Federal Councillor Karin Keller-Sutter is the President of the Swiss Confederation and has been the Head of the Federal Department of Finance (FDF) since January 2023. Before her election to the Swiss Federal Council in December 2018, she represented the canton of St. Gallen in the Council of States from 2011 until the end of 2018, serving as President of the Council of States from 2017 to 2018. Her political career began in 1992, and from 2000 to 2011, she was a member of the cantonal government of St. Gallen (Regierungsrat), where she held various senior positions, including leading the Justice and Security Department. Outside of government and politics and prior to joining the Swiss Federal Council, Ms. Keller-Sutter has held multiple board memberships, including positions at Bâloise Insurance Group, the Swiss Employers Association, and the NZZ Media Group. Notably, she also served on the board of trustees for the St. Gallen Symposium until 2018. Initially a trained translator/interpreter and secondary school teacher, between 1989 and 2000 she worked as a freelance translator and also taught at a vocational school. Hailing from the canton of St. Gallen, she holds a postgraduate degree in pedagogy from the University of Fribourg, Switzerland.

Jakov Milatović is the President of Montenegro, having assumed office on May 20, 2023. With a distinguished academic and professional background, he has played a pivotal role in advancing economic development and fostering regional cooperation in Southeast Europe. Before his election, President Milatović founded the Europe Now Movement! in June 2022, following his tenure as Minister of Economic Development in the 42nd Government of Montenegro (2020–2022). In his ministerial role, he spearheaded key economic initiatives to strengthen Montenegro’s economy and accelerate the country’s integration into the European Union. Prior to his government service, President Milatović built a robust career in international finance. Beginning in 2014, he worked at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in the economic and political analysis team, focusing on Southeast Europe and the Western Balkans. From 2018 to 2020, he was stationed in Bucharest as Chief Economic Analyst, overseeing Romania, Croatia, Slovenia, and Bulgaria. Earlier in his career, he gained valuable experience in Montenegro’s banking sector and abroad. President Milatović holds a master’s degree in economics from St. John’s College at the University of Oxford, where he was awarded a British Government scholarship. His academic journey also included studies at Illinois State University (as a U.S. Government scholarship recipient), the Vienna University of Economics and Business (under an Austrian Government scholarship), and Sapienza University in Rome (through the European Commission). In addition to his formal studies, he has participated in numerous educational programs organized by institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the United Nations, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Stanford University, and the University of Beijing. In the fall of 2022, he was a guest lecturer at the Luxembourg Business School.

Beate Meinl-Reisinger has served as Austria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs since March 2025. Additionally, she has been the chairwoman of NEOS – The New Austria and Liberal Forum since June 2018 and leads the party’s parliamentary group in the National Council. Ms Meinl-Reisinger began her political career with the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) before co-founding NEOS in 2012. She was first elected to the National Council in 2013 and later served in the Viennese State Parliament from 2015 to 2018. Under her leadership, NEOS has expanded its representation in subsequent elections. Ms Meinl-Reisinger holds a law degree from the University of Vienna and a master’s degree in european studies from Danube University Krems.

Roland Busch, PhD has served as CEO and President of Siemens AG since February 2021. He is also the Chairman of Siemens Mobility GmbH and a Supervisory Board Member at Siemens Healthineers AG. In addition to his roles at Siemens, Mr Busch holds several prominent board positions and memberships, including Supervisory Board Member at Munich Re, Vice Chairman of the Karl Heinz Beckurts Foundation, Member of the Board of the Federation of German Industries (BDI), and Chairman of the Asia-Pacific Committee (APA) of German Business, among others. Prior to his current role, he served as Deputy CEO and Labor Director of Siemens AG. Mr Busch studied physics at Friedrich-Alexander University in Erlangen-Nuremberg, holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Grenoble, and completed a doctoral degree.

Kristina Kallas is the Minister of Education and Research of the Republic of Estonia, a position she has held since April 2023. A distinguished political scientist and educator, she plays a key role in shaping Estonia’s globally recognised education system. Minister Kallas is a strong advocate for the integration of technology in education as a means to enhance learning outcomes, promote inclusivity, and ensure the continued future readiness of Estonia’s education system. Prior to her government service, Minister Kallas was a researcher at the University of Tartu and served as Director of Narva College at the University of Tartu from 2015 to 2019. As an expert consultant for organisations such as the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, she has advised multiple governments—including those of Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia—on integration policy. Minister Kallas holds a PhD in political science and has dedicated her career to equipping future leaders with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to navigate diverse and multicultural societies.

Jyotiraditya Scindia currently serves as Union Minister of Communication and Union Minister of Development of the North Eastern Region for the Government of India. Prior to these roles, he served as Union Minister of Civil Aviation and Union Minister of Steel during the second Narendra Modi ministry. Earlier in his public service career, he also held positions as Union Minister of Power, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, and Minister of State for Telecommunications, Posts and IT. A six-term Member of Parliament since 2002, he has represented Madhya Pradesh in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. Beyond his government career, Mr Scindia is deeply committed to education. He is the President of the Board of Governors at the Scindia School, Madhav Institute of Technology & Sciences, and Samrat Ashok Technological Institute, and he serves as a Board Member for Scindia Kanya School and Saraswati Sishu Mandir. Mr Scindia holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Harvard University and an MBA from Stanford University's Graduate School of Business.

Sabrina Soussan is a member of the Board of Directors at Boeing and a member of the Board of Trustees of the St. Gallen Symposium. Most recently, she served as the Chairman and CEO of SUEZ from February 2022 to February 2025, where she oversaw the company’s global initiatives to ensure access to water and waste management services while driving innovation and sustainability throughout the organization. Alongside these leadership roles, Ms Soussan is actively involved in various industry associations, including the French Business Confederation (MEDEF). Prior to her tenure at SUEZ, Ms Soussan served as CEO of dormakaba and was a member of the Board of Directors of ITT Inc. and Schaeffler. Earlier in her career, she held senior leadership positions at Siemens, including serving as CEO of Siemens Mobility. Ms Soussan holds a degree in Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering from ENSMA and an MBA from the University of Poitiers.

Leon Schreiber has served as Minister of Home Affairs since 2024 and has been a Member of the National Assembly of South Africa for the Democratic Alliance (DA) since May 2019. Prior to his cabinet appointment, he was the Shadow Minister of Public Service and Administration, where he gained prominence for leading a campaign against cadre deployment in the national government. In addition to his governmental roles, he is a well-known advocate for Afrikaans language rights at Stellenbosch University. Mr. Schreiber is also no stranger to the St. Gallen Symposium, having attended in 2015 as a Leader of Tomorrow and a finalist in the Global Essay Competition. He holds a master’s degree in political science from Stellenbosch University and completed his PhD in political science at the Free University of Berlin.

Minister Emma Inamutila Theofelus is the Minister of Information and Communication Technology for the Republic of Namibia and serves as a Member of Parliament. Known for her policy-adjacent activism, Minister Theofelus has championed issues such as gender equality, children's rights, sustainable development, and the fight against youth unemployment. Earlier in her career, she held leadership roles as Deputy Speaker of the Youth Parliament of Namibia, a Board Member of the National Council of Higher Education, and the Junior Mayor of Windhoek. In recognition of her outstanding contributions, she was awarded the Laureate in the Individual Category of the United Nations Population Award in 2022. Minister Theofelus holds an LLB (Honours) from the University of Namibia, where she also served as Secretary General of the Student Union. She earned a diploma in Business Management from Amity University 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.

Christian Sewing is the CEO of Deutsche Bank, a position he has held since April 2018. He has been a member of the Management Board since January 2015 and took on additional responsibility for Human Resources in May 2021. Mr Sewing has spent his entire career at Deutsche Bank, which he joined in 1989. Over the years, he has held key leadership roles across various divisions, including Corporate Banking, Investment Banking, and Risk Management. Before becoming CEO, he led the Private & Commercial Bank, including Postbank, and served as Head of Group Audit. Earlier in his career, he was Deputy Chief Risk Officer and Chief Credit Officer, with international assignments in Frankfurt, London, Singapore, Tokyo, and Toronto. Mr Sewing completed his bank apprenticeship at Deutsche Bank and earned a diploma from the Bankakademie Bielefeld and Hamburg.

Miryan Vieira has served as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of the Republic of Cabo Verde since May 2021. She brings extensive experience in international cooperation, financing for development, and addressing the unique challenges of Small Island Developing States (SIDS), Least Developed Countries (LDCs), and Landlocked Developing Countries. Her expertise spans sustainable development, migration, international humanitarian law, human rights, and social development. Previously, Ms. Vieira served as Counsellor at Cabo Verde’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, where she was deeply involved in intergovernmental processes across a range of development issues. During her tenure in New York, she also served as Vice-Coordinator for the Bureau of African Group Third Committee Experts (United Nations General Assembly Third Committee). Prior to her diplomatic posting, Ms. Vieira was a desk officer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' National Directorate for Political Affairs and International Cooperation. There, she was also the National Coordinator of the OECD surveys on the implementation of the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness. Before entering public service, Ms. Vieira was a lecturer in personal skills and social development and a French language teacher at the secondary school level. She holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations from the Faculty of Economics at the University of Coimbra in Portugal.

Thomas Süssli has been Chief of the Swiss Armed Forces (CdA) since January 2020, responsible for leading the army and overseeing key commands, including the Armed Forces Staff, Joint Operations Command, Armed Forces Logistics Organisation, Cyber Command, and Training and Education Command. Immediately prior, he served as Major General of the Armed Forces Command Support Organisation from January 2018 to December 2019, and as Brigadier General, Commander of Logistics Brigade 1 from September 2015 to December 2017. Before his military leadership roles, Mr Süssli gained extensive experience in the financial sector. Between 2014 and 2015, he was the CEO of Vontobel Financial Products (Asia Pacific) Pte. Ltd. Additionally, he previously served as Head of Investment Advisory International in the Global External Asset Managers division of Credit Suisse and Head of Processing Management in the Transaction Banking division of Vontobel. Earlier in his career, he was COO and Head of Product Management at IFBS AG and held various positions at UBS in Basel, Zurich, and London. Mr Süssli holds an Executive MBA from the University of Applied Sciences for Technology and Economics (HTW) and is a Swiss certified expert in IT with a federal diploma.

Florence Gaub is the Director of the Research Division at the NATO Defense College in Rome. Prior to this, she held several high-profile positions, including Deputy Director at the EU Institute for Security Studies, Foresight Advisor at the EU Council, and Special Advisor to EU Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič. With a focus on strategic foresight and geopolitical trends, Ms Gaub has significantly contributed to understanding future challenges and long-term global developments. She began her career at NATO’s Middle East Faculty in 2009, and her work encompasses conflict zones in the Middle East and North Africa, as well as institutional change and geopolitical analysis. Her publications include the bestseller Zukunft: Eine Bedienungsanleitung (2023). In addition to her current role, she serves on the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Complex Risks and is a member of the World Science Fiction Society. Ms Gaub holds a PhD from Humboldt University and degrees from Sciences Po Paris, the Sorbonne, and the University of Munich.

Hervé Berville is a French economist and politician representing the 2nd constituency of the Côtes-d'Armor in the National Assembly of France as a member of the Renaissance (RE) party since 2017. Between July 2022 and September 2024, he served as Secretary of State for the Sea, where he developed and implemented the government's maritime policy across various national and international dimensions, with a particular focus on maritime economy and influence. Prior to his role as Secretary of State for the Sea, Mr Berville served on the National Assembly's Committee on Foreign Affairs and was the vice-chairman of the French Parliamentary Friendship Group for relations with Burundi and Rwanda. In 2018, he authored a significant report for President Emmanuel Macron on the modernization of French foreign aid policy, advocating for a renewed approach to relationships with Africa, Asia, and Latin America based on equal partnerships and active civil society involvement. Before entering politics, Mr Berville worked as an economist for the French Development Agency (AFD) in Mozambique and as a program manager at the Stanford Institute for Innovation in Developing Economies in Kenya. He holds master’s degrees in political economy for development and in economics and finance from the London School of Economics (LSE) and Sciences Po Lille, respectively.

Derek Walker is the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales, a position he has held since March 2023. In this role, he is committed to safeguarding the needs of future generations, providing guidance to public bodies and policymakers in Wales on incorporating long-term thinking into decisions that impact social, economic, environmental, and cultural wellbeing. Prior to his appointment as Commissioner, Derek served for over a decade as Chief Executive of Cwmpas, the UK’s largest development agency for social enterprises and cooperatives, where he led initiatives to strengthen communities, create jobs, and promote inclusive, community-focused economic growth. From 2004 to 2009, he was Head of Policy and Campaigns at the Wales Trade Union Congress (TUC), where he developed impactful campaigns and organized high-profile events to advance the objectives of the Wales TUC. Derek holds a master’s degree in international journalism from Cardiff University and a bachelor’s degree in modern european studies from University College London.

Dr Fatih Birol is the Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), a position he has held since September 2015. Under his leadership, the IEA has undertaken a comprehensive modernization program, focusing on strengthening ties with emerging economies and advancing the global clean energy transition. Prior to becoming Executive Director, Dr Birol served as the IEA's Chief Economist, overseeing the World Energy Outlook, the agency's flagship publication. Before joining the IEA in 1995, he worked at the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in Vienna. Dr Birol has been recognized globally for his contributions to energy and climate policy. He was named by Time magazine as one of the world's most influential people in 2021 and has received numerous national honors, including the French Legion of Honour and the Japanese Order of the Rising Sun. Dr Birol earned a BSc in Power Engineering from Istanbul Technical University and an MSc and PhD in Energy Economics from the Technical University of Vienna. In 2013, he was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Science from Imperial College London.

Andreas Berger has been the Group Chief Executive Officer of Swiss Re since July 2024, having joined the company in March 2019 as Chief Executive Officer of Corporate Solutions and a member of the Group Executive Committee. Before his tenure at Swiss Re, he served on the Board of Management at Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty, where he held the position of Chief Regions and Market Officer, overseeing Central and Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean, Africa, and Asia. Additionally, he was responsible for the Global Broker Channel Distribution for Allianz Group. Mr. Berger is currently the Chairman of the International Insurance Society and a non-executive Board member at Advance – Gender Equality in Business. Since 2024, he has also been a member of the Board of Trustees of the St. Gallen Foundation for International Studies. He holds a master's degree in law from Justus Liebig University and a master's degree in business administration from Université Paris-Dauphine.

Sabine Keller-Busse has served as President of UBS Switzerland and President of Personal & Corporate Banking since February 2021. Furthermore, she has been a member of UBS's Group Executive Board since 2016, contributing significantly to the firm's strategic direction. From 2018 until April 2021, she held the role of Group Chief Operating Officer for UBS Group AG and UBS AG. Additionally, she served as President of the Executive Board and a Member of the Board of Directors of UBS Business Solutions AG from 2018 to 2021, and as President of UBS Europe, Middle East and Africa from 2019 to 2021. Before joining UBS in 2010 as Chief Operating Officer for UBS Switzerland, Sabine led Credit Suisse’s Private Clients Region Zurich division for two years. Earlier in her career, she worked at McKinsey & Company, where she was named Partner in 2002. Alongside her current roles at UBS, Ms Keller-Busse is also a board member of Zurich Insurance Group Ltd. and Zurich Insurance Company Ltd., having joined these boards in April 2021. Additionally, she is a foundation council member of the UBS Center for Economics in Society at the University of Zurich, a foundation board member of the University Hospital Zurich Foundation, a member of the board and board committee of the Zurich Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the advisory board of EqualVoice. She holds both a master's degree and PhD in business administration from the University of St.Gallen.

Christoph Heusgen has served as Chairman of the Munich Security Conference (MSC) since 2022. Before assuming this role, he was Permanent Representative of the Federal Republic of Germany to the United Nations in New York from 2017 to 2021, chairing the UN Security Council in April 2019 and July 2020. Prior to his UN appointment, from 2005 he advised Chancellor Angela Merkel on foreign and security policy and led the Foreign Policy Department of the Federal Chancellery as Director General. From 1999 to 2005, Ambassador Heusgen headed the political staff of Javier Solana, then High Representative for the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy. Earlier in his career, he was Head of the Europe Division at the Federal Foreign Office (1997–1999), after serving in the ministerial office of Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel from 1993 to 1997. In 1988, he was appointed Personal Assistant to the Coordinator for Franco-German Cooperation, following earlier postings at the German Consulate in Chicago and the German Embassy in Paris. Ambassador Heusgen joined the German Foreign Service in 1980. He studied at the University of St. Gallen, Georgia Southern College in the United States, and the Sorbonne in Paris, earning his doctorate at the University of St. Gallen, where he is a honorary professor and currently teaches political science.

Thomas Buberl has held the position of CEO and Director of AXA since 2016. He began his professional journey at the Boston Consulting Group and has held various executive positions on the management boards of both AXA Group and several AXA subsidiaries. In addition to his role at AXA, Mr Buberl serves as a member of the Supervisory Board of Bertelsmann and is a part of the Directors and Corporate Governance Committee of IBM. He earned his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of St.Gallen.

Patrick Rapp is the State Secretary at the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour, and Tourism of Baden-Württemberg, a position he has held since May 12, 2021. He also serves as a member of the State Parliament of Baden-Württemberg, having been first elected in 2011 and re-elected in 2016 and 2021. Previously, Dr Rapp held key leadership roles, including Chairman of the Rural Areas and Consumer Protection Working Group and Tourism Policy Speaker for the CDU state parliamentary group. Before his political career, he worked as a management assistant to the executive board in the food industry and as a personnel manager in the timber industry. In addition to his governmental duties, Dr Rapp is a member of the Tourism Advisory Board of Baden-Württemberg, serves on the advisory board of the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg, and is the honorary president of the Confederation of German Brass Instrument Associations in Staufen. Dr Rapp holds a degree in forestry science from the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg, where he also completed his doctorate at the Institute for Forestry Policy.

Christian Kohlpaintner has served as the CEO and Chairman of the Management Board at Brenntag since 2020. Brenntag is the largest global chemical distribution company with more than 600 sites in 72 nations and is listed in the German DAX-40 index. Mr Kohlpaintner’s extensive experience in the chemical sector includes his tenure as CEO and Chairman of the Board at Chemical Specialist Budenheim from 2005 to 2009. He also served as a member of the Executive Committee at Clariant from 2009 to 2019. In addition to his current role, Mr Kohlpaintner holds positions as a member of the Supervisory Board at Evonik, a member of the Board of Directors at the European Petrochemical Association (EPCA), and a member of the Board at the German Chemical Industries Associations (VCI). He holds a PhD in chemistry from the Technical University of Munich.

Katherine Maher has served as President and CEO of National Public Radio since 2024. She also worked for seven years as CEO of the Wikimedia Foundation, leading Wikipedia to its highest brand trust since its founding, navigating the misinformation crisis and global trust decline in media. Before Wikimedia, Ms Maher worked on rights, democracy, and innovation at Access Now, the World Bank, the National Democratic Institute, and UNICEF. Alongside numerous other engagements, Ms Maher is the Chair of the Board of Signal Foundation, responsible for the secure, private Signal Messenger app, and from 2022 to 2024 served as an advisor to the U.S. Secretary of State's Foreign Affairs Policy Board regarding issues of technology, governance, and human rights. In 2023, she was briefly the CEO of Web Summit and served on its Board of Directors. Ms Maher holds a degree in Middle Eastern and Islamic studies from New York University.

Felipe Paullier assumed his mandate as Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs in December 2023. He leads systemwide collaboration, coordination, and accountability on youth affairs, overseeing the UN’s efforts to strengthen meaningful youth engagement in the areas of sustainable development, human rights, and peace and security. Prior to taking up his post, Mr Paullier was the Director General of the National Youth Institute of Uruguay beginning in 2020, where he led efforts to engage young people in policy-making processes at the national level. Mr Paullier is a Medical Doctor by training, holding a Medical Doctor degree from the Universidad de la Republica Oriental de Uruguay and an MBA from Universidad Católica de Uruguay.

Jason Thielman is Chief of Staff to Senator Steve Daines, a member of the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. Most recently, he served as Executive Director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) for the 2024 election cycle, where he played a pivotal role in securing the Republican Senate Majority. Mr Thielman has been an influential figure in Republican politics, serving as Senator Daines’ top aide since Daines’ initial election to Congress in 2012. A proud native of Montana, he began his professional career as a Marketing Officer with Union Bank and Trust before transitioning into politics. By 2001, he had assumed the role of Chief of Staff under former Montana Secretary of State Bob Brown. His work with Senator Daines began in 2012 when he served as Campaign Chairman during Daines’ successful bid for the U.S. House. Following the election, Mr Thielman became Daines’ Chief of Staff, continuing to play a key strategic role as Daines successfully ran for the U.S. Senate in 2013. When Senator Daines was elected Chairman of the NRSC, Thielman was tapped as Executive Director, overseeing all operational aspects of the committee with the mission of reclaiming the Senate majority. Jason resides in Alexandria, VA, with his wife, Erin, and their three children, Alexander, Abigail, and Andrew.

Miguel Ángel López Borrego has served as the CEO and Chairman of the Board at thyssenkrupp since June 2023. Thyssenkrupp is a global industrial and technology company, employing over 100,000 people worldwide. In his present position, he holds overall responsibility for the Decarbon Technologies Segment within thyssenkrupp. Prior to his current role at thyssenkrupp, Mr. López was the CEO of Norma Group from 2022 to 2023, and the CEO of Siemens in Spain from 2018 to 2022. Miguel Borrego López earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from DHBW Mannheim and an MBA from the Global MBA Program, which includes studies at universities in Toronto, Erfstadt, Linz, and Shanghai. Additionally, he completed the Siemens Top Management Program in Munich and Singapore.

Prof. Simon J. Evenett is Professor of Geopolitics and Strategy at IMD and Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Trade and Investment. Prior to joining IMD in 2024, he served as Professor of International Trade and Economic Development at the University of St.Gallen from 2011. An internationally recognized expert on trade, investment, and geopolitical dynamics, Prof. Evenett has developed several policy intelligence initiatives that provide real-time insights into global legal, policy, and regulatory developments. In 2023, he launched the Crux of Capitalism initiative, offering valuable insights into the performance of firms and sectors in 21 major economies. In 2020, he co-founded the St. Gallen Endowment for Prosperity Through Trade (SGEPT) in collaboration with the Max Schmidheiny Foundation and the University of St.Gallen. SGEPT currently hosts three leading independent commercial policy monitoring initiatives: the Global Trade Alert, a key resource for assessing trade tensions; the New Industrial Policy Observatory; and the Digital Policy Alert. He has also taught at the University of Oxford and served twice as a World Bank official. Prof. Evenett holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Cambridge and a PhD from Yale University, and he has authored over 200 publications for academic, policy, and business audiences.

Tim Scharwath is the CEO of DHL Global Forwarding, Freight, a role he has held since June 2017. He also serves as a member of the Board of Management at Deutsche Post DHL Group, with his current term extending until May 2030. Before joining Deutsche Post DHL Group, Mr Scharwath spent over two decades at Kuehne + Nagel International AG. During his tenure, he held several key positions, including Executive Vice President for Air Logistics, Regional President for North West Europe, and Managing Director for the Netherlands. Mr Scharwath holds a degree in business administration from the University of Hamburg.

Miljan Gutovic has served as CEO of Holcim since May 2024, leading the company’s purpose-driven mission to deliver superior performance and value for all stakeholders while decarbonising building at scale. Immediately prior, Mr Gutovic was Region Head for Europe and led Holcim’s Operational Excellence organisation, advancing renewable energy use and driving decarbonisation across the group. Notably, as Region Head for Europe, he transformed sustainable growth into profitable growth by implementing a decarbonisation roadmap that achieved industry-leading EBIT margins and boosted demand for sustainable solutions, including ECOPact and ECOPlanet. Mr Gutovic joined Holcim in 2018 as Head of the Middle East & Africa. Before joining Holcim, he held various management roles at Sika, a specialty chemicals company. In addition to his role as CEO, he is a member of Holcim’s Group Executive Committee and serves on the Steering Committee of the Global Cement and Concrete Association. Mr Gutovic holds a bachelor's degree in civil engineering and a PhD in engineering from the University of Technology in Sydney.

Stefan Paul has been CEO of Kühne + Nagel International AG since August 2022 and previously served as EVP of Road Logistics and Sales from 2020 to 2022 and EVP of Road Logistics from 2013 to 2020. Mr. Paul began his career with Kühne + Nagel, where he worked for seven years before joining DHL. Before returning to Kühne + Nagel in 2013, Paul spent more than 12 years with DHL and served as CEO of DHL Freight Germany from 2010 to 2013 and Senior VP of marketing and Sales from 2010 to 2013.

Nabeel Al-Amudi is the CEO of Olayan Financing Company, one of the largest family-owned businesses in the Middle East. Previously, he served as Saudi Arabia's Minister of Transport from 2017 to 2019. Before that, he held the roles of President and Vice Chairman of the Saudi Ports Authority from 2015 to 2017. Prior to his government work, Al-Amudi had a notable career at Saudi Aramco, where he worked in the legal department, led long-term strategic planning, and ultimately became President of Saudi Aramco's North American subsidiary. Currently, he chairs Mobily, the Kingdom’s second-largest mobile operator, and serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University, while also holding a board position at Olayan Saudi Holding Company. Nabeel has a JD from Harvard Law School and a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Stanford University. In Addition, he completed the Stanford Business Executive Program in 2009.

Before assuming his role as Chair of the Board at Rio Tinto in 2022, Dominic Barton served as the Ambassador of Canada to the People’s Republic of China from 2019 to 2021. With his vast experience in Asia, he represented Canadian interests and fostered dialogue with Canada’s second-largest trade partner. From 2009 to 2018, Mr Barton held the position of Global Managing Director at McKinsey & Company. Before becoming Global Managing Partner, he served as McKinsey’s Chairman in Asia. Additionally, Mr Barton is an Adjunct Professor at Tsinghua University in China, and since 2019, he serves as one of three Conference Chairpersons of the St. Gallen Symposium. He holds a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of British Columbia and a master's degree in economics from Oxford University, where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar.

André Hoffmann is the Vice Chairman of Roche Holding AG. Alongside his roles in the family business, he serves on the Board of SystemIQ, helping drive positive disruption in economic systems, and sits on the Board of Trustees of the World Economic Forum. He is also President of W.A. de Vigier Stiftung and Vice Chairman of the Board of the Venture Foundation, supporting entrepreneurship and innovation. Mr Hoffmann has a distinguished career in nature conservation and sustainability. He is the President of Fondation Tour du Valat, a world-renowned institute dedicated to wetland conservation, and serves on the boards of Capitals Coalition, b-Team, Peace Parcs, and the Givaudan Foundation. Additionally, he helped establish the Hoffmann Institute at INSEAD, which is at the forefront of advancing sustainability in business education. Mr Hoffmann studied economics at the University of St.Gallen and holds an MBA from INSEAD.

Lieutenant General (Retired) Ben Hodges, the former Commanding General of US Army Europe (2014-2017) and Commander of NATO Allied Land Command in İzmir, Turkey (2012-2014), currently serves as NATO Senior Mentor for Logistics and is a Distinguished Fellow with GLOBSEC. He also serves pro bono on several civic advocacy Boards, including Renew Democracy Initiative, Atlantik Bruecke, Arthur Burns Fellowship, Razom, Spirit of America, and Warsaw Security Forum. Additionally, he consults for several companies on Europe, NATO, and the European Union, and he is co-author of the book, Future War and the Defence of Europe. Before his current roles, he was Senior Advisor to Human Rights First, a non-profit, nonpartisan international human rights organization based in the United States. Prior to that, he held the Pershing Chair in Strategic Studies at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA). During his career with the US Army, he commanded Infantry units at the Company, Battalion, and Brigade levels in the 101st Airborne Division, including the First Brigade Combat Team “Bastogne” in Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003-2004). His other operational assignments include Chief of Operations for Multi-National Corps-Iraq in Operation Iraqi Freedom (2005-2006) and Director of Operations, Regional Command South in Kandahar, Afghanistan (2009-2010). He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from the United States Military Academy West Point, whereafter he was commissioned as an Infantry Officer in the US Army in May 1980, and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Columbus State University. He retired from the U.S. Army in January 2018 and currently resides with his wife in Frankfurt, Germany.

Conrad Keijzer has served as Chief Executive Officer of Clariant since January 2021, leading the company’s innovation and sustainability efforts in the specialty chemicals industry. He previously held leadership roles at Imerys, where he was CEO, and AkzoNobel, where he led the Performance Coatings division as a member of the Executive Committee. Mr Keijzer is a Board Member of Neste, the European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic), and the American Chemistry Council (ACC). He holds a MSc in Industrial Engineering from the University of Twente and completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.

Prof. Bai Chong-En is Mansfield Freeman Chair Professor and Dean of the School of Economics and Management at Tsinghua University. His research areas include Institutional Economics, Economic Growth and Development, Public Economics, Finance, Corporate Governance, and Chinese Economy. Prof. Bai is Vice-Chairman of the 13th All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce and a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, the “14th Five-Year Plan” National Development Planning Expert Committee, the Chinese Economists 50 Forum, the China Finance 40 Forum, and Chinainfo 100. He is also Chairman of the Academic Committee of China Wealth Management 50 Forum and was a member of the monetary policy committee of the People’s Bank of China from 2015 to 2018. Prof. Bai served as Adjunct Vice-President of Beijing State-Owned Assets Management Co., Ltd. from 2011 to 2012 and was a non-resident Senior Fellow of the Brookings Institution from 2006 to 2007. Prof. Bai earned his PhD in Economics from Harvard University.

Nighat Dad is a prominent civil rights attorney and leading women’s rights advocate in Pakistan. She founded and serves as Executive Director of the Digital Rights Foundation, established in 2012 to combat online harassment of women and now advocating for human rights, freedom of expression, and inclusive digital governance. A trailblazer in digital rights and women’s activism, she has championed internet access for marginalized groups in global majority. Recognized globally, Nighat was named a TIME Next Generation Leader in 2015, received the Human Rights Tulip Award in 2016, and became a TED Global Fellow in 2017. She serves on several national and international boards, including UNSG AI High-Level Advisory Body, Meta’s Oversight Board, Microsoft’s Advisory Council on Technology and Human Rights, and as Vice President of the Forum on Information and Democracy.

Prof. John Kay is a renowned economist and author celebrated for his contributions to public policy and economic thought. He is a Fellow of the British Academy, the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and St John's College, Oxford. Over the course of his distinguished career, he has held prestigious roles, including professor at London Business School, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, and visiting professor at the London School of Economics. Prof. Kay has significantly shaped economic policy, most notably through his leadership of the Kay Review of UK Equity Markets and Long-Term Decision-Making, commissioned by the UK government in 2011. His influential recommendations have helped align financial markets with long-term economic goals. An accomplished writer, Prof. Kay is the author of several highly regarded books, including “The Long and the Short of It”, “Other People's Money”, and his most recent work, “Cooperation in the 21st Century”, which examines the role of collaboration in addressing global challenges. Prof. Kay studied economics at the University of Edinburgh and earned a DPhil from Nuffield College, Oxford.

Bineta Diop is the Founder and President of Femmes Africa Solidarité, an international NGO dedicated to promoting peace, security, and development in Africa, and a Member of the Board of the Hunger Project. Since 2014, she has served as the Special Envoy of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission on Women, Peace and Security. Ms. Diop has led numerous peace-building programmes to enhance women’s participation in peace processes. She played an instrumental role in achieving gender parity within the African Union Commission in 2003, the adoption of the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa (2004), and the adoption of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (2003) by the African Union. Ms. Diop studied Management in Paris, France and Public Relations and Communication in Lausanne, Switzerland. She received an Honorary Doctorate from the United Nations-mandated University for Peace in 2012 and an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Middlesex in London, UK, in 2014.

Nico has been working with Asia Society Switzerland since its inception in 2016 – as Head of Programming, Co-Executive Director, and since April 2021 as sole Executive Director. A medieval historian by training (really), he previously worked for Swiss newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung, founded the global entrepreneurial community Sandbox, and ran business development for Swiss startup Mila.

Lord Griffiths of Fforestfach is a member of the House of Lords in the UK Parliament and the former Vice-Chairman of Goldman Sachs International. He was educated and afterward taught at the London School of Economics from 1965 to 1976, became Professor at City University in 1976 and held the position of Dean of the University’s Business School from 1982 to 1985. He served as a Director of the Bank of England from 1983 to 1985, Head of the Prime Minister’s Policy Unit from 1985 to 1990, and was the special advisor to the Prime Minister for Domestic Policy Making. Lord Brian Griffiths serves as one of three Conference Chairpersons of the St. Gallen Symposium.

Nick Studer is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Oliver Wyman Group, a position he has held since July 2021. He also serves as a Vice Chair of Marsh McLennan and is a member of its Executive Committee. Previously at Oliver Wyman, Mr Studer has held key leadership roles, including Managing Partner of the Consumer, Industrial, and Services Practice and the Financial Services Practice. Furthermore, Mr Studer is a strong advocate for diversity, serving as executive sponsor of Oliver Wyman's racial and ethnic diversity initiatives. A founding director of TheCityUK and advisor to the FICC Markets Standards Board, he has worked extensively with senior executives and government leaders on governance, strategy, and public policy. Mr Studer holds an honors degree in Manufacturing Engineering from the University of Cambridge.

Barnaby Skinner is the Deputy Editor-in-Chief at Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ) in Zurich, Switzerland, a position he has held since September 2024. Prior to his role as Debuty Editor-in-Chief at NZZ, Mr Skinner led the NZZ Visuals team, focusing on data-driven storytelling and visual journalism. He also served as Head of Data Journalism at Tamedia from 2018 to 2020 and worked as a data and innovation journalist at Tages-Anzeiger and SonntagsZeitung. Earlier in his career, he was a technology reporter at SonntagsZeitung and co-founded Opendata.ch, advocating for open data initiatives in Switzerland. Mr Skinner holds a degree in history from the University of Basel and is a graduate of the School of Journalism at Columbia University.

Philipp Navratil is the CEO of Nestlé Nespresso S.A., a position he has held since July 2024. With over two decades of experience at Nestlé and an extensive background in the coffee industry, he combines deep market insights with innovative strategies to drive Nespresso’s evolution in an increasingly competitive landscape. Prior to his current role, Mr Navratil served as Senior Vice President of Nestlé’s Coffee Strategic Business Unit from 2020, where he was responsible for shaping the global strategy and driving innovation for the Nescafé and Starbucks coffee brands. Before this, he led Nestlé’s coffee and beverage business in Mexico from 2013 and was Country Manager for Nestlé Honduras from 2009. He previously held various commercial roles in Central America after beginning his career at Nestlé in 2001 as an International Auditor. Mr Navratil holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland.

Prof. Arkebe Oqubay is a British Academy Global Professor at SOAS University of London. Prior to assuming this position, he served as Senior Minister and Special Adviser to the Prime Minister of Ethiopia from 2010 to 2021. With over 30 years of government leadership and policymaking experience, he played a central role in Ethiopia’s economic transformation. Prof. Oqubay has been instrumental in championing productive, inclusive, and sustainable industrial development, promoting private sector growth, and attracting record levels of investment into Ethiopia’s manufacturing and industrial sectors. His efforts have also fostered international partnerships with both bilateral and multilateral development organizations. Prof. Oqubay holds a PhD in development studies from SOAS University of London and a master’s degree in international relations from the University of Amsterdam.

Prof. Yan Xuetong is a distinguished Professor at Tsinghua University and the Honorary Dean of the Institute of International Relations (IIR) at Tsinghua University. A central figure in the development of the "Chinese School of International Relations," he is widely recognized as the founder of the international relations theory of moral realism. From 2012 to 2023, Prof. Yan served as the Secretary-General of the World Peace Forum (WPF), the first high-level international security forum initiated by a Chinese non-governmental institution. Established in 2012, the WPF is co-organized by the IIR and the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs (CPIFA). Previously, Prof. Yan served as the Director of the Institute of International Relations at Tsinghua University, where he also held the position of Chief Editor of The Chinese Journal of International Politics. Throughout his impactful career, he has authored numerous works that have profoundly influenced global debates in international relations. From 2014 to 2019, he was the only Chinese political science scholar included in Elsevier's Most Cited Chinese Researchers. His notable books in English include “Ancient Chinese Thought, Modern Chinese Power” and “Leadership and the Rise of Great Powers”, both published by Princeton University Press. His most recent work, “The Essence of Interstate Leadership” (2023), was published by Bristol University Press. Prof. Yan holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley, an M.A. in International Politics from the University of International Relations, China, and a B.A. in English from Heilongjiang University in Harbin, China.

Christoph Brand has served as Chief Executive Officer of Axpo Group since May 2020, leading Switzerland's largest producer of renewable energy. With extensive experience in the energy and telecommunications sectors, he has held key leadership roles including CEO of TX Markets, Sunrise Communications, and Adcubum, as well as Chief Strategy Officer at Swisscom. He is also Chairman of CKW AG and a Board Member at AMAG Group AG. Mr Brand holds a degree in economics from the University of Bern and completed the Advanced Management Programme at INSEAD.

Ruth Metzler-Arnold is the President of Swiss Olympic and a seasoned leader with extensive experience in politics, business, and governance. She previously served as a member of the Swiss Federal Council, where she led the Federal Department of Justice and Police (EJPD) and held the position of Vice President of the Swiss Confederation. Before that, she was a member of the Government Council of the Canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden, serving as Finance Director. Ms Metzler-Arnold has held various leadership roles in the private sector, including positions at Novartis as Head of Investor Relations and General Counsel for Novartis France, as well as a career in audit and advisory at PricewaterhouseCoopers. She has also served on multiple corporate and foundation boards, contributing her expertise in governance, crisis management, and transformation processes. In addition to her leadership roles, Ms Metzler-Arnold previously served as President of the Swiss Sports Aid Foundation. She studied law at the University of Fribourg and is a certified public accountant.

Lynn Kuok, PhD holds the Lee Kuan Yew Chair in Southeast Asia Studies at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. She is also an adjunct professor at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and a senior research fellow at the University of Cambridge. Currently, she serves on the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Geopolitics and previously served as a Council Member on its Global Future Council on International Security. Ms Kuok has held fellowships at prestigious institutions, including Yale Law School, Harvard Law School and the Harvard Kennedy School. She has also served as Editor-in-Chief of the Cambridge Review of International Affairs and the Singapore Law Review. Ms Kuok holds a PhD in Politics and International Studies from the University of Cambridge and a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.

Dan Draper is Chief Executive Officer at S&P Dow Jones Indices (S&P DJI), responsible for all aspects of S&P Global's index business globally. Before joining S&P DJI, Mr Draper held leadership positions across asset management, wealth management, and investment banking in New York, London, Hong Kong, and Jakarta with firms including Invesco, Credit Suisse Asset Management, Lyxor Asset Management, iShares/Barclays Global Investors, Goldman Sachs, UBS Wealth Management, and Salomon Brothers. Alongside his current role, Mr Draper serves on the Board of Advisors of the Center for Excellence in Investment Management at UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School and of the Boehly Center at William & Mary’s Mason School. Additionally, he is a Trustee of the Committee for Economic Development (CED) of The Conference Board and previously chaired the Index Industry Association. He holds an MBA from the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a bachelor's degree in economics from the College of William & Mary in Virginia.

Beat Tinner has been a Member of the Government of the Canton of St. Gallen and Head of the Department of Economic Affairs since 2020. The Department of Economic Affairs oversees areas such as public transportation, forestry, agriculture, economy and labor, and nature, hunting, and fishing. Before his election to the Government Council, Mr Tinner served as Mayor of the Municipality of Wartau from 1997 to 2020. Additionally, he was a member of the Cantonal Parliament from 2000 to 2020 and served as parliamentary group president from 2017 to 2020. His professional career began at a Swiss Bank, where he held various positions, including cashier, client advisor, and commercial specialist. Mr Tinner is a member of the FDP.The Liberals of the Canton of St. Gallen and actively participates in various political committees.

Mitsuyuki Tominaga has served as President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of ASICS Corporation since January 2024. He joined ASICS in 2018 as Executive Officer and Senior General Manager of the IT Division and later held roles as Chief Digital Officer (CDO) and Chief Information Officer (CIO), where he led the company’s digital transformation and innovation strategies. Prior to joining ASICS, Mr Tominaga held key positions at leading organizations, including Vice President and Executive Officer at IBM Japan, Vice President, Head of Services and Managing Executive Officer at SAP Japan, and President and Representative Director at Works Applications America. Mr Tominaga holds a bachelor’s degree from California Polytechnic State University and an MBA from Purdue University.

Marie-Chantal Kaninda is the President of Glencore DRC and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Kamoto Copper Company (KCC), a joint venture between Gécamines and Glencore in the Democratic Republic of Congo. She has over 25 years of professional experience in the mining sector, having held key leadership roles in major international groups such as Ashanti Goldfields, AngloGold Ashanti, De Beers Group, and Rio Tinto. Ms Kaninda is a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion, particularly focusing on women's access to education and greater inclusion in the mining sector. She founded the MCKM Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting education for girls in the DRC, and mentors several young women entrepreneurs in the region. In addition to her role at Glencore, Ms Kaninda serves on several boards of directors, including as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Standard Bank DRC. She has also been recognized as one of the most influential women by Forbes Africa for three consecutive years. Ms Kaninda holds a degree in economics from the University of Liège in Belgium.

Prof. Manuel Ammann is the President of the University of St.Gallen and a Professor of Finance. He previously served as Dean of the School of Finance at the University of St.Gallen and Director of the Swiss Institute of Banking and Finance. Known for his expertise in derivatives, asset management, financial markets, and risk management, Prof. Ammann has made substantial contributions to the field of finance. Before becoming President, Prof. Ammann was Chairman of the Board of Directors at Algofin AG and Neue Bank AG, and he also served on the Board of Directors of St. Galler Kantonalbank. He earned his master’s degree in computer science from Simon Fraser University in British Columbia and a PhD in Finance from the University of St.Gallen. Additionally, Prof. Ammann has held visiting professor positions at New York University and the University of California, Berkeley.

Peter Voser has held the position of Chairman of the Board of Directors at ABB since 2015. Prior to his role at ABB, he served as the CEO of Royal Dutch Shell from 2009 to 2013 and held the position of CFO from 2004 to 2009. Mr Voser is a member of the Board of Directors at IBM Corporation and Temasek Holding, as well as the Group Chairman of the Board of Directors at its subsidiary, PSA International. From 2005 to 2010, he served as a member of the Board of Directors at UBS AG, and from 2011 to 2019, he was a member of the Board of Directors at Roche Holding. Since 2013, Mr Voser has assumed the role of Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the St. Gallen Symposium.

Michael Rauchenstein is a News Anchor for SRF Tagesschau, a position he has held since August 2022. Prior to his current role, he worked as SRF's TV Correspondent in Brussels from March 2020 to November 2022. Michael has also served as a journalist for various departments, including the foreign and video editorial departments, as well as the documentary and archive departments. In addition, he has been a part of the team for the political talk show "Arena." Michael holds a Master's degree in Political Science from the Free University of Berlin and a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of Lucerne.

Angela Sun is a principal at the Hyland Group, where she invests in and advises early-stage to growth companies and family offices. An experienced leader across the private, public, and nonprofit sectors, she also serves on the Board of Directors of The Western Union Company, Cushman & Wakefield, Maxim Crane Works (an Apollo portfolio company), and Kero Sports. Previously, Ms. Sun was Chief Operating Officer and Partner at Alpha Edison, an LA-based venture capital firm. Earlier, she spent ten years at Bloomberg LP, most recently as Global Head of Strategy and Corporate Development, where she spearheaded emerging technology initiatives and led M&A and commercial partnerships across the company’s media, financial products, enterprise, and data businesses. She also oversaw Bloomberg Institute, serving 1,500 universities worldwide. From 2008 to 2014, she was Chief‐of‐Staff to Bloomberg’s CEO, leading corporate-wide strategic planning, new business development, and growth initiatives in emerging markets and Asia. Before joining Bloomberg LP, Ms. Sun served as a Senior Policy Advisor in the Bloomberg Administration and held roles at McKinsey & Company, J.P. Morgan, and the Henry L. Stimson Center (as a Visiting Associate). A graduate summa cum laude of Harvard College, she also holds a J.D. from Harvard Law School. She remains closely connected to Harvard, serving as Vice Chair of the Harvard Gift Committee, Class Chair of the John Harvard Society, and as a Director Emeritus of Women’s World Banking.

Nikolaus S. Lang is a managing director and senior partner in BCG’s Munich office and has been working for the firm since 1998. Nikolaus is the global leader of the BCG Henderson Institute, BCG’s think tank, global vice chair of BCG’s Global Advantage practice, and chair of the Center of Geopolitics, supporting clients on an array of globalization-related topics: geopolitics, global trade, supply chain resilience, international joint ventures, and digital ecosystems. He lived in Asia for ten years and has worked in most of the world's emerging markets. Mr Lang is co-author of the book Beyond Great: Nine Strategies for Thriving in an Era of Social Tension, Economic Nationalism, and Technological Revolution (PublicAffairs, 2020). His work has been featured in leading publications including the World Economic Forum (WEF) Agenda and Harvard Business Review. He is a regular speaker at global events including WEF Davos, Semafor World Economy Summit, and World Policy Conference. Mr Lang is Honorary Professor at the Institutes for Business Administration and Mobility at the University of St.Gallen.

Prof. Oliver Gassmann is Professor for Technology Management at the University of St. Gallen. He has published over 800 publications on innovation. His book ‘The Business Model Navigator’ by Financial Times, rapidly became an international bestseller. He has been Research Fellow at Berkeley (2007), Stanford (2012), and Harvard (2016). In 2014, he was awarded the prestigious Scholarly Impact Award by the Journal of Management. Prof. Gassmann is worldwide among the top 3 most cited researchers in the field of “Business Models” and “R&D Management” (Google Scholar). He is also active in several boards of international companies.

Anna Penido is currently the Executive Director for the Centro Lemann for Leadership and Equity in Education. Prior to that she was the director of the Inspirare Institute (2012-2020), and contributed to the creation of the Brazilian curriculum standards. She was the chief of the UNICEF field office for the States of São Paulo and Minas Gerais (2007-2010) and founded and directed CIPÓ – Comunicação Interativa (1999-2007), a non-governmental organization dedicated to guaranteeing the rights of children, adolescents and young people through the educational use of communication means and technologies. She participated in the Advanced Leadership Initiative at Harvard University (2011), the Human Rights Training Program at Columbia University (1998), and the Thematic Residency on Youth as Agents of Transformative Change at The Rockfeller Foundation Bellagio Center (2018). Anna is an Ashoka fellow since 2002.

Josh Zoffer is a Principal at Clocktower Ventures, a venture capital firm investing in climate tech and fintech companies, a senior non-resident fellow at Columbia's Center on Global Energy Policy, and a Policy Fellow at Stanford's Institute for Economic Policy Research. From 2023 to 2024, he served as Special Assistant to the President for Economic Policy at the White House National Economic Council (NEC). At the White House, he led the NEC’s work on issues at the intersection of climate, energy, and markets, including climate technology investment, climate-related financial risk, carbon markets, energy security, and energy-related sanctions. He also worked closely on trade and supply chain issues, including China-related trade policy. From 2021 to 2023, Zoffer served at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, most recently as Senior Advisor to the Deputy Secretary. In that capacity, he served as the Deputy Secretary’s principal advisor on economic and foreign policy issues and as his chief speechwriter. He played a key role in many of the Treasury Department’s signature policies during this period, including the design and negotiation of the price cap on Russian oil and the implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act. He also co-led the negotiation of the U.S.-Japan Critical Minerals Agreement. He is a recipient of the Treasury Medal. Zoffer also served on both the Biden-Harris Presidential Transition Team and the Clinton-Kaine Presidential Transition Team and advised the Biden-Harris campaign on economic policy issues. Before serving in government, he worked at Cove Hill Partners, a technology-focused private equity firm, and in McKinsey & Company’s New York Office. He holds an A.B. in Social Studies from Harvard University and a J.S. from Yale Law School.

Prof. Scott D. Anthony is a Clinical Professor of Strategy at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College and a Senior Advisor at Innosight. At Dartmouth, his research and teaching focus on the adaptive challenges of disruptive change. Scott’s next book—his ninth—is slated to be published by Harvard Business Review Press in 2025, with the provisional title Anomalies Wanted: A Brief History of Disruption. Before joining the Tuck School of Business, Prof. Anthony spent over 20 years at Innosight, a growth strategy consultancy founded by Harvard Business School professor Clayton Christensen. He became a Senior Advisor in 2024 after serving as Managing Director of Innosight Consulting Asia-Pacific from 2009 to 2022, where he built out Innosight's presence in the region. Additionally, between 2012 and 2018, he served two terms as Global Managing Partner, a period during which Innosight doubled its global business, expanded to Europe, and was acquired by Huron. An internationally recognized expert and dynamic keynote speaker on navigating disruptive change, Scott has been at the forefront of strategic transformation. He has helped major global organizations navigate tumultuous changes, held board roles at public and private companies, delivered keynote addresses on six continents, and worked closely with CEOs at numerous global organizations. He holds a bachelor's degree in economics from Dartmouth College, an MBA from Harvard Business School, and an Executive Master in Change (EMC) from INSEAD.

Sebastian Ramspeck has been working for Swiss Television SRF as an international correspondent and host of the foreign affairs magazine "#SRFglobal" since 2020. He covers events such as meetings of the UN and NATO and regularly appears as an expert on global political issues. Mr Ramspeck studied international relations in Geneva, European law in Zurich, and is a graduate of the Henri-Nannen School of Journalism in Hamburg. He began his professional career in federal administration, initially at the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Seco) and later in a security policy staff unit of the Federal Council. As a journalist, Mr Ramspeck worked for various media outlets at home and abroad, including "Der Spiegel" and "Sonntagszeitung". He has been with SRF since 2012, initially as a reporter and from 2014 to 2020 as a correspondent in Brussels.

Cathryn Clüver Ashbrook serves as Executive Vice President at Bertelsmann Stiftung and, as a transatlantic policy expert, is leading two of the foundation’s important initiatives: the German-American Future Forum and a high-level strategy group on Europe. She formerly served as both Director and CEO of the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP). Until 2021, Cathryn Clüver Ashbrook was the Executive Director of the Future of Diplomacy Project at Harvard University’s Belfer Center and the Executive Director of the Project on Europe and the Transatlantic Relationship at Harvard Kennedy School.

Florian Schick is the President of Merck Switzerland and General Manager of Merck (Schweiz) AG, roles he has held since 2022. He also chairs the Swiss Country Council. Prior to these roles, Mr Schick led the Neurology Business Unit in Germany and has been with Merck for over a decade in various local and global commercial leadership positions. Before joining Merck, he began his career at Pfizer and McKinsey & Company. Throughout his career, he has been dedicated to driving innovation and fostering strategic growth in the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors. Beyond his responsibilities at Merck, Mr Schick is the co-founder of Family Forward, an initiative promoting family-friendly workplace policies, and is a strong ally for diversity and gender equity in the workplace. Florian studied General Management and Supply Chain Management in Germany, Spain (Universidad de Zaragoza), Mexico (ITESM), and the USA (MIT).

Carlos Alvarez Pereira is the Secretary General of the Club of Rome, a position he has held since December 2023. Before assuming this role, he served as Vice President of the Club of Rome, bringing over 30 years of experience in research, innovation, entrepreneurship, and business management. He is passionate about cultural transformation for equitable human well-being and a healthy biosphere. Mr Pereira is a member of several esteemed organizations, including the International Bateson Institute's Advisory Board and the World Academy of Art and Science. He holds an MSc in Aerospace Engineering and is the founder of the Innaxis Foundation & Research Institute.

Johanna Gollnhofer is an Associate Professor of Marketing and the Managing Director of the Institute for Marketing and Customer Insight at the University of St. Gallen (IMC-HSG), where she also serves as Associate Dean for Quality Development. She is an expert in qualitative approaches, particularly ethnography, in consumer research and focuses on future topics in the retail and healthcare industry and the sharing economy. Her research has been published in various international journals, including the Journal of Consumer Research, the Journal of Business Research, and the Journal of Public Policy & Marketing. Previously, she was an Assistant Professor of Marketing at the University of Southern Denmark from 2016 to 2019 and a visiting doctoral and postdoctoral researcher at Aalto University (Helsinki, Finland) from 2015 to 2016. She holds a Ph.D. in Marketing and Customer Insights from the University of St. Gallen and obtained a Master of Science in Business Administration and a bachelor’s in international cultural business studies from the University of Passau.

Gerold Riedmann is an Austrian journalist and media executive widely acclaimed for his contributions to modern journalism and media innovation. He currently serves as Editor-in-Chief of Der Standard, one of Austria's most prominent newspapers, where he leads editorial strategy and direction. Previously, he was Editor-in-Chief and Managing Director of Vorarlberger Nachrichten, a leading regional newspaper, and held leadership roles at Russmedia, focusing on driving innovation in the media industry. Mr. Riedmann studied communications science at the University of Salzburg and completed executive education programs at Harvard Business School.

Claudia Franziska Brühwiler is a Professor of American Political Thought and Culture at the University of St.Gallen. Her research interests encompass a broad range of topics with a particular focus on American conservative and libertarian thought as well as on the interplay of politics, literature, and popular culture. In addition to her current position and previous roles at the University of St. Gallen, Prof. Brühwiler was also a Visiting Professor at Keio University in 2016 and a Visiting Fellow at the Clinton Institute for American Studies at University College Dublin in 2015. Prof. Brühwiler holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in International Affairs and Governance, a doctorate, summa cum laude, in Political Science, and a venia legendi (PD; Privatdozentin) in American Studies from the University of St.Gallen. For her PhD dissertation, Prof. Brühwiler was awarded the Dr. Rudolf Mäder Prize for the best doctorate in law and political science of 2010 at the University of St.Gallen.

Cecilie Hellestveit is a Norwegian lawyer, social scientist, and author specialising in international humanitarian law and armed conflicts. She has conducted research with institutions such as the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO), the Norwegian Centre for Human Rights, and the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI), focusing on the laws of war, human rights, and Middle Eastern geopolitics. She also serves as an advisor at the Norwegian Institution for Human Rights, is a member of the Council on Ethics for the Government Pension Fund Global, and has contributed to governmental commissions on extremism. Ms Hellestveit is the author of several notable works, including “Syria: A Great War in a Small World”. She holds a Ph.D. in international humanitarian law from the University of Oslo.

Marco Tittler is the Landesrat (Provincial Councillor) for Economic Affairs in Vorarlberg, a position he has held since November 6, 2019. In this role, he oversees economic and labor market policies, economic law, housing subsidies, spatial planning, building law, municipal development, telecommunications, and tourism. Before his appointment as Landesrat, Mr Tittler served as Deputy Director of the Vorarlberg Economic Chamber from 2018 to 2019 and led the Economic Policy Department from 2014 to 2019. He began his career at the Vorarlberg Economic Chamber in 2005, holding various positions, including Head of the Energy and Environmental Policy Department. Mr Tittler is also a member of several boards, including serving as Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Wirtschafts-Standort Vorarlberg GmbH and as a board member of VIVIT, the Vorarlberg Institute for Vascular Investigation and Treatment. He holds a degree in business administration (Mag. rer. soc. oec.) from the Vienna University of Economics and Business.

Tomas Casas Klett is a Professor at the University of St.Gallen’s Research Institute for International Management (FIM) and the Director of the China Competence Center. He also serves as the Index Director and Co-Author of the Elite Quality Index (EQx2023), a global political economy index. Additionally, he collaborates with the St. Gallen Symposium on its sub-index, the NextGen Value Creation Barometer. Prof. Casas Klett frequently leads international executive education programmes and courses at leading business schools in China, including Tsinghua SEM, Fudan University FDSM, and Shanghai Jiaotong University Antai. He graduated with honors from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, obtaining in parallel a Japanese language degree from Sophia University in Tokyo. Prof. Casas Klett later earned a Master's degree in Management from Fudan University in Shanghai and a PhD in Economics from the University of St.Gallen.

Kai Diekmann, is the Chairmen of the German Friends Association of the Israeli Holocaust Memorial Yad Vashem, served as Editor-in-Chief at Germany’s largest circulated newspaper, BILD, for 15 years, with a daily circulation of over one million copies. In 2017, following his departure from Springer-Verlag, he co-founded Storymachine, a public relations agency in Berlin, and established Der Zukunftsfonds, a digital asset management company. From 2010 to 2022, Mr Diekmann held the position of Non-Executive Director at Times Newspaper Holdings Limited.

Simon Thun has held the position of Global Chief Client Officer at Interbrand since 2022. He took this position in addition to his role as CEO of Interbrand for the region Central & Eastern Europe which he has held since 2017. Before joining Interbrand, he served as the Chief Strategy & Growth Officer at Saatchi & Saatchi Germany from 2014 to 2017. Prior to that, Mr. Thun was an Associate Partner at the international strategic brand and marketing consultancy Prophet and Managing Director of Prophet's office in Germany. He had joined Prophet through the acquisition of Noshokaty, Döring & Thun (NDT) in 2011 which he had co-founded in 2005 as a Boutique Management Consulting Firm. From 2001 to 2005, Mr. Thun was at BBDO Consulting (now Batten & Company), where he played a key role in building the Brand Management Practice.

Pranjal Sharma is an economic analyst, advisor and author who focuses on technology, globalisation and inclusive growth. He serves on boards of enterprises and global non-profit bodies which are leveraging emerging technologies for sustainable, equitable growth. His latest book The Next New: Navigating the Fifth Industrial Revolution, published by HarperCollins, is the first in the world to chronicle the impact of the fifth industrial revolution while quantifying the magnitude of revenue shifts globally. Previously he held leadership positions in economic media including as founding editor of Bloomberg TV in India.

Bruno Maçães is a Portuguese philosopher, journalist, politician, consultant, and author. He has authored several books, including "The Dawn of Eurasia," "Belt and Road: A Chinese World Order," "History Has Begun," and "Geopolitics for the End Time." His insights are regularly featured in publications like the New Statesman, where he serves as a columnist. Prior to this, he served as Portugal's Secretary of State for European Affairs from 2013 to 2015, representing his country during pivotal events such as the eurozone crisis, the first Ukraine war, and Brexit. He is a member of the European Council on Foreign Relations and serves on the Advisory Council for the Brussels Institute of Geopolitics. Dr Maçães earned his doctorate in political science from Harvard University.

Christoph is a chaired professor of strategic management at the University of St. Gallen, director of its Institute of Management & Strategy (IoMS-HSG) and academic director of its “Master in General Management” (MGM). Christoph was a board member of Helvetia (insurance, Swiss Stock Exchange) from 2007-2022, vice president of Hügli (food, Swiss Stock Exchange) from 2000-2018 until it was sold to Bell/ Coop Group, and co-founded SwissVBS, a digital solution firm in 2002, until it was sold in 2018 to BTS Global Business Consulting, Sweden. He is still active in the private equity industry with investments in later stage firms in the food and banking/ insurance industry.

Prof. Damian Borth is an accomplished scholar in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AIML), currently serving as the director of the Institute of Computer Science at the University of St.Gallen. His research focuses on large-scale machine learning to mine insights from multi-modal data streams for trustworthy utilization of Artificial Intelligence (AI) through accountability of deep neural networks. Prior to his current position, Prof. Borth was the founding director of the Deep Learning Competence Center at the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) in Kaiserslautern, where he was also PI of the NVIDIA AI Lab at DFKI. Prof. Borth is an active board member of the German Data Science Society, the advisory committee of the Roman Herzog Institute, the board of Sociovestix Labs Ltd, the advisory board of Avobis Data AG, and the advisory board of the HSG Institute of Behavior Science & Technology. He has also been involved in several steering and program committees of international conferences and workshops. Prof. Borth received his Ph.D. from the University of Kaiserslautern and the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI), and did his postdoctoral research at the International Computer Science Institute (ICSI) in Berkeley, where he was involved in big data projects at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. During that time, Prof. Borth also stayed as a visiting researcher at the Digital Video and Multimedia Lab at Columbia University.

Elisabeth Rizzotti is Co-Founder, Chief Operating Officer, and Managing Director (Italy) at newcleo, a nuclear technology company she established in 2021. Drawing on her physics background and extensive business leadership experience, she oversees newcleo’s global operations across France, the UK, Italy, Switzerland, and Slovakia, managing over 950 highly qualified employees. With more than EUR 537 million in private funding, newcleo advances its own ambitious project timelines while supporting the development of small modular reactor supply chains in Europe and beyond. Prior to newcleo, Ms. Rizzotti held several leadership roles in the banking sector. She served at UBI Banca—then Italy’s fifth-largest banking group by branch network—where she led innovation initiatives and was later appointed Head of Communications, guiding the bank through its incorporation into Intesa Sanpaolo. Before UBI Banca, she spent five years at Banca Lombarda, following a successful early consulting career with Accenture. Ms. Rizzotti began her professional journey as a physicist, working briefly at CERN and completing a degree in Physics from the Università degli Studi in Turin.

Johannes Bohnen is the Founder and Managing Director of BOHNEN Public Affairs, a leading firm in strategic communication, political analysis, and campaigning. In addition to his leadership role at BOHNEN Public Affairs, Mr Bohnen has held several prominent positions, including speechwriter for the Federal Minister for Education and Research and spokesman for CDU Brandenburg. Before founding BOHNEN Public Affairs in 2015, Mr Bohnen worked as the Head of the Government & Institutions business at PLATO Communication, and as Managing Director at Scholz & Friends Berlin, where he established the firm’s PR/Public Affairs arm, Scholz & Friends Agenda. Earlier in his career, he held roles at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), the NATO Fellowship Program, the WEU Institute in Paris, the Bertelsmann Foundation, and the office of the foreign policy spokesman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag. Mr. Bohnen holds a PhD from Oxford University. He has also studied at Harvard University, the University of Bonn, and Georgetown University, where he earned a master’s degree in international relations.

Francesca Romana D’Antuono (FRD) is an international pharmaceutical marketer turned changemaker. She has been the co-president of Volt Europa since 2021 and has been elected for two consecutive mandates. Under her leadership, Volt succeeded in gaining representation in 10 countries, from the municipal to the European level. This includes National parliaments (NL, CY, BG) and a delegation of 5 members of the European Parliament. A Global Bridges alumna, a selected participant in the Lucerne Dialogue basecamp and a speaker in prestigious endeavors like the Cambridge Union and the European Leadership Academy, FRD has been featured as an author and as a host in national and international news outlets especially focusing on democracy, migration, economics, AI and political strategy. In 2017 and 2018 she published two poetry books under the pseudonym Francesca Del Mar.

Samuel Huber is the co-founder of For Planet Strategy Lab, an organisation dedicated to generating value through participative strategizing. In this role, he collaborates with organizations to craft strategy prototypes that transform uncertainty into actionable plans. Prior to founding For Planet Strategy Lab, Mr Huber served as Strategy Director at the global design firm Goodpatch, where he was instrumental in promoting planet-centric design principles. His interdisciplinary background encompasses studies in sociology, economy, management, and design, leading him to explore innovative approaches that integrate strategy and design through prototyping. In addition to his professional endeavors, Mr Huber is a researcher at the Zurich University of the Arts, focusing on the intersection of design and strategic innovation. He holds a Ph.D. on the topic of "Strategizing as Prototyping" from the University of St. Gallen's RISE Management Innovation Lab.

Stephen Cornish has served as General Director of Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders, MSF) Operational Center in Geneva since 2020. During more than ten years of field experience, Mr Cornish managed several major MSF humanitarian interventions in contexts such as Chechnya, Sierra Leone, Georgia, and Peru. He has successfully negotiated humanitarian access to vulnerable populations in conflict settings across the globe and has played a lead role resolving aid-worker abduction crises and other emergencies. From 2008 to 2012, Mr Cornish sat on the board of directors of MSF Canada, before serving as their Executive Director from 2012 to 2017. He also worked with the Canadian Red Cross as manager of programs for countries in armed conflict, for CARE Canada as a policy and advocacy advisor, and for other international organisations with a focus on humanitarian and environmental issues. Mr Cornish holds a Master’s degree in global risk and crisis management from the Université Panthéon Sorbonne in Paris and a post-graduate diploma in conflict resolution from the University of Bradford.

Timo Blenk serves as Partner and CEO of Agora Strategy Group AG, a globally operating geopolitical strategy consultancy. His expertise lies at the intersection of business and politics with a focus on strategic issues in the industrial sector, strengthening resilience, and crisis management in the face of global challenges. Prior to his current role, he served as Secretary General of the Swiss Political Science Association from 2015 to 2018 and as a research assistant at the University of the German Armed Forces from 2014 to 2015. Mr Blenk holds a Master’s degree in International Affairs from the Free University of Berlin and Sciences Po and a PhD in International Political Economy from the University of St.Gallen.

Gudrun Sander is a Professor of Business Administration and Senior Lecturer with a special emphasis on Diversity Management. She is currently the Director of the Competence Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI) and the Research Institute for International Management (FIM) at the University of St. Gallen. For the past three decades, she has been committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in research, practice, teaching, and further education. Prof. Sander initiated the St. Gallen Diversity Benchmarking and the Gender Intelligence Report and launched the management training “Women Back to Business”. In addition to her work at HSG, Gudrun is a member of the Women’s Empowerment Principles Leadership Group (WEPs LG) of UN Women and UN Global Compact, as well as of the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) Working Group for Gender Equality. Prof. Sander completed her PhD at the University of St. Gallen in 1997.

Manas Chawla is the Founder and CEO of London Politica, which focuses on anticipating emergent macro trends and providing political risk analysis and forecasting to organisations operating in some of the most unstable regions of the world. Mr Chawla’s expertise lies in soft power, corporate diplomacy, and crisis management, and he has worked with prominent institutions such as the United Nations, the World Economic Forum, and the Red Cross. Before founding London Politica, he led The Youth Journal – a youth-led think tank that produced international affairs research for over 60,000 monthly readers. Mr Chawla holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science, a Master’s degree in Global Governance and Diplomacy from the University of Oxford, and is currently pursuing his PhD in International Relations and Affairs at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Nicole Hasenkamp is the co-founder of For Planet Strategy Lab, an organisation dedicated to creating value through participative strategising. In this role, she collaborates with organisations to develop strategy prototypes that address complex challenges with innovative solutions. In addition to her work at For Planet Strategy Lab, she is a strategy and organisation consultant at EBP. Ms Hasenkamp holds a master’s degree in management, organisation studies, and cultural theory from the University of St.Gallen, as well as bachelor's degrees in communication and media studies, economics, and political science from the University of Zurich.

Stephan Lendi has spent two decades serving as a Moderator and Voice Over Artist, lending his voice to radio and TV commercials, movies, TV shows, image films, and corporate productions. Additionally, he moderates Raumkultur TV and Zff72 at the Zurich Film Festival. Mr Lendi also shares his expertise as a rhetoric and moderating coach at Event Speaking and serves as an executive coach at Newbury Media and Communications Ltd. Mr Lendi holds an MBA from the University of Liverpool and received training in mediation at Harvard Law School and London School of Mediation, along with acquiring skills in conflict management and negotiations at the University of Cape Town.

Jan Riss serves as the Chief Economist and Deputy Director of the Chamber of Commerce St.Gallen-Appenzell (IHK), one of the world's oldest business associations of its kind. IHK represents approximately 1,700 companies, advocating for their interests in politics, administration, and society. Beyond his role at the Chamber of Commerce St.Gallen-Appenzell, Jan Riss is also a lecturer in economics at the University of St.Gallen. He holds a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of St.Gallen and earned his master's degree in applied economic analysis from the University of Bern.

Christian Opitz serves as the Head of the Competence Centre for Energy Management at the University of St.Gallen. His research focuses on strategic management in the utilities and waste management sector, business model analysis and innovation, as well as (mega-)trends and strategic positioning. Dr Optiz holds a diploma in business administration from the University of Mannheim, Germany, and a PhD in International Business from the University of St.Gallen.

Patrice Juah is a Liberian poet, author, and advocate for girls' education and women's leadership. She is the founder of the Martha Juah Educational Foundation, which promotes literacy and empowerment through initiatives such as "Sexy Like A Book." As an Executive Committee Member of Karanga: The Global Alliance for Social-Emotional Learning, she works to advance youth development worldwide. She also serves as a Visiting Professor of Global Civil Rights and an Adjunct Professor at IE University. Ms Juah holds a master’s degree in international relations from IE University in Spain. Additionally, she is a Mandela Washington Fellow and a Deutsche Welle Global Media Fellow.

Christine Scheef is an Assistant Professor at the University of St.Gallen, specializing in corporate governance and family business. She has published her work in leading academic journals and leads the St.Galler Owner Manager Forum, a platform for owner managers in Switzerland and Germany. From 2013 to 2019, she lived in Singapore, where among others she served as General Manager of the St.Gallen Institute of Management in Asia (SGI-HSG) and as Adjunct Lecturer at Singapore Management University (SMU). She earned her Ph.D. in Strategic Management from the University of St.Gallen in 2014. Prior to her Ph.D., she studied at the University of Tübingen, the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), and the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.

Nolita Thina Mvunelo has served as a Program Manager at the Club of Rome since 2022. In her role, she leads initiatives that aim to transform economic, financial, innovation, cultural, and intergenerational systems. Additionally, Ms Mvunelo serves as the co-director of The 50 Percent, a global platform enabling leadership and collaboration across generations for equitable and sustainable development. Prior to her current roles, she led a social enterprise incubator, co-created and contributed to youth entrepreneurial programs, and worked at an Ed-Tech start-up. Ms Mvunelo holds a degree in chemical engineering from the University of Cape Town, South Africa.

Abdullahi Alim is the CEO of The Africa Future Fund, which backs audacious ideas and individuals that are reimagining the trajectory of the continent. The organisation is premised on the idea of protecting the next billion Africans to be born in the next generation alone and ensuring demographic gains run commensurate with increases in living standards and industrialisation, while respecting ecological boundaries. Previously, Abdullahi led Project2030 at the International Chamber of Commerce which sought to develop insights on future risks to global business. Moreover, he led The Davos Lab at the World Economic Forum, the world’s first post-pandemic recovery plan for young people and future generations that consulted upwards of 2 million people and generated over 40 policies and recommendations. Mr Alim holds a B.Com. (Hons) in Finance from the University of Western Australia and a B.Sc. in Actuarial and Applied Statistics from Curtin University.

Fabian Buder heads the Future and Trends research group at the Nuremberg Institute for Market Decisions (NIM), a non-profit research institute at the interface of science and practice. NIM investigates how consumer decisions are changing as a result of new technologies, societal trends, or the application of behavioural science, and the resulting impact on the market and society as a whole. Mr Buder is responsible for the annual "Voices of the Leaders of Tomorrow" report, published by NIM in collaboration with the St. Gallen Symposium. In addition to his role at NIM, he is a Research Affiliate at the Institute for the Future in Palo Alto, USA. Mr Buder holds a degree in Sociology from Otto-Friedrich-University Bamberg, Germany, and earned his PhD in Agricultural and Food Marketing from the University of Kassel, Germany.

Bushra Amiwala is the first Gen Z elected official in the United States. She currently serves on the Skokie Board of Education as its youngest member and works as a Solutions Consultant at Google. Previously, Ms. Amiwala gained national recognition when she ran for the Cook County Board of Commissioners at the age of 19, advocating for underrepresented and marginalized communities. She has since become a leading voice in civic engagement and public service. Ms Amiwala has been recognized on Forbes 30 Under 30 and honored as Glamour magazine’s College Woman of the Year and Seventeen magazine’s Voice of the Year. She has received the Women’s Champion Award from the United Nations and has been featured on the cover of TIME magazine. Additionally, she has appeared in PBS, Amazon, and Hulu documentaries and on major news outlets, including Fox, CBS, NPR, ABC, and PBS. Ms Amiwala is currently pursuing her MBA at Kellogg, Northwestern School of Management.

Charlotte Emily Weishaupt is one of the three Presidents of the 54th International Students’ Committee (ISC), responsible for overseeing Partnerships and Participant Services for the St. Gallen Symposium. Her journey with the St. Gallen Symposium began in September 2023, when she managed partnerships with companies in the Legal and Finance sectors within Switzerland. In February 2024, Charlotte transitioned to the Participant Services Team. She is deeply inspired by the Symposium’s mission to foster intergenerational dialogue and mutual understanding. Alongside leading her team in the successful organization of the 54th St. Gallen Symposium, Charlotte is pursuing her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration at the University of St. Gallen. Beyond her academic and professional endeavors, Charlotte has a passion for playing the harp.

Luca Oberholzer is one of the three Presidents of the 54th International Students’ Committee (ISC). Beyond his ISC role, Luca is an avid enthusiast in the realms of global economic and political issues, as well as sustainable finance. His passion for fostering dialogue on matters that shape our world is matched by his commitment to fitness and sports, notably his enthusiasm as a football fan, which mirrors the energy and dedication he brings to every endeavour. Luca is currently pursuing a master’s degree in accounting and finance at the University of St.Gallen.

Richard Wäg is one of the three Presidents of the 54th International Students’ Committee (ISC), responsible for overseeing Innovation & Technology, Marketing, and Technical Operations. He joined the St. Gallen Symposium in September 2023, assuming responsibility for Innovation & Technology. Richard is deeply committed to the Symposium’s mission of fostering cross-generational dialogue and serving as a school of life for students. Currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration at the University of St. Gallen, he balances his studies with a passion for adventure sports.