerin has also participated in shorter evaluation missions in Bangladesh, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Georgia, Guinea-Bissau, Egypt, Liberia, Madagascar, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Nepal, Nigeria, Palestinian Territories, Tajikistan, Togo, Tunisia and Yemen.

In 2017, Guerin received a prestigious Order of the British Empire award (OBE) for his services in promoting fair and democratic elections in Myanmar.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature from Bangor University and a master’s degree in international politics from Bradford University.