Elena Manaenkova has dedicated nearly 40 years to the field of meteorology, culminating in her role as Deputy Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) from 2016 to 2023. Her extensive career at WMO also saw her become the first woman in the organization's executive management.
Manaenkova joined the WMO Secretariat in Geneva in 2003 as Director of the Atmospheric Research and Environment Programme Department.