ADEL Bios

Salem Afeworki is an award-winning sustainability executive with over 16 years of experience advancing climate resilience and organizational transformation across public and private sectors. As the first Energy and Sustainability Services Manager for the City of Costa Mesa, she developed citywide frameworks now used as models nationwide. Previously, she led a 12-person team at Value Sustainability, building public-private partnerships to scale clean energy adoption.

An executive leader at the intersection of leadership, innovation, and collective impact, he serves as the Director of Leadership Programs at MBZUAI in Abu Dhabi, where he curates transformative learning experiences that empower decision-makers to lead with purpose in a world continuously reshaped by artificial intelligence. 

Samira K. Azzam is a manager of global government relations at Accenture, a Fortune Global 500 consulting and technology company. 

Jessica Berlin is the founder and managing director of CoStruct, a strategy consultancy working at the intersection of business, technology, and economic development. CoStruct consults public, private, and nonprofit organizations on innovation strategy, program design for tech and entrepreneurship initiatives, and market entry in emerging and frontier markets.

Nicola Bilotta is currently researcher at IAI where he works on international political economy, digital economy and geo-finance. 

Cristian Botan is a digital entrepreneur and open government activist. After two years working on anti-corruption for Transparency International, Cristian launched an innovative, award-winning digital initiative aimed at combating nepotism in public sector recruitment in Romania.

Anabella C Ron graduated as both an economist and industrial engineer, since then her professional and academic career have been focused on International Development. 

Chiara Cocchiara is a System Operations Engineer at EUMETSAT, preparing future Earth Observation Space Missions to monitor weather and climate. She was awarded the MIT Innovator Under35 and the ESNC Prizes for a new drone technology design to help saving human lives, especially the immigrants in the Mediterranean Sea.

Cosmin Buteică has 12+ years of professional experience in international development and International Financial Institutions and is currently Senior Environmental Specialist in the World Bank’s Europe and Central Asia region of the Environment, Natural Resources, and Blue Economy Global Practice.

Jerome Cowans is the Social Impact Specialist at Cemex Carib Cement in Jamaica. He leads the development and implementation of national community initiatives that strengthen corporate social responsibility and stakeholder engagement. He is also co-founder of Future Bridge Ja Ltd., a consultancy that connects vulnerable communities with private-sector CSR opportunities.

Rachid Dahbi is the co-founder of Averty Market Research and Intelligence. He began his career with Hewlett-Packard as an HP.com country manager for Africa, where he was responsible for online lead generation and regional marketing campaigns.

Cire Ba is Executive Director, CIRTECH-CTC and has over six years of experience in political consulting. After the completion of his master’s degree in management studies from the Bordeaux Management School, he began his professional career in the management of development projects before specializing in public communications. 

Mohamed El Dahshan is managing director of OXCON, a research and consulting firm working on issues of economic and social development in the Middle East and Africa, with a focus on fragile and post-conflict countries. He is also a Fellow at Chatham House and the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy (TIMEP).

Dr. Fang Xiao is the deputy director of the Center for European Studies at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (SIIS). She was also a visiting fellow with the Freeman Chair in China Studies at The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) starting in January 2013 as a visiting fellow with Friedrich Ebert Stiftung EU office.

Andy Gboka joined Exotix in March 2011 as an equity analyst covering the brewing and cement sectors in sub-Saharan Africa, not including South Africa. 

Dr. El Mostafa Jamea is a senior researcher and consultant at the MENARES research institute in Casablanca. 

Quentin James is the African Americans director for the Ready for Hillary political action committee (PAC). There he manages engagement with the African American community throughout the United States to build momentum for a Hillary Clinton presidential run. Formerly, Quentin served as the national director for the Sierra Student Coalition, the youth arm of the Sierra Club and the largest youth environmental organization in the United States. 

Bako Kantiok is the coordinator of the Greetings from America radio program, an initiative that promotes cultural understanding between the United States and Nigeria. Prior to this position, he was a program officer at Fantsuam Foundation, a Nigerian NGO that specializes in community development.

Carlos León is an economic consultant in the Inter-American Development Bank’s Fiscal and Municipal Management Division in Washington, DC. He focuses on public-private partnerships, fiscal risks, financial instruments, and trust funds for the public sector. 

Blanche Leridon has been Head of Operations at the Paris-based think tank Institut Montaigne since June 2017. She coordinates all editorial and event activities of Institut Montaigne. She is also in charge of relations with the governance and Montaigne’s Board members.

Lungile Mahluza is currently the chief of staff to the Deloitte Africa chief executive in Johannesburg, South Africa. Prior to this, she was a senior manager in the Deloitte Africa Consulting practice. 

Anand Reddi is a global health specialist at Gilead Sciences, Inc., a major multinational biotechnology company that focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialization of innovative medicines.

Andrea Richter serves as chief of staff to the special envoy and coordinator for international energy affairs in the Bureau of Energy Resources (ENR) at the U.S. Department of State. 

Ritika Passi is Fellow at ORF. She works on connectivity, tracking developments across Eurasia and the Indo-Pacific, the changing global economic order and its geopolitical impact, and Indian foreign policy

Mbuih Zukane has 11 years of experience, working as a senior youth worker and an international cooperation expert. He lectures youth leadership as a transversal course in the University of Dschang-Cameroon.

Dina Abdel-Fattah is an associate with Development Gateway, where she is responsible for managing, implementing, and coordinating multiple projects, with an emphasis on incorporating geospatial tools for information management. 

Ramy Abdelhady has served in the Egyptian Judiciary for more than a decade, first as a Public Prosecutor and later as a Chief Judge. He holds two Master of Laws degrees with a focus on international law and human rights and is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Law and Graduate Teaching Assistant at the University of Bristol, United Kingdom.

Nejat Abdella works as an analyst at Dalberg Advisers, a leading strategy consulting firm focused on international development based in Addis Ababa. At Dalberg, Nejat specializes in the areas of humanitarian assistance, food security and migration.

Rakan Aboneaaj is a research associate on the Sustainable Development Finance team at the Center for Global Development, where he focuses on multilateral development bank reform and climate finance. He also consults on the World Bank’s Private Capital Facilitation unit. Previously, he worked at Altman Solon, a strategy consulting firm, and the Center for Strategic & International Studies.

Sadé Abraham is a learning scientist and pipeline initiative strategist committed to supporting the underserved in our education pipeline.

Carolina Abrusci is a professor at the Central University of Venezuela’s School of Political and Administrative Studies. She has a master's degree in international politics from the Complutense University of Madrid and is currently a Ph.D.

Dr. Nancy Adossi is a senior international policy professional with 15+ years of experience advancing trade and socio-economic development across Africa and North America. She has served as the Head of the UNECA & AU Special Projects Liaison Unit at IOM, where she led high-level engagement with the African Union, UNECA, and global partners to implement cross-border mobility frameworks and donor-funded programmes.

Nitika Agarwal is a senior policy advisor to the government of the United Kingdom, where she represents the U.K. in negotiations with other European Union member states on financial services, and coordinates the HMT’s policy on international economic issues. 

Megha Aggarwal is the co-founder and CEO of LEAP Skills Academy. LEAP stands for Learning, Employability and Progress, and was founded to create opportunities and enable employment for motivated students in small towns in India. 

Sergio Aguiar Matos is director for New Business Development & Consulting for Brasilinvest Group, Brazil’s foremost merchant and investment bank. He is also head of projects for Fórum das Américas, the group's NGO. He graduated, respectively, from Fundação Casper Libero, the country’s first school of journalism, and Mackenzie Presbyterian University, one of Brazil’s most prestigious law schools founded in 1870. He holds an MBA degree from Fundação Armando Alvares Penteado.

Aliyyah Ahad is the Director and EU Representative at the Government of Bermuda’s Brussels Office, a post she has held since October 2020. She previously worked for the Government of Bermuda in the Cabinet Office, Ombudsman’s Office, Human Rights Commission, London Office, and Bermuda Economic Development Corporation.  Ms.

Patricia Ahanda is an analyst specializing in strategy, influence communication, and international affairs. Based in Paris, France, she develops a cross-cutting approach to contemporary power dynamics, political narratives, and global governance.

Fatma Ahmed is currently the Capacity Building Specialist at UNDP Regional Program for Africa, based in Addis Ababa where she implements flagship projects on conflict prevention, peacebuilding, political transitions, climate security and other emerging development challenges and priorities with the African Union and regional institutions. Prior to joining UNDP, she worked across Africa, Middle East, and Southeast Asia, implementing regional projects for development partners.

Ms Teocah Arieal Ainka Dove is a Social Extrapreneur and Social-Impact Storyteller. Teocah’s diverse expertise has seen her serving in leadership positions in the international development sector over the last ten (10) years either communicating on, designing, providing technical direction on, implementing and/or managing development programmes.

Ilham Ait Bouazza is head of the partnerships department at the National Institute of Posts and Telecommunications in Rabat, Morocco.

Jihane Ajijti works for OCP SA as the head of project and development for Southern Africa. She is a graduate of HEC Paris (Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales) and a candidate of Africa Business school executive master’s in business administration partnership with Columbia Business school. 

Asma Akremi is currently Associate Counsellor for Competitiveness, Governance & Political Affairs at European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Her area of experience covers policy dialogue, governance, and investment climate projects, working with international organisations such as EBRD, USAID, and the British Civil Service. Asma holds a master’s in political economy from the London School of Economics and a Research Master's in Strategy and Marketing from ISG.

She ROARs is empowering female leaders across Africa. Having lived and worked across 5 continents, Chidiogo speaks 7 languages (Chinese, English, French, German, Igbo, Italian and Spanish). She is a World Economic Forum Global Leadership Fellow; and Associate Fellow of Nigerian Leadership Initiative.

Ahmed AlAhwal Tarek is an architect with academic and professional experience in urban development. 

Danielle Alakija is a barrister, multidisciplinary artist, Olympic athlete and the Founder & CEO The SOLI Group, an advocacy-based think tank and creative studio that operates at the intersection of community, culture and crisis.

Lina Alaoui is currently a senior consultant in program risk management with Ernst & Young Advisory Services in Atlanta, Georgia. She is responsible for conducting independent program reviews for large IT implementations across multiple industries. She also conducts complexity and maturity assessment for IT projects and sales deals. Prior to this position, she was a senior consultant in telecommunications with Capgemini.

Marianna Albuquerque is the Deputy Director of Projects at the Brazilian Center for International Relations (CEBRI). She was a substitute professor at the Institute for Strategic Studies (INEST-UFF) between 2017 and 2019, a consultant for projects in Think Tanks, and coordinator of the South American Political Observatory (OPSA/UERJ). In 2022, she started a post-doctorate in Military Sciences at the Army Command and General Staff College (ECEME).

Yusuf was appointed to serve as a Commissioner by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria at the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) in March 2022.

Noura Alj is currently managing Director of King Génération (Moroccan import and distribution company). Previously, she was project manager for a leading food industry group in Casablanca, Morocco. Prior to that she was part of a business unit implementation at Henry Schein, a leading medical distributor present in over 190 countries, that offers industry-leading solutions and services for dental practices in the UK.

Taha Amiar is a sustainability analyst and the co-founder of Massolia.com, an initiative to foster North Africa’s commitment to renewable energy, waste management, water, and corporate social responsibility. 

Katrina Amupolo is the Business Development Coordinator for the Swakopmund Community Skills Development Centre. She has experience in empowering youth and women through entrepreneurship, skills training and mentorship.   Katrina founded the Empowering Erongo Young Women Project, a  project which offers job readiness training, mentorship and career guidance to unemployed  young women in the Erongo Region, Namibia.

Francis Anyaegbu, Global Partnerships Advisor - Plan International

Francis Anyaegbu is a results-oriented professional and passionate advocate for social impact, with over a decade of experience at the intersection of partnerships, philanthropy, and sustainability. He has proven expertise in managing strategic global partnerships, scaling social impact initiatives, and fostering multi-stakeholder collaborations.

Abrão Neto is a foreign trade analyst with the Brazilian government; he currently serves as an advisor to the secretary of foreign trade. 

Sihame Arbib is currently the chief executive officer of Victory Consulting, advisor to the undersecretary general of United Nations and partner of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Economic Forum.

Vicky is a lawyer, youth engagement and green jobs specialist. Currently, Vicky serves as the Program Manager for Youth Economic Opportunities (YEO) 2030- a global initiative uniting young people and multi-stakeholders to accelerate SDG 8 on decent youth employment, at Making Cents International. She also serves as a UNICEF Generation Unlimited Global Board Member and Global Leadership Council Member. She is also an Advisor for the Green Jobs for Youth Pact governed by UNICEF, ILO, and UNEP.

As the regional manager for West and North Africa for EnergyNet, Valeria Aruffo currently works with governments across West and North Africa promoting investment into the energy, electricity, and infrastructure sectors with a clear focus on energy access and economic development in Africa through project implementation, climate finance, technology transfer, and capacity building. 

Asim Ali has an extensive background in the Middle East, human rights, countering violent extremism, and public private partnerships. Asim is currently working as a Foreign Affairs Officer in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor of the U.S. Department of State.

Eric Asmar is the CEO of Happy Smala, a consulting firm and startup studio in Rabat, Morocco specialized in innovation and collaborative finance. Prior to this, he served as Director of Programs at the Moroccan Center for Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship, where he launched Dare Inc., Morocco’s first social enterprise incubator.

Yasmina Asrarguis is currently the Public Relations Officer to UNESCO’s Director-General in Paris. Prior to this, she was a Manager at Richard Attias & Associates New York where she held several positions, from shadowing the Chief of Staff in New York to then expanding the business activities in the Middle East and Africa.

Internationalist with over 15 years of experience in international cultural cooperation, working mainly on policy-making, cultural diplomacy, cultural and creative industries and cultural heritage, with a wide knowledge of geo-policy and global agenda, as well as cultural topics and soft power.

Foster Awintiti Akugri heads a non-profit organization, focused on preparing the youth for future jobs. Impacting over 3000 youth since its inception and through its partnership with IBM, Hacklab Foundation hopes to reach over 100,000 youth by 2021.

Macarena Ayelen Acuipil is currently an advocate for gender equality. She is a Program Coordinator for the Women's Democracy Network in Argentina, where young female candidates are empowered to step in and take decisive roles in the political arena. She is also working as Chief of Advisors to the Senator of her hometown province of Chubut and as a professor in Gender Studies at the Siglo XXI University.

Khadijetou Ba is a citizen activist passionate about pan-Africanism and governance. She is a founding member of Leadership-Ethics-Governance and Strategies for Africa (LEGS-AFRICA), a Senegal-based CSO that promotes leadership qualities for Africans and a thinking model based on African values and principles. 

Felizia Bacall is a consultant in Bridgespan’s Boston office. Before joining Bridgespan, she worked as research analyst for the Finance Department of the International Monetary Fund in Washington, DC.

Asma Bachikh is a water resources management specialist from Morocco, with a strong focus on the policy and management dimensions of freshwater resources. She has extensive experience working with multilateral development banks across various regions, including the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.

Sauradeep is an Associate Fellow at the Centre for Security, Strategy, and Technology at the Observer Research Foundation. His professional background spans the startup ecosystem, impact investing, and international development. His primary interests lie in fintech, emerging technologies, and finance. Sauradeep holds a Master’s degree in Finance from the Business School at the University of Edinburgh. 

Aïcha Baldé is currently an analyst for the Threat Assessment Division for Global Affairs Canada in Ottawa, Canada. Before this, she was a Socio-economic analyst for the Pan-Africa Affairs division at Global Affairs Canada, where she would prepare briefing notes for ministers focused on reactive files for climate change, climate finance, biodiversity, gender equality components and renewable energy in sub-Saharan Africa.

Damilola Balogun is a lawyer, Co-Founder & CEO of the Youth Sustainable Development Network (YSDN), leading clean energy and climate initiatives across Africa and the Global South. Named to the Forbes Africa Under 30, Damilola translates international climate and energy policy into measurable outcomes. He has directed projects worth over $500,000, including CoolCycle and Powering Lagos SMEs, improving rural livelihoods and reducing emissions.

Ms. Nicola Barker-Murphy has been a member of Jamaica’s Foreign Service for nineteen (19) years serving in the areas of bilateral and multilateral affairs and trade.

Ruben Barnabas Djogbenou is currently a consultant for the African Futures Institute and the Bureau of the Special Adviser of the Prime Minister of Senegal. Prior to that he served as Consultant and Project Manager in a consulting firm, where he was in charge of conducting research projects in long term development and strategic planning.

Ana Paula Barreto (she/hers) is the Director of Programs for AfroResistance in New York. She has a masters of Arts in International affairs and she is a fellow of the United Nations Fellowship Program for People of African descent. Ana is an activist and researcher on race, gender, global health and inequalities with special focus on Black women and girls. 

Ana Barufi holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of São Paulo and is a Research and Innovation Manager at Bradesco Bank, in Brazil. She is also a visiting assistant professor at the Economics Department of the Federal University of São Paulo. Her research focuses on Regional and Urban Economics.

Laura Basagni is a program coordinator at The German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) in Brussels.

She coordinates GMF’s portfolio on North-South and South-South cooperation, focusing on the Mediterranean and the wider Atlantic regions. Her research interests are EU foreign and trade policy, and the future of governance. She leads the organization of GMF’s Atlantic Strategy Group meetings, and coordinates the Brussels chapter of GMF’s Young Transatlantic Network (YTN.)

Pauline Batista works at the United Nations in New York, where she serves as a Media Production Assistant for the Global Communications Division. Her research interests include UNESCO’s influence over educational curricula in Latin America and also the exploitation of Paulo Freire’s Socratic method to reinforce standards for Heritage Studies in schools located in Latin American towns seeking UNESCO Heritage Site titles.

Lamia Bazir is the founder of Empowering Wo-men in the Atlas, a non-profit organization focused on community development and women’s empowerment. 

Dana Bekri is a member of the International Staff of the NATO Headquarters in Brussels. She is currently working in resource management for the NATO Security Investment Program, reinforcing the delivery of common-funded Alliance capabilities. 

Dubai based Technology entrepreneur and author, Mohamed is active in the cybersecurity space and in the entertainment industry. 

His cybersecurity companies VUL9 and Project Cypher work with public and private entities across the Middle East, Africa and North America in order to strengthen their resilience to cyber attacks and breaches using world class ethical hackers and advanced cybersecurity R&D.

Ali Belhaj Zahi is an entrepreneur and Tech enthusiast. He is a Co-founder and CEO at Evocraft, a Startup working on including Technology in Education and manufacturing the next-generation of Robots through the use of new technologies such as 3D Printing and Laser cutting.

Amal Benaissa is Sustainable Finance Manager at Bank of Africa - BMCE Group, a regional leader and pioneer in sustainable and inclusive finance. Part of the Bank’s Sustainability team, Amal’s work involves developing innovative financial products, services and partnerships that yield positive environmental and/or social impacts.

Ayoub Benfdila is currently Program Officer at the Moroccan-American Commission for Educational and Cultural Exchange. Previously, he managed the "SheHasAccess" program, mentoring 60 girls, focusing on empowerment through sports and entrepreneurship, and served as Project Manager of "Alumni_Covid-19_Grant", leading Moroccan teams to address pressing issues caused by the pandemic.

Zineb Benjelloun is currently the head of the water and utilities section in industrial development at OCP Group in Casablanca, Morocco. 

Linda Benkaiouche works in the public security field. Prior to becoming a civil servant, she worked as a project manager focusing on innovative technology and market research.

Touria Benlafqih is a young activist that focuses on the role of youth in poverty reduction and social inclusion in Africa. She has been involved with social entrepreneurship and empowerment of youth and women for the past 12 years.

Ali Bensouda recently became partner for strategy at Advanced Consulting in Morocco, prior to which he was manager of strategy and internal consulting at the OCP Group. 

Ryan Berger is currently a postgraduate student at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, where he is concentrating in international affairs and specializing in Latin American and African studies.

Bitania is an award-winning young leader with notable contributions toward the inclusion of youth and women in public policy at regional and global levels. She is currently the youngest Programme Director at Amref Health Africa Global Headquarters, leading the Y-ACT, Youth in Action initiative.

Reda Berrehili is the creator of startups including MixoTV and Tumbup. Réda is a veteran entrepreneur with experience across a variety of tech fields. Previously co-founder and CTO at Squarebreak.

Hanae is an impact tech entrepreneur and certified international project manager with 10 years of overall professional experience, including 5 years in social impact stewardship at a multi-award non-profit and 2 years of operational stewardship at a high growth tech startup.

Rukmani Bhatia currently serves as the special assistant to the assistant administrator for Europe & Eurasia at the U.S. Agency for International Development. 

After working for several years as a business consultant in major French consulting firms, Fatim-Zahra Biaz decided to become an entrepreneur in the start-up scene. She took part in a European project of coworking, a space to gather start-ups from across Europe. 

Juan Pablo Biset is currently serving as a Special Adviser to the Deputy Mayor of the Buenos Aires City Government. Previously, he worked as Chief of Staff at the Secretariat of Urban Planning, focusing on revitalizing public spaces post-COVID-19, promoting local markets and fairs through various cultural and sports events, and encouraging sustainable practices such as waste separation and recycling.

Andrew Bishop is Deputy Head of Research at Eurasia Group, the world's leading political risk consultancy.

Diego is a trilingual trade policy strategist and thought leader shaping North America’s economic future through data-driven research and actionable policy design. As a Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and former inaugural Bersin-Foster North America Scholar at the Wilson Center, he has advised legislators, diplomats, and CEOs on regional competitiveness, nearshoring, and economic security.

Julie Bleeker is a consultant for Private Investors for Africa (PIA), a business coalition of ethically like-minded companies aiming to tangibly contribute to the African continent’s inclusive economic and social development.

Jihad is a Moroccan American Psychologist and CEO of InspireCorp, the first prevention-focused mental health social enterprise in the MENA region and Africa. 

Prince is currently Manager for Distribution Requirements Planning (DRP) for Central/Eastern/Southeast/Southern Europe + outside Europe sales (comprising Latin America, AMA,ANZ) for the Personal Healthcare International (PHCI) Planning Service Center of P&G Health Germany GmbH in Darmstadt. He is a supply chain professional with experience in pharmaceutical value chains across several markets.

Benjamin Bocio Richardson is a humanitarian, health activist, and dentist. At the age of 14, he co-founded a charity with his family named FUMEBO, which is dedicated to supporting underserved communities in the Dominican Republic. Benjamin earned his degree in Dentistry from La Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE) in the Dominican Republic and Boston University. 

Ayoub Bouafia is a Project Manager, working for OCP Group, precisely for SADV, a subsidiary in charge of the development and planning of OCP’s major urban projects.

Max Bouchet is a researcher with the Metropolitan Policy Program and the Global Economy & Development Program of the Brookings Institution in Washington.

Adam Bouhadma is the head of Education Media Company, a startup working on the editing of educational websites. Bouhadma is also founder of anqabot, a tool used to audit any website, giving practical recommendations.

Chaimae Bourjij is currently the national project coordinator of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom in Morocco. In parallel, she is founder chairwoman of the International Youth Council – Morocco chapter and MENA regional director for the International Youth Federation.

Jaimie Boyd is a policy analyst at the Department of Industry within the Government of Canada. She also serves as the chair of the Youth Network of the Americas, an organization that mobilizes and empowers young leaders. 

María Fernanda Bozmoski is director for impact and operations and Central America lead at the Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center, where she drives the Center’s work on Mexico and Central America and oversees operations. She has led high-level, multinational task-forces; advanced a revamped US-LAC Strategy from the Atlantic Council, and organized high-level dialogues with US, regional, and European policymakers.

At CEBRI, she is responsible for coordinating the think tank’s Environment and Climate Change Program.

Deborah Braide is the Nigeria Research Coordinator for University of Massachusetts-Amherst/e-GUIDE on a project to support sustainable electrification of over 250,000 small and medium scale enterprises.

Charlotte Brandsma is a political scientist and activist with an interest in security, civic engagement and women’s rights. Her geographic focus is Europe, the United States and the Mediterranean region.

Enrique Bravo is currently finishing a Ph.D. in government at Georgetown University. For the past three years, he has been the senior advisor for policy planning at the Mexican Embassy in the United States. Prior to that he was the Mexico analyst of the Eurasia Group, a political risk consulting firm. He has also worked as an advisor to the immigration commissioner in Mexico’s Ministry of the Interior.

Dr Hillary Briffa is a Lecturer in National Security Studies and the Assistant Director of the Centre for Defence Studies in the Department of War Studies at King’s College London, where she read for her Ph.D, specialising in the security of small states. Previously, she has taught security and strategy courses across the Royal College of Defence Studies, the UK Defence Academy, UCL, Birkbeck University and Queen Mary University.

Dr Hillary Briffa is a Lecturer in National Security Studies and the Assistant Director of the Centre for Defence Studies in the Department of War Studies at King’s College London, where she read for her Ph.D, specialising in the security of small states. Previously, she has taught security and strategy courses across the Royal College of Defence Studies, the UK Defence Academy, UCL, Birkbeck University and Queen Mary University.

Anders Knut Brudevoll is a Fishery and Aquaculture Officer at the FAO Subregional Office for Eastern Africa, based in Addis Ababa. He has more than a decade of experience in public administration and international organisations, gained through FAO, UNDP, UNECE, JPI Oceans, and the Norwegian government. As an expert in blue economy and ocean affairs, Anders specialises in topics such as aquatic food systems, marine science policy, and EU and UN affairs.

Daniel Buchbinder is the Founder and CEO of Alterna, a social innovation platform triggering social and environmental change in Latin America. Since Alterna´s conception Daniel has leaded the cultivation of +5,500 entrepreneurs and impact driven (micro, small and medium sized) companies in Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean. He leads a fantastic team that share his passion and drive to cultivate change from the ground-up.

Dina Buchbinder is a social entrepreneur passionate about reimagining education. When she was 24 years old, in 2007, she founded Education for Sharing (E4S), an innovative, action-oriented organization that helps shape better global citizens using the power of play. When she was growing up, Dina didn’t like to sit still and didn’t understand why she was going to school. She perceived her classes as boring and useless.

Goodiel Moshi is currently the ICT Director at the University of Dodoma, Tanzania. Prior to this, he was the head of the Department of Telecommunications and Networks at the College of Informatics and Virtual Education at the same University.

Felipe Cala is associate director for advocacy at the Latin America Program at Open Society Foundations. Prior to this, he was a senior program officer managing a portfolio to strengthen the human rights movement in the region, and another to support media and storytelling initiatives on human rights. He has been engaged in advocacy, communications, and policy work at various civil society organizations and the Colombian government.

Jordan Campbell's career traverses the fields of theatre, education, and arts policy. He is a currently a candidate for the M.Ed Arts in Education Program at Harvard University.

Christina Caouette is a public policy and foreign affairs analyst with the Government of Canada. Currently, she works as a Senior Policy Analyst at Natural Resources Canada, where she forwards Canada’s energy security and net zero commitments as part of the Natural Gas & Hydrogen Division.

Santiago Caramés is an active political and volunteer social worker. He is currently serving as councilman for the city of Montevideo. He is a member of the Human Rights and Social Development, Environment and Health, Legislation and Appeals, Estate and Accounts, and Budget Commission for the period 2011-2015.

Harold Cardenas Lema is an Assistant Vice President at Morgan Stanley, where he leads analyst teams conducting enhanced due diligence for domestic and international clients, with a focus on PEP screenings and AML compliance. Founder of the nonprofit organization La Joven Cuba, focused on Cuba's economic, political and social development .

Isabela Carvalho is the Knowledge Director at Ashoka, global organization that identifies and supports leading social entrepreneurs and changemakers. She also serves on the board of the Washington Brazil Office, think tank that bridges advocacy and knowledge between Brazil and the United States.

Sebastian Castro is the founder of Baobab Creative, a consulting firm that focuses on communications and marketing strategies for non-governmental organizations, social businesses, and start-up companies. 

Malancha Chakrabarty is currently working as an Associate Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi. At ORF, she heads the team which researches on India’s development relations with Africa and the neighbourhood.

Karim Chbani currently serves as an investment manager within the SNI investment fund in Morocco, where he is responsible for the structuring and execution of M&A transactions. 

Stella Chelangat Mutai is currently working as a Geospatial consultant for World food Programme where she is tasked with monitoring the implementation of standards related to mapping and supporting country regions by developing procedures and workflows to improve the management of geospatial assets. Prior to this, Stella also worked with International Fund for Agriculture Development as a Consultant – Geographic Information System.

Mr. Ayman Cherkaoui is the Coordinator for the Mohammed VI Prize for the Climate and Sustainable Development as well as Strategic Development Officer at the Mohammed VI Foundation for Environmental Protection. Ayman is Regional Facilitator of Major Groups and Stakeholders, Africa, elected by African organisations accredited to UNEP.

Emil Chireno is a Dominican attorney and the current executive director of the United Nations Association of the Dominican Republic. Chireno was appointed by the President of the United Nations Association of the Dominican Republic, Dr. Leonel Fernández, in 2013.

Rumbidzai is the Director of Programs at the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center for Women and Development (EJS Center). In this role, she leads the Amujae Initiative, the EJS Center’s flagship program, which prepares women to unapologetically take up roles in the highest echelons of public leadership.

Aleksandra is in charge of developing and implementing the IEMed´s innovative fundraising strategy and institutional partnerships. She is responsible for securing public and private funding for the IEMed´s programmes, as well as providing quality assurance and oversight of grants.

Dounia Chraïbi is currently a Senior Manager within the Sustainable Development direction at OCP, a Moroccan company and world leader in phosphates industry. 

Riccardo Cima is currently a Senior Consultant in the Global Trade Advisory team at Deloitte Italy, where he assists both national and multinational companies with various aspects of international trade. He has gained significant expertise in international and economic security, with a particular focus on trade compliance, export controls, and economic sanctions. He also serves as a member of Deloitte's EMEA Export Control & Trade Sanctions (EC&TS) Committee.

Gian Clavadetscher is currently working as the Legal Advisor of the Embassy of Switzerland to the Netherlands, focusing on Switzerland's position and engagement with international courts and organizations in The Hague. Before that he worked as an external consultant at the Victims Participation and Reparations Section of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Matteo Colacchio is a Programme Manager at ISPI, managing and implementing high-profile initiatives and events, such as the Rome MED Dialogues. Previously, Matteo worked as a Business Developer and Senior Consultant at multinational companies and consulting firms, including Luxottica and KPMG. He holds a Master's degree in European and International Politics from the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, as well as a Master's degree in Diplomacy from ISPI. 

Jessa Coleman is a seasoned director with a decade of experience in public-private partnerships, climate finance, decarbonization, resiliency, and sustainability across three continents. She has demonstrated a strong ability to manage high-stakes projects, foster strategic relationships with key partners, and drive significant financial and environmental impact.

Julián Colombo is a 31 years old political advisor in the Argentina National Congress, and has 10 years of experience in public administration and public policy.

Julián has an undergraduate degree in Political Sciences from the Catholic University in Argentina and a MA in Policy Management from Georgetown University (Washington, DC).

Julia Contrea is a senior events and programmes professional with experience in international relations, public affairs, and the nonprofit and cultural sectors. Since 2018, she has been with INSEAD Business School’s Advancement Department, leading global alumni and institutional events and serving as one of INSEAD’s AI Champions. She previously managed the European Network for Women in Leadership (WIL Europe), worked with the W.J.

Francisco Cordoba is a Marie Curie Research Fellow at the Institute for the Future in Cyprus. He has founded Zote, a decentralized recruitment platform in London; Latinverse, a metaverse learning platform funded by Metapurse fund in Singapore; and NaaS, an AI lending solution for SMEs funded by Startupbootcamp in the Netherlands. He has advised financial regulators and won first place at the Bank of Cyprus Fintech Hackathon.

Fay Cowper is the founder and principal of Insaniya Global, based in Salé, Morocco. She specializes in gender-inclusive program design in the fields of digital development, entrepreneurship, and social innovation. Her previous professional experience includes Senior Technical Advisor for Digital Inclusion with CARE International, Managing Director for Douar Tech, leading youth and ICT programs with Peace Corps Morocco, and various roles with the U.S. Department of State.

Camila Crescimbeni is 33 years old and currently one of the youngest voices in Congress, elected at 29 when she was president of the youth wing of her party (Pro). She works on sustainable development and childhood and family issues, and presides over the Population and Human Development Commission.

Sylvia Croese is an urban sociologist and senior researcher based at the South African Research Chair in Spatial Analysis and City Planning at the School of Architecture and Planning of the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. She works on urban politics, policy and governance in Africa through the lens of housing, land, urban infrastructure, mobility and knowledge co-production, on which she has published widely, including two edited books.

Imane Dahou is a cybersecurity expert at the nexus of resilience and digital trust, helping organizations worldwide design security strategies, advance AI security and drive transformative change. She built her career at GE, Deloitte, Accenture, and now Sia, where she advises on complex regulatory landscapes.

Renata is a Political Scientist and the Programme Lead for Gender and Disarmament at the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR). Before joining UNIDIR, she was the Deputy Director of Projects at the Brazilian Center for International Relations (CEBRI), where she worked for six years.

Damarlie Antoine currently serves as the director of research at GrenCHAP, a human rights advocacy group in Grenada. She is also the founder and coordinator of eARTh, which is a recently formed arts-based group seeking to empower and enlighten Grenadian youth through artistic expressions.

Teresa Danso-Danquah is the Manager of NextGen Initiatives at Disability:IN, where she leads career development programs for U.S. college students with disabilities

Joy leads the Tony Blair Institute in Nigeria, where her role involves establishing effective delivery structures in the Presidency for their priority initiatives. Additionally, she leads a team dedicated to helping a State Governor at the subnational level translate his vision into tangible benefits for the community. 

Aude Darnal is currently a visiting fellow within the US think tank New America’s Planetary Politics Program. Prior to this, she was a research analyst and the founder and manager of the Global South in the World Order Project at the Stimson Center. This Washington-based program aimed to amplify the voices of policy experts from Global South countries to advance the reform of global governance and South-North relations.

Raphael Camargo is a master’s candidate in management of governance networks at Erasmus University, Netherlands. Prior to that, he worked as an international advisor at the Office of Foreign Affairs of São Paulo State Government, Brazil, responsible for articulating international cooperation projects between the state and foreign governments and international organizations.

Paula de Castro is project manager of the Atlantic Future’s Project, which is funded by the EU’s 7th Framework Programme.

Mahaut de Fougières is Policy officer at Institut Montaigne since March 2018. She mostly focuses on international issues and studies.

A King's College London and University College London (UCL) graduate in international relations, she also spent a semester at the American University of Beirut (AUB). 

Ana María de la Parra Rovelo is currently vice president of the COMEXI Youth Program and External Road Operation Supervisor Technical Manager at Tecnopeaje. Prior to this, she worked with United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) with Palestinian and Iraqi refugees in Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. Previously, she worked as director assistant for the magazine Foreign Affairs en Español.

José Antonio Batista de Moura Ziebarth is an experienced professional with expertise in regulation, competition policy, infrastructure, M&A, and project finance. 

Marisa DeAngelis is a Director at BlackRock based in New York. Marisa began her career as a Special Assistant to former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright in Washington, DC. In that role, she advised executives of multinational corporations on navigating political and economic developments globally. From 2014-2016, Marisa was based in Myanmar with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) where she managed investment and advisory engagements with financial institutions.

Salim Dehmej is an economist in the Monetary and Capital Markets Department of the IMF. Since he joined the international institution in 2018, he covered several topics and countries (Iraq, Lebanon, Russia, and the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa - CEMAC) from different departments. He participated to the Russia 2021 Financial Sector Assessment Program, covering macroprudential policy and transition-climate risk.

Natalie Delille is a visionary social equity advocate, recognized for her innovative approaches to leveraging technology and education to create lasting change for disadvantaged communities. At Visa, she drives strategic business planning to support the company’s mission of expanding financial inclusion globally.

Sophie Dembinski manages the International Chamber of Commerce U.K.’s relations with government and international organizations, and leads its policy work and national committees.

Carlotta has been working at Snam for seven years as International Relations Manager, representing and promoting the company’s business strategy and key policy initiatives before Italian and foreign Government officials at all levels. Prior to joining Snam, she worked for the Italian Government as climate and energy expert during Italy’s last G7 Presidency.

Amine Derj is the co-founder and CEO of Jodoor, an Agritech start-up with a mission to democratize controlled environment agriculture across Africa. Jodoor provides turnkey soilless farms that save 80% of water and fertilizers while helping small and medium farmers achieve sustainable revenues. He also leads a consulting company and brings a strong background in industrial engineering.

Pauline Despis Pigozzo is Program & Coordination Manager at the Cercle des économistes. She has been involved for several years in the organization of international forums within different institutions. At the Rencontres Économiques d’Aix-en-Provence, one of Europe’s largest economic forums, she contributes to preparing debates, coordinating speakers, and designing formats that connect economists, policymakers, students, and citizens.

Dr. Sidi Mohamed Dhaker is actually Director General of the Institute of Economic Studies at the Central Bank of Mauritania and Associate Professor of Management and Economics at the University of Nouakchott and the National School of Administration.

He was previously Senior Advisor to the Governor, Chief of Staff to the Governor, Director of PR and Communications, and Director of Strategy and transformation of the Central bank.  

Victoria Di Baggio Vega is a Digital Transformation and Public Policy Leader from Argentina, currently pursuing a Master’s in Management of Information Systems and Digital Innovation at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Also holding a Master’s in Public Policy, with extensive experience in GovTech.

John M. Dionisio is currently a senior investment director at Meridiam, an investment firm that manages $5 billion of capital to invest in infrastructure projects and Public Private Partnership (“P3”) assets in the Americas, Europe, and Africa. 

Marieme Diop is a leading figure in African venture capital and a pioneer shaping the continent’s tech and francophone startup ecosystem. She is the Founder and Managing Partner of Leapstage Capital, the first pan-African fund dedicated to AI startups, backing transformative ventures across Africa.

Nerys Dockery is presently a senior foreign service officer in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Basseterre, St. Kitts and Nevis.

Serge Ghislain DOUKOURE Frejuce is an Engineer Statistician Economist, Education Expert, currently serving as Manager of Education-Training and Employment Sector to the Prime Minister of Côte d'Ivoire.

Gerold is a dynamic youth development catalyst using Education and Entrepreneurship to leapfrog strategic outcomes. He has significant experience in growing innovation ecosystems across Southern Africa by working closely with entrepreneurs, intermediaries, and policymakers. He currently works at the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board under the Office of the President, where he facilitates local and international market access and export for enterprises. 

Bruce Dube is a 25-year-old social entrepreneur. He is the founder of Youth Village South Africa, Botswana Youth, Youth Village Africa, EduCAN, and a number of youth-owned startups in Africa. His work has been listed on Tech4Africa, Apps4Africa, Elevator Enterprise, and the 5th SA Innovation Summit Innovation Lab.

Alejandra Durán de Huerta de Lille is Head of Economic Affairs at the Embassy of Mexico in Washington, D.C. Since 2021 she has led economic diplomacy with U.S. policymakers and business leaders; coordinated trade missions; and advised on bilateral initiatives. She helped relaunch the U.S.–Mexico High-Level Economic Dialogue. She served as Director for Economic Affairs to the Undersecretary for North America at the Foreign Ministry, supporting USMCA ratification across North America.

Georges Philippe Duroseau is currently first secretary at the Embassy of Haiti to Benelux and Mission to the EU in Brussels. 

Tosin Durotoye is the CEO and principal consultant at Conselia Advisory Practice – a boutique management consulting firm offering management services for technology startups, private, governmental and non-profit entities. She has over 17 years of public and private sector experience in technology innovation and digitization, project and program management, and strategic partnerships and business development.

Bushra Ebadi is a social innovator, interdisciplinary researcher, storyteller, and global strategist committed to advancing peace, justice, and the agency of marginalized communities globally. She serves as a Global Advisor (Sherpa) to Aya Chebbi, analyzing policies and supporting the development of strategies to support systems change as it relates to communication, community engagement, governance, and the socio-economic impacts of health emergencies.

Kawtar Eddahmani is currently based in London, where she works with emerging markets investments in the asset management industry. 

Meriem El Asraoui joined OCP Group in 2012 as a Legal Counsel. Over the years, she has taken on roles of increasing responsibility, becoming Senior Legal Counsel in 2015, Legal Director for Commercial and International Affairs from 2016 to 2022, and Head of International Affairs from January 2023. In September 2023, she was appointed Chief Global Affairs Officer. Mrs. El Asraoui has been a licensed attorney-at-law and a member in good standing of the Quebec Bar (Canada) since 2010.

Dr. Asmae El Hajji is the Program Director at the Moroccan Institute of Leadership and an Affiliate Professor at the Career Center of UM6P. Since 2015, she has been actively engaged in leadership development and capacity building, designing and implementing training programs and curricula for international organizations.

Currently serving as a Municipal Councillor for the City of Casablanca, Morocco, she advocates for green infrastructure, gender equality, sustainable transportation, and waste reduction initiatives. Her innovative approach has resulted in securing funding for youth-led climate projects and streamlined processes for youth associations to thrive.

Ghita El Kasri is the Chief Operating Officer of UnitedCoin, a blockchain ecosystem that bridges the gap between traditional financial system and disruptive cryptocurrency world.

Adil El Madani is a Belgian federal civil servant currently serving with the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He has a proven track record of designing private sector development programs in collaboration with diverse public entities and international organizations.

Adil holds a Master's degree in Management Engineering from the Solvay Brussels School, where he is achieving a Ph.D. in Economics. He is passionate about diplomacy and public policy making.

She started her journey at OCP in 2009 as a member of the Task Force in charge of implementing the Group's industrial transformation strategy. She then joined the Chairman’s Office where she was in charge of energy and raw materials procurement dossiers; after which she was appointed Vice-President within the Industrial Development Department where she led feasibility studies for a number of capacity enhancing and cost saving industrial projects.

Mohamed El Yacoubi is currently the chief executive officer of AlamJadid.com, the largest Arab social network. He started his company at age 19 and raised over $500,000 from foreign venture capitalist firms. He was named Best Young Entrepreneur in 2013 by the World Investment Conferences (WIC) and was selected by the U.S.

Ahmed Rachid El-Khattabi is an urban planner and an applied environmental economist with expertise in policy-oriented quantitative research and data management. His research focuses on issues at the intersection of economic development and environmental planning, with a particular focus on urban water management. He is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the U.S.

James Elias is currently a foreign trade analyst with the Brazilian government, advisor to the secretary of foreign trade, and deputy chief of staff of the Foreign Trade Secretariat.

Iskander Erzini Vernoit currently works full-time as a founding director at the Imal Initiative for Climate & Development, a non-profit climate think-tank based in Morocco. As part of his work, Iskander advises a range of governments, civil society and non-state actors on issues relating to climate change and finance.

A results- oriented global development economist focused on  driving sustainable impact in education through systems change, data & partnerships.

Having obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Economics, Chidera Ezekwesili has gone ahead to work across various Nigerian organisations in the private sector with the aim of honing his leadership skills as well as contributing his quota to each organization’s vision.

Jojoh Faal is a project manager of LEAD Afrique Francophone, focusing on communicating research, strategy, and business development around leadership and sustainable development. Prior to joining LEAD Afrique Francophone, she worked on water policy as a program officer at the Overseas Development Institute, in the U.K.

In 2006, Amadou Fall Ba co-founded the largest association of Senegal Africulturban HipHop, which has more than 1,100 members and hip hop artist, Matador, as president. Since its founding, Africulturban has become one of the largest organizations in the African hip hop scene, organizing numerous cultural projects.

Nusrat Farooq the Founding Partner at Artificial Intelligence Strategy, a consulting firm specializing in integrating trust and safety into AI strategies for public and private enterprises. Previously, she served as an analyst in Washington DC, at Global Internet Forum to Counterterrorism, established and funded by Facebook, Microsoft, Twitter, and YouTube.

Izzy Fenwick is the Executive Director of the Climate Foundation New Zealand, leading efforts to accelerate systemic, real-world emissions reductions across Aotearoa. She also serves on the Board of The Aotearoa Circle, a unique public–private partnership advancing natural capital as a foundation for national prosperity.

Kátia Fenyves is a Climate Change and Sustainability Specialist at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), where she leads strategic operations and policy dialogues on climate finance, biodiversity, and sustainable development in Brazil.

Martina Ferracane is passionate about policy-making and technological innovation. She is a Research Fellow at the European University Institute, where she manages the Digital Trade Integration Project. Her research covers digital trade, data governance, and digital education.

Adrian Fielding is an emerging markets focused public affairs and political risk professional with a background in due diligence investigations, political economy analysis and stakeholder relations. Prior to undertaking his MBA, he was Head of the Morocco Office of Africa Practice Ltd where he advised clients on political, security, regulatory and reputational risks associated with operating, investing or transacting with counterparties in sub-Saharan Africa.

Eve Fofana is deputy country manager for General Electric in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Her primary role is to identify and translate commercial opportunities into bankable projects for all the different businesses of GE in Francophone sub-Saharan Africa.

Luci is an investor at Base10 Partners where she co-leads investments for the Advancement Initiative, a growth fund that invests in pre-IPO companies and donates 50% of the carry to historically black colleges in the US.  Prior to Base10, Luci came from McKinsey & Company, where she helped establish the firm’s Institute for Black Economic Mobility.

Marissa Fortune is a passionate advocate for youth leadership in policy-making at the local, national and global levels. She is the Programs Lead for the Young Diplomats of Canada, a Global Shaper with the World Economic Forum, and a member of the Canadian Coalition for Youth Peace and Security. Marissa is currently a Senior Analyst at Global Affairs Canada.

Felipe Fraiz is currently a Senior Purchasing Manager at Brembo, the global leader in automotive brake technology, based in Brazil. He is responsible for the procurement of direct and indirect materials, auxiliary services, and capital investments across the region. Prior to this role, he worked in the purchasing department at Thyssenkrupp Automotive Technology.

Michela graduated in building engineering from the Politecnico of Milan. After an international experience at the University of Tokyo, she applied for a Graduate Program at Hilti Group, a family multinational company in the building sector, where she worked 4 years, first in sales then in marketing for the South-Europe region. In November 2022, she joined her family business at Vivisol (SOL Group), where they provide home care assistance to over 600.000 patients worldwide.

Luisa Fernanda is currently Programme Manager in the Cooperation section at the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Colombia. She is the Co-founder of Pioneros, a Think Tank that pursues innovation in politics and public service. Nowadays, she is also a Global Policy fellow at the Institute for Technology and Society of Rio di Janeiro, Brazil. Prior to this she was working in Costa Rica as the Regional Director of international development at ICA.