[1] Prior to her appointment, at UNEP, Andersen was Director General of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN),[2] Vice President for Sustainable Development at the World Bank and Head of the CGIAR Fund Council and then World Bank Vice President for the Middle East and North Africa.

Her brother was Hans la Cour, author and film maker, known in the world of sail sport[5] and environmental documentaries.

[14] As Vice President for Sustainable Development, Andersen profiled a number of World Bank priorities, including: agricultural productivity and enhancing food security;[15] infrastructure investment; climate change resilience;[16] green growth;[17] social accountability; disaster risk management; and culture and development.

[19] She placed special emphasis on the need to relieve climate and water stress in the region, both of which she argued pose key threats to peace and stability.

[20][21] Andersen co-chaired the 2012 international donor meeting for Yemen Riyadh with the then Finance Minister of Saudi Arabia, Ibrahim Abdulaziz Al-Assaf.

[23] In 2011, Andersen represented the World Bank in the G8/G7 Finance Minister's Deauville meetings [24] which sought to provide additional support to the Arab Region.