Amir Dossal is President & CEO of the Global Partnerships Forum – a not-for-profit knowledge platform providing changemakers with tools to build innovative partnerships for the SDGs.
Amir is co-founder of the Pearl Initiative, and a founding Commissioner of the Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development. Amir co-founded the Blockchain Commission for Sustainable Development and serves as Executive Vice Chair. He is also co-founder of the Coalition for Better Health at Lower Cost that focuses on prevention of chronic diseases. Amir serves as a Distinguished Fellow for the Future of Health and Healthcare at the World Economic Forum. Recently he was appointed Ambassador for the World Benchmarking Alliance to increase business impact for the SDGs.
Amir works globally across the economic and social spectrum. He is an accomplished diplomat, with a deep understanding of international affairs and extensive experience in global development and humanitarian issues, including managing complex technical assistance projects in emerging markets. By nature, a social entrepreneur and innovator, his work is an endeavor to bond the power of the private sector, governments, and civil society, in order to better serve the greater good. These include initiatives on women’s empowerment, engaging media in sustainable development, and innovative use of technology for positive social change. Amir is also a champion for the UN’s Safe Ground Campaign.
Amir is a 25-year veteran of the United Nations and served as Executive Director of the UN Office for Partnerships until September 2010, which he established in 1998 to manage the $1 billion gift by media mogul Ted Turner.
Giulia is an innovation, technology, start-up and entrepreneurship strategist, with over 15 years of experience in economic policy analysis and advice, capacity building and economic diplomacy. During her career, Giulia has advised a broad range of government officials, international organisations and other stakeholders globally: across ASEAN and Asia, Latin America, Africa, MENA, OECD countries.
Giulia has been the Co-Chair of the Inclusion Task Force of Startup20, the innovation and entrepreneurship engagement group under G20 India; she is the Chair of the Steering Committee of the OECD Entrepreneurship Education Collaboration and Engagement (EECOLE) Initiative; she is a member of the World Economic Forum (WEF)’s Expert Network; she collaborates extensively with the UNCTAD-led eTradeforAll initiative; the Asian Development Bank South East Asia Development Solutions (ASB-SEADS), and with other leading multilateral bodies, think tanks and universities.
Giulia is currently the Director of Strategy and Partnership at ERIA (Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia). Prior to joining ERIA, Giulia worked as an Innovation Economist at the OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development). Giulia’s analysis, publications, op-eds and commentaries have been featured in leading international journals and media outlets. She holds Bachelor and Master degrees in Applied Mathematics a PhD in Economics and Complex Systems.
Naseer A. Akhtar is the driving force behind the strategic direction and success of InfoTech, bringing over 40 years of proven leadership in business management and technology. He possesses a unique blend of business acumen and technological insight, fueling the company’s remarkable journey.
Under Akhtar’s visionary leadership, InfoTech achieved profitability and embarked on a trajectory of impressive double-digit year-on-year growth in global markets, all stemming from his entrepreneurial spirit that laid the foundation for the company’s success.
As a thought leader, Akhtar has been a prominent voice in discussions about the growth and development of the IT industry. He shares his insights on various national and international platforms and advises federal and state governments on transformation, change management, and growth.
Akhtar’s strategic vision drove InfoTech to introduce innovative products, forge strategic alliances, and explore new markets. His focus on customers, strategy, and innovation led to multimillion-dollar revenue-generating product roadmaps, disrupting major industries.
Apart from being a successful entrepreneur, Akhtar is a highly sought-after speaker and mentor, earning numerous industry awards and accolades for his outstanding contributions. A graduate of Government College, Lahore, he holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics. Naseer’s unwavering commitment to excellence continues to shape InfoTech’s path as a global technology leader.
Akinwande Akinsulire is an innovative business leader with a strong track record in innovation management, strategic planning, capacity building, and enterprise development. Over the past decade, he has championed more than 30 impact-driven programs, driving innovation across Africa. These initiatives have transformed the lives of over 40,000 young individuals, entrepreneurs, and underserved women in 25 Nigerian states and nine other African countries.
Akinsulire is at the forefront of innovation, steering the Startup Support Unit at Co-creation Hub (CcHUB) – a pan-African innovation enabler. Leveraging his rich experience, he nurtures and scales innovative startups through incubation, acceleration, and growth-focused programs continent-wide. Additionally, Akinwande’s pivotal roles on the boards of directors and as an advisor to multiple ventures and not-for-profit organizations in Africa underscore his commitment to innovation’s expansive reach.
Recognized with multiple awards, including 2019 Most Outstanding Business Consultant and 2020 Startup Consultant of the Year, Akinsulire is a Certified Management Consultant (CMC) by The International Council of Management Consulting Institutes. His global education from institutions like the University of Pennsylvania and Aston Business School uniquely positions him to provide cutting-edge innovation consulting and high-impact enterprise development, setting the standard for businesses in both developed and developing economies.
Dima Al-Khatib commenced her appointment as the Director of the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation on 1 March 2023. For the past four years, Dima has been serving as the UNDP Resident Representative in the Republic of Moldova. Prior to that, she held several positions in other duty stations and brings more than 25 years of leadership and management experience including that of Programme and Policy Coordinator at the UNDP Regional Hub in Amman, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Kuwait, and UNDP Deputy Country Director in Libya. She also held several positions in UNDP Headquarters – New York; Regional Programme Advisor with the Regional Bureau for Arab States, Human Resources Manager with the Talent Management Group of the Office of Human Resources, and Sustainable Energy Specialist with the Bureau for Development Policy.
Hani AlGhofaily is a distinguished figure who was awarded the King Salman Award as the Best Leader in 2015. He holds a master’s degree in Digital Media and a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. Mr. AlGhofaily is known for founding several prominent websites in the fields of media and sports, in addition to his involvement in launching other projects.
AlGhofaily has held various technical and media positions in both the public and private sectors and currently supervises digital media at one of the sovereign ministries in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Previously, AlGhofaily served as an advisor to the Minister of Media and as the official spokesperson for the ministry.
One of AlGhofaily’s most notable qualities is his ability to build successful and exceptional teams that consistently achieve their goals.
Nida is the CEO of Innoventures Global Private Limited, a company dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs, including professionals, university academics, and women, throughout their journey from idea to value creation. She also collaborates with Standard Chartered to assist women-led businesses in Pakistan in scaling their operations through technology.
Transitioning from a successful banking career to entrepreneurship, Nida has consistently adapted and acquired the necessary skills for personal and professional growth. She holds an MBA and carries the titles of CEO and Founding Member of two entities, but she takes the greatest pride in her role as a mother of three.
Nida is a passionate advocate for STEM education, with a particular focus on encouraging girls to pursue these subjects. Her dedication has a profound impact on promoting diversity and inclusivity in these fields. Beyond her executive role, she actively mentors idea-stage and seed-stage startups, with a special emphasis on women-led businesses. Her efforts have helped these businesses become investment-ready and leverage technology for growth. The SCWomenInTech program, a testament to her commitment, has supported 88 women-led businesses in raising over $16 million in funding over the past three years.
Nida’s journey, from banking to entrepreneurship, her academic background, and her track record in promoting innovation, entrepreneurship, and empowering women, highlight her significant contributions to the business world.
A UN Broadband Commissioner, Chair of ITU’s CRO/IAGDI, Board Member in the ITU’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Alliance for Digital Development, and as CEO of SAMENA Telecommunications Council, Bocar BA is a renowned industry advocacy specialist within the SA-ME-NA region’s ICT industry.
BA’s close collaboration and proactive engagement with policy-makers, government representatives, investors, as well as leaders from various investment groups in addressing digital development issues and industry-wide challenges, have been instrumental in building new private-to-private and to government-to-government relationships across Africa and the Middle East.
In 2020, Bocar BA served as a member of the G20 Summit Advisory Board’s Digital Economy Task Force in Saudi Arabia, where he is also active in collaborating with the Global Cyber Security Forum (GCF) on securing Cyberspace and addressing numerous cybersecurity challenges. He has chaired consensus-building and contributed to the development of recommendations for leaders worldwide on 21st century funding and financing models, to help accelerate digital infrastructure development and digitalization. BA is also advising the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center (MBRSC) on a space-sustainability industry segment and on matters relating to digital economy and space economy.
Aneth has more than 5 years of experience in entrepreneurship project development and ecosystem building, working with multinational teams including Pan-African ecosystems. She currently serves as the Entrepreneurship Community Manager at AGGPR. Prior to this role, Aneth worked as the Innovation Ecosystem Manager- East Africa for Make-IT in Africa (GIZ) a pan-African project where she designed and managed regional and pan-African interventions aimed at strengthening innovation ecosystems. Before that, she led the Reach for Change program in Rwanda and co-authored the “Connecting the Kigali entrepreneurial ecosystem,” a Kigali entrepreneurial ecosystem mapping. Aneth also provided support as a teaching assistant for the 2nd year seminar course as a teaching assistant at Carnegie Mellon University Africa. Aneth is a member of the Global Shapers (Kigali Hub) and holds a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from Oklahoma Christian University (Hons).
Lisandro Bril, a pioneer in Latin America’s tech-based venture capital scene since the 1990s, is a notable figure. He is the first Latin American Venture Capital Member of the Saudi Arabian Future Investment Initiative Institute – FII – created by the PIF, Public Investment Fund.
Bril is currently serving as the Founder and Managing Partner of Oikos (www.oikos.vc) a cross-border investor focusing on Climate & AgriTech in Latin America and the GCC, aligning with UN Sustainable Development Goals for food security and sustainability. Bril is particularly passionate about immersive education to train and digitize farmers, especially in extensive and intensive agriculture within the Global South.
His influential career involves co-founding Endeavor Argentina, the first in the global network, and co-founding the Equidad Foundation for Digital Inclusion. Additionally, he serves as a board member of Luminis Education, contributing to professionalizing education administration. Notably, he has held key roles at the government level, including Undersecretary of State for Foreign Trade in Argentina and involvement in the creation of Mercosur.
Bril’s venture capital journey began in the 90s as an angel investor, leading to significant investments in prominent companies. He also pioneered fostering relationships with the MENA region and was the first Latin American member of the Middle East Venture Capital Association. His academic achievements include a BA in Economics (Suma Cum Laude) from the University of Buenos Aires and an MPA from Harvard John F. Kennedy School of Government.
Michelle is a globally recognized authority in Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence, and Digital Transformation, boasting profound expertise in emerging technologies and the Fintech landscape across numerous countries worldwide. With over a decade of experience in Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence, Michelle stands as a trailblazer in sectors with approximately 12 years of development.
Over her extensive 21-year career, Michelle’s work has spanned a wide spectrum, encompassing E-commerce, Digital Trade initiatives, and the crucial role of emerging technologies in nurturing robust Digital Economies and Trade ecosystems. Her proficiency extends to bridging these advancements with emerging markets and African economies.
As a Senior Adviser, Michelle collaborates with governments, including Bermuda, African Union Member States, and the AfCFTA Secretariat, to shape regulatory and policy frameworks in the Digital Economy and Trade Ecosystem. She also serves as a Digital Trade Expert and contributes to the AfCFTA Ad-Hoc Digital Trade Task Force, playing a vital role in developing the Digital Trade Protocol. Her work has taken her to diverse African countries like Nigeria, Zambia, South Africa, Senegal, Morocco, and Kenya, as well as numerous global destinations such as the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, the United States, the United Kingdom, and various parts of Europe.
With a career spanning over two decades, Michelle’s expertise covers Government Economic Policy, Investment, Corporate Finance, Digital Trade, and cutting-edge Emerging Technologies and Data domains. As a senior Government Adviser, she collaborates with prominent global governments and institutions in the UK, the Caribbean, Africa, the Middle East, and the USA.
Today, Michelle leads Global Policy House (GPH), the sole ESG-driven Black African female-led FinTech/Blockchain group in the UK. Michelle and her team have dedicated over 15 years to global initiatives that span economic diversification, sustainability, digital trade, digital skills, and digital transformation. Their collaborations include organizations such as the United Nations, Google, AfCFTA, Commonwealth, International Chambers of Commerce, World Trade Organization, and G20-B20.
Anir Chowdhury is the Policy Advisor of the a2i Programmme of the ICT Division and the Cabinet Division of the Government of Bangladesh supported by the UNDP. He leads the formation of a whole-of-society innovation ecosystem in Bangladesh through massive technology deployment, extensive capacity development, integrated policy formulation, whole-of-government institutional reform and an Innovation Fund.
Anir Chowdhury is a frequent keynote speaker at international conferences, addressing topics such as public service innovation, digital financial inclusion, data-driven policy making, civil registration and digital identity management, sustainable development goals (SDGs), youth and community empowerment, educational transformation, and public-private collaborations. He holds key positions in various national committees, including the Prime Minister’s National Digital Bangladesh Task Force and the Education Minister’s National Blended Education Task Force. Additionally, he plays an active role in international initiatives, such as the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Regional Action Group for Digital Transformation and the EDISON Alliance, aiming to enhance education, healthcare, and financial services for one billion people worldwide.
Anir Chowdhury graduated magna cum laude in Computer Science and Applied Mathematics from Brown University and did post-graduate work on management, marketing, educational transformation and public sector reform in Harvard, Columbia, Boston, Bradford and Oxford universities.
Enrique Dans received his Ph.D. from the Anderson School at UCLA, an MBA from Instituto de Empresa (Madrid, Spain), a B.Sc. from Universidade de Santiago de Compostela and has postdoctoral studies at Harvard Business School.
His research interests are related to the impact of disruptive technologies at three levels of analysis: individuals, companies and society.
Professor Dans has been teaching and consulting in the technology arena since 1990, is a frequent contributor and columnist in the business and economic press and participates in several technology startups. He writes on a daily basis since 2003 in his page www.enriquedans.com
He is the author of three books: ”Todo va a cambiar” (2010), “Living in the Future” (2019) and “Everything will change, once again” (2023), with all the clues you need to understand how technology is changing our world.
Thomas Davin is a passionate and result focused executive with 20+ years’ experience in social change and nonprofit sector in four continents in international development and crisis management settings.
23 years in UNICEF, yet Thomas is still indefatigable about finding ways to empower children to reach their true potential as the main solution to many of the world’s current challenge.
Now, as the UNICEF global innovation director, Thomas and his team focus on spotting and then imagining the most effective global scaling pathways for innovation solutions that offer transformational potential for children, from data science to AI, machine leaning, blockchain, to product innovations to be picked up and used, so that, together, we create global social goods that advance humanity.
Prior to taking up his current position, Thomas held multiple roles focused on social impact and human rights across four continents, with an initial focus on human rights violations and survival response in crises and humanitarian settings with deployments across the Balkans, South Asia and the Middle East, and most recently Head of Mission for UNICEF in Thailand and Algeria.
Thomas holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and a Master’s degree in Political Science. Thomas is a French national, he is married and is the father of two beautiful little tornadoes. He loves sports and sci-fi novels.
Natalia Díaz Rodríguez is computer engineer and has a double PhD degree from University of Granada (Spain) and Åbo Akademi University (Finland) as well as a doctoral diploma on Innovation & Entrepreneurship from the European Institute of Technology.
She is currently Professor at the DaSCI Andalusian Research Institute in data science and computational intelligence (DaSCI.es) at the Dept. of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence. Previously, she worked in Silicon Valley, CERN, Philips Research, University of California Santa Cruz and with FDL Programme with NASA.
She was also Marie Curie postdoctoral fellow and Assistant Prof. of Artificial Intelligence at the Autonomous Systems and Robotics Lab (U2IS) at ENSTA, Institut Polytechnique Paris, INRIA Flowers team on developmental robotics during 4 years, and worked on open-ended learning and continual/lifelong learning for applications in computer vision and robotics.
Her current research interests include deep learning, explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI), Responsible, Trustworthy AI and AI for social good. Her background is on knowledge engineering and is interested in neural-symbolic approaches to practical applications of responsible and ethical AI.
Dr. Abasi Ene-Obong is the Founder and CEO of Syndicate Bio, a platform biotech driving genomics and precision medicine initiatives across the world’s most diverse regions.
He holds a PhD in Cancer Biology from University of London, a Masters in human molecular genetics from Imperial College London and a master’s in business management from Claremont Colleges, California. He also worked as a cancer researcher and is published in some of the leading scientific journals such as Gastroenterology, Nature and Cell. Earlier, he worked with leading healthcare organizations, including Fortune 100 pharmaceutical companies, academic and research institutions, and governments as a management consultant.
Dr. Ene-Obong was listed as 1 of 30 most innovative entrepreneurs on the African continent in 2019 by Quartz Africa. In September 2020, Dr. Ene-Obong was labelled a Nigerian hero in the fight against COVID-19, by a Nigerian newspaper, ThisDay. Also in the same year, the respected pan-African publication, New African Magazine, recognised Dr. Ene-Obong as one of the most influential Africans. Dr. Ene-Obong is also included in Fortune’s 40 under 40 most influential people in healthcare for the year 2020 and Endpoint News’ Top 20 under 40 in Biopharma in 2022. He is a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum and a Bloomberg New Economy Catalyst.
Odunayo Eweniyi is the Co-Founder and Chief Operations Officer of PiggyVest, Nigeria’s largest digital savings and micro-investment platform, boasting over 4.5 million users. In January 2021, she co-founded First Check Africa, a pre-seed/seed fund dedicated to investing in high-growth tech startups with at least one female co-founder. Additionally, in 2020, Eweniyi co-founded The Feminist Coalition, a collective of young Nigerian feminists committed to advancing gender equality, particularly focusing on education, financial independence, and representation in public office.
A board member at Village Capital, a prominent supporter of impact-driven, seed-stage entrepreneurs globally, Eweniyi has received several prestigious awards and recognitions. She was honored as the 2023 One Young World Entrepreneur of the Year and selected as a Bloomberg New Economy Catalyst in 2022. Notably, she won the Forbes Africa Technology and Innovation Award and was a TIME100 Next honoree in 2021.
Throughout her career, she has consistently been acknowledged for her influential role in technology and entrepreneurship, being named among Forbes Africa’s 30 under 30 Technology in 2019 and Quartz Africa Innovators in the same year. Her impact extends beyond borders, featured in renowned international publications like Vogue, New York Times, and Elle. Eweniyi also co-founded Wine and Whine Nigeria, a community for women.
Victor Famubode is a distinguished digital governance specialist, specializing in the convergence of technology and public policy, particularly focusing on the governance of artificial intelligence. Combining his extensive experience in consulting and the public sector, he has notably worked at Deloitte, overseeing diverse engagements related to digital product implementation and defining governance for digital transformation projects.
Previously, Famubode held the role of Committee Member at the IEEE Global Initiative on Ethics of Autonomous and Intelligent Systems. His focus revolved around establishing global standards to address bias in AI systems. He consistently provides advice to industry leaders on managing algorithmic bias, privacy, AI system alignment, and safety-related concerns. In the past, he worked as a researcher at the Center for AI and Digital Policy based in Washington.
Famubode offers consultancy services on digital governance to various firms employing machine learning algorithms for critical business decisions. He contributed significantly as a member of the expert group in developing the National AI Policy by NITDA, guiding policymakers on key considerations for fostering a responsible AI ecosystem.
Famubode excelled as the Project Manager for the Nigeria Startup Act, where he efficiently led the program’s secretariat in executing pivotal projects and activities to drive the Act’s development.
Esra Kasapoglu is the Director of AI and Data Economy at Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency. She is leading the development of AI, Digital Technologies and Data Economy and manages the innovation portfolio supporting UK businesses to grow and develop. She has extensive experience of leading technology and innovation programs working for the Big Tech and global technology and consulting firms. Much of her time is spent in pioneering novel digital innovations and shaping the future of business in multiple industries.
Esra fosters a culture of innovation within Innovate UK and designs programs to create a more inclusive environment in which everyone is encouraged to lead with purpose and passion. She brings thought leadership and shares her strategic insights to multiple innovation and advisory boards on which she sits. She provides counsel to the Boards, Senior Leaders, and C-suite on creating an innovation culture in an increasingly fragmented and complex environment.
Esra is a tech visionary and nurturer of talent. She is a champion for diversity and inclusion and thrives on bringing the best out of people, inspiring change and empowering the next generation of innovators and pioneer
Ian Khan, the Futurist, is a globally renowned emerging technology expert. Featured on CNN, The BBC, Fox, Bloomberg, Fast Company, Entrepreneur, Ian is also the founder of AIRI™ the AI Readiness Initiative, Creator of the Future Readiness Score™, Author of “Metaverse for Dummies”, Author of “Quick Guide to Prompt Engineering”, leadership storyteller and media personality. He is also the producer and creator of a new truth-seeking TV series on emerging tech “The Futurist”.
Bashar Kilani, a seasoned corporate executive, has held senior leadership roles at Accenture and IBM, along with prestigious advisory board memberships in both industry and academia. He specializes in Digital Economy trends, facilitating the development of digital cores for both government and private sector organizations.
As a thought leader and public speaker, Kilani focuses on the transformative impact of technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Digital Twins and Cloud on automation, sustainability and the future of work. He actively mentors in the regional entrepreneurship community and has played key roles in visionary initiatives like Digital Economy Chamber, Dubai Future Council for Healthcare & Wellbeing, AI Ethics Council, Dubai 10X, Next 50 Report, One Million Arab Coders, Dubai Metaverse Assembly and more.
Futurist, Warren Knight is an award- winning Digital Leadership and Transformation leader, keynote speaker a top 100 Global Influencer 2022 and top 100 Tech Influencer, he’s internationally recognized as a corporate trainer and executive coach on Digital Transformation, with over 15 years digital experience he’s an award-winning technology entrepreneur, certified Agile leader and author of Think #Digital First and Everyday Transformation (Due 2023).
The Everyday Transformation methodology has been designed by Warren Knight an expert facilitator and certified Agile leader for profitability, growth and standards of excellence fueling future economic leadership. Inspired by a visionary ability to excel and innovate, providing best-in-class speaking, training and coaching, delivering knowledge transfer expertise centered on agile digital leadership. His expertise focuses on future-proofing your business through information technology and disruptive innovation.
His vision is to, by 2035, help 1,000,000 leaders globally build a workplace based on culture, community, and technology for generation Alpha.
Having worked globally around the world for 30 years, Warren has worked in over 30 countries in 5 continents and for the past 15 years helped leaders transform themselves and their organization to think beyond digital and create company-wide transformation.
Dr. Collin M. Stultz is the Nina T. and Robert H. Rubin Professor in Medical Engineering and Science, a Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Co-Director of the Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology, a member of the Research Laboratory of Electronics (RLE), and an associate member of the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL). He is also a practicing cardiologist at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH).
Dr. Stultz received his undergraduate degree in Mathematics and Philosophy from Harvard University; a PhD in Biophysics from Harvard University; and a MD from Harvard Medical School. He did his internship, residency, and fellowship at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. His scientific contributions have spanned multiple fields including computational chemistry, biophysics, and machine learning for cardiovascular risk stratification.
He is a member of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology and he is a past recipient of a National Science Foundation CAREER Award and a Burroughs Wellcome Fund Career Award in the Biomedical Sciences. Currently research in his group is focused on the development of machine learning tools that can guide clinical decision making.
Tamam holds a Ph.D. in Politics from the University of Exeter; a Master in City Planning degree with a focus on International Development and Regional Planning and bachelor degrees in Management Science and Urban Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. More recently, Tamam completed the Advanced Finance Program under the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and an Executive Program focusing on Leadership with the Stanford University Graduate School of Business.
Tamam began her career as a member of the Jordan National Competitiveness Team at the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation. She then moved to the Jordan Agency for Enterprise and Investment Development, part of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and later worked with the Greater Amman Municipality. Tamam also worked as a consultant to clients from the private and public sectors, as well as international donor agencies focusing on economic development and financial advisory services. Today Tamam is the CEO of the Crown Prince Foundation, which works to fulfill the vision of “capable youth for an aspiring Jordan”. The Foundation serves 2 million youth across Jordan, focusing on the three main pillars of: employability and entrepreneurship, leadership, and citizenship.
Daniel Marco is an Electronic Engineer from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia and also has a master’s in Business Administration from ESADE Business School. With more than 20 years of experience in the digital sector in both private and public companies, he manages digital transformation and information technology teams. Marco is a leading expert on the impact of disruptive technologies, the implementation of open innovation ecosystems and the management of strategic business consulting projects.
Marco is currently Digital Innovation Senior Advisor at the Government of Catalonia where he has held other responsibilities in the last sixteen years such as Director General for Innovation and Digital Economy, Director of Smart Catalonia, Director of the Catalan Digital Agenda and the Head of Business Digitization and ICT industry promotion. Previously he developed his career in the private sector developing several responsibilities in the field of strategic consulting in Information Technology and Communications and in research and development.
Thea Myhrvold is a third-time founder with a prior exit, over 14 years of experience across sectors including retail, learning, and healthcare. Currently serving as CEO of Getbee, she leads a pioneering software firm at the forefront of global e-commerce and retail technology transformation.
Thea is globally recognized by the likes of Expo2020’s “10 Faces of the Future”, The Cartier Woman’s Award, Mercedes Benz Brand Ambassador, and a top 10 LinkedIn Power Profile.
Thea is among the 2% of women globally to have secured VC funding. With both Norwegian and Arab heritage, she is on a mission to make technology inclusive for all, she champions inclusion in technology through mentorship and advocacy internationally.
Dr. Márquez assumed the Presidency of the Governing Board of the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) on January 1, 2022. Previously, she served as vice president of INEGI, in charge of the National Economic Information Subsystem.
She was Secretary of Economy of the Federal Government from December 1, 2018 to December 31, 2020, becoming the first woman to hold that position in the history of the country.
Between 1998 and 2018 she was a professor and researcher at El Colegio de México. She studied a bachelor’s degree in economics at UNAM, a master’s degree in economics at El Colegio de México and a doctorate in economic history at Harvard University.
Dr Jorjoh Ndure Tambedou is a feted leader in the STEM field in the Gambia (West Africa) with extensive experience in scientific research, innovation and STEM advocacy. She is currently the chair for the Sector skills council for ICT, a member of the Technical Vocational Education and Training committee, and an adviser for the Gambia Women in STEM initiative (which has a membership of 500 girls and women). She is the CEO of one of the largest technology company in the Gambia, InSIST Global; and a co-founder of one of the fastest growing tech-startups in the country, Afrijula. In 2021, her company partnered with UNCDF to offer training on Digital literacy to over 10,000 youth and women entrepreneurs, some of whom were semi-literate.
Dr Jorjoh is a great role model for many girls in the Gambia who rarely have women STEM leaders to look up to in their immediate environments. As a result, she has made a deliberate effort to empower more women in the STEM fields, actively engaging in the training and development of aspiring STEM professionals organizing several initiatives engaging students and the wider community to raise awareness, encourage STEM uptake and make it more accessible for girls and women. She developed the first industry-led accredited mobile application developer curriculum in the Gambia, and developed the Digital Transformation strategy for the skills development sector in the Gambia as a UNESCO consultant. Furthermore, she is one of the key experts who participated in the forum to submit Africa’s Contribution to the Global Digital Compact.
In 2022, she was featured in Forbes Africa as one of the women leaders in Tech changing the ecosystem. Dr Jorjoh Ndure-Tambedou is known for her contribution to research, science education and leadership; for ‘building bridges’ for aspiring STEM professionals especially females and creating environments for them to thrive. In 2023, she was identified and ranked by Choiseul Africa in partnership with Forbes Africa, Roland Berger and Vicat, as one of the leading young Africans under the age of 40 transforming the continent and driving change.
Dr. Alexander Nicholas serves as the Executive Vice President of the Learning & Society Domain where design prizes to shape the future of learning and work. Prior to XPRIZE, Dr. Nicholas served as a Senior Program Officer at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, leading efforts to redesign US higher education to address learner and market needs. He also championed innovation at the US Commerce Department, co-designing a “clean tech” competition for the White House Start-Up America initiative. At the National Science Foundation, Dr. Nicholas was honored as an American Association for the Advancement of Science Policy Fellow in the Division of Graduate Education. In addition, he has served in many advisory roles with entities such as the Commission on Innovation, Competitiveness, and Economic Prosperity, Selco Foundation, Giddens Schools, Learning Economy Foundation, and the National Academy of Inventors Selection Committee.
Dr. Nicholas has a Ph.D. in neuroscience and served as a research scientist at Harvard University.
Angela is a technologist, community builder, and open-source software advocate passionate about building and using appropriate technology tools to impact the lives of marginalized groups. She has over ten years of experience in software development, global community engagement, and non-profit organizational management.
She is the Executive Director at Ushahidi, a global non-profit technology company that helps communities quickly collect and share information that enables them to raise voices, inform decisions and influence change.
She sits on the Board of Directors for Creative Commons and Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team. She’s also a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Futures Council on Data Equity, and co-founder of AkiraChix, a non-profit organization that nurtures generations of women who use technology to develop innovations and solutions for Africa.
Elliott Perkins is Senior Director of Government Affairs at Oracle Corporation. He leads on policy and advocacy across a wide range of technology policy areas with governments across Northern Europe, including on issues such as government and public sector reform, competition and antitrust, cybersecurity and healthcare innovation, among others. Before Oracle, Elliott was a senior member of the Political and Regulatory team at the London-based advisory firm Finsbury (now FGS Global) where he worked with some of the world’s largest companies on reputation management and strategic communications as well as advised on mergers and acquisitions. Prior to this, he was a Political Advisor to the UK Labour Party and held several other political and parliamentary roles before this.
Sara Prowse is CEO of UA92, a groundbreaking higher education institution co-founded by the Class of ‘92 and Lancaster University. With a successful 30-year career in consumer retail across the UK, US and Europe, Sara has developed a reputation for strategic brand management and accelerating brands into the digital environment. She has held senior positions at Debenhams and Shop Direct before becoming MD at Lands End and most recently, CEO at Hotter Shoes.
After meeting with Gary Neville the founder she was quickly brought into the vision to transform and modernise higher education. She joined as CEO of UA92 in May 2021.
Based in Old Trafford, Manchester, UA92 is committed to making higher education accessible to all no matter the background, through its founding principles of accessibility, social mobility and inclusivity. It offers a portfolio of degree and higher education courses across business, sport, media and digital disciplines, accredited by Lancaster University, and prepares students for the world of work by offering industry-led courses through its partnerships with leading industry names.
Ensuring the institution not only paves a new path for education but supports the local community, Sara has implemented a raft of successes at UA92, and has helped develop partnerships with the likes of Microsoft, TalkTalk, KPMG, Trafford Council, Lancashire Cricket Club and Manchester United.
Sara is a refreshing voice for the UK education sector and regularly discusses the need for greater accessibility and inclusivity within higher education, especially in disadvantaged areas of the North West where admissions to higher education fall below the national average. Away from the boardroom, Sara lives in Cheshire with her partner, and enjoys travelling, yoga, holistic health and wellbeing.
Jenna Slotin is Senior Director of Policy at the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data, a global network of over 700 partners from the public, private and civil society sectors committed to using data and technology to reduce inequality and drive sustainability. At the Global Partnership, she leads on policy engagement and oversees the data values agenda. Jenna has over 15 years’ experience in the development sector specializing in political analysis and influencing, research and thought leadership, and program design and implementation. She has led programs that aimed to influence public sector decision-making on data and technology, sustainable development, and peacebuilding.
With decades of experience working in the intersection of entrepreneurship, technology, science and design, Cecilia is currently founder and CEO of Futurity Systems, providing futures-as-a-service to help companies and organizations to build better futures faster, together. Cecilia is currently a PhD candidate at Illinois Institute of Technology on her thesis in Design Futures.
Cecilia Tham is a Harvard-trained designer, formerly a Social Technologist at Alpha Telefonica, Europe’s first moonshot factory, and a serial entrepreneur, founded multiple companies such as Makers of Barcelona, FabCafe and allWomen.tech. She served as advisor to UN World Food Program X, SXSW, and previously for the City Government of Barcelona as well as other private companies. Futurity Systems is the official Moonshot Factory Specialist providing services to the Secretary of State of Spain in the Department of AI.
Cecilia is the winner of AWS Global Disruptor Award 2022, WEDO Women Pioneer Award 2022, and have been selected as Forbes Top 40 Futurists 2022, 100 Most Influential Women Europe and 100 Women of the Future. Futurity Systems has won Fast Company Innovation by Design Award 2022 as well as the gold Lovie Award 2022.
Honourable Emma Inamutila Theofelus is a young, 26-year-old Namibian woman who serves as a Member of Parliament and the Deputy Minister of Information and Communication Technology in the Republic of Namibia.
Before her appointment, Honourable Theofelus had always been policy adjacent and was a Youth Activist around issues of gender, children’s rights, and sustainable development and against youth unemployment. She served as the Deputy Speaker of the Youth Parliament of the Republic of Namibia, Board Member of the National Council of Higher Education and the Junior Mayor of the City of Windhoek amongst other roles. Honourable Theofelus has been awarded the Laureate in the Individual Category of the United Nations Population Award, 2022 and serves as a board member of the Leadership Council of Africa REACH and council member of Nala Feminist Movement.
Honourable Theofelus holds an LLB Honours Degree from the University of Namibia where she served as secretary General of the Student Union; a diploma in Business Management and a diploma in Afrikan Feminism and Gender Studies from the University of South Africa. She is currently a Master’s Candidate in ICT Policy and Regulation at the University of Witwatersrand and is preparing to sit for the bar exams at the Board of Legal Education in Namibia.
Honourable Theofelus is recognised as the BBC 100 Most Influential Women in the World 2021; named as Avance Media 100 Most Influential Young Africans in 2020, 2021 & 2022 and named as Avance Media 100 Most Influential African Women 2020 & 2021. She is further named as the New African 100 Most influential Africans of 2020; Reputation Poll 100 Most Reputable Africans 2020; named as the Emerging African Young Leader by the African Leadership Magazine 2022 and nominated for the One Young World Politician of the Year Award 2020 & in 2021.
Honourable Theofelus is regularly invited as a speaker at international fora in the areas of politics, technology, law, sustainable development, climate change, education and health.
Amna Usman Chaudhry is a financial economist and strategist for frontier technologies such as Blockchain, Generative AI and Web 3.0. She is a graduate-level lecturer with teaching experience in London and Dubai. Amna is a Founder and Board Member, working with many influential global organizations, including the United Nations. She is an advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as sustainability. Amna has been listed by Innovate Finance on the Women in Fintech Powerlist as the Standout 45, is the Global Winner of the Woman in Web 3.0 Award, and was recognized as one of the Top 100 Women of the Future.
Agnė Vaiciukevičiūtė is Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications of the Republic of Lithuania and a member of Vilnius City Municipal Council. Previously she worked as a Vice-Dean for Strategic Partnership of the Faculty of Business Management at VILNIUS TECH.
Vaiciukevičiūtė‘s career has taken her to four continents including North America and Australia where she worked as a researcher at the Center for European Policy Analysis, Washington DC and Australian Science Council Competence Center, Sydney, Australia. She has a PhD in Social Sciences (Economics) from VILNIUS TECH.
Greg Verdino is a highly regarded authority on “the digital now.” He is known for his uncanny ability to forecast trends, spot the difference between fads and the future, and empower organizations to thrive in the face of exponential change. For over 30 years Verdino has worked at the forefront of change, advising more than 50 of the Fortune 500 and holding senior leadership positions at a half-dozen technology startups. Today, he is the founder and CEO of CognitivePath, an AI business consultancy that helps organizations harness the transformative power of generative AI to enhance productivity, unleash creativity, improve performance, and create strategic advantage.
His latest book is Never Normal: Uncommon Ideas for Leaders Who Won’t Settle for the Status Quo and he co-hosts No Brainer: An AI Podcast for Marketers. He has been a go-to expert for a wide variety of media outlets including Bloomberg Business, CNBC, eMarketer, the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal.
Micky Watkins, CEO of World Mobile, is a telco entrepreneur. He raised millions in VC and private funding from heavyweights such as Deutsche Telekom and Carmel Ventures. As the Founder of Yallo, the first VOIP platform of its kind, Micky has spent the last decade developing business models to create how we connect.
Songyee Yoon is a successful entrepreneur, innovator, and investor. As the President and Chief Strategy Officer of NCSOFT (KRX:036570), a global leader in online game development and publishing, Yoon played a pivotal role in guiding the company through AI transformation. She utilized cutting-edge technology for game development and improved various aspects of the business. Under her insightful leadership, NCSOFT’s workforce grew from 350 employees to a team of 5,000 professionals across seven countries in Asia, Europe, and North America, and the company’s revenue surpassed 2 billion USD.
Yoon’s strategic expertise spans a wide range of domains, including early monetization strategy, organizational development, marketing, branding, business development and partnerships, licensing, and other strategic initiatives that have cemented NCSOFT’s position as a market leader. She chaired the ESG committee and NC University, demonstrating her commitment to fostering responsible business practices and nurturing talent within the organization.
Yoon has supported AI and ethics education at higher education institutions through the Embedded EthiCS program at MIT, Harvard, and Stanford Universities. Yoon also served as an advisory board member of the Center for Asia Pacific Policy and a visiting fellow at the Center to Advance Racial Equity Policy at RAND, where she continues to explore the social impacts of AI, equity, and the ethical sides of technology.
Yoon holds a Ph.D. in Computational Neuroscience from MIT, where she also serves as a board member. She is an inaugural member of the Advisory Council of Stanford University’s Human-Centered AI and has served on South Korea’s Presidential Advisory Council for Science and Technology under two presidents. She has also been serving on the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace board. She is a member of the National Academy of Engineering of Korea, was named one of the 50 Women to Watch in Business by the Wall Street Journal, and also was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.
Shelley Zalis is the CEO of The Female Quotient, an equality services company that creates platforms for women and solutions for organizations committed to closing the gender gap in the workplace. Through its signature Equality Lounge® at key industry conferences around the globe, Zalis and the FQ are connectors for the largest global community of mission-driven business leaders.
Zalis is a pioneer for online research, becoming the first female chief executive ranked in the research industry’s top 25. Today, Zalis works with Fortune 500 companies, impact organizations, and conscious leaders to advance equality in the workplace. A firm believer in giving back with generosity, Zalis is a proud mentor to women around the world.
Zalis authors a Forbes column that provides virtual mentorship for women in middle management. You can follow Shelley on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
Azeddine is an accomplished senior executive with a distinguished career spanning over two decades in the Digital Technology industry, with a primary focus on the dynamic MEA region. His domain of expertise encompasses the intricacies of digital innovation, organization transformation, and change management. With a rich and multiple professional backgrounds encompassing roles in Executive Consulting and Business Development, Azeddine has played a central role in propelling numerous digital success stories across various sectors within the regional landscape.
Azeddine’s profound regional knowledge in the realm of digital is complemented by his adeptness in orchestrating transformation strategies and fostering innovation. These qualifications establish him as a significant asset to the esteemed panel of judges for the Digital Prosperity Awards. His wealth of insights and extensive experience is poised to play a pivotal role in recognizing and celebrating exceptional digital achievements within the MEA region.