Ambassador Francisco Caetano José Madeira is currently a member of the African Union High Level Panel on Sudan. He was the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC) for Somalia and Head of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM/ATMIS) until June 2022.  Ambassador Madeira has vast experience in Mediation and Counter-Terrorism, and has served as the AU Special Representative for Counter-Terrorism Cooperation and Director of the Algiers-based African Centre for the Study and Research on Terrorism (ACSRT), a post he held concurrently with that of Special Envoy for the issue of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), from November 2011 to July 2014.As Special Envoy of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission to the Comoros, he led the negotiation process that produced the Fomboni Agreement which stabilized the political situation, gave a new name to the country -UNION OF THE COMOROS-, produced a new constitution and a new Comorian national flag. He was also Member of former Presidents Julius Nyerere and Nelson Mandela facilitation teams in the 1996-2000 Arusha Peace Negotiations on Burundi which put an end to the civil war in that country; Equally, he was Member of the Southern Sudan Vice-President Riak Machar’s facilitation team in the negotiations with the Lord’s Resistance Army   of Joseph Kony. A Mozambican national, Ambassador Madeira begun his career when he joined the Mozambique Diplomatic service in 1975, dealing mostly with African Affairs, both at the OAU level (OAU Liberation Committee, Anti-Apartheid Movements, the Frontline States and SADC) and at the UN level (Fourth Committee on Decolonization). . Amb. Madeira has served as Ambassador of Mozambique to Tanzania, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Botswana and as diplomatic advisor to the president of Mozambique. He was  a member of the Government delegation to the peace negotiations with RENAMO, which resulted in the signing of the August 1992 Rome General Peace Agreement for Mozambique, putting  an end to the  country’s 15 year long civil war.  Amb Madeira has held ministerial portfolios, having been, from 1995 to 1999, Minister in the President’s Office for Parliamentary Affairs and, from 2000 to 2010, Minister in the President’s Office for Diplomatic Affairs.  He has contributed to several other peace processes on the continent. In particular, he was the Special Representative of the Mozambican Government to the Inter-Congolese Dialogue and the Great Lakes Region, following the political and military turmoil that erupted in the region in the aftermath of the demise of presidents Mobutu and Kabila Senior

Sajid Mahmud is a passionate International Relations student of Dhaka University who has participated the July Uprising from Dhaka, actively. Being an aware and patriotic citizen of Bangladesh, Sajid along with millions of Bangladeshis joined the uprising. Since the beginning of his student life in International Relations, Sajid has written several articles in several news papers on global peace and conflict, diplomacy, negotiations and South Asian political dynamics. Sajid also has a profound experience of working as a Research Assistant of several Professors at the University of Dhaka.

Omeed Malik is the Founder and CEO of Farvahar Partners, a boutique investment bank and broker/dealer which acts as an advisor and liquidity provider to high growth venture backed companies and institutional investors. Omeed is also the President of 1789 Capital, an investment firm that provides financing to companies in the budding Entrepreneurship, Innovation & Growth ("EIG") economy and he is the Chairman and CEO of Colombier Acquisition Corp II, a publicly traded Special Purpose Acquisition Company listed on the NYSE and was the Chairman and CEO of Colombier Acquisition Corp I, that successfully merged with Public Square Holdings. Prior to starting his own firm, Omeed was a Managing Director and the Global Head of the Hedge Fund Advisory Business at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Omeed was also the founder and head of the Emerging Manager Program within the Global Equities business. In this capacity, Omeed was charged with selecting both established and new hedge funds for the firm to partner with and oversaw the allocation of financing/prime brokerage, capital strategy,business consulting and talent introduction resources. Before joining Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Omeed was a Senior Vice President at MF Global where he helped reorganize the firm’s distribution platform globally and developed execution and clearing relationships with institutional clients. An experienced financial services professional and securities attorney, Omeed was a corporate lawyer at Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP working on transactional matters in the capital markets, corporate governance, private equity and bankruptcy fields. Omeed has also worked in the United States Senate and House of Representatives. Omeed received a JD, with Honors, from Emory Law School (where he serves on the Advisory Board) and a BA in Philosophy and Political Science, Cum Laude, from Colgate University. He holds Series 7, 63, 3, 79 and 24 registrations.  Omeed is a minority owner of The Daily Caller and was a Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

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.

Renad Mansour is a senior research fellow and project director of the Iraq Initiative at Chatham House. His research explores the political economy of state-building, conflict, and development in Iraq. He is also a senior research fellow at the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani. Mansour was previously a lecturer at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), where he taught the international relations of the Middle East. He is also a research fellow at the Cambridge Security Initiative based at Cambridge University, and from 2013 he held positions as Lecturer of International Studies and Supervisor at the Faculty of Politics, also at Cambridge. He received his PhD from Cambridge University. He is co-author of Once Upon a Time in Iraq, published by BBC Books/Penguin to accompany the BAFTA winning BBC series.

Safwan M. Masri is Dean of Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) and a Distinguished Professor of the Practice at Georgetown’s Walsh School of Foreign Service. Since joining GU-Q in October 2022, Dean Masri has championed initiatives that have strengthened the university’s position as a hub for global dialogue and interdisciplinary scholarship. Under his leadership, GU-Q has expanded its academic and research collaborations, launched new community engagement programs, and hosted signature events, such as the Hiwaraat conference series. Before joining Georgetown, Professor Masri served as Executive Vice President for Global Centers and Global Development at Columbia University, where he oversaw the university’s global engagement strategy, and was a Senior Research Scholar at Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs. Prior to that, he held the position of Vice Dean and Professor at Columbia Business School, and previously taught engineering at Stanford University. Dean Masri is the author of Tunisia: An Arab Anomaly (Columbia University Press, 2017). He is a lifetime member of the Council on Foreign Relations and an honorary fellow of the Foreign Policy Association. He is the founding chairman of King’s Academy and Queen Rania Teacher Academy in Jordan. Currently, he serves as a trustee of International College in Beirut, and is a director of AMIDEAST and of Endeavor Jordan.

Francisco Marmolejo is Higher Education President at Qatar Foundation (QF) in Doha, where he leads QF’s work in support of 8 prestigious universities established at Education City in Doha offering more than 70 academic programs to students from more than 110 countries. During 2012-20, he worked at the World Bank, where he served as the Global Coordinator of Higher Education, based in Washington, DC., and later as Lead Higher Education Specialist for India and South Asia, based in New Delhi. During 1995-2012, he served as founding Executive Director of the Consortium for North American Higher Education Collaboration, a network of more than 160 colleges and universities primarily from Mexico, Canada, and the U.S based at the University of Arizona, where he also worked as Assistant Vice President for Western Hemispheric Programs, Affiliated Researcher at the Center for the Study of Higher Education, and Affiliate Faculty at the Center for Latin American Studies. Previously, he has been American Council on Education Fellow at the University of Massachusetts, Academic Vice President of the University of the Americas in Mexico, and International Consultant at OECD in Paris. He has received honorary doctorate degrees in Mexico from five Mexican universities including his Alma Mater, the University of San Luis Potosi.

Born on 15 August 1941 at Olukonda, Oshikoto Region, Namibia, H.E Dr. Nangolo Mbumba is the fourth and current President of the Republic of Namibia following the death of the third President of Namibia, H.E. Dr. Hage Gottfried Geingob. Prior to ascending to the position of President of the Republic of Namibia, he served as Vice President from 2018 to February 2024.  A Member of SWAPO since the early 1960s, Nangolo Mbumba left Namibia in 1965 for exile via Botswana to Zambia and became SWAPO Deputy Secretary for Education and Culture in 1985. In 1987 he was appointed as Personal Secretary to the founding President of the liberation movement SWAPO, Dr. Sam Nujoma. In June 1989, Nangolo Mbumba returned to Namibia from exile with the first cohort of SWAPO leaders to prepare the transition to Namibia’s independence through the UN-supervised elections. During that transitional period, he served in the Office of the 2 2 SWAPO Director of Elections, Dr. Hage Geingob. In 1990, Nangolo Mbumba joined the new Government of an independent Namibia as Secretary to Cabinet, a position he served in until his appointment as Chief Executive Officer for the Joint Administration of Walvis Bay and Offshore Islands for its reintegration into Namibia. Under his leadership, Walvis Bay was subsequently successfully re-integrated into Namibia on the 1 st of March 1994. Nangolo Mbumba served as a Member of the National Assembly in 1993 until 2018. He was appointed to various Ministerial portolios, including Minister of Agriculture, Water and Rural Development (1993-1996); Minister of Finance (1996-2003); Minister of Information and Broadcasting (2003-2005); Minister of Education (2005–2010); and Minister of Safety and Security (2010-2012). In 2012, Nangolo Mbumba was elected Secretary General of the Ruling Party, SWAPO and served full time in that position until 2017. In February 2018, he was appointed Vice President of the Republic of Namibia, a position he held until the 4 th of February 2024 when he became President of the Republic of Namibia. Nangolo Mbumba attended Primary School at Olukonda. Later he attended the Ongwediva Boys School between 1959 and 1961. In 1962 he studied at Oshigambo High School and matriculated in 1965. Nangolo Mbumba studied at Southern Connecticut State College in the USA, completing a B.SC degree in 1971 and proceeded to pursue an M.SC in Biology at the University of Connecticut in 1973. After graduating from the University in Connecticut, Nangolo Mbumba began teaching at Harlem Preparatory School in New York. He left New York in 1978, and under the liberation movement SWAPO, became the Head of the Science Department at the Namibia Education Centre in Cuanza Sul, Angola. In 1980, he was promoted to the post of Principal of the Centre. He held that post until 1985 when he became SWAPO Deputy Secretary of Education. During the liberation struggle, Nangolo Mbumba received military training in the Soviet Union. 4 4 Family Nangolo Mbumba is marrie Nangolo Mbumba is married to Sustjie Nashili Mbumba and they have six children and ten grandchildren.

Charles McLean is the Founder and Managing Director of the Borderless Consulting Group. He is a senior public affairs and communications consultant specializing in international government communications. Mr. McLean formerly served as a foreign correspondent for NBC News and as Director of Communications for the World Economic Forum. Mr. McLean formed the Borderless Consulting Group after serving for nine years as a Partner with London-based Portland Communications, during which time he headed Portland’s New York office and led Portland’s on-site communications teams in Astana, Kazakhstan; Amman, Jordan; and Doha, Qatar. At the World Economic Forum, Mr. McLean organized exclusive gatherings for top international journalists at Davos. His guests at these events included Bill Gates, Thabo Mbeki, Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Qatar’s Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Attiyah, and Kofi Annan. Mr. McLean began his career as a broadcast journalist with NBC News. During his fifteen years with the network he covered news in 57 countries and served for five years as Africa Bureau Chief. In 1990 he directed the network’s coverage of Nelson Mandela’s release from prison. Out of Africa, Mr. McLean won an Emmy Award for his work as a correspondent in Hong Kong during the Tiananmen Square uprising.

Teaching Fellow, Harvard University (1971-73); Member of the Eritrean People's Liberation Front - worked in military, political and administrative fields (1973-91);  Ambassador of Eritrea to Ethiopia and the AU (1993-96); Eritrean Special Envoy to Somalia (concomitant as Ambassador to Eth and AU - 1991-95); Eritrean Special Envoy to the Great Lakes Region (1996-1997); Eritrean Permanent Rep to the UN (1997-2001); Chairman, UN Committee of Experts on Afghanistan (2001); Director, Africa 1 Division, UNDPA (2003-2005); Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary General (DSRSG), UN Mission to the DRC (2005-07); Assistant SG for Political Affairs (2007-2009); SRSG, UNMIS (Sudan) (2009-2011); Special Envoy of the SG for Sudan and South Sudan (2011-2015); SRSG and Head of UN Office to the AU (2013-18);  Currently Senior Advisor, Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (Geneva); Counsellor, Dragoman Global (Sydney); Advisor to the Chairman of ECONET Holdings, an African communications company; Independent Consultant on Peace, Security and Development in Africa (2018-present).

Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer took on the role of Group Chief Executive Officer, at Qatar Airways Group, 5 November 2023. His appointment underscores his distinguished career, forged over two decades, pioneering multi-billion-dollar aviation, construction, and real estate development projects, while also reflecting Qatar’s succession planning towards a new generation of leaders.  Throughout his career, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer has played pivotal roles in some of Qatar's most intricate and iconic development projects. Notably, he has served as the Chief Operating Officer of Hamad International Airport (HIA) since 2014, leading critical divisions such as MATAR (Airport Company), Qatar Duty Free, Qatar Aviation Services, Qatar Aircraft Catering Company, Qatar Distribution Centre, Dhiafatina, and Real Estate.  While at HIA, he adeptly guided the airport through major milestones and challenges, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the Expansion Project, and the pivotal FIFA World Cup 2022 TM. His leadership also played an instrumental role in HIA being acclaimed as the Best Airport in the World, a testament to the strength and dedication of the entire team. From 2018 to 2020, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer was a Board Director of the Airports Council International in the Asia/Pacific Region, contributing to Future Airport Development and Airport Sustainability. Prior to his tenure at HIA, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer spent a decade with the United Development Company (UDC), ultimately rising to the position of Acting Chief Executive Officer.  During this time, he oversaw the delivery of the Pearl Project, UDC's flagship endeavour a renowned urban development in Qatar celebrated for its architectural design. With engineering degrees from the American University of Beirut and the University of Colorado, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer brings a solid educational foundation and a wealth of business insight and technical expertise in engineering, construction, and large-scale project development.  In his new role as Group Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer's track record of successful projects and expertise in aviation and project management uniquely positions him to lead Qatar Airways Group into an exciting new era, prioritising innovation and cultivating a united and motivated workforce

Magzum Mirzagaliyev is Chairman of the KAZENERGY Association based in Kazakhstan. Prior to taking on this role, Mr. Mirzagaliyev held several senior government roles in the Republic of Kazakhstan, including Chairman of Management Board of the Joint Stock Company National Company (JSC NC) “KazMunayGas” (KMG) (April 2022-May 2024), Advisor to the President (January–April 2022), Minister of Oil and Gas (2021–22), Minister of Environment, Geology and Natural Resources (2019–21), Vice Minister of Energy (2014–19) and Vice Minister of Oil and Gas (2013–14). Prior to serving in the government, Mr. Mirzagaliyev held several roles in industry, including Deputy Chairman of the Management Board for Innovation-based Development and Service Projects (2012–13), Managing Director (2010–12) and General Director of TenizService LLP (2007–10) at JSC NC KMG. Previously he held roles as Business Development Manager, Production Operations Manager - Head of Aktau Branch at MI Drilling Fluids International from 2004 to 2007 and Drilling Fluid Engineer, MI Drilling Fluids International (Schlumberger), at the fields of Tengiz and Western Siberia from 2001 to 2004. Additionally, Mr. Mirzagaliyev has been awarded the Qurmet order (2021), Yeren Yenbegi ushin (2014), Kazakhstan Tauelsizdigine 25 zhyl (2016), For the Contribution to the Creation of the Eurasian Economic Union II degree (2015) and For the Contribution to the Eurasian Economic Union Development (2019) medals.

Dr. Saurabh Mishra has dedicated over two decades to advancing the fields of artificial intelligence, policy, infrastructure construction, and decision-making. In his early career in Washington, D.C., he held significant roles at the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), where he managed and oversaw more than 40 megaprojects worldwide. A proud alumnus of the University of Maryland, Dr. Mishra earned his Ph.D. in Reliability Engineering, producing the first thesis that applied AI to megaproject management. He then joined Stanford University's Institute for Human-Centered AI as the Director of the AI Index program, contributing to the early development of AI policy. His academic contributions extend to teaching roles at institutions including UC Berkeley, University of San Francisco, Sciences Po. As the founder and CEO of Taiyō.AI, Dr. Mishra has developed the largest data platform and the first AI platform for construction and public procurement, enhancing transparency in government spending and shaping one of the world's largest economic sectors. Dr. Mishra's research focuses on a systems architecture approach to AI, aiming to facilitate more sustainable investment and policy decisions. Currently, Dr. Mishra serves as a Visiting Fellow at the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), a non-resident fellow at the Brookings Institution, and is a member of the OECD.AI expert group. He is a frequent keynote speaker and guest lecturer at business, policy, and academic forums.

Dr. Michal Mlynár (Slovakia) is a seasoned diplomat and educator with more than 30 years of experience, including in senior global assignments. He was appointed by UN Secretary-General António Guterres as UN Assistant Secretary-General and Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) and assumed his post in Nairobi on 10 April 2023. From 20 January 2024 until 7 August 2024, he was designated by the Secretary-General to temporarily lead UN-Habitat as Acting Executive Director. Until April 2023, he was Slovakia's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York. During his term, he co-chaired the intergovernmental negotiations on Security Council reform during the 77th session of the General Assembly, served as Vice President of the UNICEF Executive Board, Vice Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission, and Chair of the Sixth Committee. Prior to that, Mr. Mlynár served as Director General for International Organizations, Development Cooperation, and Humanitarian Aid at the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic. He was also Slovakia’s Ambassador in Nairobi and served as the Chair of the Committee of Permanent Representatives to UN-Habitat and the President of its Governing Council. He holds PhD and MA degrees from Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia, and also studied in the UK and the USA.

The Honourable Mia Amor Mottley, S.C., M.P., became Barbados' eighth and first female Prime Minister on May 25, 2018. Ms. Mottley was elected to the Parliament of Barbados in September 1994 as part of the new Barbados Labour Party Government. Prior to that, she served as one of two Opposition Senators between 1991 and 1994. One of the youngest persons ever to be assigned a ministerial portfolio, Ms. Mottley was appointed Minister of Education, Youth Affairs and Culture from 1994 to 2001. She later served as Attorney General and Deputy Prime Minister of Barbados from 2001 to 2008 and was the first female to hold that position. Ms. Mottley is an Attorney-at-law with a degree from the London School of Economics, specializing in advocacy. She is also a Barrister of the Bar of England and Wales. In 2002, she became a member of the Local Privy Council. She was also admitted to the Inner Bar, becoming the youngest ever Queens Counsel in Barbados.

Dr. Samson Mndolo, serving as the Secretary for Health in Malawi since April 2023, is a distinguished Anesthesiologist by profession. His extensive experience includes his previous role as the Director of Malawi's largest referral hospital, the Queen Elizabeth Central in Blantyre, where he provided leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic and Cyclone Freddy. Dr. Mndolo has also contributed significantly to academia as a clinical lecturer at the College of Medicine, University of Malawi, and as a part-time lecturer at the Malawi College of Health Sciences. His expertise in anesthesia and intensive care is further highlighted by his tenure as the Head of the Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care. Additionally, he has demonstrated administrative acumen in his role as Deputy Hospital Director and has made significant contributions to medical ethics as a member of the Ethical Review Board of the National Health Sciences Research Committee.

The international diplomacy and cooperation fora witnessed a few memorable figures that can be called extraordinary eminent persons. Amr Mousa is one of them. His role, as a former Secretary General of the League of Arab States and as a former Foreign Minister of Egypt alongside other affiliations has made him a trusted and beloved Politian, not only in his country but across his region and the world.  Amr Mousa entered history as one of the foremost personas who have assumed the pyramid of Egyptian Diplomacy in an honorable and effective manner. He served as the Ambassador of Egypt to India (1983-1986). Then he became the Permanent Representative of Egypt to the U.N (1990-1991), the Foreign Minister of Egypt (1991-2001) and the Secretary General of the League of Arab States (2001-2011)

Khalid Omer Yousif is a Sudanese politician and democracy advocate, recognized for his pivotal role in the December Revolution that ended the 30-year authoritarian regime of Omar al-Bashir. A leader in the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC), Khalid played a key part in shaping Sudan’s transitional government following the 2019 revolution, working tirelessly to establish a civilian-led administration focused on justice, peace, and democratic transformation. As Minister of Cabinet Affairs during the transition, Khalid spearheaded efforts to implement reform programs, manage the complexities of post-revolution governance, and build consensus among diverse political and social groups. His steadfast commitment to civilian rule made him a vocal opponent of the military coup in October 2021. Despite arrest and persecution, Khalid continued to resist the coup, advocating for a return to democratic governance through peaceful and strategic means. In the face of the ongoing war in Sudan, Khalid has emerged as a key figure in the pro-democracy movement, working to unify voices against violence and authoritarianism. Through his leadership in “Tagadom”, a coalition focused on peacebuilding and democratic renewal, he champions initiatives for ending the war, addressing the roots of conflict, and paving the way for an inclusive, civilian-led future. Khalid’s work is rooted in his unwavering belief in justice, democracy, and the power of collective action to transform Sudan’s future.

1999: Joined the Spanish Foreign ServicePositions abroad: Embassies of Iraq (2001-2003 as Deputy Head of Mission), Portugal (2003-2006 as Political Counsellor), Panama (2006-2010 as Deputy Head of Mission and Cultural Counsellor) Israel (2014-2017 Deputy Head of Mission), and Vietnam (2017-2020 as Deputy Head of Mission). Positions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of Spain: Advisor to the Cabinet of the Minister of Foreign Affairs (2000-2001) and Deputy Director General for the Near and Middle East at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2010-2014); currently serving as Ambassador at Large for the Gulf Region since August 2024. Academic background: Degree in Spanish Law and by the Complutense University of Madrid. Diploma in European Community Law (CEU SAN PABLO Madrid University); Diploma in French Law by Paris XI University and Diploma in National Defense by CESEDEN Spain. Spanish decorationsCruz de Isabel La Católica, 2004Oficial de la Orden al Mérito Civil, 2010. Cruz de la Orden del Mérito de la Guardia Civil con distintivo blanco, 2017Foreign decorations and recognitionsComendador de la Orden de Vasco Núñez de Balboa,  Panamá, 2009. Benefactor, University of Panama, Panama, 2010.Diploma of Recognition of the Town Hall of Panama. 2010.

Amal Mudallali, Ph.D., A visiting Research Scholar at Princeton University. Former Ambassador to the United Nations, representing Lebanon. Founder and CEO of Bridges International Group, a political consultancy in Washington DC.-International affairs Consultant and contributer to Arab News and Asharaq Al Awsat and other affiliates, and publisher of SpaceFlash, a space newsletter. Fall 2023, worked as Adjunct Professor teaching Multilateralism with focus on Space Policy at Princeton University's SPIA.  Currently a visiting research scholar at Princeton. From 2018-2022 served as the Lebanese ambassador to the United Nations. -Elected Vice President of the UN General Assembly  in 2020, served as vice president of the UN First Committee dealing with disarmament and nuclear proliferation, served on the executive boards of the Peace Building Commission and UNICEF, and elected the vice chair of the Information Committee. Led an initiative for food security and a resolution on the same issue to help needy countries after the global food crisis due to the Ukraine war, led an initiative on vaccine equity to help with equitable access to Covid 19 vaccines for the developing world. Organized events on Space at the UN and championed sustainability of space, and co-led negotiations on a global compact for the environment. Before the UN, worked from 2005-2017 in Washington as a consultant on American Affairs to Prime Minister Saad Hariri of Lebanon.  From 1998-2005 as foreign policy advisor to later Prime Minister Rafic Hariri.  Started career as a journalist in Washington and served as a correspondent for the BBC, and appeared as a guest contributor on CNN,MSNBC, and Al Jazeera. Articles also were published by Foreign Policy, The National Interest, Al Riyadh, Annahar and other Arab newspapers and outlets. Recipient of the Chevalier de L'Ordre de la Legion award from French President Jacques Chirac.- Ph.D. in political communication from the University of Maryland, MA in communication from Syracuse University, pursued an MA at the American University of Beirut, BA from the Lebanese University.

Marwan Muasher is vice president for studies at the Carnegie Endowment, where he oversees the Endowment’s research in Washington and Beirut on the Middle East. Muasher served as foreign minister (2002–2004) and deputy prime minister (2004–2005) of Jordan, and his career has spanned the areas of diplomacy, development, civil society, and communications. He was also a senior fellow at Yale University in 2010-2011. He was senior vice president of external affairs at the World Bank from 2007 to 2010. He is the author of The Arab Center: The Promise of Moderation (Yale University Press, 2008), and The Second Arab Awakening and the Battle for Pluralism (Yale University Press, 2014). He was a member of the American University of Beirut Board of Trustees (2007-2024), is Chair of an international jury on Global Pluralism Awards, given every two years by the Global Centre on Pluralism in Canada. He previously served as an ex-member of the Global Centre for Pluralism Board of Directors. He is also a member of the Asfari Foundation Board of Trustees.

Professor of Cultural and Social History, worked as an academic from 1990-2023 at (University of Anbar in Iraq, Higher Institute for Teacher Training in Libya, University of April 7, Libya, University of Bahrain, Ahlia University in Bahrain). Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Ahlia University - Bahrain 2019-2022. Winner of the Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Award for Humanities and Social Sciences, first place 2009. Best Research Paper Award at the Applied Methodologies Conference held at Oxford University - Great Britain - November 2019. Winner of the Arab Historian Medal 2018.His works include: The Arab Intellectual and Cyberspace./ Encyclopedia of the Formation of Humanity (fourteen parts, four volumes)./ The Cold Feast: Iraq and the Fragments of Identity./ The Arabs and Islam: From Tribe to Creed./ The Iraqi Revolution of 1920, History and Contexts of Reception./ The Concept of History among Arabs./ The Arabs and Colonialism: The Problem of Identity and Consciousness in Modern Arab Political History./ Transformations of the Arab Cultural Self./ The World and Its Transformations; History, Identity, Globalization. Publishing research in scientific journals, writing scientific books

Bouthayna Al Muftah is a Qatari visual artist that received a Bachelor of Arts from Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts Qatar. Upon her graduation, Al Muftah directed her artistic practice to printmaking, typography and documentation, which evolved over the years into large-scale installations and performance pieces. The core inspiration behind her artistic production is her country’s cultural heritage where she borrows elements from the people of Qatar’s oral history and folklore and readapts them to reflect her relationship with her land’s past. Al Muftah’s fascination of all facets within the context of her country’s memories has led her to develop her research and reflect on life in the old neighborhoods of Qatar and the people who shaped them. As an approach to resuscitate and reconstruct past moments and memories into contemporary settings, she often finds characters and stories from these neighborhoods that transform in her own universe into the abstract figurative results seen in her work today. Al Muftah gradually turned to conceptual documentation through book-binding as a way to express the story of Qatar’s past through her eyes — immortalizing that which was previously lost in the abyss of time.

Farea Al-Muslimi is a research fellow at Chatham House’s Middle East and North Africa Programme. His research focuses on Yemen and the wider Gulf region. Before joining Chatham House, he chaired the Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies, Yemen’s premier think-tank, which he co-founded in 2014. He also serves as an advisory board member for the Arab Reform Initiative in Paris.

An MBA from the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania, US Prof. Syed Munir Khasru founded, led, and successfully built two world class institutes in the global knowledge industry. The international think tank, the Institute for Policy, Advocacy, and Governance (IPAG) and the international management consulting firm e. Gen Consultants Ltd. (e.Gen).The digital age requires sound understanding of cross functional and multi-disciplinary nature of knowledge. On that note, Prof. Khasru has expertise in diverse areas with demonstrated intellectual leadership in a number of global platforms. Internationally, he has a number of critically acclaimed publications. As thought leader, Prof. Khasru’s opinion is carried by some of the leading international media outlets. He is the only scholar who has written an e-book providing keen insights into the pandemic era (www.covidthoughts.org). Prof. Khasru regularly speaks at international platforms for his expert opinion. As a global citizen, for him, borders exist only in maps and nationalities only in passports.

Educator and researcher. She has a degree in Visual Arts and a master's degree in Archaeology. She has extensive experience working in the artistic and cultural space from management and research. She has carried out several curatorial projects on modern art and contemporary artistic practices, most of them related to Ecuadorian women and the importance of the archive to rethink the processes of artistic valuation. She believes in art education, in the importance of research and in working with diverse communities to ensure the care of cultural heritage and the proper operation of the artistic ecosystem.

Dan Murphy is CNBC’s Anchor and Correspondent based in the United Arab Emirates. He reports on global business, markets, economics and politics from the Middle East region. Dan is host of CNBC’s “Capital Connection” - which connects Wall Street, Asia and Europe to the Middle East. His daily show is broadcast globally and features high-level interviews with Presidents, Prime Ministers, Finance Ministers, Central Bank governors, and executives from various sectors worldwide.  Dan’s reporting offers a critical regional perspective on the deep pools of public and private capital moving in the Gulf and wider region at a time of transformation, opportunity and change.  Dan has anchored breaking news and special shows from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar. He’s reported on pivotal elections inside Turkey and Israel, interviewed high level officials in Egypt and Russia, and covered energy and climate change issues on the ground in Europe and the Caucasus.  In 2023, Dan was awarded the GI International Energy Journalism Award for his coverage of global energy markets and geo-economics. He regularly speaks to senior Ministers and OPEC+ officials at OPEC HQ in Vienna, and was recently recognised as an Energy Journalism Fellow at Columbia University’s Global Energy Policy Institute in New York.

Cloud computing, privacy, cybersecurity, sustainability, and emerging technologies. With over 16 years of experience, including more than 3 at Microsoft, Wafic has held pivotal roles in strategy consulting and risk management at Deloitte and Ernst & Young across the Middle East to support various sectors. He proudly serves on the boards of numerous non-profit and public service organizations such as HEC Paris “Advanced Technologies Club” in Paris, and the IIC "Digital Economy and Regulatory Modernization" Committee in Doha to inform and support the local public policy agenda for the digital society and economy. Wafic holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the American University of Beirut and an executive MBA from HEC Paris focused on Digital Transformation in three different locations Doha, Paris, and San Francisco. Wafic Naccash

Ms. Rwodah Ibrahim AlNaimi is the Head of the Digital Innovation Enablement Section at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in Qatar. In this capacity, she spearheads initiatives designed to incubate and support entrepreneurs and startups, ensuring they have access to critical resources, expert guidance, and comprehensive mentorship. Her focus on fostering growth in the local market includes facilitating access to venture capital, providing specialized training programs, and creating high-impact networking opportunities. Through these initiatives, she helps entrepreneurs refine their business models, develop cutting-edge technological solutions, and navigate market entry challenges with confidence. Ms. AlNaimi’s leadership plays a pivotal role in cultivating a vibrant innovation ecosystem, which drives technological advancement and contributes to economic development across Qatar’s rapidly evolving digital landscape. Previously, Ms. AlNaimi served as the Director of Strategic Partnerships at the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD), where she was instrumental in shaping the organization’s global strategy, overseeing its operations, and leading partnerships and funding programs across developing nations. Her work centered on international cooperation, sustainable development, policy formulation, and applying economic and investment principles to drive impactful development programs. In this role, she managed QFFD’s strategic relationships with governments, international NGOs, and UN agencies across Sub-Saharan Africa, the MENA region, and other global contexts. Under her leadership, QFFD successfully implemented numerous sustainable development initiatives aimed at addressing critical challenges such as poverty, healthcare access, and education in low- and middle-income countries. Ms. AlNaimi’s influence extends beyond her national roles through her service on numerous prestigious international bodies. She has been a member of the UNRWA Advisory Commission, the UNDP Accelerator Labs Core Investors Group, and the Multilateral Organisation Performance Assessment Network (MOPAN) Strategy Group. In these capacities, she has contributed to shaping global policies and initiatives that focus on international development, humanitarian assistance, and capacity building. Notably, she played a key role in the convening of the Doha Global South Health Policy Initiative in February 2024, a collaborative event co-hosted by the Middle East Council on Global Affairs and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, with the support of Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This initiative sought to address stagnating health indicators in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) by fostering collaboration between public health officials, international experts, and local stakeholders to improve access to primary healthcare. With over six years of specialized experience, Ms. AlNaimi is recognized for her expertise in strategy development, innovation management, and risk assessment. She holds a Master of Public Administration in Development Practice from Columbia University, where her academic research focused on grassroots energy solutions and sustainable development in underserved regions. Her contributions to the United Nations and other global initiatives underscore her commitment to addressing pressing global challenges. Ms. AlNaimi also holds a Bachelor of International Affairs, with a concentration in International Security and Diplomacy, from Qatar University. Her diverse experiences and deep knowledge of both the public and private sectors position her as a key player in the advancement of sustainable development and technological innovation on both national and international stages.

Office Director of the Air Forces Commander. Administration Wing Commander. Deputy Director of Supply Management of Air Forces. Head of International Cooperation Division. Director of Military Cooperation. Qatar Liaison Officer in Secretariat General of the Gulf Cooperation Council. Director of the Directorate of International Studies. Commander of Strategic Studies Center.

Dr. Dalal Najib is the Senior Director, Science and Engineering Capacity Development, at the Policy and Global Affairs Division of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM), where she oversees fellowships, early-career and international capacity building programs. She is the Principal Investigator on multiple US government funded projects and has developed new NASEM collaborative programs in the Arab region, Africa (e.g., the US-Africa Frontiers program), and more recently in Latin America and the Caribbean. From 2011 to 2019, Dr. Najib participated in the co-design and implementation of the USAID-funded Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research (PEER) Program at NASEM, where she managed the Africa, MENA and Central Asia portfolios. Dr. Najib holds a PhD in Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering, and a Master’s in Public Policy from University of Michigan. She has a Bachelor's degree in aerospace and aeronautical engineering from Supaero (France).

Vali Nasr is the Majid Khadduri Professor of International Affairs and Middle East Studies at Johns Hopkins-SAIS, and Non-Resident Senior Fellow at Atlantic Council’s South Asia Center. Between 2012 and 2019 he served as the Dean of the School, and between 2009 and 2011 as Senior Advisor to U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Ambassador Richard Holbrooke. He is the author of several books including, Iran’s Grand Strategy: A Political History; How Sanctions Work; The Dispensable Nation: American Foreign Policy in Retreat; The Shia Revival: How Conflicts within Islam will Shape the Future; Democracy in Iran; as well as articles in scholarly journals, and commentary in The New York Times, Foreign Affairs, Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post. He is the recipient of Carnegie Scholar Award, and the Frank Guggenheim, and MacArthur Foundation research fellowships. Nasr has served on the Board of Trustees of Rockefeller Brothers Fund; Advisory Boards of Blovatnik School of Government, Oxford University; Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore; and Board of International Advisors of American University of Beirut. He is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Action Council. He was selected as Kissinger Scholar at Library of Congress for 2024-25 and Carnegie Scholar for 2006.

The Honorable Denise Natali is the Director of the Institute for National Strategic Studies at the National Defense University. She previously served as Assistant Secretary of State for Conflict and Stabilization Operations. Dr. Natali has extensive on the ground experience in conflict and border zones to include Peshawar, Pakistan as director of cross-border operations, northern Iraq in support of Operation Provide Comfort II, Dean of students at the American University of Iraq-Sulaimania, and in research capacities in the Kurdish regions of Turkey, Iran, and Syria. An award-winning author, Dr. Natali has numerous publications including, The Kurdish Quasi-State and The Kurds and the State: Evolving National Identity in Iraq, Turkey, and Iran. Dr. Natali received a Ph.D. in political science at the University of Pennsylvania and a Master of International Affairs at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs. She also studied at L’Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales in Paris, the University of Tehran, Iran (Deh Khoda Language Program), and Tel Aviv University. Dr. Natali is a member of the Council of Foreign Relations and speaks French and conversational Kurdish and Farsi.

Adnan Nawaz is an international news anchor and broadcaster with more than 30 years experience covering the world's most important stories, with the BBC and since 2017, for TRT WORLD at its main headquarters in Istanbul.  A graduate of the London School of Economics, with a postgraduate degree in Latin American Politics from the University of London, Adnan is also Director of Topcom Media Limited, a UK-based company through which he works globally as a media consultant, keynote speaker and conference host.   Born in Pakistan, he has lived in eight countries on four different continents and speaks five languages. He has hosted international conferences and meetings across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, the United States and Latin America, covering a range of subjects and industries for the private and public sector, all with an international angle, including economic and social development, geopolitics and global security, medicine, travel, telecommunications, sport, food, cybersecurity, smart applications for healthcare, Internet of Things, and the future of the internet.

Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh KC is a senior Irish barrister based in Matrix Chambers in London, specialising in international law, crime and human rights. She advises and appears in matters before domestic and international courts and tribunals, including the International Court of Justice, most recently on behalf of South Africa in its case against Israel for violation of the Genocide Convention. She is called to the Bars of Ireland, North and South, and of England and Wales, and is on the International Criminal Court’s list of Counsel. She is a former Vice Chair of the Bar Human Rights Committee, and a former Visiting Fellow at Harvard Law School. Widely recognized as a leader in her field, much of her practice focuses on justice and accountability for victims of State violence and violations of fundamental rights, including victims of the ‘The Troubles’ in the North of Ireland, and on the protection of the rights to free speech and protest. She was ‘commended’ Barrister of the Year in the 2022 Lawyer Awards for her defense of the ‘Colston Four’, acquitted of toppling a statue of a slave trader during the course of a Black Lives Matter protest in Bristol in England. She was nominated for Public International Law King’s Counsel (KC) of the Year in the 2024/5 Legal 500 Awards, having previously been named Public International Law Junior Lawyer of the Year in 2022/3.

Heiko Nitzschke serves as Germany’s Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa since August 2023, based in Nairobi, Kenya. From 2019-23 he was Minister Counsellor and Deputy Head of Mission at the German Embassy in Addis Ababa. From 2015-19 he worked in the Policy Planning Unit at the German Foreign Office, responsible inter alia for Africa, multilateral order and relations with Think Tanks. Previously, he was a member of the Security Council team at the German UN Mission in New York covering Syria, Libya, Yemen, peacekeeping and peacebuilding, and Security Council reform (2011-15). From 2009-11, he served as Deputy Head of Mission at the German Embassy in Sudan, and as Political Affairs Officer with the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) from 2008-09. He was Desk Officer for UN Peacekeeping at the Foreign Office in Berlin from 2005-2008. He joined the Federal Foreign Office as career diplomat in 2004. Before that, he was senior program officer at the International Peace Academy (now International Peace Institute) in New York (2002-04).Heiko holds Master degrees from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), and Potsdam University. He is co-editor of “Profiting from Peace: Managing the Resource Dimension of Armed Conflict“ (2006), and has authored publications on the political economy of conflict and peacekeeping, and the Sudan chapter in “The UN Security Council in the 21st Century”, edited by von Einsiedel, Malone and Ugarte (2016).

Lord Thomas is President of the Qatar International Court, Chair of the London Financial Markets Law Committee and Chair of the Steering Committee of the Standing International Forum of Commercial Courts. He was Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales 2013-2017. He is also Chancellor of Aberystwyth University, Chair of several other legal associations, practices as an international arbitrator and is an active member of the House of Lords. He has written and spoken worldwide about international commercial law, constitutional law and legal history.

Michael OHNMACHT is a European diplomat with over 25 years of experience in the field. Michael currently serves as Charge d’Affaires a.i. of the European Union Delegation to Syria. An experienced diplomat, he has served as Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to the State of Libya in his previous posting. Before serving as Ambassador, he held several managerial positions in the German Foreign Office – as Head of Middle East Division, and in earlier years as Deputy Head of Mission of the German mission to both Saudi Arabia and Lebanon. OHNMACHT’s work experience also spans over German-French cooperation as he has served as Counsellor in the French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and Deputy Secretary General for French German Cooperation. Michael’s connection with the Middle East is not new, as apart from him living in Damascus during his studies, he had assignments in Tripoli and Ramallah, in addition to those of Beirut and Riyadh.

Femi Oke is an award-winning international journalist, broadcaster, professional moderator and co-founder of the diverse moderators' bureau "Moderate The Panel." Femi's broadcast credits include BBC television and radio, Sky TV, all the U.K. terrestrial commercial television networks, CNN, national public radio in the United States and Al Jazeera English. As a sought after moderator Femi has presided over major global events including European Development Days for the European Commission, the UN Secretary-General's SDG Action Weekend and the UNDP's Annual Human Development Report.  Based in Washington, D.C where she hosted the live interactive news and current affairs show “The Stream” on Al Jazeera English for a decade, Femi is currently leading the talented team at "Moderate The Panel" and facilitating events around the world.

Since 2 September 2022, Roza Otunbayeva has been working as the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).  Ms. Otunbayeva brings to the position over 35 years of professional experience in leadership, diplomacy, civic engagement and international cooperation. She served as President of the Kyrgyz Republic (2010-2011) and on three occasions as Foreign Minister. She was a Member of Parliament (2007-2010) and served as Deputy Prime Minister (1986-1989) of her country. From 1989 to 1991, she was President of the Soviet National Commission for UNESCO.  Ms. Otunbayeva was first Ambassador of the Kyrgyz Republic to the United States of America and Canada (1992-1994) and Ambassador of the Kyrgyz Republic to the United Kingdom (1997-2002).  Ms. Otunbayeva holds a Doctorate in Philosophy from the Moscow State University and a degree from the Philosophy Faculty of the Moscow State University. She is fluent in Kyrgyz, Russian and English.

Shin OYA joined Sojitz Research Institute, Ltd. in August 2024, as Chief Analyst. Before that, he experienced various positions at the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), including Director, Asian Operation; Director, Oil and Gas Operation; Chief Representative for New Delhi office; Chief Representative for Strategic Research residing in Washington DC. From 2022 to 2024 he served as Director, Head of Tokyo Office, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). He also serves as Visiting Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Geoeconomics (IOG), a think tank in Tokyo. He received his BA in Law from Tohoku University and his LLM from the law school at Boston University and passed New York Bar exam. He also received his M. Sc. in Finance from Business School at George Washington University. He wrote many articles and op-eds on geo-economics and geo-politics. He published books, “The Era of Geoeconomics” (Chikeigaku no Jidai, single author, Jitsugyo no Nihonsha) in 2022 and “What is Economic Security” (Keizaianzenhosho towa nanika, co-author, Toyo Keizai Inc.) in 2024.

Feraye Ozfescioglu is the Chief Executive Officer of the World Humanitarian Forum. She has been instrumental in the process of its establishment as an impactful initiative and a platform with dedication and passion to shape a better future. She is a strategist with cross-sector knowledge, has designed and implemented various initiatives with the power of dialogue as a catalyst for action. Working alongside Ban-Ki Moon, Rt. Hon. Jack Straw and various heads of states, government and multilateral officials, she has contributed to the transition from aid to development built on “one humanity and shared responsibility”. Prior to her appointment as a CEO, she worked as the Events Director of the UN’s first ever World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul, 2016; where she was not only responsible of the management of the Summit, but also advised a number of governments on the structuring and implementation of new models in humanitarian aid and international development. She has international expertise and has been a consultant for UN since 2010. She is on the Sustainable Development and Gender Equality Working Groups of C20. In 2011, she was selected as one of the women leaders who will influence the future of the world by US State Department.

Jonathan Panikoff is the director of the Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative at the Atlantic Council’s Middle East Program, where he leads the Atlantic Council’s efforts on Middle East pan regional and inter-regional political, leadership, and security issues. Panikoff served as the deputy national intelligence officer for the Near East at the National Intelligence Council (NIC) from 2015 to 2020. In this role, he oversaw production of the IC’s assessments on the region, represented the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) at the assistant secretary-level for interagency policy meeting, and briefed the most senior policy customers on the region, including the President. Following this role, he led the IC’s analytic support to the 2020 presidential transition before taking on his final IC assignment as director of ODNI’s Investment Security Group, overseeing a team of twenty-six and leading the IC’s efforts on foreign investment. Panikoff holds a JD and MA in International Relations from Syracuse University and a BA in international affairs and political science from the George Washington University.

An experienced tech exec, space angel investor, mentor and producer, Tim has been helping to build the Australian space ecosystem since 2014. Leveraging 25 years in digital transformation, and a PhD in aerospace engineering. Today Tim is a recognized advisor, coach and mentor to over 20 Australian space start-up and scale-up companies, has run over 50 design workshops for commercialization efforts in agritech, climate-tech and space-tech, and volunteers on space industry growth associations, and consults for space agencies, space companies and deep tech-focused organizations worldwide.

Lynn Pasquerella was appointed president of the American Association of Colleges and Universities in 2016, after serving as the eighteenth president of Mount Holyoke College. She has held positions as Provost at the University of Hartford and Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Graduate School at the University of Rhode Island, where she taught for more than two decades. A philosopher whose work has combined teaching and scholarship with local and global engagement, Pasquerella has written extensively on medical ethics, metaphysics, public policy, and the philosophy of law. Her most recent book, What We Value: Public Health, Social Justice, and Educating for Democracy, examines the role of higher education in addressing some of the most pressing contemporary issues at the intersection of ethics, law, and public policy. Pasquerella is a past president of the Phi Beta Kappa Society (2018-2021) and the host of Northeast Public Radio’s The Academic Minute. A graduate of Quinebaug Valley Community College, Mount Holyoke College, and Brown University, her awards and honors include the President’s Award and Judith Krug Medal from Phi Beta Kappa; the William Rogers Award and the Horace Mann Medal from Brown University; the STAR Scholars Network North Star Lifetime Achievement Award; Mary Baldwin University’s Algernon Sydney Sullivan Service to Humanity Award; the Council of Colleges of Arts and Sciences Advocacy Award; Quinebaug Valley Community College Champions Award; the Mount Holyoke Alumni Association’s Elizabeth Topham Kennan Award, and URI’s Teaching Excellence Award. Pasquerella holds honorary degrees from Elizabethtown College, Bishop’s University, the University of South Florida, the University of Hartford, the University of Rhode Island, Concordia College, Mount Holyoke College, Bay Path University, and St. Mary’s College and was named by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education as one of America’s top 35 women leaders. She serves on the boards of the Lingnan Foundation, the National Trust for the Humanities, the Coalition for the Common Good, and Handshake.

Geir O. Pedersen became UN Special Envoy for Syria in January 2019, as appointed by Secretary-General Guterres. He previously served the United Nations in various roles, including as Special Coordinator for Lebanon (2007 to 2008), Personal Representative of the Secretary-General for Southern Lebanon (2005 to 2007), and Director of the Asia and Pacific Division in the Department of Political Affairs. In his national capacity, Mr. Pedersen most recently served as Norway’s Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China (2017 to 2018) and as Permanent Representative to the United Nations (2012 to 2017). Between 1998 and 2003, He served as Norway’s Representative to the Palestinian Authority and previously was the Chief of Staff for the Foreign Minister. In 1993, he was a member of Norway’s team to the Oslo negotiations that led to the signing of the Declaration of Principles.

Thomas Perriello is the U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan. He rejoins the State Department, having previously served as the Special Envoy for the Great Lakes and the Democratic Republic of Congo and as the Special Representative for the second Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review. Perriello brings over two decades of experience working across the executive branch, the legislative branch, multilateral institutions, and NGOs working on peace, security, and transitional justice issues. He served as Senior Advisor to the Prosecutor at the Special Court for Sierra Leone. For the International Center for Transitional Justice, he worked in Kosovo, Darfur, and Afghanistan. He has worked in parts of the Middle East and South America as well. Prior to his work in the Executive Branch, Perriello was elected to Congress to represent Virginia’s Fifth Congressional District, where he served as a founding Member of the Leader’s National Security Working Group and on the House Veterans Affairs Committee. Most recently, Perriello has focused on the security and democracy implications of artificial intelligence as a Visiting Scholar at Stanford University’s Center for Cyber Policy and Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Outside of government, Perriello has led the Center for American Progress Action, the Open Society Foundations for the United States, and several non-profits focused on bolstering democracy, advancing human rights and racial justice, and addressing climate change. He has taught at the University of Sierra Leone and University of Virginia School of Law. His publications have appeared in the New York Times, The Atlantic, Democracy Journal, Newsweek, Forbes, Washington Post, and Politico. Perriello earned his Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctorate degrees from Yale University and is from the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Dr. Richard Ponzio is Director of the Global Governance, Justice & Security Program and Senior Fellow at the Stimson Center, where he also co-directs the Global Governance Innovation Network, serves on the Steering Committee for the Mary Robinson-led Climate Governance Commission, and earlier directed the Albright-Gambari Commission on Global Security, Justice & Governance (2014-2016). Widely published, Dr. Ponzio has served in senior peacebuilding roles with the United Nations and U.S. State Department in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Kosovo, New York, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, the Solomon Islands, and Washington, D.C. He is the author of Democratic Peacebuilding: Aiding Afghanistan and other Fragile States and co-author (with Dr. Arunabha Ghosh) of Human Development and Global Institutions: Evolution, Impact, Reform.

Presidential adviser, diplomat, international lawyer and academic, Dr Paul Porteous is a thought-provoking leadership theorist and practitioner with over 35 years professional experience spanning the globe. He has been a representative to numerous international organisations including the United Nations and International Court of Justice as well as Visiting Faculty at Harvard Kennedy School and a Fellow at Harvard's Center for Public Leadership. Paul was Senior Adviser to the President of Madagascar for four years, developing cutting edge leadership practice for nation-building and the alleviation of poverty. He has developed national policy initiatives and provided executive leadership training for Government Ministers and Heads of Departments across the world, and has coached hundreds of CEOs and senior executives in government, NGO and corporate sectors. Paul was Director of the Australian Secretariat for the United Nations World Summit for Social Development, leading the development of innovative social policies addressing global poverty, unemployment and social disintegration. He is Adjunct Professor and Director of the Centre for Social Leadership focusing on sustainable development, humanitarian and post-conflict practice, foreign policy and community engagement.

Sasha Polakow-Suransky is a deputy editor at Foreign Policy and the host of the Counterpoint podcast. He was a 2015-2016 Open Society Foundations fellow and previously worked as an op-ed editor at the New York Times and a senior editor at Foreign Affairs. Polakow-Suransky is the author of The Unspoken Alliance: Israel’s Secret Relationship With Apartheid South Africa (2010) and Go Back to Where You Came From: The Backlash Against Immigration and the Fate of Western Democracy (2017). He holds a doctorate in modern history from Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes Scholar.

Sadaf Popalzai, daughter of Yaqoot Shah, was born in 1995 in Kabul. She graduated from Rukhshana High School in 2012 and completed her bachelor’s degree in law and political science in 2021.She began her career in media during her school years. In 2010, she started working as a presenter with Watan Radio Television and continued until the end of 2012. In the last month of 2012, she joined Moby Group Afghanistan, where she has been working as a presenter and host for various programs, including political, social, entertainment, cultural, educational, and literary shows. Currently, Sadaf serves as the Acting Manager of Arman FM and Arakozia FM, which are both part of MOBY Group Afghanistan, continuing her significant contributions to the media industry. 

Victoria Prentis was Attorney General for England and Wales from October 2022 until the General Election in July. Before this, Victoria was the Minister of State at DWP (Minister for Work and Welfare) and DEFRA (Minister for Farming, Fisheries and Food). She was responsible for food during the pandemic and steered through the legislation which made the greatest environmental changes for seventy years. She was elected to represent her hometown of Banbury between 2015-2024. Called to the Bar in 1995, she practiced at the Treasury Solicitor’s Department (now the Government Legal Department) from 1997 to 2014. She took a number of cases to the Supreme Court and represented parties in public inquiries. Specialisms included human rights, military and security law. She had significant management responsibilities, leading the general public law litigation team. She has worked on many of the major judicial review cases of the last thirty years.

Ala Qasem is the CEO of DeepRoot Consulting and a former member of the Economic Team that was established by the Presidential declaration of April 7th, 2022 in Yemen. Ala has previously served as the Managing Director for the Executive Bureau for the Acceleration of Aid Absorption and Support for Policy Reforms where he advised the Prime Minister and a number of ministers within the Government on various economic and development policies. Ala served as Consensus Committee Technical Advisor for Yemen’s National Dialogue Conference (NDC) Secretariat. Ala has founded and sits on the board of a number of civil society organizations in Yemen, including Resonate Yemen, the Civil Alliance for Peacebuilding, and Yemen Youth Observatory. He has an MPP from the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.

Chris Quilty Co-CEO and President, Quilty Space. Chris Quilty began making his footprint in the satellite & space sector as a trusted authority, media pundit, and twice-recognized Wall Street Journal “Best on the Street” analyst more than two decades ago while serving as a sell-side analyst for Raymond James. Chris initiated coverage on the space industry in the mid-2000s and has subsequently published hundreds of reports on company-specific performance, macroeconomic trends, and sector-wide analyses. Leveraging his vast space industry knowledge and a commitment to thought-leading research, Chris co-founded Quilty Space (formerly Quilty Analytics) in 2016. He is regarded as a valued source of industry insight across all verticals of the space ecosystem — from manufacturing and launch through satcom, EO, hardware, and downstream analytics. He is a frequent advisor to the full range of satellite and space investors and stakeholders, including prime contractors, government agencies, satellite operators, component suppliers, and tech companies. Chris earned a B.S. in Systems Engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy and an MBA from The University of Chicago.

Omar H. Rahman is a fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, where he focuses on Palestine, Middle East geopolitics, and American foreign policy in the region. He is the Editor of Afkār, the Council’s online publication providing insights and analysis on current events in the region. Rahman was previously a non-resident fellow at the Baker Institute for Public Policy and a visiting fellow at the Brookings Doha Center, where he researched and wrote about Palestine-Israel, the Arab Gulf, and the intersection between the two. Prior to this, Rahman was a research analyst at the Arab Gulf States Institute, where he focused on the political economy of the Gulf states. Rahman established his career as a journalist based in the U.S. and the Middle East, including three years in Palestine where he was a columnist for +972 Magazine. Rahman was also an associate editor at World Politics Review in New York, as well as an editor and senior Middle East correspondent at Argus Media. His writing has been published in The Washington Post, Foreign Policy, The Guardian, Rolling Stone, The National Interest, Lawfare, VICE, PBS NewsHour, Quartz, Al-Jazeera English, and The National, among other outlets. Rahman’s other work includes peer-reviewed policy papers. academic articles, and book chapters including in the recently-published volume: What is Israel/Palestine? (Routledge, 2022). He is currently working on a book about Palestinian de-fragmentation in the post-Oslo era. Rahman is also a frequent speaker on panels, at conferences, and in the media.

Dr. Khalilur Rahman is the High Representative of the Chief Adviser of the Government of Bangladesh on the Rohingya Problem and Priority Issues with the rank of an Adviser. Dr. Rahman joined the United Nations secretariat in 1991 as Special Adviser at the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in Geneva. During the ensuing 25 years at the UN, he served in different senior positions in New York and Geneva, including as Chief of LDCs programme at the UN secretariat; Chair of UN system interagency group on non- tariff barriers to international trade; and principal coordinator of the programme on new and dynamic sectors of world trade, etc. Dr. Rahman was a lead author of and substantive contributor to several UN flagship publications as well as numerous reports of the UN Secretary-General and the UNCTAD Secretary-General on issues of trade, finance and development. He led the drafting of the Progamme of Action of the Brussels LDCs Conference in 2001 which adopted the historic duty and quota free treatment of the exports of LDCs. Dr. Rahman studied at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University and the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University and earned the degrees of MA in Law and Diplomacy and PhD in Economics.

Dr Giridhara R. Babu, a professor of population medicine at Qatar University's College of Medicine, brings a wealth of experience from his earlier roles at prestigious institutions in India, the United States, and the Netherlands. His comprehensive educational background from the University of California, Los Angeles, including a PhD and MPH and an MBBS from Kasturba Medical College, India, underpins his expertise in a broad range of public health issues. His professional journey includes significant roles such as a Surveillance Medical Officer for the World Health Organization and various academic and leadership positions in public health academia, policy support and research. Dr Babu is a prolific researcher with substantial contributions to understanding disease burden and public health challenges globally, as evidenced by his numerous peer-reviewed publications and leadership in major research projects funded by international funding agencies. Dr Babu actively participates in shaping public health policy and has been integral in developing strategies for managing pandemics like COVID-19 in India. His unwavering commitment to improving health outcomes through rigorous science and effective policy implementation is evident in his work with many governments and international health organizations. Dr Babu will use his extensive experience in epidemiology, global health, and policymaking at the Doha Forum to discuss innovative solutions for pressing global health issues, specifically contributing to discussing access to primary healthcare services in the Global South. Dr Babu’s expertise and experience are truly testimonials to the theme ‘Diplomacy, Dialogue, Diversity’ in addressing the interconnected challenges of today’s global health landscape.

Gary Rieschel is the Founding Managing Partner of Qiming Venture Partners, a firm he launched in Shanghai in 2006. Qiming invests in technology and healthcare and is widely known as the leading healthcare investor in China. Qiming has raised over $11B USD across its family of funds. Qiming has had over fifty IPOs among it’s portfolio companies. Prior to founding Qiming, Mr. Rieschel was a senior executive at Intel, Sequent Computer, Cisco Systems, and Softbank Corporation. Gary started his VC career forming Softbank’s U.S. venture group in 1995 (SBVC), and while at Softbank he invested in twelve companies which grew to over $1B USD in market capitalization. Gary served on Softbank’s board of directors and sponsored several of China’s early VC firms, including Softbank China Ventures (2000), SAIF Partners (2001), and Ceyuan Ventures (2004), before moving to China in 2005 when he launched Qiming with his partner, Duane Kuang. Mr. Rieschel is well regarded as a mentor to entrepreneurs and other venture capitalists. He helped create the China Greentech Initiative and sponsored the Rocky Mountain Institute’s entry to China (Re-Inventing Fire – China). Gary is the Chair of the Asia Society Northern California/Seattle, Co-Chair with Stephen Hadley of the Atlantic Council’s China Hub, a board member of PERC (free market environmentalism), the Climate Leadership Council, and the U.S. Olympic Paralympic Foundation where he and his wife Yucca underwrite the Mental Health support initiatives for all U.S. Olympic/Paralympic athletes, in what has become a global initiative. He is the Founder of the Big Barn Dialogues, a leading annual conference on U.S – China topics. Mr. Rieschel attended Reed College (BA Biology) where he is a Trustee, and Harvard Business School (MBA). He has lived for 5 years in Japan and 12 in China. Mr. Rieschel and Yucca live in Seattle, WA and Montana, and are avid skiers, golfers, fishermen, and scuba divers.

Ambassador Adela Raz is the Director of the Afghanistan Policy Lab at the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs and a visiting fellow at the Hudson Institute. Ambassador Raz served as the last ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to the United States. Prior to that, she was the first female Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Afghanistan to the United Nations. At the U.N., Amb. Raz was the Vice President of the 75th session of the General Assembly and was appointed by the President of the General Assembly to serve as the co-coordinator on COVID-19-related initiatives. Before her tenure at the U.N., Amb. Raz was the Deputy Foreign Minister of Afghanistan, managing regional and economic cooperation portfolios. She led two major platforms: the Regional Economic Cooperation Conferences on Afghanistan and the Heart of Asia – Istanbul Process. She also helped manage and coordinate the Brussels (2016) and Geneva (2018) Donor Conferences on Afghanistan and led the negotiations on the outcome documents. Amb. Raz initiated the conference on Empowerment of Afghan Women with the government of Kyrgyzstan and created additional confidence-building measures on Women Economic Empowerment as part of the Heart of Asia – Istanbul Process. In 2013, she served as the first female Deputy Spokesperson and Director of Communications for President Hamid Karzai. She began her career with the U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan and held various positions in international development organizations in the U.S. and Afghanistan. Amb. Raz holds a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School at Tufts University and a Bachelor of Arts with honors in International Relations, Political Science, and Economics from Simmons University in Boston. She also earned a certificate in International Development from the Fletcher School at Tufts University.

 Ahmed Saad Al-Rumaihi is the Humanitarian Aid Manager at Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD), where he leads the Fund's global strategic humanitarian interventions. His work reflects QFFD's unwavering commitment to fostering sustainable solutions for global challenges. In his role, Ahmed oversees the development and execution of key initiatives and spearheads strategic partnerships with international organizations, driving impactful collaboration in humanitarian aid.  Prior to joining QFFD, Ahmed served as the Director of External Affairs at Qatar Charity, where he led the organization's strategic partnerships, international cooperation efforts, and global advocacy initiatives. Since joining Qatar Charity in 2018, he held various leadership roles, including Director of Relief and International Partnerships. In this capacity, Ahmed played a pivotal role in institutionalizing emergency response mechanisms and enhancing operational efficiency. His tenure was marked by the establishment of robust partnerships with United Nations agencies and international NGOs. He also contributed significantly to diversifying the organization's funding model, ensuring its financial sustainability.  Ahmed holds a degree in International Relations from the University of Birmingham, equipping him with a nuanced understanding of global affairs and partnership dynamics within the humanitarian sector. His career reflects a deep commitment to driving collaborative, inclusive, and effective humanitarian solutions worldwide.

Michael Robbins is based at Princeton University where he serves as the director and co-principal investigator of Arab Barometer. He has been a part of this public opinion research network since its inception and served as its director since 2014. He has led or overseen hundreds of surveys around the world and is a leading expert in methods for ensuring survey data quality. His work on public opinion in MENA, survey methodology, and political behavior has been published in numerous journals, including Foreign Affairs, Comparative Political Studies, the International Journal of Public Opinion Research, the Journal of Democracy, the Journal of Conflict Resolution, and Statistical Journal of the IAOS. His analysis has been featured by major media outlets around the world including the BBC, CNN, the Economist, Al Jazeera, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Guardian, the Times of London, Der Spiegel, and Science Magazine.

Daniel F. Runde is a senior vice president, director of the Project on Prosperity and Development (PPD), and holds the William A. Schreyer Chair in Global Analysis at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a leading global think tank. Mr. Runde also served as the acting director for the CSIS Americas Program from 2020-2022. His work is oriented around U.S. leadership in building a more democratic and prosperous world. Among his many other contributions, Mr. Runde was as an architect of the BUILD Act, contributed to the reauthorization of the U.S. EXIM Bank in 2018, and was an architect of Prosper Africa, a U.S. government initiative to deepen the United States' commercial and development engagement in Africa. He has been a leading voice on the role and future of the World Bank Group and U.S. leadership in the multilateral system. Prior to CSIS, Mr. Runde held leadership roles at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the World Bank Group. Earlier in his career, Mr. Runde worked in commercial banking at Citibank in Argentina and in investment banking at Alex. Brown & Sons. Mr. Runde was granted the Officer’s Cross in the Order of Isabel la Católica, a Spanish civil order. Currently, he serves on the board of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), the Western NIS Enterprise Fund (WNISEF), Spirit of America, and the Ashesi University Foundation. Mr. Runde is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Bretton Woods Committee. He is also a columnist for The Hill and hosts a CSIS podcast series, Building the Future: Freedom, Prosperity, & Foreign Policy with Dan Runde. Mr. Runde is also the author of the book The American Imperative: Reclaiming Global Leadership through Soft Power (Bombardier Books, 2022). He previously chaired two U.S. government advisory committees: the Advisory Committee on Voluntary Foreign Aid at USAID and the Sub-Saharan Africa Advisory Committee at the U.S. EXIM Bank. Fluent in Spanish, he graduated cum laude from Dartmouth College and holds a master’s in public policy from Harvard University.

Date and place of birth: 1977, Baku, Azerbaijan 1994-1998 – BA in International Relations, Baku Institute of Political Science and Social Management 1998-2000 – MA in International Relations, Public Administration Academy under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan 2000-2003 – Ministry of Foreign Affairs 2003-2005 – Mission to OSCE, Vienna 2005-2008 – Ministry of Foreign Affairs 2008-2011 – Mission to EU, Brussels 2011-2013 – Ministry of Foreign Affairs 2013-2015 – Director, International Cooperation Dept., Ministry of Education June 2015-January 2017 – Deputy Chief of Staff, Ministry of Education January -June 2017– Chief of Staff, Ministry of Education Since June 2017 – Deputy Chief, Secretariat of the First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Since September 2020 - Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs

Mashael Al-Sabah is a senior scientist at Qatar Computing Research Institute (QCRI). Before that, Mashael was an assistant professor at the computer science and engineering department at Qatar University. Her research interests lie in the area network security and privacy enhancing technologies, cryptocurrency, and blockchain technology. She has published papers that were featured in various magazines such as Wired and New Scientist, and was awarded the Education Excellence Day Platinum Award for PhD holders category in Qatar for year 2014. Mashael obtained her Ph.D. from the University of Waterloo in 2013, and later spent time at MIT as a visiting scientist.

Dr. Abdulaziz Sager - A Saudi strategic expert specializing in international politics and regional security issues, he is the Founder and Chairman of the Gulf Research Center. Dr. Sager has also been a visiting professor at a number of universities, and member of various councils, advisory and academic committees, institutes and international research centers. He participates in international and regional conferences that address issues pertaining to the Gulf region. Notably, he has authored and edited numerous publications and has many articles in local and international newspapers related to Gulf affairs and regional issues, and he frequently contributes to major international media outlets. He is also the editor-in-chief of "Araa" a monthly Arabic-language magazine focused on Gulf affairs and is the editor-in-chief of "The Gulf Yearbook”. Dr. Sager holds a PhD in politics and international relations from Lancaster University.

Paul Salem is the Vice President for International Engagement. He served previously as MEI’s President and CEO.  He is currently based in the Middle East and works on building partnerships throughout the region.  His research focuses on issues of political change, transition, and conflict as well as the regional and international relations of the Middle East. Salem is a frequent commentator on US and international media, and is the author and editor of a number of books and reports including Escaping the Conflict Trap: Toward Ending Civil Wars in the Middle East (ed. with Ross Harrison, MEI 2019); Winning the Battle, Losing the War: Addressing the Conditions that Fuel Armed Non State Actors (ed. with Charles Lister, MEI 2019); From Chaos to Cooperation: Toward Regional Order in the Middle East (ed. with Ross Harrison, MEI 2017), Broken Orders: The Causes and Consequences of the Arab Uprisings (In Arabic, 2013), "Thinking Arab Futures: Drivers, scenarios, and strategic choices for the Arab World", The Cairo Review Spring 2019; Bitter Legacy: Ideology and Politics in the Arab World (1994), and Conflict Resolution in the Arab World (ed., 1997).  Prior to joining MEI, Salem was the founding director of the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut, Lebanon between 2006 and 2013.  From 1999 to 2006, he was director of the Fares Foundation and in 1989-1999 founded and directed the Lebanese Center for Policy Studies, Lebanon's leading public policy think tank. Salem is also a musician and composer of Arabic-Brazilian jazz. His music can be found on iTunes.

Dr Gudo is the Director General of the National Institute of Health in Mozambique, with over 20 years’ experience in Public Health. Holds a PhD in Immunology and Virology and Post-Doctoral training on Emerging Infectious Diseases and Senior Post-Doctoral training through a fellowship from the European Foundation Initiative for African Research into Neglected Tropical Diseases between 2015 and 2018. Prior to this position, occupied the following position at the National Institute of Health in Mozambique: Deputy Director General (2018 – 2023) and Scientific Director (2014 – 2018). Dr Gudo has a long track record in coordinating Public Health Response to major health crises. During COVID-19 pandemic, served as the Deputy Chair of National Task Force on COVID19 response in Mozambique. Currently is serving as the Chair of the Advisory and Technical Council of Africa CDC, member of the Executive Committee of Lancet Commission for Sustainable Health and member of the Executive Board of International Association of National Public Health Institutes.

Dr Ben Sanders is the Executive Director of the International Platform on Sport and Development (sportanddev). He leads the operating team and accounts to the Steering Board with a mandate to sustain, strengthen and scale the reach and impact of sportanddev.He is also Course Director for the massive open online course (MOOC) on Sport for Sustainable Development, developed with the Commonwealth Secretariat and Australian government, which has attracted over 8,500 learners from 197 countries and counting. Ben has extensive practical and theoretical experience, including working with the United Nations, Commonwealth, FIFA, Laureus and many others, in designing, delivering and evaluating policies and programmes that use sport to achieve development goals, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He completed the first PhD (doctorate) by publication in Sport for Sustainable Development in Africa at the University of the Western Cape in 2017 and has published academically and presented widely. He has extensive management, strategy and leadership experience in the non-profit sector, public sector and international development cooperation and is proudly South African.Ben is also a Research Associate at the UNESCO Chair for Sport, Development, Peace and Olympic Education, the first of its kind in Africa, and a member of the Scientific Committee of the UNESCO Chair on Sport for Development, Peace and Environment.

Ambassador Nureldin M. H. Satti is a seasoned diplomat and a retired UN senior official from Sudan. He served as the Principal Deputy SRSG at the United Nations political and peacekeeping missions to Burundi, UNOB and then ONUB, from 2002 to 2006 (Acting SRSG from April to December 2006).  He also served as ambassador of Sudan to France, Portugal, Switzerland and the Vatican as well as Permanent Delegate to UNESCO (1992-1996); and as Minister Plenipotentiary in the embassies of Sudan to Belgium and Chad (Was Sudan Chargé to Chad in 1989).  Ambassador Satti served as ambassador of Sudan to the United States (July 2020 – January 2022). He was forced to resign following the October 2021 military coup in Sudan and has since been involved in the civic movement to restore peace and civil democratic rule in Sudan.  He has a longstanding experience in mediation, conflict resolution, peacekeeping, peacebuilding and culture of peace through his work on a number of conflict situations in Africa, the Middle East and Asia, including Burundi, Chad, the DRC, Libya, Iraq, Rwanda, the Philippines (Mindanao), Somalia, South Sudan, and his own country, Sudan, as well as the broader Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes Regions where he represented UNESCO on culture of peace programs and where he worked on mediation and conflict resolution issues, particularly in support of the AU and IGAD.  Ambassador Satti is a Global Fellow of the Woodrow Wilson Center of Washington DC, where he was a Senior Fellow and Distinguished African Scholar (2008-2009) and is also co-chair of the Sudans Working Group at the Center. He also served as Special Advisor with the Humanitarian Dialogue Centre (HD) of Geneva on Sudan issues with particular focus of the National Dialogue in Sudan and humanitarian dialogue in Darfur and with the SPLM-North. He also worked as Senior Regional Advisor to the Crisis Management Initiative (CMI) of Helsinki, working on issues of Iraq, the Red-Sea-Horn of Africa and the Lake Chad Basin and providing support to the AU and IGAD on mediation issues.  Ambassador Satti served as member of the High Council for Peace in the Sudan in 2020.  Ambassador Satti was awarded the National Order of the Légion d’Honneur by the French Republic and the Medal of Saint Gregory by the Vatican.  He authored several articles on issues of Sudan identity, as well as social and political issues related to Sudan and Africa in general. He authored books in Arabic language on the failures of the Sudanese elite, on his experience in conflict resolution and peacekeeping as well as on the role of youth in social change in Sudan. The first parts of his memoirs in Arabic and French have been published in 2019 and 2022, the English version is to be published soon. He authored two books on the 2018 revolution and the unfinished democratic transition in Sudan.  Ambassador Satti graduated from the Faculty of Arts of the University of Khartoum in 1969 and holds a Master’s degree from the university of Lyon and a Doctorate in Literature from the University of Paris-Sorbonne in 1974.  He is fluent in Arabic, English and French

Cynthia P. Schneider, Professor in the Practice of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, teaches, publishes, and organizes initiatives in the area of diplomacy and culture. Ambassador Schneider co-directs the Laboratory for Global Performance and Politics at Georgetown, a joint signature initiative between Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service and College of Arts and Sciences, with the mission of humanizing global politics through the power of performance. Additionally, Dr. Schneider co-directs the Timbuktu Renaissance, a Mali-based platform for countering extremism and promoting peace and development through a focus on culture. Dr. Schneider publishes and speaks frequently on topics related to arts, culture, and media and international affairs. Her writings range from op eds articles for USA Today, Los Angeles Times, Huffington Post, CNN.com, and Foreign Policy to policy papers for Brookings; she has spoken at TED and TEDx, as well as at universities, conferences, and festivals around the world. Ambassador Schneider’s book in progress is Why Culture Matters: Re-Imagining Diplomacy. Professor Schneider teaches courses in Diplomacy and Culture in the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown, where, from 1984-2005, she was a member of the art history faculty, and published on Rembrandt and seventeenth century Dutch art. She also organized exhibitions at the National Gallery of Art and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.From 1998-2001, she served as US Ambassador to The Netherlands, during which time she led initiatives in cultural diplomacy, biotechnology, cyber security, and education. Professor Schneider has a BA and a PhD from Harvard University. @schneidercp, schneidc@georgetown.edu

Helga Maria Schmid is President of the Board of Governors of the European Institute of Peace (EIP) and Vice-President of the Foundation Council of the Munich Security Conference (MSC) Foundation. She is the former Secretary General of the OSCE, having been appointed in December 2020 for a three-year term and then extended until September 2024. She first joined the diplomatic service as Assistant Private Secretary to the Deputy Foreign Minister of Germany in charge of European Affairs (1990–1991). Since then, she has held several prominent diplomatic positions during her career. Early on, she was Political Adviser to Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel and Head of Cabinet to Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer; and just prior to her appointment as OSCE Secretary General, she was Secretary General for the European External Action Service. From 2011 to 2016, she was the Deputy Secretary General for Political Affairs for the European External Action Service. Preceding that, she was the Director of the Policy Planning and Early Warning Unit (Policy Unit) of the High Representative for the CFSP in the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union in Brussels.

Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of the Management Board, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors of Rosneft Born in 1960. Graduated from Leningrad State University in 1984. PhD in Economics. From 2000 to 2004 - Deputy Head of the Executive Office of the President of the Russian Federation. From 2004 to 2008 - Deputy Head of the Executive Office of the President of the Russian Federation, Aide to the President of the Russian Federation. From 2008 to 2012 - Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation. Since May 2012 till now – Chief Executive Officer of Rosneft, Chairman of the Management Board of Rosneft. From 2004 to 2011 – Chairman of the Board of Directors of Rosneft. He was newly elected to the Board of Directors of Rosneft in November 2012. Since June 2013 till now – Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors of Rosneft. Igor Sechin holds a seat in the boards of several organizations.

Kamel Senouci is a nonresident senior fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs. He specializes in global health. A medical doctor by training, Senouci’s expertise covers public health, epidemiology and health policy, and health economics. He is currently the director of the Advanced Course of Vaccinology (ADVAC)—an advanced vaccinology training for health professional—at the University of Geneva, Switzerland. His more-than-20-year career spanned various institutions including the Ministry of Health in France, the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and Agence de Médecine Préventive (AMP)—an international NGO. More recently, Senouci was deputy director in the Global Development department at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, overseeing the reinforcement of the Polio Eradication and Immunization Programs. Senouci has worked in numerous countries all over the world including the Americas, Europe, Africa, Middle East, and Asia. He has focused on public health and health policy in Low- and Middle-Income Countries; immunization; maternal and child health; outbreaks prevention, preparedness, and response; health financing; and health advocacy.

Ambassador Robert Serry is a former Netherlands diplomat with extensive experience in international conflict management. At NATO he served as Deputy Assistant-Secretary General for Crisis Management (2001-05) and at the UN as Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process (2008-15). He also served as Netherlands ambassador to Ukraine and Ireland. Mr. Serry is currently a senior adviser to the European Institute of Peace in Brussels and chairman of Open Door Ukraine, actively involved in humanitarian relief and early reconstruction in Ukraine.

Mr. Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi joined QatarEnergy in 1986 as a student studying Petroleum & Natural Gas Engineering at Pennsylvania State University in the USA, from which he graduated in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Petroleum & Natural Gas Engineering. In 2006, he was appointed as the Director of Qatar Energy’s Oil & Gas Ventures Directorate, where he was overseeing all of Qatar’s oil and gas fields’ developments as well as all the exploration activities in Qatar. In September 2014, Mr. Al-Kaabi was appointed as QatarEnergy’s President and Chief Executive Officer, where he oversaw QatarEnergy’s gas, oil and petrochemical developments in Qatar and internationally. On November 4, 2018, His Excellency Mr. Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi was appointed Minister of State for Energy Affairs and Cabinet member of the State of Qatar, and Deputy Chairman of QatarEnergy, in addition to his position as President & CEO.

Mrs. Seren worked as a senior advisor in the Turkish Parliament from 2005 to 2015. She then served as a researcher in Security Studies Department of SETA (2015-2017) and as a senior consultant at STM’s ThinkTech (2017-2018). Since May 2018, Seren has been a lecturer at Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University and a visiting scholar, teaching intelligence and security issues at various postgraduate institutions. Seren was accepted into the “U.S. Legislative Fellow” program, co-sponsored by Freedom House and the National Democratic Institute, funded by the U.S. Department of State. She was also selected as a member of the “Atlantic Council’s Young Atlanticist” program and chosen for the “First Middle East Generational Ambassadors Summit” and the “Youth Ministerial Meeting”. Additionally, she was named one of the “2017 Munich Young Leaders”, a joint initiative of the Körber Foundation and Munich Security Conference, and was selected to for the “2018 Taiwan International Elite Leadership” program by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ROC (Taiwan). In 2019, she was recognized as a “Southeast Asian Young Leader” by the IISS and invited to participate in the 18th Shangri-La Dialogue. She holds a B.A. in Political Science and Public Administration, an M.A. in European Union studies, and a Ph.D. in International Security and Terrorism. Her doctoral dissertation focused on strategic intelligence and national security.

Hajer Sharief is the co-founder of the Together We Build It (TWBI) organization, which focuses on promoting inclusive and intergenerational approaches to peacebuilding and peacemaking. She is one of UN Women's 12 Champions on Women, Peace, and Security, and Human Rights, as well as a member of Extremely Together, an initiative by Kofi Annan and the Kofi Annan Foundation.  In 2020, she was recognized by Forbes as one of "Africa's 50 Most Powerful Women" and was also nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Hajer currently serves as a member of the UN Women's Executive Director Advisory Board, contributing to advancing gender equality and peace efforts globally. 

Director General of IPIS, Iran

 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.

Dr. Mohammad Hassan Sheikholeslami is a distinguished scholar and diplomat, currently serving as Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister. With extensive experience in international relations and academia, he is also the President of the Institute for Political and International Studies and an Associate Professor at the Graduate School of International Relations in Tehran.Dr. Sheikholeslami holds a Ph.D. in International Relations from Tehran University, where he also earned his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Political Science and Diplomacy and International Organizations, respectively. His academic focus spans public diplomacy, international security, and the evolving dynamics of foreign investment.In his professional career, Dr. Sheikholeslami has held key roles, including Dean of the School of International Relations, President of the Iranian Association of Diplomacy, and various leadership positions at organizations such as the Economic Cooperation Organization and national research institutions. His tenure reflects a deep commitment to fostering international cooperation and advancing Iran's diplomatic goals.

Rebecca is Director Defense Strategy and National Security at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. Rebecca has over 20 years experience in policy, operational and corporate roles in the Australian Department of Defense and in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. She has served as senior adviser Major Powers to Australia’s Foreign Minister and led trade and investment in the defense and space sectors in Austrade. For the last decade Bec has specialized in space policy, deterrence, and advanced capabilities, including the role of commercial dual use technologies and innovation in national security. Rebecca has provided high level policy advice to the Australian Government on Australia’s relations with the US, China, Five Eyes, SEA, the Pacific and on policy issues related to terrorism, insurgency, cyber, space, missile defense, nuclear and strategic deterrence, and critical technologies. From 2015-2017 Bec was Counsellor Defense Strategic Policy in the Australian Embassy in Washington. Rebecca is a Fellow of the Abshire-Inamori Leadership Program (2017) at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington DC and an Alumni of the Munich Young Leaders Forum (2015). She is an Alumni of the Australian War College (2013 Defense and Strategic Studies Course) and is a Fellow of the College. She has a Master of Strategic Studies (with Honours) from the Australian National University and a Master of Strategic Studies from Deakin University.

Ng Pak Shun joined the Republic of Singapore Air Force in 2000 as an Air Warfare Officer (Air Battle Management). BG Ng graduated from the French Command & Staff Course in 2012 and the Indonesian Joint Command & Staff Course in 2018. During his career, he held various command and staff appointments, including Senior Assistant Director of Research and Enterprise Division at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Commanding Officer of 200 Squadron, and Deputy Director of Defence Policy Office at the Ministry of Defence. He was appointed Head of Air Training Department in Jan 2019 and Head of Air Plans Department in Feb 2020, prior to his appointment as Commander Air Defence and Operations Command in Jan 2021. BG Ng assumed his current appointments as Group Chief, Policy & Strategy and Group Chief, Plans & Transformation in Mar 2022.

Muznah Siddiqui plays a pivotal role in supporting the Secretary-General’s High-Level Advisory Board on Effective Multilateralism at the United Nations University Centre for Policy Research. Her work focuses on global governance, digital technologies, international finance, peace and justice, and climate change. Ms. Siddiqui has held key positions at esteemed institutions, including the Stimson Center, the Climate Governance Commission, the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, and the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute. In 2023, she was awarded the prestigious Geneva Centre for Security Policy Prize. An active speaker and moderator at high-profile international forums, including the Doha Forum, the United Nations Civil Society Conference and the Beyond Bretton Woods Conference, Muznah is also dedicated to promoting peace as a Youth Peace Ambassador. She holds a master’s degree in international relations and politics from the University of Cambridge.

Mehmet Simsek served as the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic and Financial Affairs of Türkiye during 2015-2018. He previously served as the Minister of Finance (2009-15), and as the Minister of Economy (2007-09). He was elected to the Parliament for three terms (2007, 2011, 2015) representing the ruling AK Party. Mr. Simsek has formulated the fiscal policy which has helped Türkiye recover strongly from the global financial crisis. He has also undertaken far reaching reforms such as simplifying tax regulations, enhancing taxpayers’ rights, and reducing the size of shadow economy. During his 11 years of public service as a minister, Mr. Simsek was a strong advocate of structural reforms and prudent macroeconomic policies. The country’s strong fiscal position and reform efforts have helped Türkiye weather multiple (domestic and external) shocks over the past decade. A credit guarantee scheme, enhanced under Mr. Simsek’s leadership, helped the country avoid a recession after the failed coup attempt in 2016. Mr. Simsek represented Türkiye as a governor at the IMF, the World Bank Group and the IsDB and as the Finance Minister of Türkiye at the G20. He has regularly attended several international forums including the World Economic Forum in Davos, and the Bilderberg Group meetings. Before entering politics, he worked for Merrill Lynch in London for seven years, initially as economist and strategist, and later as the head of Fixed Income Strategy and Macro Economic Research for the emerging EMEA region (2005-2007). From 1998 to 2000, he was a senior economist and bank analyst at Deutsche-Bender Securities in Istanbul. Earlier in his career, he worked on Wall Street for UBS Securities in New York (1997-1998), and as a senior economist at the US Embassy in Ankara (1993-97). Mr. Simsek holds a B.S. in Economics from Ankara University and worked as a research assistant in the University’s International Economics and Economic Development Department. He also studied in United Kingdom after being awarded a competitive Turkish State Scholarship. He holds an M.PHil in Finance and Investments from Exeter University. Mr. Simsek is also a member of the Global Economic Symposium (GES) advisory board. Mr. Simsek was born in 1967, in a small village in Batman, a province in Southeastern Türkiye. He is married, has twin girls, and a boy. He is fluent in Turkish, English and Kurdish.

Carl Skau Deputy Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer Carl Skau is WFP’s Deputy Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer. In this role, he leads the organization’s overall coordination, strategic direction, humanitarian diplomacy, and support for field operations. He also supports corporate efforts to maximize WFP’s inter-agency collaboration and partnerships. Mr. Skau has over 20 years of experience working in diplomacy, humanitarian affairs, peace-building and development across different regions and organizations. He is a recognized and experienced leader with a track record in forging strong bilateral and multilateral partnerships, mobilizing resources, international negotiations, strategic communications, and leading and motivating empowered and diverse teams. Prior to joining WFP, Mr. Skau headed the Department for Multilateral Partnerships at the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, where he led its response to humanitarian crises across the globe, including the COVID-19 pandemic. He also served as Sweden’s Ambassador and Special Envoy to Venezuela, and was Ambassador and Deputy Repre-sentative to the United Nations in New York during Sweden’s two-year term on the Security Council. His previous positions have included Deputy Representative to the European Union Political and Security Committee in Brussels, in addition to postings for the EU and UN in Africa and Latin America. He began his career with UNHCR and UNDP. Mr. Skau, a Swedish national, holds a bachelor’s degree in social science, and a master’s degree in political science from Lund University. He is fluent in English and Spanish. He is married with three children.

Slim Slama is an Internal Medicine specialist and a public health expert with over 25 years of experience in global health. He currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) at Qatar Foundation. Dr Slama started his career as a clinician, serving as an Assistant Professor in Internal Medicine at the Geneva University Hospital for 16 years, where he contributed to the establishment of global health as an academic discipline at the University of Geneva.  Dr. Slama's extensive career includes more than a decade at the World Health Organization (WHO). In his role as Regional Adviser for Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) prevention and management at the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, he advised 22 Member States on scaling up their efforts to prevent and control NCDs. Following this, he transitioned to WHO Headquarters in Geneva as the Head of the Management-Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment Unit (MND). There, he provided strategic leadership and oversaw the development and implementation of a broad portfolio focused on early detection, diagnosis, and management of NCDs, including cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, oral health, and digital health solutions. His work also extended to implementation research and managing NCDs in humanitarian settings.  During his WHO tenure, Dr Slama oversaw the development and supported the implementation of several major WHO cancer flagship initiatives, such as the Global Cervical Cancer Elimination Initiative, The Global Childhood Cancer Initiative and the Global Breast Cancer Initiative.  Dr Slama holds a Swiss Board Medical Degree in Internal Medicine and a master’s degree of Public Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Additionally, he co-founded and served as the Programme Director of the Geneva Health Forum, which promotes action-driven and innovative debate around healthcare issues.

Randa Slim is senior fellow and director of the Conflict Resolution and Track II Dialogues program at the Middle East Institute in Washington DC, and a non-resident fellow at the Foreign Policy Institute of the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). She works and publishes on regional and international issues of the Middle East with an emphasis on Lebanon, Syria and Iraq.    A former vice president of the International Institute for Sustained Dialogue, Slim has been a senior program advisor at the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, a guest scholar at the United States Institute of Peace, a program director at Resolve, and a program officer at the Kettering Foundation.  A former member of the Dartmouth Conference US-Russia regional conflicts taskforce, she was a member of the US-Russia mediator team in the Inter-Tajik Dialogue (1992-2000) and participated in the design and implementation of several peace-building initiatives in the Ferghana Valley (2000-2006).  Since 2004, she has convened Track 1.5-2.0 dialogues focused on the conflicts in Iraq and Syria, U.S.-Russia and U.S.-Turkey bilateral relations, and regional cooperation frameworks. Slim also worked on the UN-mediated negotiations in Yemen as a consultant with the office of the UN Special Envoy for Yemen (2015-2016).

Dan Smith is the Director of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). He has researched and written on security, conflict and peace for four decades. He served four years in the UN Peacebuilding Fund Advisory Group, two as Chair (2010–2011). He was part-time Professor of Peace and Conflict at the University of Manchester from 2014 to 2017. Before taking up his post at SIPRI, he was Secretary General of the London-based peacebuilding NGO, International Alert (2003–2015) and Director of the International Peace Research Institute, Oslo (1993–2001). His most recent book is the 10th edition of The State of the World Atlas (2020).

Ann Snow MBE has been appointed UK Special Representative for Syria in succession to Jonathan Hargreaves. She took up her appointment in May 2023. Ms. Snow joined the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in 2009. She has served in Malaysia and worked on Iran, China and Counter Terrorism. Before joining the FCDO, she worked for an international human rights organization, the UK Parliament and as a Middle East analyst in the private sector.

Jie-ae Sohn an invited professor at the Graduate School of International Studies at Ewha Womans University. She was formerly Korea’s Ambassador for Cultural Cooperation and also hosts a weekly talk show, “The Globalists” on Korea’s only English-language TV and Radio channel, Arirang TV. Amb. Sohn comes from a journalism background, having spent 15 years from 1995 to 2010 as Seoul bureau chief and correspondent for CNN. She then joined the South Korean government, serving as the spokesperson of the Presidential Committee for the Seoul G20 Summit in 2010 and then the Presidential Secretary of the Office of Overseas Public Relations. She was also the President/CEO of Arirang TV and Radio from 2011 to 2014. Ms. Sohn is married with three daughters.

Ahmed Soliman is a senior research fellow with the Africa Programme at Chatham House, where he leads programming on the Horn of Africa region. He has over a decade of experience in producing policy-relevant research that influences thinking on the region. His core research focus is on the political economy of Sudan and Ethiopia, as well as geopolitical connectivity across the Horn and Red Sea region. Ahmed is the author of several publications and comment pieces, and oversees the implementation of the institute’s research projects, activities and outputs on the Horn of Africa. He regularly contributes to media reporting on the region

Ambassador sorour graduated in faculty of commerce Cairo university 1990. He joined the Foreign ministry 1995 joined the Non-Aligned Movement and organization of Islamic conference. He was a member of Egyptian delegations to several international conference . He took the responsibility of river Nile file for more than 12 years. he served in the Egyptian embassies in Pakistan , Italy, New York and Bosnia and Herzegovina.Recently he was appointed as Assistant Foreign Minister for Sudan and South Sudan.

Achim Steiner became UNDP Administrator on 19 June 2017. Mr. Steiner is also the Vice-Chair of the UN Sustainable Development Group, which unites 40 entities of the UN system that work to support sustainable development. Over nearly three decades, Achim Steiner has been a global leader on sustainable development, climate resilience and international cooperation. He has worked tirelessly to champion sustainability, economic growth and equality for the vulnerable, and has been a vocal advocate for the Sustainable Development Goals. Prior to joining UNDP, he was Director of the Oxford Martin School and Professorial Fellow of Balliol College, University of Oxford. Mr. Steiner has served across the United Nations system, looking at global challenges from both a humanitarian and a development perspective. He led the United Nations Environment Programme (2006-2016), helping governments invest in clean technologies and renewable energy. He was also Director-General of the United Nations Office at Nairobi. Achim Steiner previously held other notable positions including Director General of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, and Secretary General of the World Commission on Dams. Achim Steiner has lived and worked in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Europe, Latin America and the United States. He graduated in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (MA) from Worcester College, Oxford University and holds an MA from the University of London/School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS).

President and CEO, The Ergo Group, Inc.; President Elect of the Mexican Council on Foreign Relations (COMEXI); Professor of Practice in Public Policy and Faculty Director of the MPA program at the Goldman School of Public Policy, University of California, Berkeley. Héctor Cárdenas is a visionary executive and consultant with 25 years of experience at the forefront of public policy, international cooperation, and digital transformation in the public sector. As CEO of The Ergo Group, he has led pioneering initiatives that blend advanced technologies with policy reform, particularly in the fields of artificial intelligence and regulatory innovation. His expertise spans both the application of AI to enhance government operations—especially within regulatory agencies—and the critical task of shaping policies that regulate AI itself. Cárdenas has worked extensively on building government capacities through organizational transformation, focusing on digital transformation, process improvement, and fostering stronger relationships between government and citizens. His efforts have enhanced the effectiveness of public sector institutions across North America, including key engagements with the US Department of Labor, USAID, the Inter-American Development Bank, and the World Bank. His consulting work has supported government agencies in Mexico, Canada, Singapore, and Panama, helping them streamline operations, embrace innovation, and improve service delivery. A recognized thought leader on US-Mexico relations, Cárdenas teaches a graduate-level course on the topic at UC Berkeley and serves on the board of COMEXI. He has also contributed to policy discussions as a member of the Woodrow Wilson Center’s Working Group on Migration and Nacional Financiera’s California Business Advisory Board. With a Ph.D. in Public Policy from UC Berkeley, and a Master in Public Administration from France’s École Nationale d’Administration, Cárdenas brings strategic insight and global expertise to every project.

Victoria Taylor is the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Iraq and Iran in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs. A career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Ms. Taylor joined the Department of State in 2003. Ms. Taylor was the Director for North African Affairs from 2021 to 2023 and the Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Croatia from 2018 to 2021. She has served as the Deputy Director for Western Europe in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs and as the Director for Balkans, Caucasus, and Black Sea Affairs at the National Security Council, where she coordinated U.S. policy and advanced U.S. interests in the region. Other Washington assignments include positions in the Office of Iranian Affairs, on the Turkey Desk in the Office of Southern European Affairs, and as an International Affairs Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. Ms. Taylor has served overseas at U.S. Embassies in Georgia, Tunisia, and Pakistan, as well as at the U.S. Consulate in Lahore, Pakistan. Ms. Taylor hails from Springfield, Missouri. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a master’s degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science. She speaks French, Mandarin, Russian, and Urdu.

Ishaan Tharoor is a columnist on the international desk of The Washington Post, where he authors WorldView, The Post's flagship newsletter and column on international politics. In 2021, he won the Arthur Ross Media Award in Commentary, a prize administered by the American Academy of Diplomacy. In 2023, he received the Ted Sorensen prize, an honor bestowed by Network 20/20, a New York-based group that seeks to bridge the gap between the private sector and foreign policy worlds. The group hailed his “consistent, high-quality columns that regularly ask readers to reckon with their worldview.” Ishaan joined The Post in 2014 and has reported from four different continents for the paper. He previously was a senior editor and correspondent at Time magazine, based first in Hong Kong and later in New York

Eleven years of work experience in high level government offices, overseeing stakeholder engagement, strategic partnership relations and project management. A robust management and stakeholder engagement portfolio, facilitating the successful delivery of various projects on a national level. Built long-lasting strategic relationships with government agencies and the private sector. Managed sizeable projects on a national and international level with long term strategic implications and impact. Haya started her professional journey at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, tasked as a young diplomat to act as the rapporteur of the Permanent National Committee in Support of Jerusalem. Transitioning into the security sector, Haya joined the Ministry of Defense in 2016 and lead on developing and implementing the international cooperation strategy and annual business plan alongside managing the establishment phase of the Qatari Armed Forces Academic Bridge program and overseeing its successful delivery. At her current position as the Director of Strategic Partnerships, Haya manages a team strategic partnership officer across two sectors: Partnership Development and Planning and Evaluations. Overseeing the delivery of projects, from managing the onboarding of new partners to facilitating the necessary components in support of the due diligence process and implementing steps for the expansion of established strategic relationships.

JEEVAN THIAGARAJAHColombo, Sri Lanka • +94 777 316288 • execdir@cha.lkSummaryPreventing Violent Extremism - Human Security – Responding to Pandemics and Disasters – GovernanceCEO working since 1983 promoting multiculturalism, design of public policies and defining advisory services for policies around human security for minorities and marginalised groups, durable solutions for the end of displacement, countering root causes of violent extremism, specialist countering climate induced disasters, coordinating agencies delivering assistance, seeking compliance with standards and international best practices, convening observers and observing elections (Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh & Nepal) ; Career working with specialists and eminent persons in the non-profit sector, government institutions and multilateral bodies and other governments; Columnist in national daily ; Resource persons at Think Tank organised events and Civil servant.QualificationsM.A. (South Asian Studies), School of Oriental and African Studies (University of London) Certificate from Summer School on Forced Migration, Refugee Studies Programme (University of Oxford)Social Entrepreneurship Programme (INSEAD Business School - Singapore)

Dr. Iyabo Tinubu-Karch is the Chief Executive Officer and Board Member Ex Officio of Sidra Medicine, a women’s and children’s hospital in the State of Qatar. She joined the healthcare organization in November 2022. Prior to her appointment as the CEO of Sidra Medicine, Dr. Tinubu-Karch was actively involved with the management team of the healthcare organization, in her previous capacity as a non-executive board member since 2019 as well as in an advisory role with the management committee. Dr. Tinubu-Karch has extensive clinical experience in general internal medicine, hospital and geriatric medicine. She is certified in health information technology and has led several international based programs about the application of technology in clinical medicine. She also holds numerous high-profile board appointments and memberships in leading healthcare colleges and societies in the United States of America. Prior to joining Sidra Medicine, Dr. Tinubu-Karch was the clinical instructor at the University of Washington, School of Public Health. Her previous experience as a practicing physician in the USA includes; Swedish Medical Center; University of Washington; the Department of Veterans Affairs in Seattle and VA Health Care Systems. Dr. Iyabo is also the founder and CEO of 6M Geriatrics and Hospital Medicine. Her international roles include serving as a consultant physician in health systems improvement at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital in Nigeria. Dr. Tinubu-Karch received her medical degree from St. George’s University Medical School. She has a master’s degree in health administration and conducted her fellowship training in critical care from the University of Washington. She also has a fellowship in geriatric medicine from the Swedish Medical Center and completed her residency in internal medicine from Lennox Hill Hospital. She was a recipient of the Washington State health information technology grant and previously served in the Washington State Medical Association Health Informatics Advisory and Accreditation Committees.