المتحدثون

Speakers

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Sandra V. Pettovello is the Minister of Human Capital of the Argentine Republic, a position she has held since December 2023. She previously served as Vice President of the Unión del Centro Democrático (UCeDe) party from February 2022 to March 2023.

She is a Specialist in Family and Social Policies and holds a degree in Journalism from the University of Belgrano, as well as a degree in Family Sciences from Austral University. She completed a postgraduate degree in family policies at the International University of Catalonia and is also a certified counselor from the Higher School of Social Psychology.

Sandra’s work experience spans various roles in consultancy, media, and production. She has worked as a PSI Consultant, offering private, corporate, and group consultations as a career and vocational counselor and psychoneuroeducator. She served as Commercial Manager for DK Group Production Company and as an Executive TV Producer for programs such as "DATA" hosted by Rodolfo Barili, "Rayos X" hosted by Raúl Kollmann, and "Tormenta de ideas" hosted by Fernando Carnota. She was a Producer in News Management at Grupo América and held positions as a journalistic producer and production coordinator at La Cornisa Producciones SA. Additionally, she worked as an editor at ExportAR.

Her academic experience includes being a member of the research team on "Parenting and business: visible dilemmas and invisible rewards," led by Dr. Marc Grau-Grau of the International University of Catalonia. This project was promoted in Argentina by the Center for Family and Business Conciliation of the IAE Business School in alliance with the Marketing Research Center, both from Universidad Austral. She has also participated in other research projects, such as "Family dynamics around online social games: the Fortnite case," led by Professor Francisco Albarello, and was a temporary member of the research team at IAE Business School. As a speaker, Sandra participated in a series of community talks organized by the Honorable Deliberative Council of San Isidro, addressing the topic of “Family and addiction to social networks.

H.E. Sandra Pettovello

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Dr. Narek Mkrtchyan is the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs of the Republic of Armenia, appointed to this position on August 2, 2021. Dr. Mkrtchyan served as the First Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Affairs of the Republic of Armenia from April to July 2021. From 2018 to 2021 he was a Member of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia from ruling "Civil Contract" Party.

Dr. Mkrtchyan has received his PhD in History from the Yerevan State University in 2018. He has a MA Degree in Political Science and International Affairs from the American University of Armenia, MA Degree from the Yerevan State University, Faculty of History, Department of World History.

Since 2018 Mr. Mkrtchyan is a lecturer at the Yerevan State University and American University of Armenia. Dr. Mkrtchyan has lectured and participated in a number of research projects, conferences at prestigious universities and research centers in the USA, Germany, France, Norway, Iceland, Estonia, Georgia.

He is an author of one collective monograph and 18 scientific articles published in Armenian and international prestigious journals.

He is a board member of the Armenian Association of World History.

H.E. Dr. Narek Mkrtchyan

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Minister Pia Glover-Rolle is the governing Progressive Liberal Party’s (PLP) Member of Parliament for the Golden Gates Constituency. She serves as the Minister of Labour and the Public Service and is a member of the Cabinet of The Bahamas. Minister Glover-Rolle is transforming the labour sector by implementing innovative global standards.

Her transformative goal is to provide every worker with opportunities for upskilling, decent working conditions, inclusion, and mental health support, ensuring that social justice prevails throughout the country. To strengthen labour relations while empowering and protecting workers’ rights, she leads proactive and harmonious meetings with trade unions every quarter.

She has initiated the digitization process in her ministry, implemented across-the-board salary increases for public servants, resolved a backlog of promotional anomalies, and signed more than 53 industrial agreements to date.

Minister Glover-Rolle is the newly elected Chairman of Working Group 1 at the XXII Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labour, the Internal Auditor for the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), and a Member of the Human Rights Committee.

Worker-centered initiatives to be launched in 2025 include a Contributory Pension Plan, major labour legislative reforms, a National Apprenticeship Programme (NAP), and the establishment of a Notice of Vacancy Policy Enforcement Unit (NOV).

Hon. Pia Takita Glover-Rolle

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A lawyer by profession, she graduated from the Faculty of Law of the National University of Asunción (UNA) and holds a Master's degree in Management and Administration of Social Security Systems from the University of Alcalá de Henares in Spain.

She has more than 17 years of experience as a public servant, including 9 years in the development, analysis, and management of policies related to social security and labor markets. She has extensive experience coordinating sectoral working groups with unions, retirees, and business sectors. She has led projects focused on maternity protection, domestic employment, part-time employment, telework, minimum wage, unemployment, and the regulation and oversight of pension funds, achieving results that have been incorporated into several national laws currently in force.

In the field of research and technical analysis, she has conducted various studies to propose public policies in the areas of social security and labor markets. She has worked directly with several international organizations in the design and execution of projects and consultancies, including the ILO, IDB, OECD, World Bank, ISSA, AISS, and UNDP, among others.

H.E. Mónica Recalde De Giacomi

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Born in Mardin in 1966, Mr. Vedat IŞIKHAN completed his primary and secondary education in Izmir. He pursued his higher education at Hacettepe University in Ankara, where he earned his bachelor's, master's, PhD, associate professorship, and professorship in the field of social work.

Throughout his distinguished academic career, he conducted numerous successful studies in his field. He held key leadership roles at Hacettepe University, including Head of the Social Work Department, Head of the Family Services Application Centre, and Vice Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences.

His areas of academic expertise are broad, encompassing working life, occupational health and safety (OHS), workers' rights, combating child labour, social policies and services, social security and assistance, support for disadvantaged groups, industrial relations, trade unions, active ageing, elderly care insurance, and challenges in post-retirement life.

In 2012, Prof. IŞIKHAN served as the General Coordinator for the first field study of the Family Social Support Programme implemented by the Ministry of Family and Social Policies. He later joined the Presidential Social Policies Board in 2018 and was promoted to Deputy Chairman of the Board in 2021.

In recognition of his remarkable research, implementation and contributions to stress management at both national and international levels, Prof. IŞIKHAN was awarded the 2016 Council Award by the International Council of Stress Management Professionals. He also won awards in the competitions on “The Role of Education in Increasing Labour Productivity” and “Improving the Quality of Working Life” organised by the National Productivity Centre in 1997 and 1998.

He assumed the office of Minister of Labour and Social Security in June 2023.

Prof. IŞIKHAN is married and has three children.

H.E. Prof. Dr. Vedat Işikhan

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H.E. Ahmed Al-Khateeb is the Minister of Tourism and Chairman of the Quality of Life Program Committee. He also serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Fund for Development, the Tourism Development Fund, and the Saudi Tourism Authority. Additionally, he is the Secretary General and Member of the Board of Directors of the Diriyah Gate Development Authority, the Secretary General and Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors of New Jeddah Downtown, and a Member of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Council of Economic and Development Affairs, the Public Investment Fund, the General Authority for Military Industries, and NEOM Company.

Previously, H.E. Al-Khateeb held several prominent roles, including Advisor to HRH the Crown Prince at the Royal Court, Advisor to the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Entertainment Authority, Minister of Health, Founder of Jadwa Investment Company, Secretary General and Member of the Board of Directors of Qiddiya, Founder of the Customer Investment Department at Riyadh Bank, and Founder of Islamic Banking (Amanah) at SABB Bank. He also served as the General Manager of Private Services at SABB Bank and was a Member of the Board of Directors of the Red Sea Company and the National Development Fund.

H.E. Ahmed Al Khateeb

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H.E. Eng. Khalid Al-Falih

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Gilbert F. Houngbo, born in Togo in 1961, has dedicated much of his life to enhancing the prospects of the world's most vulnerable people. His extensive experience in policy issues, economic development, diplomacy, and financial accountability has been instrumental in his mission.

After earning an advanced degree in business management from the University of Lomé (Togo), Gilbert F. Houngbo obtained a degree in accounting and finance from the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (Canada) and became a member of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Professional Accountants.

He commenced his professional journey at Price Waterhouse in Canada in 1986, where he remained until 1993. Subsequently, between 1994 and 1996, he served as the Director of Finance at the International Bank of Mali.

Following this, he joined the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), assuming various roles including Head of Financial Reporting and Trust Fund Management, Comptroller and Director of Finance and Administration, Chief of Staff, and Assistant Secretary-General and Regional Director for Africa.

In 2008, Gilbert F. Houngbo was appointed as the Prime Minister of Togo, a position he held until 2012. He re-engaged with the United Nations system in 2013, taking on the role of Deputy Director-General for Field Operations and Partnerships at the International Labour Office.

In 2017, he was elected as the sixth President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and in 2021, he was re-elected to the same post. Since 2017, he has also served as the Chair of UN-Water, the United Nations' coordination mechanism for water and sanitation.

Additionally, Gilbert F. Houngbo chairs the Board of the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) and is a board member of the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA).

In March 2022, Gilbert F. Houngbo was elected by the ILO's Governing Body as the Organization's 11th Director-General, becoming the first African to hold this position. He assumed this role on October 1, 2022, with a focus on promoting greater social justice, combating inequalities and discrimination in the world of work, and improving working conditions through national action and effective multilateral coordination and leadership.

His priorities include universal social protection, decent work in global supply chains and the platform economy, the fight against child and forced labor, protecting the rights of migrant workers, promoting social dialogue and freedom of association, ensuring just transitions, and achieving gender equality.

H.E. Gilbert F. Houngbo

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H.E. Dr. Hala Bint Mazyad Altuwaijri is the President of the Human Rights Commission and holds a PhD in English literature. She has been actively involved in work and committees, serving as Chairman of the Saudi National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking, Board Member of Education and Training Evaluation Commission, and former Chairman of the Executive Committee for the National Plan to Prevent Child Labor. Dr. Altuwaijri has also held several notable positions such as Secretary General of Family Affairs Council from 2017 to 2022, Head of the Women's Empowerment Working Group for the G20 – Riyadh 2020, and Representative of Saudi Arabia in a Coalition under the G20 – Riyadh 2020.

Additionally, Dr. Altuwaijri has chaired the Women's Committee at the 39th Session of the League of Arab States in Saudi Arabia, 2020, and has been a Former Member of the Coordinating Team for HRH Crown Prince’s Initiatives to Empower Women and Protect Children in Cybersecurity. She has also held the position of Former Team Leader of Developing the National Family Strategy, Former Vice Dean of the College of Arts at King Saud University, and Former Deputy Head of the Department of English Language and Literature at King Saud University.

As an active participant in the international arena, Dr. Altuwaijri has chaired Saudi Arabia's delegation at numerous international conferences and forums related to human rights, as well as chaired Saudi Arabia's delegation at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women during sessions 63, 64, and 65. She has also participated in various steering and executive committees within government authorities related to family, women, children, and the elderly.

H.E. Dr. Hala Bint Mazyad Altuwaijri

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Valérie Berset Bircher holds a PhD in Law from the University of Geneva and the University of Strasbourg (France). Her doctoral research focused on the impact of new technologies on labor law, encompassing international law, labor law, human rights, and comparative law.

Valérie Berset Bircher has extensive expertise in international labor law issues. She addresses matters related to the global supply chain, sustainability, corporate social responsibility, international labor regulations, and social partnerships. She represents Switzerland in the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the United Nations (UN) on topics concerning the economy, finance, and development. She has also overseen Swiss-ILO technical cooperation projects. Additionally, Valérie Berset Bircher serves on two federal committees: the Federal Commission for the Advisory Board of the National Contact Point for the OECD and the Tripartite Commission for ILO Affairs.

In January 2019, she was appointed Ambassador by the Federal Council and Head of International Labor Affairs at the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO). In 2022, she was seconded by SECO to the team of the Director General of the ILO to advise him on his entry into office and implement his strategic vision. She currently serves as Deputy Head of the Swiss Labour Directorate.

Amb. Dr. Valérie Berset Bircher

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H.E. Azar Bayramov was elected Director General of the Labour Centre of the Organisation of the Islamic Cooperation, based in Baku, in November 2023. Prior to his appointment, H.E. Bayramov served as an Advisor to the Chairman of the State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan (ASAN) from 2020 to 2023. In this role, he oversaw national and international programs on digitalization, innovation policies, and the development of the startup ecosystem in Azerbaijan.

From 2013–2019, H.E. Bayramov held the positions of Deputy Executive Director and Executive Director at the State Fund for Development of Information Technologies under the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport of the Republic of Azerbaijan. He also chaired the UNCTAD Intergovernmental Expert Group on E-commerce and Digital Economy.

Earlier in his career, H.E. Bayramov held senior roles in the public sector and international organizations. He played a key role in the adoption of the national social assistance program and the design and implementation of public service reforms at the national level.

H.E. Bayramov holds master’s degrees in Finance from the State Economic University of Azerbaijan and Artificial Intelligence for Public Services from the Madrid Polytechnic University. He also studied Public Administration and European Integration and Cooperation in Baku and Vienna.

H.E. Azar Bayramov

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H.E. Dr. Rumaih AL-Rumaih, the Vice Minister of Transport and Logistic Services and Acting President of Transport General Authority (TGA) since July 2022, has more than 25 years of experience in the public and private sectors, spanning both executive and operational management. AL-Rumaih holds a Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Colorado and an MBA from the University of Leicester.

AL-Rumaih began his career at KACST in the field of scientific and academic research and served as a part-time consultant for the Ministry of Defense. Afterward, he held executive positions in the private sector, including Deputy CEO of Operations. In 2010, he became the CEO at Saudi Railway Company (SAR) and, in 2015, the President of the Saudi Railways Organization. Subsequently, in 2016, he was appointed as the President of TGA and the acting President of the Saudi Railways Organization until the end of 2021.

AL-Rumaih currently serves as chairman of several boards and committees, including the Saudi Railway Polytechnic and the Saudi Logistics Academy. He is also a board member of TGA, ZATCA, KFCA, RSA, GACA, RTA, NTSC, Future Work Co., and the Industrial Council. Previously, AL-Rumaih served as a board member in SAGIA, GACA, and Tabadul, and participated in various supervisory and executive committees.

AL-Rumaih has actively participated in and contributed to several local and international conferences dedicated to the transport and logistics services sector.

H.E. Dr. Rumaih Al-Rumaih

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Tom Flynn

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Sagar Goel, Managing Director and Partner from Singapore, leads Boston Consulting Group's work in digital reskilling and workforce development. As a fellow at BCG's global think tank, BCG Henderson Institute, he writes and speaks on the topic of "Skilling in the age of AI," focusing on how governments, industry, academia, and the workforce must collaborate to solve the global skills crisis. An expert in skill-building culture and behavior change at scale and speed, especially in the context of AI and technology advancements, Sagar has led several large-scale skilling programs for BCG clients, including recent projects with the Singapore government on a national-level digital reskilling program and with Malaysia on a youth employability program.

Since joining the firm, Sagar has worked with clients across various sectors worldwide, including banking, infrastructure, technology, consumer goods, public sector, media, agribusiness, healthcare, insurance, energy, and industrial goods. A TED speaker and recipient of the HBR best article award for 2023, his current focus is end-to-end people enablement, talent and skill-building, and change, in the context of large-scale business and digital transformations in both public and private enterprises.

Sagar Goel

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Richard V. Rothenberg is an innovator at the intersection of artificial intelligence and sustainable development. As Chief Executive Director of Global A.I. Corporation, he drives innovation by leveraging big data and AI to deliver ESG and SDG insights for institutional clients, including governments, multinational corporations, and hedge funds. He also serves as President of the Global Algorithmic Institute, a think tank focused on using AI to measure ESG risks and progress toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Richard’s career spans leadership in both public and private sectors. He has worked as a quantitative portfolio manager and high-frequency trader at Deutsche Bank and multi-billion-dollar hedge funds. As a research fellow at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and advisor to DARPA, he contributed to projects in supercomputing and experimental technologies. At the United Nations, Richard led groundbreaking AI initiatives, including global trend analyses of private sector SDG footprints across 20,000 companies in 100+ countries and evaluations of corporate sustainability reports for UNCTAD and UNDP.

A recognized thought leader, Richard co-founded the Quantitative Investing Group at CFA Society New York, serves on editorial boards, and speaks at global conferences like AI for Good Summit. He holds degrees from Monterrey Institute of Technology and Columbia University.

Richard V. Rothenberg

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Rasmi A. Hamzeh is the Executive Director of Jordan Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Fund (JREEEF). He has 25 years of professional experience as a business development consultant in different sectors, being CEO for different institutions.

In the past 10 years, he has transformed JREEEF from being an opponent of the REEE Law to becoming a real operating efficient national governmental organization. He designed JREEEF’s strategy plans and coordinated efforts with international Donors & organizations/NGOs to help Jordan face global climate change challenges and help promote low-carbon economic activities and sustainable energy. He led fundraising efforts from donors securing over 100M USD in 9 years from different international donors and led efforts to implement national awareness campaigns related to renewable energy and energy efficiency. Rasmi has advocated for renewable energy laws and regulations on all levels including the Cabinet, Parliament, the private sector, business associations, local NGOs and the people of Jordan, as well, as playing an active role in promoting Climate change challenges through active participation COPs and different media tools. Rasmi contributes to the efforts of Jordan’s energy transition efforts through JREEEF programs and projects.

Rasmi A. Hamzeh

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Pedro Martins is a labour economist and Full Professor at Nova School of Business and Economics.

His research contributes to the understanding of labour markets and education systems and the effects of different public policies. His studies investigate the causal impacts of policies (particularly in vocational training, employment law, and employment services) on outcomes such as employment, productivity and wages. These studies are usually based on the econometric analysis of large data sets.

His findings have been published in leading academic journals, including Journal of Labor Economics, Journal of Human Resources, American Economic Journal, European Economic Review, and Industrial Relations. His research has also been discussed in the international media, including the Financial Times, Economist and BBC. Some studies have been supported by research grants in which he was principal investigator, totalling over €2m since 2014, and draw on collaborations with international organisations, including the European Commission, ILO, IMF, OECD, and World Bank.

Pedro Martins’ approach to research has been shaped by his experience in the Government of Portugal as Secretary of State for Employment, when he was responsible for a number of major policy reforms. He draws on this experience also in executive training programmes and consultancy projects.

Prof. Pedro Martins

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Paul is a Manager at Kearney with over twelve years of experience leading labor and employment initiatives across North America, the Middle East, and Africa. He has extensive experience supporting policy development and reform at senior levels of government. Some of his prior work includes creating strategic action plans to generate jobs for targeted populations, spur industrial growth, and mitigate youth migration in underdeveloped regions. He also has experience in social safety net development, including overseeing the creation and execution of conditional cash transfer systems, targeting mechanisms, and unified registry creation following subsidy reform efforts. He has conducted extensive due diligence projects across a variety of industries, including education, tourism, media, and entertainment, among others.

Paul previously served at the World Bank headquarters in Washington, DC, where he worked on education, social protection, and job creation projects. Originally from California, Paul holds a master’s degree from Georgetown University and a bachelor’s degree from Brown University.

Paul Mithun

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Mohamed Elimam is a senior consultant with Kearney, a global strategy house. As part of the Middle East region, he is a member of the Government and Economic Development - Human Capital platform working with government bodies, sectoral regulators, and academic institutions across the region to design and launch labor market reforms, assess and update education policies and develop national and sector-specific human capital development strategies. Mohamed holds an MPA from the American University in Cairo and is currently a doctoral student in public policy research and practice at the University of Bath in the UK.

Mohamed Elimam

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Mirik Milan Gelders

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Marc P. Giannoni is a Managing Director and Chief U.S. Economist at Barclays. Prior to joining Barclays in 2022, Marc held positions at the Federal Reserve, including serving as Senior Vice President and Research Director at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas (2017–22) and as a Research Economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (2000–02, 2011–17). He was also an Associate Professor at Columbia Business School (2002–10).

A native of Switzerland, Marc began his career as an economist with the Swiss National Bank in Zurich. His research focuses on broad macroeconomic and policy issues, including monetary policy strategies, the transmission of monetary policy, interest rate and inflation determination, and labor markets. He co-led a team that developed the analytical work underlying the review of the Federal Reserve's monetary policy framework released in August 2020.

Marc holds BA and MA degrees in economics from the University of Geneva in Switzerland, as well as MA and PhD degrees in economics from Princeton University.

Marc P. Giannoni

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Farooq Ahmed joined the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dhaka (MCCI), and the Bangladesh Employers' Federation (BEF) as Secretary in April 2004, following a successful career in the import business. In 2009, he was promoted to Secretary-General and Chief Executive Officer of both organizations, positions he continues to hold to this day.

Mr. Ahmed holds a bachelor's degree from Chittagong University, Bangladesh, an MBA from North-South University, Dhaka, and a Master in Defense Studies from the National University, Bangladesh. Since joining MCCI and BEF, he has actively participated in various professional development programs, including courses on Local Economic Development and the Global Alliance Against Forced Labour at the International Training Centre of the ILO in Turin, Italy. Additionally, he has attended numerous international workshops and seminars organized by the ILO and other institutions as a speaker and panelist.

With extensive experience in industrial relations, Mr. Ahmed has represented Bangladeshi employers at the International Labour Conference in Geneva for the past 18 consecutive years. His expertise encompasses economic development, social progress, advocacy, and lobbying on policy matters related to employment, business, technology, skills development, sustainability, and migration.

Mr. Ahmed has played an instrumental role in reviewing labor laws and policies on occupational health and safety, promoting responsible business practices, and advancing skills development. He possesses substantial experience in workplace cooperation, enterprise-level negotiations, crisis management, and grievance handling. Following the Rana Plaza collapse, he has been actively involved in efforts to improve workplace safety standards.

Since 2017, Mr. Ahmed has served as an employer member (Deputy) of the ILO Governing Body and is a member of the global advisory committee of the ILO's Better Work Program, nominated by the International Organisation of Employers (IOE).

Farooq Ahmed

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Dr. Rama Chandra Khuntia is a distinguished leader in labor, politics, and social development with a long-standing commitment to public service and advocacy. He has held numerous prominent positions, including:

Senior National Vice President of the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) since 1993.

President of the INTUC Odisha Branch since 1986.

Member of the Indian Parliament from 1998 to 2004 and from 2008 to 2014.

Member of the Odisha State Legislative Assembly and Government Whip until 1990.

Served as a Member of the Indian Parliament Standing Committee on Labour for 10 years.

Ex-General Secretary, Incharge, and Ex-Working Committee Member of the All India Congress Committee from 2017 to 2021.

Ex-Secretary of the All India Congress Committee from 2003 to 2017.

Author of 10 books on labor, environment, public issues, and language.

World Board Member of BWI, Vice Chair Asia Pacific.

Chairman of the BWI Migrant Workers Working Group.

Advocate and Member of the Odisha High Court Bar Association.

Played a pivotal role in creating many colleges, high schools, and primary schools in Odisha.

Ex-Member of the ILO and WHO Joint Committee on Occupational Health and Safety.

President of the Indian National Building Construction Forest and Wood Workers Federation.

President of the All India Gramin Bank Officers and Employees Association.

President of the India National Migrant Workers Union.

Dr. Rama Chandra Khuntia

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Dr. Mohamad Al-Najjar earned his B.Sc. in Civil Engineering from AL-Mustansiriya University (Iraq) in (1998), M.Sc. in Engineering and Management from University of Exeter (U.K) in (2003), and his Ph.D. in Geotechnical Engineering from University of Exeter (U.K) in (2007). He started work as lecturer in Civil and Architecture Engineering Section - Engineering Department / Higher College of Technology HCT - Ministry of Manpower (Oman) for 5 years (2007-2011) and he appointed as a Head of Engineering Department / Higher College of Technology HCT - Ministry of Manpower (Oman) for 4 years (2008-2011).

During his tenure, he was engaged in a variety of undergraduate academic disciplines related to teaching civil engineering courses, labs, and workshops. From (2012-2020) he was appointed as Director of Occupational Standards Centre, Ministry of Manpower (Oman).

By the beginning of (2021) he was appointed as Director General of the General Directorate of Training, Ministry of Labour, Sultanate of Oman until now. Currently he is a member in several committees on national, regional and international level, which related to Education, Qualifications, skills, competencies and Human Resources. He published many articles in international peer-reviewed scientific journals, and working papers in specialized scientific conferences and symposiums.

Dr. Mohamad Mustafa Al-Najjar

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Dr. AbuSalah is a professor and advisor specializing in digital health, artificial intelligence, and healthcare informatics, with extensive consultancy and leadership experience in healthcare and translational research organizations in the US and globally.

He develops and implements value-driven strategies for digital health, data analytics, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies, focusing on streamlining healthcare operations, enhancing care quality, increasing efficiency and cost-effectiveness, and improving patient experience and satisfaction.

Dr. AbuSalah has held various roles in the healthcare industry and research institutes, including serving as a healthcare informatics professor, informatics and intelligence director/officer, advisory board member, and C-suite consultant/advisor.

Dr. Ahmad AbuSalah

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Managing Director of the World Employment Confederation since 2005, Denis Pennel is a well-respected analyst of labour market at international level. Work futurist and author of several books (including “The Ego Revolution at Work”), he is regularly invited to act as speaker and lecturer for forums, hearings or conferences. He has been ranked as one of the Top 100 most influential HR professionals at global level.

As a former Corporate Communications Director of Manpower France (1998-2005), Denis Pennel brings to the World Employment Confederation broad knowledge and experience in the employment sector. Born in 1966, he graduated from the French Institute of Political Studies (“Sciences Po Paris”) and subsequently started his career in Paris in 1989 within the Communication Group BDDP/TBWA as PR manager. In 1991, he moved to London to work as a consultant for Financial Dynamics, one of the largest communications consultancies in the UK. In 1993, he came back to Paris to join the accounting and consulting firm Deloitte, as Head of Information and was recruited five years later by Manpower.

Denis Pennel

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Dean is an economist in the UBS GWM Chief Investment Office, based in the UK. He formulates macro views and provides economic and political analysis across the EMEA region. He also works closely with CIO's currency and fixed income experts to shape CIO's views on FX and bond markets. In addition, he serves as an internal and external spokesperson for the UBS House View. Dean is a regular commentator in the media, with appearances on the BBC, Sky News, Bloomberg, and CNBC. His views are often quoted in the Financial Times and other key publications.

Dean joined UBS in 2014 and has over 25 years of financial markets experience, developed at Barclays and HSBC before joining UBS. He is a CFA charterholder and holds an MSc in Economics from the University of London.

Dean Turner

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Ghaleb Hijazi has pursued a career spanning 24 uninterrupted years as a professional expert within the vital domains of strategic planning, economy and community development, entrepreneurship, and youth initiatives. In this capacity, and against the background of his rich academic and professional experience, he offered leadership and advice in the myriad positions he held in a number of institutions over the years.

The zenith and latest of his career achievements is represented in his current position as Director General of Amman Chamber of Commerce, where he leads, manages, and supervises the development of strategic plans and programs to achieve the Chamber's objectives, providing an effective channel of communication between its departments and administrative units.

Prior to this position, he handled senior roles as General Manager of the Business Development Center, an institution dedicated to fostering private enterprise, youth, and community development. At this institution, he played a leading role in developing organizational development plans, overseeing the implementation of donor initiatives, in addition to providing direct supervision of department managers in framing unit plans, and undertaking staff management in general.

Despite the substantial challenges besetting the work environments of many due to COVID-19, he contributed significantly, under the aegis of BDC, to administer training programs and implement plans utilizing online platforms to ensure the smooth and seamless progress of different initiatives, while providing essential support to the local community, employers, youth, and entrepreneurs—key stakeholders with whom BDC is associated.

As Vice President, before being promoted to General Manager, Ghaleb represented BDC on numerous occasions at national and international meetings, conferences, and events. For instance, he represented BDC at the ETF Policy-Practice Forum held in Turin on March 14th & 15th, 2016, where BDC was awarded for "Good Practice in Training for Women’s Entrepreneurship," being the only organization in the Middle East to receive this recognition. Moreover, Ghaleb was invited to participate in the "Good Practice in Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Skills by ETF Enterprising People" event in Italy in June 2014 to present his experience related to best entrepreneurship practices.

On both national and international levels, Ghaleb served as a keynote speaker at the "Economic Inclusion and Livelihood Development of Young Refugees in MENA" Conference, hosted by SPARK and the Islamic Development Bank in Istanbul in 2019. Additionally, he was the main speaker at the “Enhancing Gender Equality and Engendering Syrian Crisis Response in Host Countries – Lebanon, Iraq, and Jordan” event, hosted by EuroMed Feminist Initiative in 2019 in Lebanon.

In addition to his role as Vice President, Ghaleb provided leadership and brought his managerial skills to bear on multimillion-dollar donor projects implemented by BDC, including “Access to Protection, Participation, and Services for Women Refugees, IDPs, and Host Communities,” funded by the EU Madad and Regional Trust Fund, the Business Incubators Project in 5 Jordanian governorates, Tanmiyeh: Access to Vocational Education and Development funded by the French Development Agency, the Youth Engagement Program by UNICEF, and the National Entrepreneurship and SME Funding program supported by the Royal Hashemite Court and UNICEF Jordan.

Over ten years, Ghaleb held several senior positions at BDC, including Senior Director of the Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and MSMEs Directorate. In his department, Ghaleb led five different initiatives: Empretec Entrepreneurship & Innovation programs managed by UNCTAD/BDC, Access to Finance, Know About Business with the International Labour Organization, and the Business in Development Network (BiD Network Program), which is based in the Netherlands.

Ghaleb made a significant contribution in supporting a large number of SMEs in his position as Project Manager for the Tatweer USAID-funded project managed by BDC, which aimed at developing economic growth and export capacities. The project focused on enhancing the competitiveness of Jordanian SMEs and maximizing the benefits of free trade agreements. His involvement focused on providing technical and marketing assistance, business plans and strategies, market analysis and assessment, product and process development, market outreach and backward linkages, export facilitation, and capacity building of middle management.

In the domain of fostering entrepreneurship and supporting youth, Ghaleb was involved in designing and developing training curricula and content with the support of technical experts. He also managed three major youth initiatives focused on building the capacity of youth to bridge the gap between university students and graduates' skills and job market requirements, introducing entrepreneurship to change mindsets towards initiating new businesses, and creating awareness about vocational education. These initiatives were implemented through partnerships with universities, community colleges, and the Ministry of Education, with funding from the Canadian International Development Agency and the International Labour Organization (ILO). Embedding entrepreneurship and skills in educational curricula is considered pioneering in the Middle East and played a leading role in building teachers’ skills to align them with modern teaching techniques, replacing traditional teaching patterns.

Before joining BDC, Ghaleb was employed by the Cato Institute, Washington D.C., under the aegis of the Misbah Al Hurriyya Project, as Business & Marketing Manager for the MENA Region.

In 2003, he attended an Underwriting & Claims & Recoveries Course in France, focusing on business intelligence and credit insurance for pre- and post-shipments and loan guarantees.

Ghaleb authored four papers, primarily feasibility studies on the Jordanian economic sectors. He also conducted research on national economic industries and sectors (e.g., tourism, banking, electricity, small- and medium-sized business management), bank facilities and defaulting loans, and corporate governance within the context of Jordanian legal criteria.

Ghaleb holds a master’s degree in financial management from the Arab Academy for Financial & Banking Sciences and a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Jordan. He looks forward to continual intellectual and professional growth, underpinned by a commitment to serving his community, particularly the youth and business sectors.

 Ghaleb M. Hijazi

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Tumi Makgabo_Photo (1).jpg

Tumi is the founder and executive director of Africa Worldwide Media, a media company with interests in broadcast content production, publishing, communication strategy and the development and execution of strategic events. She is also founder and director of Kutlwano Realty (Pty) Ltd, a real estate investment business based in Johannesburg. In addition, she serves on a number of Boards as a Non-Executive Director where her portfolios have included risk, audit, infrastructure, marketing and social and ethics.  