His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani was appointed as Prime Minister of the State of Qatar on March 7th, 2023 through Amiri Decree No. (2) of 2023, while maintaining his position as Minister of Foreign Affairs since January 27, 2016. In His Excellency’s capacity as Prime Minister, his main priorities include advising His Highness the Amir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, on the formation of ministries in the country, and assisting His Highness the Amir in performing his duties and exercising his roles. His Excellency also leads the sessions of the Council of Ministers, including managing its discussions and supervising the coordination of work between the various ministries to achieve unity between governmental agencies and ensure the integration of their activities. In his capacity as Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Excellency has prioritized promoting and expanding the country's bilateral and multilateral strategic relations and strengthening the status of the State of Qatar at both regional and international levels, as well as leading efforts to promote international peace and security. His Excellency is responsible for supervising and implementing the foreign policy of the State of Qatar to achieve its objectives. His Excellency has also sponsored Qatari mediation efforts in many regional crises over the past years, which contributed to reducing escalation and violence in various parts of the world and resulted in the signing of a number of peace agreements between various conflicting parties.  Alongside his position as Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Excellency also serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) since 2014, which promotes the development of societies around the world by supporting education, healthcare, economic empowerment, and addressing climate change, in line with the Qatar National Vision 2030 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. His Excellency also supervises QFFD’s projects in more than 70 countries around the world, particularly in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa, and has directed the fund's support towards primary and secondary education, in addition to the public health and economic development sectors in particular.  His Excellency has also been a member of the Supreme Council for Economic Affairs and Investment since 2014. The Supreme Council is responsible for economic and energy affairs, investment of the country’s reserves, drafting the state's general policies in the economic, financial, commercial, and energy fields, and approving the priorities of public spending.  In addition to his aforementioned roles, His Excellency has invested in a number of successful economic projects and contributed to the establishment of several projects aimed at diversifying the local economy and attracting foreign direct investments, including launching programs that aim to encourage entrepreneurial joint ventures and support the State of Qatar’s economic growth.

Dr. Adriana Abdenur is Co-President of the Global Fund for a New Economy (GFNE), which aims to foster innovative economic thinking and initiatives around the world. Between 2023 and 2025, she was Special Advisor in international affairs in the office of President Lula. A Brazilian policymaker and scholar, she co-founded Plataforma CIPÓ, a think tank headquartered in Rio de Janeiro and dedicated to issues of international relations, climate change and sustainable development. Dr. Abdenur earned a Ph.D. in sociology of development from Princeton University and an AB in East Asian Studies from Harvard University.  She has taught at universities in the United States, Brazil and France and has published widely on global governance, sustainable development and peacebuilding.  She sits on the Advisory Board of a number of UN entities, including UNITAR and UNU-CRIS, and served two terms on the ECOSOC Committee on Development Policy.  In 2025, she was appointed by President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa to the G20 Extraordinary Committee on Global Inequality, led by Joseph Stiglitz. 

Ravi Agrawal is the editor in chief of Foreign Policy. He is also the host of FP Live, the magazine's video channel and podcast, on which he regularly interviews world leaders and policymakers. Before joining FP in 2018, Agrawal worked at CNN for more than a decade in full-time roles spanning three continents, including as the network’s New Delhi bureau chief and correspondent. He has shared a Peabody Award and three Emmy nominations for his work as a TV producer, and his writing for FP was part of a series nominated for a 2020 National Magazine Award for columns and commentary. Agrawal is the author of India Connected: How the Smartphone Is Transforming the World’s Largest Democracy. He is a graduate of Harvard University. 

H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat is Egypt’s Minister of Planning, Economic Development & International Cooperation and previously served as the country’s Minister of International Cooperation & as the first female Minister of Tourism. Al-Mashat has over 20 years of international experience in central banking, financial systems, monetary policy frameworks, international cooperation policies & strategies, sustainable development, & climate finance. Previous positions include Advisor to the IMF Chief Economist and Sub-Governor for Monetary Policy at the Central Bank of Egypt. Al-Mashat also has several publications in monetary policy, financial stability & institutional reforms in transition and emerging markets. She was named the Most Visionary & Outstanding Minister of International Cooperation in Africa in 2022 by the Elliott School of International Affairs George Washington University & the GE7 Initiative. 

Dr. Ranj Alaaldin is a foreign policy specialist with over 20 years of experience covering international security, security sector reforms, hybrid warfare, UK foreign policy, good governance, track II diplomacy and public sector reforms. He obtained his PhD at the London School of Economics and Political Science and has held positions and fellowships at Columbia University, King's College London, the Brookings Institution, the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, Oxford University and the World Bank. In 2017, Dr. Alaaldin was awarded $400,000 by the Carnegie Corporation of New York to develop and co-direct a project focused on armed groups in Iraq, Syria, Libya and Yemen. He is the Director of the Middle East Peace & Security Forum, a leading regional forum dedicated to peace and stability in the Middle East and has presented his work at the World Bank, the House of Commons and the Foreign Affairs Committee. He has published in academic journals, has written for the Telegraph, Conservative Home, the New York Times, Washington Post and the Wall Street and is the author of a forthcoming book on Iran’s proxies in the Middle East. 

Abdul Rahman Alageli is an associate fellow at the Middle East and North Africa Programme, based in Tripoli, Libya. Abdul Rahman began working with the stabilization team of the Libyan Prime Minister’s Office, the Military Council and the Supreme Security Committee in 2011. He went on to be the national security file coordinator in the Office of the Libyan Prime Minister, and was also rapporteur then deputy head of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Border Security, and a member of the Libyan government’s National Security Coordination Team until 2015. He was also a non-resident fellow at the Rafik Hariri Centre for the Middle East at the Atlantic Council from 2015 to 2017. He is a founder of the Libyan Youth Forum, one of the largest and earliest youth organizations created during 2011, as well as being a founding member of the Libyan Experts Forum and the World Economic Forums Global Shapers Hub in Tripoli. Abdul Rahman is a masters graduate with distinction and a fellow from the Department of War Studies in King’s College London. He holds the Associateship of King’s College (AKC) Award in Philosophy and Theology, and an undergraduate degree in economics and international business. 

Aisha Al-Ammari is an Assistant Professor of Law at Qatar University- College of Law. She majors in Criminal Law and has taught various Criminal Law courses. Aisha graduated with an LL.B. degree from Qatar University- College of Law in 2012. In 2014 she graduated with her LL.M. degree from the Nation’s Capital, Washington D.C., the George Washington University- Law School. In 2019, Aisha received her SJD degree from Case Western Reserve University- Law School. Her thesis was titled “Anti-Corruption in Qatar: A General Understanding of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption & Its Impacts. In 2019 Aisha represented QU Law in an exchange program with the University of Padua- Law in Italy. Aisha graduated from Qatar Leadership Center in 2020 from the Governmental Leadership Program. Aisha is currently the Head of Public Law Department and before that she served as the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs at the College of Law- Qatar University. In 2023 Aisha represented QU Law in an exchange program with the University of Gdansk Faculty of Law and Administration. She has served in many committees in the College of Law. She has participated in many conferences and worked on various papers related in the field of law. 

Dr. Aziz Alghashian is an Adjunct Professor at Niaf University for Security Sciences and a Senior Non-Resident Fellow at Gulf International Forum. He is a Saudi researcher who focuses on the  Saudi kingdom’s foreign policy, and a specialist of Saudi-Israeli relations, as well as for Gulf-Israeli relations. Aziz joined the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, where he underwent officer training before obtaining his undergraduate degree in International Relations and Global Security, followed by an MA in Diplomacy and International Relations from the University of Nottingham. Dr. Alghashian obtained a PhD in Saudi foreign policy towards Israel from the University of Essex, where he lectured Middle East International relations, Theories and Concepts of International Relations and Political Theory. Dr Alghashian also acted as the director of research at ORF Middle East. In recent years, he has been operating within a Gulf-Palestinian-Israeli nexus, building initiatives and publishing policy papers. Alongside his research, Dr Alghashian provides analysis to global media outlets and aims to be a bridge building force in the region. 

Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein is the President and CEO of the International Peace Institute. He is the Perry World House Professor of the Practice of Law and Human Rights at the University of Pennsylvania. And he is the President of Octagonal Advisory LLC, a consultancy providing services for the advancement of human rights and is an Associate Tenant (as Academic Advisor) with Doughty Street Chambers, London. He was the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights from 9/2014 -9/2018 and his professional background is one of having been a practitioner -- a former senior diplomat. His knowledge is steeped in international politics, international human rights law, international criminal law, UN peacekeeping, post-conflict peace-building, international development, and counter-nuclear terrorism – stemming from twenty-four years of direct exposure to many of the world’s most turbulent crises and serious security threats. In 2019, he was appointed a member of The Elders, an independent group of global leaders working for peace, justice and human rights, founded by Nelson Mandela.

Mr. Yousef bin Ali bin Yousef Al -Khater has been member of the Shura Council since 2021. Currently, he is Chairman of the Shura Council’s Internal and External Affairs Committee; Member of the Advisory Board of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC); and Chairman of Qatar Parliamentary Friendship Group with the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Since 2023, Mr. Al -Khater has been elected Chairman of the Board of Directors of Qatar Red Crescent Society, and he was re-elected for another term in 2024. During his diplomatic career, he worked at the Office of the State Minister for Foreign Affairs in 2006, then served as a consul in Houston, Texas, the United States (2007 -11) and ambassador in Australia and later the United Kingdom until 2021. Mr. Al -Khater obtained Master of Public Administration from the American University –Washington, D.C. (2000). Over the period 1992 -2006, he worked at the Ministry of Education (MOE), ending up as Secretary -General of MOE Qatar National Commission for Education, Culture, and Science. He represented Qatar as member of the Executive Councils of the Arab League Educational, Cultural, and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) and the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO). He attended numerous regional and international conferences. 

Ms. Mona Ali Khalil is a respected public international lawyer with more than 30 years of United Nations and other international experience and a unique combination of expertise in peacekeeping, peace enforcement, counter-terrorism and WMD disarmament. Between 1993 and 2015, she served as a Senior Legal Officer of the UN Office of the Legal Counsel where she led the peacekeeping team and the sanctions team. She also served on successive special assignments involving the conflicts in Iraq, Libya and Syria. She was seconded to the International Atomic Energy Agency from 2005 to 2009 where she promoted nuclear security and ensured compliance with the nuclear non-proliferation sanctions regimes. She founded MAK LAW INTERNATIONAL in 2018, a strategic consulting service advising governments and UN system organizations. She has co-authored several publications including Empowering the UN Security Council: Reforms to Address Modern Threats (Oxford University Press 2024); Reinvigorating the United Nations (Routledge 2024); the UN Security Council Conflict Management Handbook (AGDA 2023); The Future of Diplomacy after Covid-19 (Routledge 2021); Protection of Civilians (Oxford University Press 2016). She has an A.B. in Government and an A.M. in Middle East Studies from Harvard University as well as an M.S. in Foreign Service and a Juris Doctorate from Georgetown University. She is an Affiliate of the Harvard Law School Program on International Law and Armed Conflict and a member of the faculty of the Vienna Diplomatic Academy and School of international Studies. She is a Saudi citizen of Palestinian origin residing in Vienna, Austria. 

Maged Al-Madhaji is a prominent Yemeni political analyst, writer, and journalist. He is the Co-Founder and Chairman of the Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies, with more than 20 years of experience in conflict analysis, peacebuilding, transitional justice, and gender issues. He has also published articles and studies across various regional and international academic and media platforms, including Carnegie, Al Jazeera Center for Studies, Doha Institute, Al-Hayat, The Guardian, Legal Agenda, and As-Safir newspaper. Al-Madhaji previously worked as an editor and contributor at Al-Share‘ and Al-Nidaa newspapers in Yemen, where he wrote extensively on political reform, human rights, and governance. He is considered one of the most prominent voices in regional and international policy discussions and plays an important role in shaping strategic understanding of Yemen’s political and humanitarian crisis. 

 Fahad Hamad Hassan Al- Sulaiti is the Director General of Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD), the State of Qatar’s international development provider dedicated to promoting sustainable development and mobilizing humanitarian aid globally inspired by Qatar National Vision 2030.  Under his guidance, QFFD will advance innovative finance mechanisms, including concessional loans, grants, guarantees, and investments, to address critical global challenges in health, education, and economic development.  Fahad strongly advocates for collaboration with governments, international organizations, NGOs, and the private sector to achieve sustainable, impactful solutions that foster peace, justice, and prosperity.  Prior to his current role, Fahad served as Chief Executive Officer, where he played a pivotal role in establishing and steering the organization’s governance, strategy, financial frameworks, partnership models, and overall business plan since its inception in 2012. Under Fahad’s leadership, the organization became a globally recognized player in advancing education, reflecting Qatar’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in education development.  Fahad managed an extensive project portfolio spanning 60 countries, leveraging over USD 3 billion in funding and forging partnerships with more than 100 entities, including development banks, UN agencies, official development organizations, international NGOs, and private sector stakeholders. His efforts included fostering strategic collaborations with key development funding nations like the USA, UK, France, Italy, and South Korea, alongside leading global financial institutions such as the World Bank, Islamic Development Bank, the Asian Development Bank, InterAmerican Development Bank, and the African Development Bank.  He also focused on strengthening relationships with governments in project implementing countries, delivering tangible impacts on their education systems and reinforcing Qatar’s role in global education development.  Additionally, Fahad chaired the board of an international entity based in the United Kingdom, contributing to resource mobilization and project funding on a global scale.  With 23 years of professional experience, Fahad’s career includes 12 years in his previous leadership role at Education Above All Foundation and 11 years in senior finance, administration, and project management positions at Qatar Foundation. He also gained expertise in retail, international, and corporate banking at Qatar National Bank (QNB), where he managed multiple overseas operations.  Fahad holds a BSc in Business Administration with a focus on accounting and economics and an Executive MBA from HEC Paris in Qatar.

Emeritus Professor of Economics at Ohio State University, the USA, and Distinguished Professor at Nile University, Egypt.  Also, former Chairman of the BOT of the Economic Research Forum for Arab Countries, Iran, and Turkey, and a Member of the Delta Insurance Board of Directors.    Professor Hassan Aly served in the faculty of The Ohio State University, Department of Economics, and has gone through the ranks, from 1989 as an assistant professor of economics until he received his full professorship in 2007. He also served as an associate faculty member at the Center for Middle Eastern Studies (1992-2015). As well as the John Glenn Institute for Public Service and Public Policy (1999-2015); associate editor of the Middle East Business and Economic Review (2002-2010); and the Journal of African Development (2009-2012).  Professor Aly has over 50 scientific papers published in national, regional, and international journals.    In May 2015, Professor Aly received the rank of Professor Emeritus of Economics from Ohio State University, and in 2017, he assumed the position of Professor of Economics and Dean of the School of Business Administration at Nile University, Giza, Egypt, after serving as the Founding Dean of the School of Public Administration and Development Economics at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies in Qatar (2015- 2017).  Starting September 1st, 2024, Professor Aly declined his administrative positions at NU and he is in the process of being named a Distinguished Professor of Economics, Also, as of October 1, 2023, Prof. Aly is serving as a representative of the Egyptian Kuwait Holding Company on the Board of Directors of Delta Insurance Company - Egypt and Delta Life Insurance Company.   In terms of international professional service, Prof. Aly enjoys a broad leadership role as exemplified in his service to Middle East Economists, where he served as Treasurer, Executive Secretary General, and then President of the organization for two consecutive terms (ending in 2019). He is currently serving as an ex-official member of the board of directors of this organization.  He also served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Economic Research Forum (ERF), a well-known and leading economic research center in the region, for one term (2012-16), and in 2022 he was elected to lead this organization as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Forum for a five-year term (from 2022 to 2027). His previous positions include Lead and Chief Economist at the African Development Bank (two years), and Director of Graduate Studies at Zayed University in the United Arab Emirates for a three-year term (2002-2005). In addition, he was a senior Fulbright scholar at the United Arab Emirates University in the Spring of 2000 (for one semester).  Finally, he held several positions as a visiting professor for short periods at several Middle Eastern and US universities such as Kuwait University and Southern Illinois University-CarbondaleCairo Intl 

Dr Alessandro Arduino, with over two decades of experience in China, has honed his expertise in government policy research, crisis mitigation, private military companies, and cyber deterrence. His extensive field research has spanned across Central Asia, the Middle East, and the Horn of Africa regions. Alessandro is an affiliate lecturer at the Lau China Institute, King’s College London, a member of the Advisory Group of the International Code of Conduct Associations (ICoCA) and the International Institute of Humanitarian Law. Dr Arduino is recognised as a foremost expert on Chinese private security and the author of the reference book on China’s Private Army. Protecting the New Silk Road.  He has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals and contributed chapters to academic volumes. His latest book, Money for Mayhem: Mercenaries, Private Military Companies, Drones, and the Future of War (Rowman & Littlefield, 2023), forecasts what the future of war looks like in a world dominated by private armies.  Dr Arduino’s research explores how the state’s monopoly on violence is transforming through the rise of drone mercenaries, cyber-mercenaries, and intelligence-for-hire operations, reshaping the landscape of security and conflict. His wargaming design and implementation as a simulation and forecast tool have been used by the military and civilians. Dr Arduino has been appointed a Knight of the Order of the Italian Star by the President of the  Italian Republic.

Dr. Fanta Aw serves as Chief Executive Officer of NAFSA: Association of International Educators, the world’s largest and most comprehensive international education association.  With close to 11,000 members representing over 5,000 institutions in over 150 countries.   A former NAFSA president and board chair, she is dedicated to advancing international education and exchange and addressing pivotal issues shaping the global landscape. Dr. Aw is a sought-after keynote speaker on internationalization, global education trends, geopolitics, public policy, and immigration. A champion for innovation and transformation in higher education, she underscores the importance of humanity coexisting with technology and the social responsibility of educators to prepare and nurture the next generation of empathetic leaders. Dr. Aw is a sociologist who has spent more than three decades at American University (AU) in Washington, D.C., in executive leadership roles and as a Hurst Senior Professorial Lecturer, in the School of International Service.   She also serves on several influential boards, including World Education Services, the Times Higher Education International Education Advisory Board, and The Education World Forum, among others. She has been profiled in major media outlets including the New York Times, the Economist, Forbes, CNN, Agence France Press, the Middle East Broadcast Corporation, China Daily, Bloomberg, Al-Jazeera, among others.  Originally from Mali, Dr. Aw has lived in both East and West Africa as well as the United States, gaining a broad and diverse cultural perspective. Her passion for global experiences has led her to explore more than 70  countries.

Niagalé Bagayoko has a doctorate in political science and is a graduate of the Institut d'Études Politiques (IEP) in Paris. Her thesis was awarded first prize by the Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Défense Nationale (IHEDN). A specialist in security system reform (SSR) in French-speaking Africa, international security policies in sub-Saharan Africa and African conflict management mechanisms, she has directed the peacekeeping and peacebuilding programme of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, having previously worked as a researcher at the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) at the University of Sussex (UK) and at the Institut de recherche pour le développement (IRD, France), as well as teaching international relations at the IEP in Paris. She is currently President of the African Security Sector Network (ASSN). She is a frequent contributor to a wide range of international media, including television (France 24, TV5 Monde, Deutsch Welle, VOA, Africanews, ....), radio (France Culture, RFI, BBC ....) and the written press (Le Monde, Le Point, The Africa Report, etc.). 

Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi is a Palestinian physician, political leader, and human rights advocate, known for his commitment to non-violent resistance and democratic reform. He is the General Secretary of the Palestinian National Initiative and a Member of the Palestinian Parliament. In 2005, he ran for the Palestinian presidency on a platform of anti-corruption and democratic renewal, finishing second with significant national support. Dr. Barghouthi has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his efforts to promote peaceful struggle and international solidarity for Palestine. He currently serves as the President of the Palestinian Medical Relief Society (PMRS), which he co-founded in 1979. Under his leadership, PMRS has grown into one of Palestine’s largest community health organizations, providing essential medical services to marginalized populations across cities, villages, and refugee camps. Dr. Barghouthi also played a key role in mediating internal Palestinian dialogue, leading to the formation of the first National Unity Government, where he served as Minister of Information. Trained in medicine in Jerusalem and the former Soviet Union, with postgraduate studies at Stanford University, he has been central to developing modern, community-based healthcare in Palestine and advancing civil society, dignity, and justice for his people. 

Kayhan Barzegar Ph.D. is Professor and Chair of the Department of Political Science and International Relations at the Science and Research Branch of the Islamic Azad University in Tehran. He is also a Senior Academic Advisor to the IPIS.  Dr. Barzegar was Director of the Center for Middle East Strategic Studies in Tehran during 2011-2021, a Research Fellow at Harvard University during 2007- 2011, and a Postgraduate Research Fellow at the London School of Economics (LSE) during 2002-2003. His works on Iran’s foreign and regional policy, Iran-US relations, and Iranian nuclear program have been published widely, including in Foreign Affairs, the Washington Quarterly, Middle East Policy, World Policy Journal, and numerous academic journals. He is also a columnist in Persian and English language outlets such as Al Monitor, Middle East Eye, Al Jazeera Center for Studies, Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, Atlantic Council, Responsible Statecraft, etc. His latest publications include, “Hybrid Deterrence in the Middle East (Book Chapter Springer Nature, August 2023), “Towards an Asian Geopolitical Alliance (Montaigne Institute, October 2022), “Iran’s Understanding of Strategic Stability in the Region” (in: Geopolitics of Iran, 2021). His latest book is entitled, Iran Regional Policy in Time (August 2024). 

Ferid Belhaj took up the position of World Bank Vice President for Middle East and North Africa on July 1, 2018. Prior to this, he served as the Chief of Staff of the President of the World Bank Group for 15 months. From 2012 to 2017, Mr. Belhaj was World Bank Director for the Middle East, in charge of work programs in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Iraq and Iran, based in Beirut, Lebanon. In this capacity, he led the Bank’s engagement on the Syrian refugee crisis and its impact on the region, including the creation of new financing instruments to help countries hosting forcibly displaced people; the ramping up of the Bank drive towards the reconstruction and recovery of Iraq during and after the ISIS invasion and the scaling up of the Bank's commitments to Lebanon and Jordan. Before taking up his Mashreq assignment, Mr. Belhaj served as World Bank Director for the Pacific Department (2009-2012), where he developed a regional strategy that scaled up Bank engagement in small and fragile states, and tripled lending operations of the International Development Agency, one of the five institutions under the umbrella of the World Bank Group that provides interest-free loans and grants for Low-Income Countries. From 2007 to 2010, Mr. Belhaj was the World Bank’s Special Representative to the United Nations (UN) in New York, where he engaged with various UN agencies on a range of programs, mainly climate change, the Millennium Development Goals, fragile and post-conflict states and the global financial and food crises. He also served as World Bank Country Manager for Morocco (2002-2007), where he developed a new and multifaceted dialogue with one of the best performing Middle-Income countries. A Tunisian national, Mr. Belhaj joined the Bank in 1996 as Senior Counsel in the Legal Department, managing a number of legal and judicial reform projects. He also served as Bank Counsel for countries, including Egypt, Morocco, Iran, Algeria and Thailand. From 1992 to 1996, was the Deputy Chief of Mission of the Tunisian Embassy to the United States of America. Between 1988 and 1992 Mr. Belhaj served as the Legal Adviser to the Permanent Mission of Tunisia to the UN. Mr. Belhaj joined the Tunisian Foreign Service in 1986, and took on the task of Special Assistant to the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Former French Ambassador to China (2011-2014), [first woman to hold the post of French Ambassador to a country which is a permanent member of the Security Council]  to the United Kingdom (2014-2017) and to Russia (2017-2019). Earlier career: Sylvie Bermann joined the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1979. She was appointed vice consul at the French Consulate general in Hong Kong ,1979-1980,  Second Secretary at the French Embassy in China 1980-1982, China desk officer at the French ministry of Foreign affairs 1982-1986, First secretary then second counselor at the French Embassy in USSR 1986-1989, Head of the South -East Asia division at the French ministry of foreign affairs ( organization of the Paris conference on Cambodia), Second Counsellor at the French Permanent Mission to the UN 1992-1996, Head of the Common Foreign and Security Policy Department at the French Foreign Ministry 1996-2002, Ambassador to the Western European Union and to the European Union’s Political and Security Committee in Brussels 2002-2005, Head of the French Foreign Ministry’s directorate for the UN and international organizations, human rights and Francophony 2005 - 2011. July 2021- February 2022 coordinator of the OSCE in the trilateral contact group for the implementation of the Minsk agreements.  Present  Chair of the board of trustees of IHEDN (Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Défense Nationale), Paris, since January 2020.  Member of the board of Institut d’études politiques d’Aix en Provence, Member of the board of Institut Jacques Delors “Notre Europe”   Honours Sylvie Bermann is a commander of the National Order of Merit and a commander of the National Order of the Légion d'Honneur. Elevated to the dignity of Ambassadrice de France in 2019.  Publications: In French : - La Chine en eaux profondes. Stock 2017 - Goodbye Britannia. Stock 2021 - Madame l’ambassadeur. Tallandier 2022 - L’ours et le dragon. Russie-Chine : Histoire d’une amitié sans limites ?, Tallandier, 2025. In English:  - Au revoir Britannia. Luath 2022 

Mr. Beyani was appointed Special Adviser of the Secretary-General for the Prevention of Genocide at the Under- Secretary-General level in August 2025. Holding the post most recently as the Associate Professor of International Law in the Law Department, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), since 1996, Mr. Beyani brings practical legal, diplomatic and political experience in international law and human rights, including national constitutions and treaty making. He is an international expert on internally-displaced persons, population transfers, mercenaries and private military companies, sexual and reproductive health, human rights-based approach to development and climate change, having served as Legal Adviser to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Office of the High Commissioner on Refugees, the World Health Organization, the United Nations Population Fund, United Nations Development Fund for Women, the European Union, the Commonwealth Secretariat and the African Union. Mr. Beyani served as a Member of the LSE Centre for the Study of Human Rights, including as former Chair of its Advisory Board, and the LSE Centre for Climate Change, as well as Member of the UK Foreign Secretary's Advisory Group on Human Rights (2010-2024), Member of the Expert Advisory Group for the United Nations Secretary General’s High-level Panel on Internal Displacement (2019-2021); United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons (2010-2016); Member of the High-level Panel of Eminent Persons of the African Union on the Formation of an African Union Government (2008-2009); and Member of the joint African Union and European Union ad hoc Expert Group on Universal Jurisdiction (2009). Mr. Beyani is holder of a Doctor of Philosophy, University of Oxford, UK (1992), as well as a Master of Laws and a Bachelor of Laws, University of Zambia (1984, 1982).  A Visiting Professor of International Law at the University of Toronto, Canada and Santa Clara University, US, he also served as Research Fellow at Wolfson college, Oxford, with Lectureships in Law at Exeter and St. Catherine's colleges, Oxford, and a Crown Prince of Jordan Fellow, Queen Elizabeth House, as part of the Refugee Studies Centre, Oxford.  He served as a Lecturer of Law at the University of Zambia.  He is fluent in English and Zambian languages. 

Nehal Bhuta holds the Chair of Public International Law at the University of Edinburgh and is an elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. He previously held the Chair of Public International Law at the European University Institute (EUI) in Florence, where he was also Co-Director of the Institute’s Academy of European Law. He is a member of the editorial boards of the European Journal of International Law, the Journal of International Criminal Justice, Constellations and a founding editor of the interdisciplinary journal Humanity. He is also a series editor of the Oxford University Press (OUP) series in The History and Theory of International Law. Prior to his position at the EUI, he was on the faculty at the New School for Social Research, and at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law. Before entering academia, he worked with Human Rights Watch and the International Center for Transitional Justice. Nehal works on a wide range of doctrinal, historical and theoretical issues in international law, international humanitarian law, international criminal law and human rights law. 

Dr. Rebecca Bill Chavez is President and CEO of the Inter-American Dialogue, the leading U.S. think tank on Latin America and the Caribbean. The Dialogue builds networks of cooperation and action to advance democratic resilience, shared prosperity, social inclusion, and sustainable development across the Western Hemisphere. Dr. Chavez has over three decades of foreign policy and national security experience in academia and government service. She served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Western Hemisphere Affairs during the Obama administration. Before that, she was a tenured professor of political science at the U.S. Naval Academy, specializing in democracy and security issues. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Foreign Policy for America Advisory Board, the Leadership Council for Women in National Security, and the Princeton Institute for International and Regional Studies Advisory Council. She is the author of The Rule of Law in Nascent Democracies (Stanford University Press). Her work has appeared in leading scholarly journals, and her commentary has been published in outlets such as The New York Times, Foreign Policy, and the Miami Herald. Raised in Austin, Texas, Dr. Chavez earned her PhD in political science from Stanford University and her BA in public and international affairs from Princeton University. 

HE..  Mr Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari has extensive experience in government and the financial industry, spanning over 30 years. Prior to being appointed as the Minister of Finance in October 2021, he held the position of Minister of Trade and Industry. H.E. became QNB Chief Executive Officer in July 2013 and held this position until 2018. 

Stefan Blättler has a law degree (summa cum laude) from the University of Neuchâtel (CH), where he also completed his PhD. After a period in the banking industry, he joined the  police force of the canton of Bern and became Commander in 2006. He was then elected Attorney General of the Swiss Confederation by the Swiss Parliament in 2021 and took up  his position in January 2022. Stefan Blättler was also Strategic Director of the Swiss  Disaster Victim Identification Team, Chairman of the  Conference of Cantonal Police Commanders and Chairman of  the Foundation Board of the Swiss Police Institute.  He has also been a lecturer in criminal law at the University of Neuchâtel and is currently lecturing criminal law at the University of Bern. He has published several articles on police issues in Swiss criminal law and criminology journals.   Stefan Blättler was appointed member of the Executive Committee of the International  Association of Prosecutors (IAP) in September 2023. 

Dr. Pascal Boniface is the founding Director of the French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs – IRIS, based in Paris. He is the Director of the quarterly journal “La Revue internationale et stratégique” (International and strategic review) since 1991, and the Editor of “L’Année stratégique” (Strategic Yearbook) since 1985. Dr. Pascal Boniface has published more than eighty books dealing with International Relations, Nuclear Deterrence and Disarmament, European Security, French International Policy, Sport in the International Relations (he developed the concept of Geopolitics of Sport) and also the conflict in the Middle-East and its impact in France. Many of them have become classics, reissued on a regular basis and translated in several languages. Dr. Pascal Boniface publishes numerous articles in international and strategic reviews, is regularly present in the media, national and international, written and audiovisual, and gives many conferences in France and abroad. He’s one of the most followed geopolitical analysts on social networks (Facebook, Twitter and TikTok). He also analyses international issues on his own YouTube channel and weekly podcasts  “Comprendre le monde ” (Understand the world), where he has more than 440 000 followers, as well as on his blogs. He has been made a Chevalier of the French Award for distinguished services in public and private capacity, Officier of the Legion of honour and Chevalier of the Order fo the Arts and the Letters. 

Børge Brende is President and CEO of the World Economic Forum. Previously he was the Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Trade and Industry, and Minister of Climate and the Environment. He served as Deputy Chairman of the Norwegian Conservative Party as well as MP. He was also full-time city counsellor in his hometown of Trondheim. He was Chairman of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development and Secretary-General of the Norwegian Red Cross. He was Board Member of Statoil and the Norwegian School of Economics. He was the Chair of Mesta, Norway’s largest contracting group in the area of road and highway maintenance and is currently a Director of the Philanthropy Asia Alliance. He is a Member of the Advisory Council, Harvard International Negotiation Program, the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development (CCICED), the Strategic Committee of Sciences Po, and is currently on the Board of the Bilderberg Meetings. 

Michael C. Horowitz is Director of Perry World House and Richard Perry Professor at the University of Pennsylvania and is a Commissioner on the Global Commission on Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence in the Military Domain. He is also Senior Fellow for Technology and Innovation at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). Prior to returning to the university, he served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Force Development and Emerging Capabilities and Director of the Emerging Capabilities Policy Office. He is the author of The Diffusion of Military Power: Causes and Consequences for International Politics, and the co-author of Why Leaders Fight. He won the Karl Deutsch Award given by the International Studies Association for early career contributions to the fields of international relations and peace research. He has published in a wide array of peer reviewed journals and popular outlets. Professor Horowitz worked for the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy as a CFR International Affairs Fellow. He is a life member at CFR. Professor Horowitz received his Ph.D. in Government from Harvard University and his B.A. in political science from Emory University. 

Dr. Héctor Cárdenas, with over 25 years' experience in public policy, international affairs, and technology strategy, has led or contributed to 80+ projects across the US, Mexico, Canada, Singapore, and Panama. His work has strengthened institutions and improved millions of lives. An expert in public policy analysis and information technology, Dr. Cárdenas focuses on integrity, transparency, and social responsibility to transform government decision-making processes. He helps governments achieve goals by redesigning processes, training teams, and adopting new technologies. Some of his notable achievements include transforming Mexico's consular documentation system, saving $350 million annually for Mexican citizens and reducing wait times drastically. He introduced innovative technologies for regulatory reform and technical standards in Canada and Mexico, benefiting society significantly. He also strengthened justice systems in Mexico and Panama, focusing on criminal, labor, and anti-corruption reforms, which helped remove Panama from the FATF grey list. Additionally, he supported the implementation of Mexico’s labor reform to ensure a functioning labor justice system protecting workers’ rights. Dr. Cárdenas has worked with global institutions such as the World Bank, Inter- American Development Bank, USAID, USDOL, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, the French Development Agency, and various government agencies in Mexico, Canada, and beyond. Dr. Cárdenas has been teaching at the Goldman School of Public Policy at UC Berkeley since 2009 and is the faculty director of the school’s Master in Public Affairs program. In November 2024, Dr. Cárdenas was elected President of the Mexican Council on Foreign Relations. In this role, he aims to expand COMEXI’s influence both nationally and internationally while fostering intergenerational connections and promoting diverse perspectives within the Council. Dr. Cárdenas is the co-founder of The Ergo Group, a consultancy specializing in public policy and information technology strategy. As President and CEO he has lead the firm to deliver innovative projects that combine strategic analysis, project implementation, and advanced technological solutions. He holds a Ph.D. and a Master’s in Public Policy from the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley, a Master’s in Public Administration from the École Nationale d’Administration (ENA) in France, and a Bachelor’s in International Relations from El Colegio de México. 

Fadi Chehadé is a globally respected entrepreneur, investor, and technology executive  dedicated to building organizations that strengthen markets and societies. He is the CoFounder and Managing Partner of Ethos Capital, a private equity firm focused on long-term investments in digital infrastructure and information services. Under his leadership, Ethos Capital is recognized for its disciplined approach to value creation rooted in stewardship, innovation, and integrity. Before founding Ethos Capital, Mr. Chehadé served as President and CEO of ICANN, where he led the historic transition of Internet oversight from the U.S. government to the international multistakeholder community—ensuring the Internet remained a global, open resource. A serial entrepreneur, he founded and exited multiple technology companies acquired by  IBM, Oracle, and Ingram Micro. He also served as Senior Advisor to the Executive Chairman  of the World Economic Forum and was appointed by the UN Secretary-General to the HighLevel Panel on Digital Cooperation, promoting inclusive and responsible technology  governance. As Chairman of the PAX Foundation, Mr. Chehadé advances economic revival and crossborder collaboration across the Levant. He holds an M.S. in Engineering Management from Stanford University and a B.S. in Computer Science from New York University, and was named a Great Immigrant by the Carnegie Corporation of New York. 

Dr. Nouzha Chekrouni is a Senior Fellow at the Policy Center for the New South. She has extensive experience in academia, diplomacy and political leadership.  She has served as His Majesty’s Ambassador to Canada (2009-2016), and Dean of the Council of Arab League Ambassadors to Canada (2015-2016). Dr. Chekrouni was Minister for the Moroccan Community Living Abroad (2002-2007), a Member of Parliament (2002-2007), and the Minister for Women and Social Issues (1998-2002). She holds a Bachelor Degree from the Philological Faculty at the University of Fez, a Post-Graduate Diploma and a PhD in Linguistics from the Université Sorbonne Nouvelle in Paris. Dr. Chekrouni has also completed a Certificate in Ethics and International Relations at Harvard University. She is a 2016 Senior Fellow in Advanced Leadership at Harvard University and has taught linguistics at the Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences at the University of Meknes. Since 2020, Dr. Chekrouni is a member of the Arab and Moroccan Network of Women Mediators for the UN Agenda "Women, Peace and Security". 

Steve Clemons is editor at large of The National Interest and has served as Editor at Large of The Hill, The Atlantic and Semafor as well as in senior editorial roles at National Journal and Quartz. He is also editor and publisher of the popular political blog, The Washington Note, and host of "The Bottom Line" which airs on the global network of Al Jazeera English. Clemons also Co-Chairs the US Initiative of GLOBSEC, one of Europe's most dynamic and important national and global security think tanks. Clemons serves on the Advisory Board of the Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience at Washington College, and is Chairman & CEO of Widehall LLC, a strategic communications and events firm that translates ideas into high-traction impact. Clemons previously served as Executive Vice President of the Economic Strategy Institute as well as of the New America Foundation, and was founding Executive Director of the Nixon Center, later renamed the Center for the National Interest. He was also Senior Economic and International Affairs Advisor to US Senator Jeff Bingaman; and with Chalmers Johnson founded the Japan Policy Research Institute.   

Victoria Coates is the Vice President of the Davis Institute for National Security at The Heritage Foundation. Coates’ personal scholarship focuses on building global energy security, countering predatory Chinese activity, expanding the historic Abraham Accords, and establishing a U.S.-led Middle East strategic alliance. Coates routinely appears on TV and radio and her writing has appeared in outlets including Bloomberg, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Times. Coates previously served as the Deputy National Security Advisor for the Middle East and North Africa on the National Security Council staff during President Trump's first term. Coates holds a B.A. from Trinity College, a M.A. from Williams College, and a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania, all in art history. 

Jared Cohen is President of Global Affairs at Goldman Sachs. He serves on the Management Committee and the Firmwide Client Franchise Committee. Mr. Cohen joined Goldman Sachs in 2022 as a partner. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Cohen was Chief Executive Officer of Jigsaw, which he founded at Alphabet Inc. in 2016. In this role, his work focused on applying frontier technology to the greatest challenges facing humanity. Prior to that, Mr. Cohen was Google’s first Director of Ideas and Chief Advisor to Google’s Chief Executive Officer and Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt. From 2006 to 2010, he served as a member of the Secretary of State’s Policy Planning Staff and as a close advisor to both Condoleezza Rice and Hillary Clinton. Mr. Cohen is a New York Times bestselling author of six books, including One Hundred Days of Silence: America and the Rwanda Genocide, Children of Jihad, The New Digital Age: Transforming Nations, Business, and our Lives, which he co-authored with Eric Schmidt, Accidental Presidents: Eight Men Who Changed America, Life After Power: Seven Presidents and their Search for Purpose Beyond the White House, and the children’s book Speaking of America: United States Presidents and Words that Changed History. Mr. Cohen is a member of and an adjunct senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security and also a member of the Trilateral Commission. 

Javier Colomina is the NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for the Southern  Neighbourhood and Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy. In  these roles, he guides NATO’s political dialogue and practical cooperation with partners across the Southern Neighbourhood, including the Middle East, North Africa, and the Sahel. A career Spanish diplomat, Mr Colomina previously served as the Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia (2021–2024), and earlier as Spain’s Deputy Permanent Representative to NATO (2017–2021). Prior postings include First Secretary at Spain’s Mission to the United Nations in New York (2002–2006), Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Spain in Damascus (2006–2008), and Political Counsellor at the Embassy of Spain in Buenos Aires (2008–2011). He also served as Senior Adviser for Multilateral and Security Affairs to Spain’s Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (2011–2014). Mr. Colomina entered Spain’s diplomatic service in 2001 and has since focused on Euro-Atlantic and regional security, partnership policy, and high-level political dialogue with NATO partners. 

Doctor, graduate in political science and anthropology, engaged for nearly twenty years in humanitarian and medico-social action in France and internationally. Between 2000 and 2008, he held several positions at Doctors Without Borders France at headquarters and in the field, in Eritrea, Liberia, Afghanistan, Niger and Iran. He became Director of Operations for Doctors of the World France from 2009 until 2018. In 2020, he became involved in the fight against the Covid-19 epidemic as medical coordinator of a Covid center for people in precarious situations run by the Aurore association and the City of Paris, as well as a Covid vaccination center.  In 2023, he became Vice President and then President of Doctors of the World on June 8, 2024. Alongside his community involvement, he conducts research on humanitarian issues and health, social, and environmental inequalities. He teaches at the Toulouse Institute of Political Studies and the University of Paris I La Sorbonne. He is also an associate researcher at IRIS (Institute of International and Strategic Relations) and ICM (Institute of Convergences Migrations). He is the author of documentary films and several books, the latest of which is “Geopolitics of Humanitarian Action” published by Eyrolles in 2025. 

Deputy Director of the Geopolitics Program at the Brazilian Center for International Relations (CEBRI). PhD in International Relations from the Center for Research and Documentation of Contemporary History of Brazil (CPDOC/FGV), with a doctoral exchange at UC San Diego’s Latin American Studies program and at the Center for Brazilian Studies at San Diego State University (CAPES Print scholarship recipient). Master’s in International Relations from UERJ (CAPES fellow) and a postgraduate specialization in International Business Management (IBMEC-RJ). Member of the CNPq Research Group on Brazilian Foreign Policy and South America. Advisory Board member of the Instituto Rio 21 think tank and author of the Political Dialogue platform. Over ten years of experience in international relations, working in think tanks, foreign foundations, and multilateral organizations. Specialist in Public Speaking and Argumentation Under Pressure, trained at Clube da Fala. 

Wael Al-Dahdouh is a Palestinian journalist and Al Jazeera’s bureau chief in Gaza. He is an veteran award-winning journalist, and has more than 27 years of experience covering Gaza and occupied Palestine.  Numerous members of Wael’s family were targeted and killed by the Israeli occupation forces during the genocide in Gaza. His wife, eight-month-old infant grandson, seven-year-old daughter, 16-year-old son, and nine other nephews and relatives were killed in an Israeli airstrike on the Nuseirat refugee camp on 25 October 2023, which also injured many of his other relatives. On 15 December 2023, while covering near Haifa School in Khan Younis with cameraman Samer Abu Daqqa, they were hit by an Israeli missile, sustaining serious injuries and killing Abu Daqqa. His eldest son, journalist Hamza Al-Dahdouh, was also killed by an Israeli airstrike in Khan Younis on 7 January 2024. He became known as “the Mountain of Gaza” and “the Jacob of his era” for his patience, resilience, and determination to continue reporting despite these tragedies. Moreover, many institutions and newspapers named him Person of the Year during 2023–2024. On 11 November 2024, the National Press Club in Washington D.C. awarded him as the 2024 John Aubuchon International Press Freedom Award, the highest honor from National Press Club. He also received awards from Reporters Without Borders, Amnesty International, and numerous other prestigious recognitions in countries around the world. 

Galip Dalay is non-resident Senior Fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, Senior Consulting Fellow at Chatham House, and Co-Director of Programme on Global Orders at Oxford University Dalay was previously Mercator-IPC Senior Fellow at Istanbul Policy Center and at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), and Richard von Weizsäcker Fellow at Robert Bosch Academy in Berlin – He was also a CATS Fellow at SWP. Dalay was also a visiting fellow at the Institute for Human Science (IWM) in Vienna as part of its Eurasia in Global Dialogues program and a non-resident fellow at Brookings Doha Center. His work focuses on Turkey, the Eastern Mediterranean, the Middle East, Russian foreign policy, middle powers in a changing global order, the history and politics of Turkey-West and of Turkey-Russia relations, and the history and politics of post-imperial and post-colonial forms of internationalism. His work has appeared on Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, Project Syndicate, CNN, TIME Magazine, the National Interest, Newsweek, Le Monde, Internationale Politik, DW Opinion, Open Democracy, Al Jazeera, and Middle East Eye. 

Aliko Dangote is a Nigerian businessman and philanthropist who is the Founder and CEO of the Dangote Group, first founded in 1977 as a  company that traded in commodities and building supplies, it has today grown into one of Africa’s largest diversified conglomerates, of which Dangote Cement alone has a market capitalization of $16.1 billion. He was most recently appointed to the World Bank’s Private Sector Investment Lab. An initiative geared towards job creation in developing countries. One of his most ambitious projects is the construction of a 650,000 barrels per day refinery at the cost of $20bn. The refinery which is the largest single train refinery in the world is also the largest in Africa and 7th largest in the world, and became operational in 2023, in an effort to solve Africa’s energy security issues, while also serving the global market. Aliko is also the founder of Aliko Dangote Foundation, incorporated in 1994, is the largest private Foundation in sub-Saharan Africa with an endowment of US$1.25 billion, and is focused on addressing childhood malnutrition, access to healthcare especially amongst the vulnerable people, and education inequality. The Foundation has contributed extensively towards the eradication of polio, malaria and was a leading actor in the fight against COVID-19 in Nigeria and the continent. Aliko seats on the Board of several international organizations. 

Janine di Giovanni is widely regarded as one of the most accomplished foreign correspondents of her generation. She is the Executive Director and CEO of The Reckoning Project, a transnational war crimes documentation initiative she co-founded in 2022. The project trains and supports local investigators in Ukraine, Syria, Gaza, and Darfur to collect legally admissible testimony and evidence of atrocity crimes, and builds legal cases in court, working with international justice mechanisms. A Senior Fellow at Yale University’s Jackson School of Global Affairs, she was previously a Visiting Fellow at Yale Law School’s Schell Center for Human Rights and a Fellow at Johns Hopkins University’s Stavros Niarchos Agora Institute. She is a Guggenheim Fellow, an Edward R. Murrow Press Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, and recipient of the American Academy of Arts and Letters’ Blake-Dodd Prize for Nonfiction. Over three decades, di Giovanni has reported from nearly every major conflict of our time—Sarajevo, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Libya, South Sudan, Yemen, and Ukraine—publishing with The New York Times, Vanity Fair, Newsweek, and The Guardian. She is the author of eight books, including The Morning They Came for Us and The Vanishing, both critically acclaimed for their unflinching humanity. 

Luigi Di Maio has been the European Union Special Representative for the Gulf region since June 2023. He previously served as Italy’s Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2019 to 2022 and as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development, Labour, and Social Policies from 2018 to 2019. In 2013, he was Vice President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies.  Throughout the years he chaired many international high level meetings, including three consecutive editions of the MED Dialogue conference, G20 foreign and trade ministerial meetings, the 2021 Ministerial Meeting of the International Anti-Daesh Coalition, or the first ever Mediterranean Ministerial Dialogue on the Food Security Crisis in June 2022. 

As Chief Executive Officer of Mercy Corps, Tjada leads a team of nearly 4,300 humanitarians, who provide immediate relief and help communities forge new paths to prosperity in the face of disaster, conflict, poverty, and climate change, reaching 38 million people in 40+ countries in the last year.  Tjada's previous work includes roles at CARE, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Bureau for Food Security, and McKinsey & Company.  In addition to leading Mercy Corps, Tjada sits on the Climate Migration Council and is a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Tjada earned a B.A. from Harvard College and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. When she’s not working, Tjada enjoys reading and spending time with her family

Tim Eicke is a practising barrister at Essex Court Chambers in London. From September 2016 to September 2025, he was the Judge elected in respect of the United Kingdom on the European Court of Human Rights, where he was involved in a significant number of important cases. A dual-British/German national, he studied law at the Universities of Passau and Dundee. He was called to the bar in 1993 and was appointed a Queen's Counsel (now King’s Counsel) in 2011. While in practice at the Bar, he regularly argued cases in the UK Supreme Court, the Court of Justice of the European Union and the European Court of Human Rights and acted for claimants, governments and interveners. In 2017, he received an Honorary doctorate from the University of Dundee. Between October 2020 and October 2024, he was Vice-President of Section and Duty Judge responsible for interim measures (rule 39) applications. His expertise covers Public International Law, Human rights law, the law of the European Union as well as public and constitutional law. 

Fatima el Issawi is a Professor in Journalism and Media Studies at the University of Essex. Her research focuses on the intersection between journalistic practices, political transformation, and conflicts in transitional contexts to democracy in the Middle East and North Africa. She led several externally funded research projects, including most recently the research project “Media and Transitions to Democracy: Journalistic Practices in Communicating Conflicts- the Arab Spring” funded by the British Academy Sustainable Development Programme and looking at journalistic practices and identities in communicating political conflicts in post uprisings in North Africa. Fatima’s expertise crosses journalism, public communication, policy and academia. She has over fifteen years of experience as international correspondent in conflict zones in the MENA. She is the author of “Arab National Media and Political Change” (Palgrave Macmillan, 2016) and the co-editor of “The Unfinished Arab Spring: Micro-Dynamics of Revolts between Change and Continuity” (Gingko, 2020). 

Dr Hassan Elbahtimy is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of War Studies at King's College London and co-chair of the Beyond Nuclear Deterrence Working Group at Harvard University. He has written widely on the global politics of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons, with his work appearing in  Foreign Affairs, Journal of Strategic Studies, Security Studies, the Nonproliferation Review, and the Journal of Peace and Nuclear Disarmament. His research was awarded the McElveny Grand Prize by the Nonproliferation Review.Dr. Elbahtimy previously served as Director of the Centre for Science and Security Studies. He is also a former trustee and executive committee member of the British International Studies Association (BISA), where he twice chaired the committee for the Ling Outstanding First Book Prize. 

Rachel Ellehuus became Director-General of RUSI on 6 January 2025. Rachel joined RUSI after serving nearly three years at the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) as the United States Secretary of Defense Representative in Europe and Defense Advisor to the United States’ Mission to NATO. Prior to that, she was Deputy Director of the Europe and Eurasia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, DC and a Senior Advisor at WestExec Advisors. Previously, she served in multiple roles in the U.S. Department of Defense to include Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for European and NATO Policy. Her time in the Pentagon also included an exchange to the UK Ministry of Defence's Strategy Unit, where she worked on the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review. Rachel has numerous publications to her name, most recently Europe’s High-End Military Challenges (2022) and The Challenge of Political Will in Europe (2022). She holds a BA from Colgate University and a MA from the College of Europe. 

Dr. Dalia Fahmy is Director of International Relations and Diplomacy and Associate Professor of Political Science at Long Island University 

Ghida Fakhry is Host and Executive Producer of TRT World's flagship global affairs programme 

H.E. Maria Fernanda Espinosa is a distinguished diplomat, academic, and multilateral expert with over 30 years of experience in international negotiations, global governance, and sustainable development. From 2018 to 2019, she served as President of the United Nations General Assembly, becoming the first woman from Latin America and the Caribbean to hold the position. Throughout her career, she has worked at the highest levels of government and diplomacy, specializing in peace and security, disarmament, climate change, biodiversity, human rights, Indigenous peoples, gender equality, and multilateral cooperation. She has led complex regional and international negotiations for over a decade. In Ecuador, she served as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of National Defense. In 2008, she became Ecuador’s first woman Permanent Representative to the UN in New York. Currently, she holds several prominent international positions. She is President of Cities Alliance and Executive Director of Global Women Leaders for Change and Inclusion. She serves on the Board of Trustees of the International Crisis Group and the Nizami Ganjavi International Center, and co-chairs the Climate Governance Commission, the Coalition for the UN We Need, and the Debt Relief for a Green and Inclusive Recovery initiative. She is a member of the UN Advisory Board on Human Security and the High-Level Advisory Council of the UN Alliance of Civilizations, among others. Her contributions have earned numerous accolades, including the “Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa” from The New School. She is the author of more than 50 academic publications, op-eds, and book chapters. 

Denise Garcia is a full Professor at Northeastern University in Boston since 2006, appointed at the College of Social Sciences and Humanities, and a founding faculty member of its Experiential Robotics Institute. Before joining Northeastern, she worked for three years at the World Peace Foundation at the Belfer Center for Science at Harvard University. She is formerly a member of the International Panel for the Regulation of Autonomous Weapons (2017-2022), of the Research Board of the Toda Peace Institute (Tokyo, 2020-2023), and of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Global Initiative on Ethics of Autonomous and Intelligent Systems (Autonomous Weapons Group). She is currently a member of the Institute for Economics and Peace (Sydney) and an advisor to the Global Challenges Foundation (Stockholm). She was the funded Nobel Peace Institute Fellow in Oslo in 2017. Garcia collaborates closely with projects in her home country, Brazil. A multiple teaching award-winner, her recent publications appeared in the American Academy for Arts and Sciences (Science and Diplomacy Journal), Nature, Foreign Affairs, International Relations, and other top journals. Her latest book is The AI Military Race: Common Good Governance in the Age of Artificial Intelligence (Oxford University Press, 2023), in which she examines the complexities entailed in creating a global framework to govern the military use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) by proposing inclusive and humane ways to forge cooperation. 

Adel Abdel Ghafar is a senior fellow and director of the Foreign Policy program at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs. He was previously a nonresident fellow at the Brookings Institution’s Foreign Policy Program and a fellow at the Brookings Doha Center, where he was also acting director of research. Abdel Ghafar is an adjunct professor at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service in Qatar. He specializes in foreign policy and political economy of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Abdel Ghafar is the author and editor of several volumes and reports including:  The Middle East: Revolution or Reform?  (Melbourne University Press, 2014); Egyptians in Revolt: The Political Economy of Labor and Student Mobilizations 1919-2011 (Routledge, 2017); A Stable Egypt for a Stable Region (European Parliament, 2018);  The European Union and North Africa: Prospects and Challenges (Brookings Institution Press, 2019); China and North Africa: Between Economics, Politics and Security (I.B. Tauris, 2021); The European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council: Towards a New Path (Palgrave Macmillan, 2021); and The Gulf Cooperation Council at Forty: Risk and Reward in a Changing World (Brookings Press, 2022) and Asia in the GCC: A New Strategic Partner? (ME Council, 2023). Abdel Ghafar has prepared studies and consulted for various international and intergovernmental organizations and government agencies including the European Union; the U.K. Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office; and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He has a background in international banking and finance and has worked for several financial institutions including HSBC and Citigroup. 

Francesca Giovannini is the Executive Director of the Harvard Belfer Center’s Initiative on Managing the Atom (MTA) and the Director of the Research Network on Rethinking Nuclear Deterrence. Established jointly by the Belfer Center and the MacArthur Foundation, the network has brought together over 80 scholars across 15 universities to advance innovative thinking on nuclear policy and strategic stability. Dr. Giovannini is also the lead faculty member of the Harvard Nuclear Deterrence Certificate, a professional program designed for senior military leaders across commands involved in the U.S. nuclear mission. She has also designed and currently teaches a course on the Geopolitics of Technology, tailored for leaders in emerging technologies and national security officers. Previously, Dr. Giovannini served in several international organizations. Most recently, she was appointed Senior Policy Adviser to the Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), where she worked to promote the Treaty’s ratification among key nuclear weapon states, including the United States, China, and Pakistan. She holds a Doctorate from the University of Oxford and two master’s degrees from the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Giovannini has published widely in Nature, The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, Arms Control Today, The National Interest, The Hill, and The Washington Post, among others. She is a regular commentator in European and American media on U.S. Foreign Policy, nuclear weapons risks, emerging technologies, and European security issues. 

In September 2021, Rebeca Grynspan was appointed Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), becoming the first woman to lead the organization in its 60-year history.  Rebeca Grynspan, an economist and former Vice President of Costa Rica, is an experienced leader of international institutions with a substantive track record in government, UN diplomacy, economic policy and multilateral cooperation at the global level.  Prior to joining the United Nations, she was Vice President of Costa Rica and held cabinet positions as Minister of Housing, Minister Coordinator of Economic and Social Affairs and Deputy Finance Minister. Previously, she served as Secretary-General of the Ibero-American Conference (2014–2021), chairing regional summits of Heads of State and Government; United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Associate Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); and UNDP Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean. She was a member of the UN Commission for the Reconstruction of Haiti, representing the UN Secretary-General. At UNCTAD, Grynspan has been at the centre of critical negotiations to address global trade and development challenges. She played a decisive role in the Istanbul Agreements, including the successful Black Sea Initiative brokered between the UN, Türkiye, the Russian Federation and Ukraine, which enabled the safe export of over 33 million tons of grains, lowered global food prices by 23% and prevented millions from falling into food insecurity. She also led the UN Global Crisis Response Group on food, energy and finance, and has represented the UN in G20 summits. Her leadership has been recognized widely. In 2024, she received the Doha Negotiator of the Year Award for spearheading UN efforts to restore Black Sea trade routes. In 2025, Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation awarded her the inaugural Isabel Oyarzábal Women in Multilateralism International Prize for her contribution to multilateralism.  Ms. Grynspan holds degrees in economics from the University of Costa Rica and the University of Sussex, and honorary doctorates from several European universities. 

Karim Haggag is the Director of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) a leading global independent institute dedicated to research into conflict, armaments, arms control and disarmament. He is a former career Egyptian diplomat with over 25 years of service in Egypt’s diplomatic corps serving in numerous positions focusing Middle East regional security, arms control and non-proliferation, and Arab-Israeli diplomacy. Prior to joining SIPRI he was a Professor of Practice at the School of Global Affairs and Public Policy (GAPP) and Director of the Global Affairs program at the American University in Cairo, and a visiting professor at the Near East and South Asia Center for Strategic Studies National Defense University in Washington DC (2011-2013). He is currently a non-resident fellow at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School of Government. He is a graduate of The American University in Cairo, and has earned an MA in war studies from King’s College in London. 

Yalda Hakim is an award-winning international correspondent and documentary filmmaker. She anchors The World with Yalda Hakim, airing weeknights at 9 pm on Sky News. She also co-hosts the podcast The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim, where the two share in-depth reporting and analysis on global affairs. In 2021, Yalda joined BBC World News as a presenter and correspondent, delivering hard-hitting journalism on many global issues. She was named Chief Presenter and hosted the flagship programme “Daily Global with Yalda Hakim” on BBC News until July 2023. Yalda has spent nearly two decades reporting from the frontlines of the world’s most consequential and dangerous stories. In November 2023, she went live from Jerusalem to present a special programme for Sky News on the Israel-Hamas war. Over the past year, Yalda has reported extensively from Ukraine covering the ongoing war. Her recent interview with President Zelensky made global headlines when he acknowledged the counter-offensive has been slower than expected. Yalda led BBC World's coverage of the collapse of the Afghan government in 2021, making world headlines after receiving a surprise call from a Taliban spokesperson and conducting an impromptu live-to-air interview on her mobile's loudspeaker as they marched on Kabul. Since then, Yalda has travelled extensively across Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, producing a series of documentaries on the impact of the Taliban takeover on the lives of ordinary Afghans, especially the women and girls of the country. In recognition of her work, Yalda was invited to address the United Nations Security Council in 2022 on the situation in Afghanistan. Yalda also regularly conducts high profile interviews with some of the world’s most important leaders and public figures. She conducted the first international interview with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Among Yalda’s other recent interviews include former US President Bill Clinton, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo, Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani, Hollywood actor and director Angelina Jolie and Prince Albert of Monaco. Yalda was born in Kabul, Afghanistan and came as a refugee to Australia, where she grew up. She is the founder of the Yalda Hakim Foundation, which has established scholarships for disadvantaged Afghan girls to receive an education. As well as English, Yalda speaks five other languages including Farsi, Urdu, Hindi, Pashto, and Dari.

Caroline Holt is the Director, Disasters, Climate and Crises at the IFRC leading the IFRC’s global teams in Operations, Climate, Migration and Socio-Economic Empowerment.  Caroline has worked in the humanitarian sector for 20 years, mostly with the Red Cross Red Crescent network, in a variety of HQ and field-based roles across technical and leadership positions.  She is also a qualified accountant and holds a Masters degree in International Development. 

Dr. Henry Huiyao Wang is Founder and President of Center for China and Globalization (CCG), a leading non-governmental think tank ranked among top 100 think tanks in the world and only think tank in China granted with United Nations Special Consultative Status. In addition, he is the former Counselor to China State Council appointed by Chinese premier; Vice Chairman of China Public Relations Association; Director of Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs and China National Committee for Pacific Economic Cooperation; a Steering Committee Member of Paris Peace Forum (PPF), an Advisory Board Member of Duke Kunshan University and Richard Ivey Business School. Dr. Wang was a former official at the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation (now Ministry of Commerce) responsible for Chinese companies going global. Afterwards he served as Chief Trade Representative for Canadian Quebec Government Office in Hong Kong and Greater China, Managing Director of Asia at SNC-Lavalin, and Vice President at AMEC-AGRA in Canada and then Advisory Board Member of UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM). Dr. Wang pursued his PhD studies at University of Western Ontario and University of Manchester. He was a Senior Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School and a Visiting Fellow of Brookings Institute. As a thought leader on global relations, international business, global governance, talent migration, global investment and trade, etc., he has published over 100 English and Chinese works and is the chief editor of China and Globalization book series by Springer Nature. 

Maiko Ichihara is a Professor in the Graduate School of Law and the School of International and Public Policy at Hitotsubashi University, Japan. She is also the director of the Democracy Advocates at Risk program, chairs the steering committee of the East Asia Democracy Forum, and serves on the steering committees of Japan Factcheck Center, International Coalition for Democratic Renewal, and Indo-Pacific Platform for Universal Values. Throughout her career, she has undertaken research on international relations, democracy support, Japanese foreign policy, and influence operations. She earned her Ph.D. in political science from George Washington University. Her publications include: “How to Tackle Disinformation in Japan: Lessons from the Russia-Ukraine war,” in Jessica Brandt, et al., Impact of Disinformation on Democracy in Asia (Brookings Institution, 2022); “Japanese Democracy After Shinzo Abe,” Journal of Democracy 32-1 (2021); and Japan's International Democracy Assistance as Soft Power: Neoclassical Realist Analysis (New York and London: Routledge, 2017). 

Qutaiba Idlbi is the Director of American Affairs at the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, where he oversees Syria’s engagement with the United States, Canada, and Latin America. In this role, he shapes diplomatic strategy, builds dialogue with international partners, and advances Syria’s post-conflict reintegration and recovery agenda. Prior to assuming his current position, Idlbi was a senior fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Middle East programs, leading the Council’s work on Syria. He authored widely cited analyses on the country’s transition, U.S. sanctions policy, and pathways for reintegration into the international community. His research and policy work have informed both governments and multilateral organizations on strategies to support stability and inclusive governance in Syria. Idlbi’s professional background spans research, advocacy, and program management. He served as the Syria expert at the International Center for Transitional Justice, analyzing the framework of political imprisonment, and as a nonresident scholar at the Middle East Institute, where he studied sanctions and forced displacement. He also contributed to field research on refugee entrepreneurship in Turkey and Jordan with Building Markets, assessed security dynamics with the Global Policy Institute, and developed governance and security assessments for U.S. government agencies through Caerus Associates. Beyond research, Idlbi co-founded and served as vice president of People Demand Change, implementing civil society and peacebuilding programs across Syria, Yemen, and Lebanon. He is a 2013 Leaders for Democracy fellow with the U.S. Department of State’s Middle East Partnership Initiative and a 2016 Peace Exchange fellow. 

Fernando Jorge Cardoso has been a visiting full professor at the Autonomous University of Lisbon since 2021. He is co-founder and executive director of the Club of Lisbon. He holds a degree in Economics (1976) from Eduardo Mondlane University (UEM) in Maputo, a PhD in Economics (1991) with Public Habilitations (2006) from the Higher Institute for Economics and Management, ISEG at the University of Lisbon. He has over a hundred publications on development, geopolitics, geoeconomics and security, with a focus on Africa. In Mozambique, he was Dean of the School of Economics at UEM (1978-1983), advisor to the Minister of Planning (1977-1983) and Executive President of the sugar company Maragra (1983-1985). In Portugal, he has held research, training and management positions at several universities (1991-2021), coordinated the Africa area of the Institute for Strategic and International Studies, IEEI (1991-2012) and the Strategic and Development Studies area of the NGDO Marquês de Valle Flôr Institute (2012-2021). As a consultant, he has prepared and evaluated cooperation programmes in Mozambique, Angola, Cape Verde and the PALOP group. He is a regular contributor to the National Defence Institute and the Institute of Military Studies. 

H.E. Hind Aboud Kabawat is the Minister of Social Affairs and Labor in the Syrian Arab Republic, recognized for her commitment to social justice, peacebuilding, and institutional reform. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of Damascus, a Certificate in Conflict Resolution and Arbitration from the University of Toronto, and a Master's degree in Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School at Tufts University in the United States. She has also served as a Visiting Fellow at the Negotiation Program of Harvard Law School. As Minister, she has led reforms to strengthen social protection systems, rehabilitate care institutions, and launched Syria's first national strategy for social protection linked to the Sustainable Development Goals. She has prioritized orphans, the elderly, and persons with disabilities, and addressed challenges such as begging and the plight of children of detainees. She has also aligned Syrian labor laws with international standards, introduced the National Labor Market Information Platform, and advanced programs supporting rural women and small-scale entrepreneurs. In September 2025, she also participated as a speaker in the Geneva peace talks, highlighting the importance of women, dialogue, and justice. Her leadership has been highlighted in The New York Times and LeMonde, which described her as one of the most prominent female leaders in the Syrian government. Moreover, Hind Kabawat was the Deputy Head of the Syrian Negotiation Commission in Geneva from 2015 to 2017, playing a key role in international peace efforts. She previously directed the Peacebuilding and Interfaith Dialogue Program and taught at George Mason University in the United States. She is also the founder and president of Tastakel, a Syrian organization for peacebuilding and education that has trained thousands of students across the country. 

Kaja Kallas is the current High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the Commission. She was Prime Minister of Estonia from January 2021 until July 2024. She became the leader of Estonia’s Reform Party in 2018, and was twice a Member of Parliament, (2011-2014; 2019-2021). From 2014 to 2018, Kallas served as a Member of the European Parliament (Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe), where her primary focus was on the Digital Single Market strategy, energy and consumer policies. Before entering politics, Kallas was a lawyer, specialising in European and Estonian competition law, and a partner in two law firms. She graduated from Tartu University law school in 1999. Kallas was awarded the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise of Ukraine, the Grand Cross of the Order of the Star of Romania, CEPA Transatlantic Leadership Award, the 2022 Grotius prize, the Hayek International Prize, European Prize for Political Culture, 2nd Class Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise (Ukraine, 2023), the Commander Grand Cross of the Royal Order of the Polar Star (Sweden, 2023), the Marion Dönhoff Prize, the Jeane J. Kirkpatrick Award of the International Republican Institute, the Lord Byron International Prize, the L'Express Europe Award, the European Liberal of the Year, the Woman in Power Award (Women of Europe Awards), and the Walther Rathenau Prize (2024). Kallas is married and the mother of two sons and a daughter. 

Themba Kalua was appointed as the Director for Pact of the Future Implementation in the Executive Office of the UN Secretary-General in February 2025. He brings over 20 years of leadership experience in sustainable development, international cooperation, development coordination, humanitarian action, and strategy, having held senior roles across the United Nations system at country, regional, and global levels. His career has been dedicated to driving collective action to address complex challenges, deliver tangible results, and foster transformative impact. Previously, Themba served as the UN Resident Coordinator for Samoa, Cook Islands, Niue, and Tokelau, where he led 23 UN agencies, funds and programmes in advancing national priorities, the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  He has also held leadership roles at UN Women, UNDCO, UNEP, UNDP, and WFP. Themba holds an Executive MBA from the University of Cape Town (South Africa), a Master’s in Strategic Management from the University of Derby (UK), and a Bachelor’s in Environmental Science and Technology from the University of Malawi. He is currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Birmingham (UK), focusing on systems leadership and systems thinking for addressing complex challenges. 

Dr. Togzhan Kassenova is a senior fellow at the Center for Policy Research, University at Albany, based in Washington, D.C. She is an expert on nuclear politics, nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction, strategic trade controls, and financial crime prevention. Dr. Kassenova currently works on issues related to proliferation financing controls, exploring ways to minimize access of proliferators to the global financial system. She holds a Ph.D. in Politics from the University of Leeds (UK). From 2011 to 2015, Dr. Kassenova served on the UN Secretary General’s Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters, and in 2025, she was selected to serve on the UN Independent Scientific Panel on the Effects of Nuclear War. Dr. Kassenova is the author of the award-winning Atomic Steppe: How Kazakhstan Gave Up the Bomb (Stanford University Press, 2022). 

Kholood Khair is the founder and director of Confluence Advisory, a 'think and do tank' founded in Khartoum, that works on three priority policy areas: peace and security, economy, and governance. This year, Kholood is part of the inaugural Yale Peace Fellows working on inclusive peace. In Sudan, during its short-lived transition to democracy, Kholood also hosted and co-produced Spotlight 249, Sudan's first English language political discussion and debate show aimed at young Sudanese. Kholood career has, for almost two decades, spanned the fields of research, aid programming, mediation and policy in Sudan and across the Horn of Africa. She has written research and analysis pieces for several international publications and has provided analyses for research and policy institutions worldwide. Kholood has briefed the UNSC twice, as well as testified in the US Congress, twice and UK Parliamentarians. Kholood has an MSC in Violence, Conflict and Development from SOAS, University of London and an MSC in African Studies form the University of Oxford. 

Chair of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs Committee and Pakistan's 26th Foreign Minister, Hina Rabbani Khar is a prominent diplomat and politician. Serving her fourth term in parliament, she was first elected as a Member of Parliament from her home  constituency of Muzaffargarh on a seat previously held by her father, Ghulam Rabbani Khar. As Foreign Minister, she prioritized a ‘regional pivot’ towards neighbors: trade normalization with India,  cooperative outreach towards Afghanistan, and bolstering economic ties with Iran and Central Asia. Ms. Khar has held many key ministerial roles in Economic Affairs and Finance. Whether in office or not, she continues to represent Pakistan on the world stage at forums like the  Munich Security Conference, Paris Peace Forum, Davos, and various other regional and international  events. In her private life, she is a proud mother of two daughters and a son, as well as an entrepreneur, climber,  horse rider, and practitioner of yoga. 

Ivan Krastev is the chairman of the Centre for Liberal Strategies and Albert Hirschman Permanent Fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences, IWM Vienna. He is a founding board member of the European Council on Foreign Relations, a member of the Board of Trustees of The International Crisis Group and member of the Board of Directors of GLOBSEC. He was a contributing opinion writer for the New York Times (2015-2021) and currently is a Financial Times contributing editor. Ivan Krastev is the author of "Is it Tomorrow, Yet? How the Pandemic Changes Europe" (Allen Lane/Penguin, 2020); The Light that Failed: A Reckoning (Allen Lane/Penguin, 2019), co-authored with Stephen Holmes - won the 30th Annual Lionel Gelber Prize; “After Europe” (UPenn Press, 2017); “Democracy Disrupted. The Global Politics on Protest” (UPenn Press, 2014) and “In Mistrust We Trust: Can Democracy Survive When We Don't Trust Our Leaders?” (TED Books, 2013). Ivan Krastev is the winner of the Jean Améry Prize for European Essay Writing 2020. 

Mr. Bo Li assumed the role of Deputy Managing Director at the IMF on August 23, 2021. He is responsible for the IMF’s work on about 90 countries as well as on a wide range of policy issues. Before joining the IMF, Mr. Li worked for many years at the People’s Bank of China, most recently as Deputy Governor. He earlier headed the Monetary Policy, Monetary Policy II, and Legal and Regulation Departments, where he played an important role in the reform of state-owned banks, the drafting of China’s anti-money-laundering law, the internationalization of the renminbi, and the establishment of China’s macroprudential policy framework. Outside of the PBoC, Mr. Li served as Vice Mayor of Chongqing—China’s largest municipality, with a population of over 30 million—where he oversaw the city’s financial-sector development, international trade, and foreign direct investment. Mr. Li was also Vice Chairman of the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese. He started his career at the New York law firm of Davis Polk & Wardwell, where he was a practicing attorney for five years. Mr. Li holds a Ph.D. from Stanford University and an M.A. from Boston University, both in economics, as well as a J.D., magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School. He received his undergraduate education from Renmin University of China in Beijing. 

Eric Li S. M. is chairman of Chengwei Capital. He is founder and chairman of Guancha. He serves as a trustee and chairman of the advisory council of the China Institute and chairman of the strategic advisory council of the Institute of International Studies, both at Fudan University. He also serves on the boards of School of SciTech Business at University of Science and Technology of China, Graduate School of Business at Stanford University, Asia Society Hong Kong, and the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). He received his B.A. in economics from University of California, Berkeley, MBA from Stanford University Graduate School of Business, and Ph.D. in political science from Fudan University. He is a frequent contributor to leading global publications such as Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, The New York Times, Financial Times, and The Economist. He is the author of Party Life - Chinese Governance and the World Beyond Liberalism, published by Palgrave Macmillan. 

Stefan Löfven was Prime Minister of Sweden from 2014-2021 and Leader of the Swedish Social Democratic Party (SAP) from 2012-2021. He led SAP to victory at both the 2014 and 2018 general elections in Sweden. He was elected President of the Party of European Socialists on 14 October 2022, at the PES Congress With Courage For Europe. Known for his strong commitment to democracy, European values and human rights, as Prime Minister of Sweden Stefan Löfven was the driving force behind the proclamation and signing of the European Pillar of Social Rights at the Gothenburg Social Summit for fair jobs and growth in 2017. Thanks to his leadership, this remains a defining moment for a more social, fair and sustainable Europe.He studied social work at university and worked as a welder for a manufacturer of railcars, before becoming a trade union representative, and ultimately the President of IF Metal (2006–2012), a Swedish trade union for industrial workers and metalworkers.Stefan Löfven is also Chair of the Board of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) as well as Chair of the Board of the Olof Palme Memorial Fund. In February 2022 he was appointed by UN Secretary General António Guterres to lead a UN High-Level Advisory Board on Effective Multilateralism. In Fall 2022, he took up a position as a resident fellow at the Harvard Institute of Politics.

Ambassador Mohammed Loulichki holds degrees from the National Institute of Administration in Rabat (1974), the Mohamed V university of Rabat and the University of Paris/Sorbonne (1979). He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Morocco in 1974 and, since then, has served as Legal Counsel (1982-1991); Head of the Legal Department , Director-General of Multilateral Affairs and International Cooperation (2003-2006); Ambassador coordinator of relations with the MINURSO (1999-2001); and staff member and, later, Chef de Cabinet of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (1991-1995). In the course of his long diplomatic career, Mr. Loulichki, who has been the Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Morocco to the United Nations in New York from  2008 to 2014, has held the posts of Permanent Representative to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva (2006-2008), Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York (2001-2003) and Ambassador to Hungary, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina (1995-1999). Ambassador Loulichki has also served as Vice-Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1373 (2001) (the “Counter-Terrorism Committee”) (2012), Chair of the Working Group on Peacekeeping Operations (2012) and Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to Security Council resolution 2048 (2012) concerning Guinea-Bissau. As a member of the Human Rights Council, Mr. Loulichki has served as facilitator of the review process of the status of the Human Rights Council (2010-2011); facilitator on the question of the relationship between the Human Rights Council and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (2008); facilitator on the general guidelines for the preparation of national reports under the universal periodic review (2007); facilitator of the Council’s Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review (2006-2007); and Vice-President of the Council (2006-2007). Mr. Loulichki has also served as Chair of the Moroccan National Monitoring Committee for Nuclear Issues (2003-2006); Deputy Coordinator of the Group of 77 and China in New York (2003); and Coordinator of the Group of African States at the International Telecommunication Union (2008). 

Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights (from July 1, 2022 — present) Lawyer, Doctor of Philosophy Date and place of birth: July 4, 1981, Volnovakha, Donetsk region, Ukraine Family status: Married since 2004. With son and daughter Dmytro Lubinets is an experienced Ukrainian politician and human rights advocate with over a decade of public service. Since 2022, he has served as the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, appointed by the Verkhovna Rada to oversee the protection of civil liberties during wartime and beyond. Prior to this role, he was twice elected as a Member of Parliament representing Donetsk region and chaired the Committee on Human Rights, Deoccupation, and Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories. Dmytro has actively contributed to international parliamentary cooperation through the EURONEST Parliamentary Assembly and has championed minority rights and interethnic dialogue. With a strong academic background — including a PhD in Political Science, a law degree, and a specialization in international relations — he brings legal expertise and a diplomatic approach to human rights advocacy.

Bronwen Maddox took up the post of Director and Chief Executive of Chatham House in August 2022. Before joining Chatham House, Bronwen was Director of the Institute for Government (2016-2022), an independent think tank based in London promoting better government. From 2010 to 2016 she was editor and chief executive of Prospect, the monthly current affairs magazine. Before that, she served as chief foreign commentator, foreign editor and US editor at The Times, after a period at the Financial Times where she ran award-winning investigations and wrote economics editorials. Before becoming a journalist, Bronwen was an investment analyst in the City and a director of Kleinwort Benson Securities, where she ran its highly-rated team analysing world media stocks. Bronwen is a Visiting Professor in the Policy Institute at King’s College London, Honorary Governor of Ditchley and an honorary fellow of the British Academy. She writes frequent op-ed columns for the Financial Times and broadcasts widely. Bronwen has a degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from St John’s College, Oxford.

Karim Makdisi is an Associate Professor of international politics and founding director of the Graduate Program in Public Policy and International Affairs at the American University of Beirut. He is also at senior fellow at the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs, and an affiliated researcher in the Critical Security Studies working group in the Arab Council for the Social Sciences. Makdisi is an elected member of the Board of Directors at The Academic Council on the United Nations System. He is the co-editor of Land of the Blue Helmets: The United Nations in the Arab World (University of California Press) and Interventions in Conflict: International Peacemaking in the Middle East (Palgrave Macmillan). His current book project, Disarming Syria: The International Politics of Eliminating Syria’s Chemical Weapons (with C. Pison-Hindawi) is under contract with Routledge Press. He is the co-host of the Makdisi Street Podcast. 

Robert Malley is a Senior Fellow and Lecturer at the Yale Jackson School of Global Affairs. He is the author, with Hussein Agha, of Tomorrow is Yesterday: Life, Death, and the Pursuit of Peace in Israel/Palestine. Mr. Malley has served as Special Envoy for Iran under President Joe Biden; White House Coordinator for the Middle East, North Africa and Gulf Region under President Barack Obama; and Special Assistant to President Clinton for Arab-Israeli Affairs and Director for Near East and South Asian Affairs under President Bill Clinton. He was also President and CEO of the International Crisis Group. Mr. Malley served as a law clerk to Justice Byron R. White of the United States Supreme Court in 1991-1992. He is a graduate of Yale University, Harvard Law School and Oxford University, England, where he was a Rhodes Scholar. He is the author of The Call from Algeria: Third Worldism, Revolution and the Turn to Islam, and of articles published in the New York Review of Books, Foreign Affairs, the New York Times, the Washington Post, Le Monde, and several other publications. 

Peter Millett is an experienced former diplomat who  served as British Ambassador to Libya from 2015 to 2018.  During that time he played a role in supporting the UN's efforts to negotiate and implement the Libya Political Agreement.  He built relationships with all the key political, security and economic players in Libya and in the international community.   Before Libya, he was British Ambassador to Jordan from 2011 to 2015 and High Commissioner to Cyprus from 2005 to 2010.  Earlier in his career he had diplomatic postings in Venezuela, Qatar, Brussels and  He now works as a consultant and is the Chairman of the Libya British Business Council.

Professor Beverley Milton-Edwards is a Senior Advisor and Risk Strategist at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Qatar and Senior Visiting Fellow of the Middle East Council on Global Affairs. Prior, at Queen’s University Belfast, she was a founding Director of the Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice and Director of Violence, Terrorism and Security.  Her career has spanned the policy advising and academic world. Her involvement with policy advising includes working as Senior Advisor to the High Representative of the EU for CFSP, Special Envoys to the Middle East Process, EUPOLCOPPS, and the governments of the UK, Norway and the Netherlands. EUPOLCOPPs awarded her both a Commendation and Medal for her services to peace in the Middle East. Milton-Edwards – a leading authority on the Middle East - has authored over 100 articles, chapters, reports, and books including her seminal Contemporary Politics in the Middle East, The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, a People’s War, and Conflicts in the Middle East since 1945.   Milton-Edwards is Fellow of the UK Academy of Social Sciences and NTFA. She has served as a member on the council to BRISMES, BRAIS, HBKU-CHSS and on editorial boards such as British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, Protest and International Dialogue.

Jordan is the Director of Programmes at Forward Thinking, a London based conflict resolution NGO. He has related expertise in frontline mediation, negotiation, and the facilitation of national political and community dialogue processes. He has over a decade of experience working at the political and diplomatic level in the MENA-Gulf region. 

With a rare 360° career spanning Wall Street, government, and academia, Erika Mouynes is a geopolitical strategist and former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Panama. She has managed multi-billion-dollar investment portfolios in more than 30 jurisdictions, advised on complex cross-border transactions, and spearheaded major initiatives across Latin America. She serves on several advisory boards, including the Smithsonian and the Atlantic Council, and is a double Senior Fellow at Harvard University, where she frequently publishes research on geopolitics, investment, and global strategy. A regular speaker at leading international forums, she brings a unique perspective at the intersection of finance, diplomacy, and global affairs.