Costa Rica’s Christina Figueres has been announced as the new head of the UN climate convention, replacing outgoing chief Yvo de Boer as he departs in coming weeks.

Daughter of former Costa Rican president Jose Figueres Ferrer, Figueres has taken part in UN climate negotiations since 1995. It appears that she became the front runner for the job only recently, after a number of small  island developing nations expressed to the UN their preference for someone from a developing country.

Figueres’ first task at the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is expected to be a focus on rebuilding confidence in UN negotiations ahead of the next UNFCCC summit in Mexico at the end of the year.

Outgoing chief de Boer announced his departure earlier this year to take up a position with global accountancy firm KPMG as a consultant on climate and sustainability issues and to work with several universities.