Guy Parmelin
Federal Councillor, Federal Council of the Swiss Confederation
Guy Parmelin is a Member of the Swiss Federal Council and has served as Head of the Department of Economic Affairs, Education, and Research since 2019. Parmelin also served as President of the Swiss Confederation in 2021 and Vice-President of the Swiss Confederation in 2020. Before assuming his current role, Guy Parmelin was Head of the Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports between 2016 and 2018. First elected to the Swiss Federal Council in 2016, he previously served as a Member of the Swiss National Council from 2003 to 2015 for the canton of Vaud. Originally from Bursins, Vaud, outside of politics and government, Mr. Parmelin is a master farmer and winemaker.
Oleksandra Matviichuk
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate 2022; Head of the Board, Center for Civil Liberties
Oleksandra Matviichuk is a fearless advocate for human rights who has dedicated her life to protecting democracy, especially in Ukraine and the OSCE region. She currently serves as the head of the Center for Civil Liberties, which was awarded the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize for its efforts to promote human rights and protect the fundamental rights of citizens, as well as its outstanding work documenting war crimes, human rights abuses, and abuse of power. Under her leadership, the Center for Civil Liberties has been at the forefront of promoting human rights values and documenting violations, making her an instrumental figure in the fight for justice and democracy. In recognition of her contributions, Oleksandra Matviichuk was also awarded the first Democracy Defender Award for "Exclusive Contribution to Promoting Democracy and Human Rights" by 16 delegations to the OSCE in 2016. She earned her LL.M. from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv in 2007 and became the first woman to participate in the Ukrainian Emerging Leaders Program at Stanford University in 2017. Her extensive experience in human rights and documenting violations during armed conflicts has led her to author several alternative reports to various international bodies, including the UN, the Council of Europe, the European Union, the OSCE, and the International Criminal Court.
Nicolai Tangen
CEO, Norges Bank Investment Management
Nicolai Tangen is CEO of Norges Bank Investment Management and is responsible for the management of Norway’s Government Pension Fund Global (“oil fund”) - the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund. Prior to assuming his current position in September 2020, Tangen was CEO and Chief Investment Officer of AKO Capital, which he founded in 2005. He also set up the AKO Foundation in 2013, which supports charitable initiatives to improve education, promote the arts and mitigate climate change. Earlier, Mr. Tangen was a partner and senior analyst at Egerton Capital and an equity analyst at Cazenove & Co. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in finance from the Wharton School and Master’s Degrees in the History of Art from the Courtauld Institute of Art and in Social Psychology from the London School of Economics.
Ricarda Lang
Co-Leader of Alliance 90/The Greens; Member of the German Bundestag
Ricarda Lang serves as Co-Leader of Bündnis 90/Die Grünen, the German green party focused on ecological, economic, and social sustainability, since 2022 and has been a Member of the German Bundestag since 2021. In her current role, she shapes the agenda and policies of the German “Ampel Koalition” and connects the party’s members of the government with the party’s base. Before assuming her role as party Co-Leader at the age of 28, she was the party's deputy leader since 2019 and led the party's youth organisation Grüne Jugend from 2015-2019. Ms. Lang’s political agenda focuses on social justice and climate policy.
Desmond Lee
Minister for National Development & Minister-in-charge of Social Services Integration, Singapore
Desmond Lee is the Minister for National Development and Minister-in-Charge of Social Services Integration for the Republic of Singapore. In July 2020, Mr. Lee was elected a Member of Parliament (MP) for the West Coast Group Representation Constituency (GRC). He co-chairs the Singapore Together Movement, the Emerging Stronger Taskforce, the Singapore-Tianjin Economic and Trade Council, and the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-city Joint Working Committee. Previously, as an MP for Jurong GRC, Mr. Lee served as the Minister for Social and Family Development from 2017 to 2020 and Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs and National Development between 2015 and 2017. Mr. Lee holds a Bachelor of Law with first-class honours from the National University of Singapore and a Master's degree in law from the University of Oxford.
Ayọ Tometi
Co-Founder, #BlackLivesMatter; Human Rights & Social Justice Advocate
Ayọ Tometi is an award-winning human rights champion, social entrepreneur and co-creator of #BlackLivesMatter, a movement nominated for a 2021 Nobel Peace Prize. Tometi is the first woman to receive the International Peace Honor in 2021, and has graced multiple TIME Magazine covers, including 100 Most of the Influential Women of the Last Century and 100 Most Influential People of the Year. Hailed as a new civil rights leader by both the grassroots and major media organizations such as CNN, BBC and the LA Times, she is respected for her track record as a millennial thought leader. While Tometi was the architect of #BlackLivesMatter social media in the early days she is now a sought-after consultant and trusted advisor for many companies, organizations and initiatives in the US and around the globe. An ardent futurist, Tometi has committed her life to joyfully and rigorously engaging people in both imagining and forging a better world.
Sal Khan
Founder & Executive Director, Khan Academy
Sal Khan is the Founder and CEO of Khan Academy, a nonprofit educational organisation, since 2008. Khan Academy has more than 145 million registered users and has been translated into more than 50 languages. Mr. Khan is also the Founder of Khan Lab School, Co-Founder of Schoolhouse.world, and Co-Founder of Khan World School, all of which are focused on making world-class, personalised mastery education accessible. In his book, The One World Schoolhouse, he outlines his vision for the future of education. He holds three degrees from MIT and an MBA from Harvard.
Mamphela Ramphele
Co-President, Club of Rome
Mamphela Ramphele is a world-renowned figure with an outstanding career as an anti-apartheid activist, medical doctor, academic, businesswoman, and political thinker. She has been Co-President of the Club of Rome since October 2018 and Co-Founder & Global Brand Ambassador of ReimagineSA since 2016. Previously, she served as a Managing Director at the World Bank from 2000 to 2004 and as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Town, South Africa, from 1996 to 2000. She obtained a medical degree from the University of Natal in 1968, where she co-founded the Black Consciousness Movement with Steve Biko and became involved in the South African Students Association (SASO). She also holds a PhD in Social Anthropology from the University of Cape Town, and a Bachelor of Commerce in Administration from the University of South Africa.
Prof. Thomas J. Jordan
Chairman of the Governing Board, Swiss National Bank
Thomas J. Jordan has been Chairman of the Governing Board of the Swiss National Bank (SNB) since 2012. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) and of the Steering Committee of the Financial Stability Board (FSB). Additionally, he is the Governor of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for Switzerland, Chairman of the G10 Central Bank Counterfeit Deterrence Group, a member of the Advisory Board of the Department of Economics at the University of Zurich, a member of the Board of Trustees at the ETH Zurich Foundation, as well as an honorary professor at the University of Basel. Mr. Jordan joined the SNB in 1997 as an Economic Advisor after completing his PhD in economics from the University of Bern in 1993 and conducting post-doctoral research at Harvard University.
Nelly Attar
Athlete & Founder, MOVE
Nelly Attar is a Lebanese mountaineer, entrepreneur, trainer, and former psychologist born and raised in Saudi Arabia. She is the first Arab woman to summit K2, the world's second-highest mountain, and has also successfully reached the top of Mount Everest in 2019 as one of the first three Lebanese females. In 2017, Ms. Attar founded Move Studio, Saudi Arabia's first dance studio, which enables women across Saudi Arabia to enjoy the beauty of dance and provides a new way of staying healthy and active. In 2020, the Muslim Women Network named her one of the most influential women in sports, while Sports 360 in 2019 named her the female fitness influencer of the year across the GCC. She holds a Bachelor's degree from the American University in Beirut (Lebanon) and a Master of Research from Kingston University.
Eckart von Hirschhausen
Physican, Science Journalist & Founder, „Gesunde Erde – Gesunde Menschen“
Eckart von Hirschhausen is a German Physician, Science Journalist, TV Host, Author, and Comedian. In 2020, he founded the foundation Healthy Planet – Healthy People (Gesunde Erde – Gesunde Menschen), promoting public awareness of the close interdependence of human and planetary health, with a focus on climate action. In 2021, Eckart von Hirschhausen published his best-selling book “Mensch, Erde! Wir könnten es so schön haben” which explores the threat to human health posed by climate change and identifies opportunities to improve health and well-being through climate action.
Dame Inga Beale
Chair of the Board, Mediclinic
Dame Inga Beale is the Chair of Mediclinic International, is a member of the boards of Willis Towers Watson and NN Group, and previously served as a Board Director of the Chartered Insurance Institute. From 2014 to 2018, Dame Inga Beale was CEO of Lloyd’s of London, where she developed a culture of innovation and inclusion, launched several diversity initiatives, and was instrumental in changing cultural perceptions within the firm and insurance industry. Before becoming CEO of Lloyd’s, she served as Group CEO of Canopius Group from 2012 to 2014 and as Global Chief Underwriting Officer at Zurich Insurance Company from 2008 to 2011.
John W. H. Denton
Secretary General, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)
John W.H. Denton is the Secretary General of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). He is a global business leader and international advisor on policy and a legal expert on international trade and investment. In 2022, Mr. Denton was appointed by United Nations Secretary General to represent the global private sector on the newly formed Steering Committee of the UN Global Crisis Response Group on Food, Energy and Finance. He currently serves on the WHO Foundation Strategic Advisory Group and the Global Task Force on Refugee Labour Mobility and is currently chair of the UN Business and Human Security Initiative of the London School of Economics and Political Science’s foreign policy think tank LSE IDEAS. A former diplomat, Mr. Denton co-led the Australian Government’s 2012 White Paper on “Australia in the Asian Century” and previously chaired the APEC Finance and Economics Working Group.
Esther Wojcicki
Vice Chair, Creative Commons; Author and Journalist
Esther Wojcicki is an internationally renowned educator, consultant, and global best-selling author. She is the Vice Chair of Creative Commons, Founder of The Trick Method, and CEO of Global Moonshots in Education, which is committed to empowering all learners with the heart, mindset, and skills necessary to address the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century. Ms. Wojcicki has also been intimately involved with Google and GoogleEdu since its inception, where she was one of the leaders in setting up the Google Teacher Academy. For over 38 years, she has been a teacher at Palo Alto High School, California, where she founded the Media Arts Program at Palo Alto High School and built one of the largest student journalism programs in the United States. Mother to three daughters (the former CEO of Youtube, a Fulbright-awarded anthropologist and the co-founder of 23andMe), Ms. Wojcicki has recently published the book “How to Raise Successful People”.
Stefan Paul
CEO, Kühne + Nagel
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.
Janina Kugel
Supervisory Board Member of Kyndryl, Konecranes; Senior Advisor, Boston Consulting Group
Janina Kugel is a Senior Advisor for the Boston Consulting Group and a Member of several supervisory boards, including Kyndryl. From 2015 to 2020, Janina Kugel was a Member of the Managing Board and Chief Human Resources Officer at Siemens. Prior to this role she was CHRO of Osram and hold various leadership positions at Siemens globally. In her role she focused on restructuring, transformation, the future of work and diversity.
She studied economics at the University of Mainz, Germany, and the University of Verona, Italy and holds a master’s degree.
C Vijayakumar
CEO & MD, HCLTech
C Vijayakumar is the CEO & MD of HCLTech, a leading, global technology company that provides transformative solutions and services to forward-looking enterprises. With nearly three decades of experience at HCLTech, Vijay spearheads the company’s strategic blueprint to leverage digitalization, the Internet of Things, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence, and is widely recognized for his strategic thinking and impeccable execution. Throughout his accomplished career, Vijay has held several other leadership positions at HCLTech, including President of HCLTech's Infrastructure Services Business. He played an instrumental role in designing and implementing India's first fully automated trading network at the National Stock Exchange. Additionally, Vijay is a member of the World Economic Forum's IT Governor's Community and a Board Member of the US-India Business Council. He is deeply invested in promoting sustainable business practices. Vijay holds a degree in Electrical & Electronics Engineering from P.S.G. College of Technology in Tamil Nadu, India.
Sophie Howe
Fmr. Future Generations Commissioner for Wales ('15-'22)
Sophie Howe is the former Future Generations Commissioner of Wales (2016-2023), where she provided advice to the government and public sector in Wales on delivering social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being for current and future generations. She has also represented Wales at the United Nations, the OECD, and several international forums. Prior to becoming Future Generations Commissioner, Sophie Howe was the first Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner for South Wales where she led programmes to tackle violent crime and violence against women and girls. She Holds a Bachelor of Laws in Law and Politics from Cardiff University.
André Hoffmann
Vice-Chairman, F. Hoffmann-La Roche
André Hoffmann is Vice-Chairman of the Board of Roche Holding Ltd., and Chairperson of the Supervisory Board of Capitals Coalition, a global collaboration redefining value to transform decision-making. A passionate conservation and sustainability advocate for over 50 years, Mr. Hoffmann is a Member of the Club of Rome, President of Fondation Tour du Valat, and served as World Wildlife Fund (WWF) International Vice-President from 2007 to 2017. Additionally, he is President of the Board of Trustees of the Givaudan Foundation, a Member of the Governing Board of the World Economic Forum, and a Member of the Board of Systemiq. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of St. Gallen and an MBA from the European Institute for Management (INSEAD).
Vanessa Nakate
Climate Justice Advocate
Vanessa Nakate is the Founder of the Rise up Climate Movement, which seeks to amplify the voices of African Climate Activists. In 2020, Vanessa Nakate travelled with four European climate activists to the World Economic Forum to hold leaders accountable for their lack of climate action. After having been cropped out of a news photo of the five activists, her statement “You didn’t just erase a photo - You erased a continent” spread around the world. In 2021, she was on the cover of TIME magazine, on the TIME 100 Next List, and published her book “A Bigger Picture”. Vanessa Nakate addressed world leaders at both COP25 and COP26 and was appointed UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 2022.
Erik Fyrwald
CEO & Executive Director, Syngenta Group
J. Erik Fyrwald is CEO, a Member of the Board of Directors, and a Member of the Sustainability Committee of Syngenta Group. Before becoming CEO of Syngenta Group in 2016, he served as CEO of Univar, a leading chemistry and related services distributor, from May 2012 until May 2016. In 2008, following a 27-year career at DuPont, he joined the Nalco Company, a leading water treatment products and services company, serving as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer until December 2011, when Nalco merged with Ecolab Inc. Following the merger, Erik Fyrwald served as President of Ecolab, a global provider of water, hygiene, and energy technologies. Erik Fyrwald also serves on the boards of directors of Bunge, Eli Lilly, the Swiss-American Chamber of Commerce, and the UN World Food Program Farm to Market Alliance. He is also Chairman of the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture and CropLife International. Fyrwald holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering for the University of Delaware and completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.
Tabata Amaral
Federal Deputy, Brazilian Chamber of Deputies
Tabata Amaral is a Federal Deputy representing the state of São Paulo in Brazil's Chamber of Deputies and a member of the Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB). In the Chamber of Deputies, she has served on the Education Commission, the Commission for the Defense of Women's Rights, and as an alternate member of the Science and Technology, Communication and Informatics Commission. Outside of her responsibilities as a Federal Deputy, Ms. Amaral has co-founded several organisations, including Vontade de Aprender Olímpica, which prepares Brazilian students to compete in international olympiads, and Movimento Mapa Educação, which promotes education equality in Brazil. In 2019, she was on the TIME 100 Next List and one of BBC’s 100 most influential women in the world. She graduated magna cum laude in Government and Astrophysics from Harvard University.Tabata Amaral is a Federal Deputy representing the state of São Paulo in Brazil's Chamber of Deputies and a member of the Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB). In the Chamber of Deputies, she has served on the Education Commission, the Commission for the Defense of Women's Rights, and as an alternate member of the Science and Technology, Communication and Informatics Commission. Outside of her responsibilities as a Federal Deputy, Ms. Amaral has co-founded several organisations, including Vontade de Aprender Olímpica, which prepares Brazilian students to compete in international olympiads, and Movimento Mapa Educação, which promotes education equality in Brazil. In 2019, she was on the TIME 100 Next List and one of BBC’s 100 most influential women in the world. She graduated magna cum laude in Government and Astrophysics from Harvard University.
Leonhard Birnbaum
CEO & Chairman of the Board of Management, E.ON
Leonhard Birnbaum has been CEO of E.ON since 2021, is Chairman of the Board of Management, and has been a Member of the Board of Management since 2013. From 2018-2021, he was responsible for the innogy integration project and served as Chairman of the Board of Management of innogy from 2019-2020. Mr. Birnbaum also holds several leadership positions in the energy sector, including President of Eurelectric, the European Electricity Association, Vice-President of the Executive Committee of the German Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW), Vice Chair of the World Energy Council, and a Member of the Executive Committee of the Federation of German Industries (BDI). Before joining E.ON in 2013, he was a Member of the Board of Management at RWE AG from 2008 to 2013. Prior, Mr. Birnbaum spent 12 years with McKinsey & Company, where he was a Senior Partner for the energy and industrial sector from 2006 to 2008. Leonhard Birnbaum holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Cottbus.
Cathryn Clüver Ashbrook
Executive Vice President & Senior Advisor, Bertelsmann Stiftung
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 is a former 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.
René Obermann
Chairman, AIRBUS SE; Managing Director and Co-Head of Europe, Warburg Pincus
René Obermann is Chairman of the Board of Directors of Airbus and Managing Director and Co-Head of Europe of Warburg Pincus Germany. Additionally, he is Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board at IONOS Group, a leading European web hosting and cloud company, and a Member of the Board of Directors at ISAT Connect Bidco (the holding company for the Inmarsat group). Prior to joining Warburg Pincus as an investment partner in 2015, Mr. Obermann was CEO of Ziggo BV in the Netherlands (2014) and CEO of Deutsche Telekom AG from 2006-2013, one of the biggest telecommunication companies in the world. René Obermann has also previously served as a member of the Board of various companies, including Allianz Deutschland, Spotify, and Telenor. In 2013 Mr. Obermann was appointed Officer of the French Légion d'honneur.
Bineta Diop
Member of the Board, The Hunger Project; Founder, Femmes Africa Solidarité
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.
Peter Maurer
Fmr. President, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
Peter Maurer is a Member of the Board of Trustees of the elea Foundation for Ethics in Globalization, President of the Board of the Basel Institute on Governance, and a leading voice internationally on humanitarian and related issues. He joined the Basel Institute in October 2022, after serving as President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for over ten years. Before joining the ICRC, Peter Maurer was the Swiss Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, in charge of five directorates and around 150 diplomatic missions around the world. Among other positions he held during his distinguished career with the Swiss diplomatic Service, Mr. Maurer served as Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York for five years. Peter Maurer is a Member of the Advisory Council of the International Institute for Strategic Studies and a Member of the Board of Directors of Zurich Insurance. Peter Maurer holds a PhD in History and International Law from the University of Bern.
Prof. Miriam Meckel
Chair of Communication Management, University of St.Gallen; Co-Founder & CEO, ada Learning
Prof. Miriam Meckel is Co-Founder and CEO of ada Learning, a start-up for continuing education in technology and future skills. She is also Professor of Communication Management at the University of St. Gallen and Director at the Institute for Media and Communication Management. From 2014 - 2019, she was Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of WirtschaftsWoche. At Harvard's "Berkman Center for Internet & Society", Meckel was a Faculty Associate for several years and has held numerous visiting positions at various universities worldwide. Previously, she was State Secretary in the portfolio of the Minister President of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia. Miriam Meckel received the Cicero Speaker Award in the category of science, published numerous books, scientific journal articles and journalistic articles. She was part of the "European Asian Young Leaders Forum" and was awarded the Eisenhower Fellowship of the USA and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Fellowship at the Center for European Studies at Harvard University.
Gerald Butts
Vice-Chairman & Senior Advisor, Eurasia Group
Gerald Butts is the Vice Chairman and a Senior Advisor of the Eurasia Group. Prior to his current position, Gerald served as Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of Canada, the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, from 2015 to 2019, where he was responsible for providing executive direction on the Canadian government's agenda. From 1999 to 2008, he served as Policy Secretary and Principal Secretary to the Premier of Ontario and from 2008 to 2012 as CEO of WWF Canada, where he was responsible for global projects to decarbonize the supply chains of multinational companies. He now serves on the global board of directors for the World Wildlife Fund. He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from McGill University.
Lisa Yasko
Member of Parliament, Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine
Lisa Yasko is a member of the Ukrainian Parliament (Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine), where she serves as Head of Interparliamentary Cooperation, Bilateral and Multilateral Relations, and is a member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. She is also a member of the Ukrainian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and served as Head of the Ukrainian delegation from 2019 to January 2021. In addition to her governmental roles, Ms. Yasko is the founder of Yellow Blue Strategy, an NGO that supports Ukraine's recovery and promotes the development of Ukraine's cultural diplomacy, creative economy, creative education, and public policy. Relatedly, she has over 10 years of experience advocating for Ukraine through public diplomacy projects abroad, including those that have received international awards such as Cannes Lions, Sabre, and others. In 2016, she was a scholar of the Caux Scholar Program, Initiative of Change, in Switzerland. From 2014 to 2015, Ms. Yasko was a scholar of the European Forum Alpbach and represented Ukraine at a Clinton Global Initiative University international young leaders program in 2014. Ms. Yasko was the first Ukrainian to earn a Master of Public Policy from the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford and served as President of the Oxford University Ukrainian Society from 2016 to 2017. In addition to her degree from Oxford, Ms. Yasko also holds an MA and BA in Political Science from the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.
Keith Enright
Chief Privacy Officer, Google
Keith Enright has been the Chief Privacy Officer of Google since 2011. He has over two decades of senior executive experience in data privacy/protection, information management, online advertising, and online and offline retail. His specialisations include, among others, information management, privacy program development and management, privacy law and policy compliance, and security compliance. Mr. Enright is a frequent public speaker and guest speaker at Harvard Law School’s Berkman Center for Internet and Society, Stanford Law School, and MIT. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a Juris Doctorate from The George Washington University Law School.
Daniel Grieder
CEO, Hugo Boss
Daniel Grieder has served as CEO of Hugo Boss since 2021 and is also Chairman of the Management Board. As part of a new growth strategy, Mr. Grieder is redefining Hugo Boss' brands to make them more relevant among young consumers and new markets and aspires to make Hugo Boss one of the top 100 global brands. Before assuming his current position, Grieder spent 23 years with Tommy Hilfiger and was CEO of Tommy Hilfiger Global and PVH Europe from 2014 to 2020, CEO and President of PVH Europe from 2013 to 2014, and CEO of Tommy Hilfiger Europe from 2008 to 2013.
Prof. Richard David Precht
German Philosopher & Author, Leuphana Universität Lüneburg
Richard David Precht is a German philosopher, author, television host, and podcaster. He is an Honorary Professor of Philosophy at Leuphana University of Lüneburg and an Honorary Professor of Philosophy and Aesthetics at Hanns Eisler University of Music in Berlin. His 2007 bestselling book “Who am I? And if so, how many?” was translated into 40 languages. Since 2012 he has been the host of the philosophy television series “Precht” on German TV channel ZDF and, since 2021, part of the popular podcast “Lanz & Precht” with journalist and talkshow-moderator Markus Lanz. Prof. Precht discusses current societal and political questions on both his television show and podcast. He holds a PhD in German literature from the University of Cologne.
Yasuhito Hirota
CEO, President, COO & Representative Director, ASICS Corporation
Yasuhito Hirota has been the President, CEO, COO, and Representative Director of ASICS since 2018. Previously, Yasuhito was Representative Director for Mitsubishi Corporation. He received an undergraduate degree from the School of Political Science & Economics at Waseda University.
Prof. Xue Lan
Cheung Kong Distinguished Chair Professor and the Dean of Schwarzman College, Tsinghua University
Xue Lan is an esteemed scholar who currently serves as the Cheung Kong Chair Distinguished Professor and Dean of Schwarzman College at Tsinghua University. He was previously the Dean of the School of Public Policy and Management at Tsinghua University from 2008 to 2018. Xue Lan is highly regarded for his expertise in public policy analysis, science and technology policy, crisis management, and global governance, and has published extensively on these topics. In addition to his academic work, Xue Lan has played a prominent role in Chinese government and international organizations. Among other roles, he is currently the Chair of the National Expert Committee on AI Governance, and a member of the National Committee for Strategic Consultation and Comprehensive Review. He also sits on the Advisory Group of STI Directory of OECD and serves as a Co-Chair of the Leadership Council of the UN Sustainable Development Solution Network (UNSDSN). Xue Lan has been recognized with numerous awards for his contributions to the field of public policy, including the Fudan Distinguished Contribution Award for Management Science and the Distinguished Contribution Award from the Chinese Association of Science of Science and S&T Policy. He holds a Ph.D. in Engineering and Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon University, has also taught at George Washington University, and is an adjunct professor at Carnegie Mellon University.
Christina Keller
CEO, Cascade Engineering Family of Companies; President, Noble Polymers
Christina Keller is CEO of Cascade Engineering Family of Companies, a family-owned business based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Cascade is internationally known for its Triple Bottom Line Report (People, Planet and Profit), inclusive culture, and community engagement. Ms. Keller is also President of Noble Polymers. Noble Polymers is a custom compounder of plastic pellets and a valued partner within the circular economy with operations in West Michigan and Budapest, Hungary. Cascade Engineering's EcoCart, which incorporates up to 50 percent recycled material, was awarded the 2021 Design for Recycling Award by the Institute of Scrap Recycling. Ms. Keller is deeply involved in the Grand Rapids community and received the Equity Champion Award in 2022 for her efforts to bring greater health equity to all Grand Rapids residents. She has also delivered multiple TEDx talks on entrepreneurship and sustainable business. Keller holds an MBA from Cornell University, with a BA from Boston College.
Prof. Bernhard Ehrenzeller
President, University of St.Gallen
Bernhard Ehrenzeller has been President of the University of St. Gallen since 2020 and Full Professor for Public Law since 1997. Previously, he was Vice-President for Research at the University of St. Gallen from 2003 to 2011. Prof. Ehrenzeller is a member of various academic associations in Switzerland and abroad and has close connections to legal practice. Since 2011, he has held the post of judge at the State Court of the Principality of Liechtenstein.
Peter Voser
Chairman of the Board of Directors, ABB; Chairman of the Board of Trustees, St. Gallen Symposium
Peter Voser has served as Chairman of the Board of Directors at ABB since 2015 and as Chairman of the St. Gallen Symposium’s Board of Trustees since 2013. Previously, Mr. Voser was CEO and Member of the Group Executive Committee of ABB from 2019 to 2020, CEO of Shell plc from 2009 to 2013, and its CFO from 2004 to 2009. Peter Voser is a Member of the Board of Directors of IBM Corporation, a Member of the Board of Temasek Holdings, and Group Chairman of the Board of Directors of its subsidiary PSA International Pte Ltd. From 2011-2019, he was a Member of the Board of Directors of Roche Holding Ltd., and from 2005-2010, a Member of the Board of Directors of UBS AG. He holds a degree in Business Administration for the University of Applied Sciences, Zurich, Switzerland.
Aditya Ghosh
Founder, Homage
Aditya Ghosh is the Founder of Homage Ventures and currently sits on the Board of Directors of Fabindia - India’s largest retail platform; and OYO, one of the world’s leading hospitality chains with a presence across 80 countries. Most recently, he was the CEO at OYO Hotels & Homes- India & South Asia, and the president of IndiGo airlines. Mr. Ghosh is also one of the Founders of Ashoka University, a Member of the Circle of Sponsors, and a Member of the Advisory Board at the Centre for Creative Leadership, the world’s leading education provider in leadership development. He has a keen interest in philanthropy and creating social impact in the areas of Education; Diversity & Inclusion; Health & Well-being; and Art & Culture.
Eunice Zehnder-Lai
Vice Chair, Geberit; Board Member, Julius Bär, DKSH Holding
Eunice Zehnder-Lai is a member of the Board of Directors for Geberit, DKSH, and Julius Bär since 2017, 2018, and 2019 respectively. Prior to her current roles, Zehnder-Lai was CEO of IPM Institut für Persönlichkeitsorientiertes Management from 2014 to 2018, where she oversaw solutions aimed at enhancing the efficiency of organizations with customers, teams, and employees. Prior to joining IPM, she held positions at LGT Capital Partners, Goldman Sachs, and Merrill Lynch, working in New York, London, Hong Kong, and Switzerland. With over 20 years of experience in the finance industry, Eunice Zehnder-Lai has worked in asset management, private wealth management, and corporate finance. She also has experience in marketing and brand management, having worked for Procter & Gamble. Zehnder-Lai received a Bachelor's degree and an MBA from Harvard University.
Prof. Jean-François Manzoni
President and Professor of Leadership and Organizational Development, IMD Business School
Jean-François Manzoni has been President of IMD and Nestlé Chaired Professor of Leadership and Organizational Development since 2016. His research, teaching, and consulting activities are focused on leadership, the development of high-performance organisations, and corporate governance. A Fellow of the Singapore Institute of Directors, he currently serves on the Board of Keppel Corporation, and prior, among others, served on the Boards of AACSB International and Singapore’s Civil Service College. Before re-joining IMD in 2016, from 2004 to 2010, he served as Professor of Leadership and Organizational Development on the IMD faculty. Prof. Manzoni served on the faculty of INSEAD in Singapore and Fontainebleau, where he founded and directed the PwC Research Initiative on High-Performance Organizations. He currently serves on several International Advisory Panels of industry bodies, academic institutions, and corporations.
Anahita Thoms
Partner & Head of International Trade Practice in Germany, Baker McKenzie
Anahita Thoms heads Baker McKenzie's International Trade Practice in Germany and is the Global Lead Sustainability Partner for the Industrials, Manufacturing and Transportation Industry Group. She is a Board Member of Atlantik-Brücke, serves on the National Committee of UNICEF Germany and advisory board member of the Sustainable Finance Council of the German Federal Government. Ms. Thoms has won various accolades for her work, including 100 Most Influential Women in German Business (manager magazin), International Trade Lawyer of the Year (Germany) at the Client Choice Awards and Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum.
Prof. Manuel Ammann
Professor of Finance, University St.Gallen
Prof. Manuel Ammann is a renowned scholar in finance, currently serving as a Professor of Finance and Director of the Swiss Institute for Banking and Finance at the University of St. Gallen. With a focus on derivatives, asset management, financial markets, and risk management, Prof. Ammann is widely recognized for his significant contributions to the field. In addition to his academic work, Prof. Ammann is a respected business leader, serving as the Chairman of the Board of Directors at Algofin AG and Neue Bank AG, as well as a member of the Board of Directors of the St. Galler Kantonalbank. Prof. Ammann holds an undergraduate degree in computer science from Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, and a doctorate in finance from the University of St. Gallen. He has also served as the Dean of the School of Finance at the University of St. Gallen and as a visiting professor at esteemed institutions such as New York University and the University of California-Berkeley.
Lord Brian Griffiths of Fforestfach
Conference Co-Chair, St. Gallen Symposium
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 - 1985. He served as a Director of the Bank of England from 1983 - 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 two Conference Chairmen of the St. Gallen Symposium.
Dominic Barton
Conference Co-Chair, St. Gallen Symposium
Dominic Barton is Conference Co-Chairman of the St. Gallen Symposium and has been Chair of the Board of Rio Tinto since 2022. Additionally, Mr. Barton is Chair of LeapFrog Investments and Chancellor of the University of Waterloo. Prior to his current roles, Mr. Barton served as Canadian Ambassador to the People's Republic of China from 2019-2021 and Global Managing Director of McKinsey & Company from 2009 – 2018. He holds a Master of Philosophy in Economics from Oxford University, where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar, and a Bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of British Columbia.
Fabienne Kinzelmann-Opel
Editor & International Correspondent, Handelszeitung
Fabienne Kinzelmann-Opel has been an editor and international correspondent for the Swiss newspaper Handelszeitung since 2022. Previously, she worked as a foreign editor at Ringier AG for four years, wrote for Blick and SonntagsBlick, was a live reporter for Blick TV, and authored a US-related newsletter on the most important topics of US politics. From 2006 to 2018, Fabienne Kinzelmann-Opel was an Independent Journalist for Der Spiegel, Frankfurter Allgemeine, and Deutsche Presse Agentur.
Prof. Uwe Krueger
Head of Industrials, Business Services, Energy & Resources; Head of EMEA, Temasek Holdings
Andreas Brandstetter
President, Insurance Europe
Andreas Brandstetter is President of Insurance Europe, the European insurance and reinsurance federation, and has been CEO of UNIQA Insurance Group AG since 2011. Prior to becoming CEO, Mr. Brandstetter held various management positions within UNIQA. Before entering the insurance business in 1997, he was head of the EU office of Österreichischer Raiffeisenverband. Andreas Brandstetter graduated from the University of Vienna in 1994 with a doctorate in political science and holds an Executive MBA from California State University, Hayward.
Cathy Desquesses
Group Chief HR Officer & Head of Corporate Services, Swiss Re
Cathy Desquesses is an experienced HR professional with over 20 years of experience at General Electric, Sodexo, and Swiss Re. She holds a Master's degree in Labour and Employment Law and is known for her expertise on issues related to people & organisation, leadership and change management. Ms. Desquesses’ impressive career includes leadership roles at GE's Oil and Gas Industry unit, GE Corporate, and GE Power. In her current position as the Group Chief Human Resources Officer and Head of Corporate Services at Swiss Re, she is a valued member of the Group Executive Committee.
Raynald Aeschlimann
President & CEO, Omega
Raynald Aeschlimann is the President & CEO of Omega, one of the world's top-selling watch brands. He has been leading the company since 2016 and is also a member of the management board of Swatch Group AG and Fed of Swiss Watch Industry FH. As CEO of Omega, Aeschlimann has introduced innovative strategies to attract new customers, better reach millennials, and revitalize the brand. He has also revived the Speedmaster and Seamaster collections, gaining tremendous exposure and increasing brand recognition even further. Prior to assuming his current position, he spent 15 years as Vice President of International Sales, during which time he successfully restructured distribution channels and rebuilt customer trust in the Bienne-based brand. Originally joining Omega in 1996, Aeschlimann's commitment to Omega's community and collectors is exemplified by the re-introduction of Omega’s chronograph 321 calibre, which was discontinued in 1968. He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of St. Gallen.
Florian Brokamp
Co-Founder & CEO, Thinksurance
Florian Brokamp is Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Thinksurance, a leading data analytics platform and technology consultant for Germany’s insurance sector. Mr. Brokamp and Thinksurance have received numerous awards, including CEO Today’s “Top CEO Global Award 2021” and Finance Monthly’s 2021 “Insurtech Firm of the Year”. In addition to his executive leadership, Mr. Brokamp is an active member in several entrepreneurial and mentorship/scholarship organisations. Before founding Thinksurance, he worked as a Senior Consultant for McKinsey. He holds degrees in Law and Business Administration from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München.
Peter Wuffli
Founder & Chairman, elea Foundation for Ethics in Globalization
Peter Wuffli is the Founder and Chairman of elea Foundation for Ethics in Globalization. elea was established in 2006 and has the purpose to fight absolute poverty with entrepreneurial means. In addition, Mr. Wuffli is Honorary Chairman of IMD and a Member of the Advisory Board of the elea Center for Social Innovation at IMD. He also serves on the Board of Sygnum, a digital asset bank in Zurich and Singapore. Furthermore, he is Member of the Board of Trustees of BlueEarth Foundation and the Vice Chairman of the Zurich Opera House. Previously, Mr. Wuffli was Partner at McKinsey & Company, CEO of UBS Group, and Chairman of Partners Group and IMD respectively. He earned a PhD in economics from the University of St. Gallen based on a dissertation on Swiss Direct Investment in Mexico.
Johannes Teyssen
Chairman of the Board of Directors, ALPIQ
Johannes Teyssen is a German business executive who has been Chairman of the Board of Directors at Alpiq since 2022. Before joining Alpiq, he was the CEO and Chairman of the Management Board at E.ON SE from 2010 until April 2021 and served as the Chief Operating Officer and Deputy CEO at E.ON SE from 2007 to 2010. Additionally, Mr. Teyssen previously held executive positions at E.ON Energie Ltd., including CEO of the European Division from 2003 to 2007 and CFO from 2001 to 2003. He is also a Director at BP plc in London, Viridor plc in Taunton, United Kingdom, and a Senior Advisor at KKR plc in London. Teyssen holds a Juris Doctor Degree from the Georg August University of Goettingen, Germany, and studied Law and Economics at the Universities of Freiburg and Goettingen, Germany.
Vivien Jain has been CEO of Aquila AG since 2021 and previously served as Head of Legal Compliance & Risk for the firm from 2014 to 2021. Before joining Aquila, Ms. Jain worked as a lawyer for Pwc in the Financial Regulatory Services department from 2010 to 2014. She holds a Master's in Law from the University of Lucerne, a CAS in Banking, Capital Market and Insurance Law from the University of Zürich, and completed the Swiss Fund Officer Course (Dipl. Swiss Fund Officer FA/IAF).
Prof. Klaus Wellershoff
CEO & President of the Board, Wellershoff & Partners
Klaus Wellershoff is the Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of the Board, and Partner of Wellershoff & Partners, an international consultancy firm focusing on global economics, financial markets, and comprehensive risk management that he founded in 2009. He was previously Chief Economist at the Swiss Bank Corporation and then at UBS from 1995 to 2009. Prof. Wellershoff teaches economics at the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland, and holds a number of foundation and board positions in science, culture and sport. Klaus Wellershoff studied economics and business administration at the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland, where he later obtained his PhD.
Thierry Burkart
Leader of FDP.The Liberals; Member of the National Council
Thierry Burkart has been the President of the Free Democratic Party of Switzerland (FDP) since 2021 and has been a member of the national council as of 2015 until 2019 and a member of the council of states since 2019. He advocates for individual freedom, economic liberalism, and international cooperation. Prior to his political career, he worked as a lawyer, and he holds a Law Degree from the University of St. Gallen and Lausanne.
Ali Aslan
International TV Presenter & Journalist
Ali Aslan is an internationally renowned TV presenter and journalist with over 20 years of experience as a talk show host, news anchor, correspondent, and moderator. His journalistic career spans three continents and includes work for CNN in Washington DC, ABC News in New York, Channel News Asia in Istanbul, and Deutsche Welle TV in Berlin. Ali Aslan regularly moderates at high-level global conferences and has shared the stage with top world leaders, including Angela Merkel, Emmanuel Macron, Justin Trudeau, Christine Lagarde, and Bill Clinton.
Marco Alverà is CEO of TES-H2, a worldwide champion for green hydrogen and a disruptive innovator in the energy system that is developing the first world-class European Green Energy Hub in Wilhelmshaven, Germany. Before assuming his current position in 2022, Mr. Alverà was CEO of Snam from 2016 to 2022, where he positioned the company as an international leader in green gas and green gas infrastructure. Between 2005 and 2015, Mr. Alverà held several senior positions at Eni, including Chief Retail Market Gas & Power. He is the author of “The Hydrogen Revolution”, selected as one of the FT’s best books of the year in 2021, and since 2017 he has been non-executive director of S&P Global, where he is also chair of the Finance Committee.
Prof. Mariana Valente
Assistant Professor of Int'l Economic Law, University of St.Gallen; Associate Director, InternetLab
Mariana Valente is an Assistant Professor for International Economic Law at the University of St. Gallen and an Associate Director of InternetLab, a think tank based in São Paulo that fosters academic debate around human rights issues and internet policy. Prof. Valente’s research focuses on the intersection of law, technology, and society, particularly in regulating the digital economy and fundamental rights in the online environment (with an emphasis on gender equality). She has also studied and/or conducted research at UC Berkeley, LMU Munich, and Yale Law School. In addition to her academic work, Prof. Valente is a member of the Brazilian Senate Commission for drafting an Artificial Intelligence regulation. She is a lawyer in Brazil and holds a bachelor's degree, master's degree, and Ph.D. in Law from the University of São Paulo.
Martin Reeves
Chairman, BCG Henderson Institute
Martin Reeves is chairman of the BCG Henderson Institute, BCG’s think tank dedicated to exploring and developing valuable new insights from business, technology, economics, and science by embracing the powerful technology of ideas. He is also a member of the BCG Henderson Institute’s Innovation Sounding Board, which is dedicated to supporting, inspiring, and guiding upstream innovation at BCG. Mr. Reeves is a regular contributor to HBR, MIT SMR, Fortune and other management journals on business strategy and management. A regular public speaker and a repeat TED@BCG presenter, he is co-author of “The Imagination Machine”, an executive’s guide to systematically harnessing imagination for corporate reinvention and rejuvenation. He holds an M.A. in Natural Sciences from the University of Cambridge and an MBA from the Cranfield School of Management.
Martina Fuchs
Business Correspondent, Xinhua News Agency
Martina Fuchs is an international TV Anchor, Business Journalist, Event Moderator, and Expert on China and the Middle East. Ms. Fuchs is currently a Europe Business Correspondent for the Chinese state news agency Xinhua, Commentator for China Radio International (CRI), International Consultant for the Lang Lang International Music Foundation, International Advisor for the St. Gallen Symposium, and Media Ambassador for the Montreux Jazz Festival China. Previously, she was a TV Anchor for CNNMoney Switzerland in Zurich, CGTN Senior Business Reporter in Beijing, and Reuters Economy Correspondent for the Gulf Arab region in Dubai. She holds a Master’s degree in International Economic History from the University of Geneva, Switzerland, a Postgraduate Diploma in TV Journalism from the American University in Cairo, Egypt, and a Master of Science in Global Finance (MSGF) from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and New York University (NYU) Stern Business School.
Veit Dengler
Founder, draw.solutions
Veit Dengler is the Founder and Managing Partner of Dengler Rauschütz Alderton Wagner Advisory, a specialised boutique advisory firm focusing on media, communications, entertainment, sports, and technology. Before founding the Advisory in November 2022, Mr. Dengler was a Visiting Fellow at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford in 2022. An experienced executive, he previously served as the COO of Bauer Media Group (BMG) from 2019 to 2021, Chairman of the Digital News Innovation Fund Council at Google from 2016 to 2019, and CEO of NZZ-Mediengruppe from 2013 to 2017, where he oversaw the Swiss media group's operations. Additionally, he is the founder of NEOS, a centrist political party in Austria, and has been a member of the advisory board for the Uniqa Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports social projects in Central and Eastern Europe, since 2018. Mr. Dengler holds an MPA in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School and a Magister in Commerce from the Vienna University of Business and Economics.
Michelle Gibbons
Director General, European Brands Association
Michelle Gibbons has been the Director General of the European Brands Association (AIM), which represents manufacturers of branded consumer goods in Europe on key issues that affect their ability to design, distribute and market their brands, since January 2018. Previously, she was Senior Vice-President and Senior Partner of an advisory firm in Brussels. She has served on the Board of the American Chamber of Commerce to the EU and, in a personal capacity, supports the Dublin-based NGO Women for Election, which aims for a more balanced representation of women in Irish politics.
Mike Grandinetti
Faculty Director for Post Graduate Programme in Innovation Leadership, Brown University
Mike Grandinetti is a faculty member at Brown, Harvard, and Rutgers Universities and has been continuously active in the fields of innovation, entrepreneurship, human-centric design, and digital marketing since the beginning of his career in Silicon Valley. He has also been affiliated with MIT for over 20 years in various capacities, such as senior lecturer, judge, and instructor. Furthermore, he is part of the MIT Sloan CIO Symposium planning team and a panel moderator. In addition, he has numerous affiliations with UC Berkeley and many cross-Berkeley Innovation programs, most notably as a Program Development Fellow for the Sutardja Center of Entrepreneurship and Technology and as a faculty member and judge for the Engineering Leadership Professional Program. Outside of his academic roles, Mike has served as a C-level executive of 8 successful enterprise tech startups and raised over $1B cumulatively. Mr. Grandinetti earned an MBA with distinction from Yale University and graduated magna cum laude from Rutgers University with a B.S. in Engineering.
Özge Aydoğan
Director, SDG Lab, UN Geneva
Özge Aydoğan was appointed as Director of the SDG Lab, at the United Nations Office in Geneva (UNOG), in November 2022. Özge joined UNOG from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation within the Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where she was previously in charge of multilateral affairs, including Switzerland's strategic partnership and institutional dialogue with UN Women. Before joining the Swiss Government, she worked at several UN organisations (i.e., UNICEF and UNDP) and international financial institutions (i.e., Word Bank and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development). Ms. Aydoğan is a Co-Creator of the Young UN policy lab on frontier issues and was awarded the Special Joseph Jaworski Next Generation Foresight Practitioners Prize in International Policy in 2018. She holds a Master's in International Affairs from the University of St. Gallen and a Master's in Sustainable Development from Science Po Paris.
Ryan Chilcote
Special Correspondent, PBS; fmr. Business Correspondent, Bloomberg TV
Ryan Chilcote is an award-winning independent TV Presenter & Correspondent with over 20 years of experience in broadcast journalism who is currently a PBS NewsHour Special Correspondent. Ryan is also the Founder of Ryan Chilcote Productions and Thirty Three Communications, where he helps individuals and businesses to effectively communicate with the public and financial community. Throughout his career, Ryan has reported extensively on commodities, finance, economics, and politics. He regularly moderates discussions on economies, energy, and investment at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Abu Dhabi, New York, London, Moscow, and Astana. At Bloomberg TV, Ryan reported across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, producing close to 20 documentaries, including hosting the award-winning 12-part series "Ryan's Russia". Prior to joining Bloomberg Television in 2007, Ryan was an international correspondent at CNN, reporting from around the world, including Russia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Ryan Chilcote's journalistic work has earned him numerous awards, including a New York Film Festival World Medal, a Clarion Award, a Golden Pen, a nomination at the Prix Bayeux Competition for War Correspondents, and an Emmy nomination for Best Story in a Regularly Scheduled Newscast.
Patrick Awuah
Founder & President, Ashesi University
Patrick Awuah is the Founder and CEO of Ashesi University in Ghana, which focuses on educating its students in ethical and entrepreneurial leadership and equipping them with compassion and courage to transform Africa. Before returning to Ghana and founding Ashesi University, he worked in the United States as a program manager for Microsoft. In 2017, Patrick Awuah was awarded the World Innovation Summit in Education Prize, recognising his outstanding contribution to education. Mr. Awuah holds an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley.
Péter Fankhauser
Co-Founder & CEO, ANYbotics
Péter Fankhauser is Co-Founder and CEO of ANYbotics, a Swiss robotics company and ETH Zurich spin-off specializing in the development of advanced legged robots for industrial inspection. Its ANYmal robots are powered by cutting-edge artificial intelligence and provide unparalleled performance to automate manual and hazardous tasks, enhance productivity, and improve worker safety. During his doctoral degree at ETH Zurich, Mr. Fankhauser developed mapping, planning, and control strategies for legged robots to climb over rough terrain autonomously. In addition to his PhD in Robotics from ETH Zurich, he holds an MSc in Robotics, Systems and Control.
Gyri Reiersen
Co-Founder & CPO, Tanso Technologies GmbH
Pranjal Sharma
Economic Analyst, Advisor, and Author
Pranjal Sharma is an economic analyst, advisor, and author with a focus on technology, globalization, and media. As a member of the Expert Network and former member of the Global Agenda Council at the World Economic Forum (WEF), he influences public debates on a global and national level. Sharma has authored several books, including "India Automated: How the Fourth Industrial Revolution Transforming India."His forthcoming book, "The Next New: Navigating the Fifth Industrial Revolution," quantifies the magnitude of revenue shifts resulting from the fifth industrial revolution on global economies. The book explores the impact of three global mega-trends: emerging technologies, demand for social inclusion, and the urgency of sustainable practices. In addition to his work as an author, Sharma has over 25 years of experience in economic and business reporting. He held leadership roles with India Today Group, Times of India Group, CNBC Network 18, and Bloomberg UTV India. Currently, he is a columnist with Business Standard newspaper and BusinessWorld magazine, among other publications.
Inés Palacios
Founder, Chaka; Obama Scholar, Columbia University
Inés Palacios is a political science graduate with over five years of experience in public policy, focusing in particular on gender and indigenous issues. Her most recent positions include Operational Manager of Strategic Projects for the Buenos Aires City Government, as well as Chief of Staff, Gender and Sexual Diversity Institute at the Secretary of Human Rights of Buenos Aires Provincial Government. Ms. Palacios is a recipient of the prestigious Obama Scholarship program at Columbia University, for studies in Public Policy Analysis.
Russell Napier
Director, Orlock Advisors; Market Strategist and Historian
Russell Napier is Chairman of the Mid Wynd International Investment Trust and a Member of the Investment Advisory Committees of three fund management companies, Cerno Capital, Kennox Asset Management, and Bay Capital. He is a Fellow of the CFA Society of the UK and an Honorary Professor at both Heriot-Watt University and The University of Stirling. In 2014, Russell Napier founded the charitable venture The Library of Mistakes, a business and financial history library in Edinburgh with branches in India and Switzerland. Furthermore, he is the author of “The Solid Ground Newsletter” investment report for institutional investors, Co-Founder of the investment research portal ERIC, and the author of two books: “Anatomy of The Bear: Lessons From Wall Street’s Four Great Bottoms” and “The Asian Financial Crisis 1995–98: Birth of the Age of Debt”. Mr. Napier has degrees in law from Queen’s University Belfast and Magdalene College Cambridge.
Vaitea Cowan
Co-Founder & Chief Communications Officer, Enapter
Vaitea Cowan is the Co-Founder and Head of Communications of Enapter, a global energy tech company that manufactures AEM electrolysers to produce green hydrogen through electrolysis. In 2020, she was on the Forbes 30 under 30 Energy list. In 2021, Enapter was one of five winners of the inaugural Earthshot Prize, which seeks to support the most innovative solutions to the challenges posed by climate change. Ms. Cowan holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing with a minor in International Business from Concordia University.
Alexander C. Melchers
Vice President of the Singapore National Employers Federation
Alexander C. Melchers has been the Managing Director of C. Melchers' Singapore Branch since 1997. After working in brand management for Procter & Gamble, with a focus on business in Asia, he joined the C. Melchers Group in Singapore as General Manager. He is also Vice President of the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) and a founding member and advisory council of the Singaporean-German Chamber of Industry and Commerce.
Jan Goetz
Co-Founder & CEO, IQM Quantum Computers
Jan Goetz is a quantum physicist and co-founding CEO of IQM Quantum Computers (IQM), building next-generation quantum computers. He is on the Board of the European Innovation Council (EIC), the European Quantum Industry Consortium QuIC, a member of the German Federal Economic Senate (Bundeswirtschaftssenat), and a Digital Leader and Global Innovator at the WEF. In 2020, Capital magazine selected him as one of 40 under 40 in Germany, and he received the prestigious entrepreneurship award from the KAUTE Foundation. Mr. Goetz holds a PhD from TU Munich, where he did his doctorate on superconducting quantum circuits, and worked as a Marie-Curie Fellow in Helsinki at Aalto University, where he holds the title of docent.
Carmen Jenny
Co-Founder & CEO, CLOTHESfriends
Carmen Jenny is the Co-Founder and CEO of CLOTHESfriends, a fashion-tech company that supports companies in their transition towards circularity. Building up on a community-oriented approach, CLOTHESfriends has grown into a network and media brand for sustainable and circular fashion that was recognized in Vogue’s Global Guide of Best Vintage and Resale Platforms. As part of the WEF Lead for Sustainability Mentorship Programme 2022, Ms. Jenny mentors aspiring founders and students on topics around circular fashion and entrepreneurship. With her additional role at notus.xyz, Ms. Jenny supports impact founders in personal branding strategies. Ms. Jenny holds a Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Communication & Management from AMD Academy for Fashion & Design Munich.
Fridtjof Detzner
Co-Founder & General Partner, Planet A
Fridtjof Detzner is a co-founder and general partner of Planet A Ventures, an impact investment firm that provides early-stage financing and mentoring to highly scalable green technology startups while tracking and projecting their positive environmental impact. He is also the founder and a current board member of Jimdo, a website construction kit that has enabled more than 25 million people to create their own websites, and a Member of the Sustainable Finance Committee of the German government since 2022. In 2017, Mr. Detzner shot a ten-part TV documentary with "Deutsche Welle" documenting the world's progress toward achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The harsh reality of the climate crisis and human-caused environmental deterioration that he witnessed while making this documentary motivated him to devote his time and energy towards sustainability.
Thomas Bergen
Founder, HOPE NOW; Co-Founder & CEO, getAbstract
Thomas Bergen is the Founder of HOPE NOW, which brings entrepreneurs from around the globe together to discuss how they can contribute to solving the climate change problem. Additionally, he is Co-Founder and CEO of getAbstract since 1998, a multinational company providing compressed business knowledge to managers and corporations worldwide. From 1993 to 1999, Mr. Bergen was Managing Director at Migros Bank, and since 2002, he has been a Member of the Board of Trustees and Advisory Council of Einsiedeln Monastery. From 2007 to 2014, he was a member of the Executive Board and President of the Swiss Management Society, and he has been a Member of Swisscontact's Board of Trustees since 2016. In 2020, Mr. Bergen founded the non-profit and non-partisan foundation Hope Now, promoting carbon fees that directly yield carbon dividends to citizens.
Lin Yue
Executive Director, Goldman Sachs Asset Management
Lin Yue is a senior executive at Goldman Sachs Asset Management. She is a thought leader in delivering the intersection of behavioural science, diversity and leadership within Goldman Sachs and across the broader business community. She is recognised by multiple awards for her work including HERoes 100 Women Future Leaders by Yahoo Finance for 2022, 2021 and 2020, a finalist for Asian Women of Achievement Award and Women in Finance Award in 2021. She is one of 50 Most Inspirational Women in the City of London by Brummell, a top Ethnic Minority Future Leader by EMpower/Financial Times, and the winner of the Chinese Business Leaders Award.
Ms Yue holds an Msc in Experimental Psychology focusing on Behavioural Finance, from Oxford University.
Martin Hecker
Founder & CEO, AmaliTech
Martin Hecker is the Founder of AmaliTech, an innovative, social business that connects highly skilled African digital experts with European companies to address the skills shortage and create sustainable employment opportunities for Africa’s youth. Additionally, with Mark Maass and Urich Busch, Mr. Hecker founded the Digital Skills Accelerator Africa (DSAA) e.V. at the end of 2019 to build an extensive business network with companies that create training programmes and long-term jobs in the digital sector in Africa. Before founding AmaliTech in 2019, he was a Partner at BCG from 2004 to 2020, and CEO of NEORIS, a global innovation consulting company, from 2000 to 2004. He holds a Master's degree from the University of Cologne and a degree from RWTH Aachen University.
Prof. Gudrun Sander
Co-Director, Competence Centre for Diversity and Inclusion, 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.
Tycho Onnasch
General Manager, Trust Machines
Tycho Onnasch is Co-Founder of Zest Protocol, an on-chain Bitcoin capital market offering BTC loans for institutional borrowers, and since 2021, General Manager of Trust Machines, which seeks to turn Bitcoin into the settlement layer for the internet of value. Additionally, he is the Co-Founder and, from 2017 to 2021, was the COO of Deedmob, an Amsterdam-based startup that helps organisations and governments to mobilise volunteers. In 2020, Deedmob was used by millions of people and governments globally mobilising communities to fight the pandemic. He also sits on the Amsterdam Economic Board to make Amsterdam one of the world’s most innovative regions. Mr. Onnasch is also an experienced Moderator and served on the governing body of the Oxford Union Debating Society. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Oxford and has been a St. Gallen Leader of Tomorrow since 2019.
Prof. Julia Binder
Professor of Sustainable Innovation and Business Transformation, IMD
Julia Binder is Professor of Sustainable Innovation and Business Transformation at IMD Business School. She specialises in the intersection between sustainability and innovation. As Director of IMD’s Center for Sustainable and Inclusive Business, she aims to help business leaders find radical and innovative solutions to some of the biggest challenges of our time. Prior to joining IMD in 2021, Prof. Binder was Deputy to the Vice President for Innovation at École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) and led the school’s sustainability initiative Tech4Impact. In recognition of her work, she was named on the 2022 Thinkers50 Radar list of management thinkers to watch in the coming year. She received her PhD summa cum laude from the Technical University of Munich for her thesis on sustainable entrepreneurship, and she continues to research the topic at IMD.
Andreas Neus
Managing Director & Vice President, Nuremberg Institute for Market Decisions
Andreas Neus has been the Managing Director and Vice President of the Nuremberg Institute for Market Decisions (NIM) as well as founder and anchor shareholder of GfK since October 2018. As a non-profit research institute, NIM examines how market decisions taken by consumers and marketers are changing in an increasingly digital world and how the quality of market decisions can be improved. Before joining NIM, Andreas Neus headed the Service Innovation Lab at KIT's Karlsruhe Service Research Institute and was the Media & Entertainment EMEA lead at IBM's think-tank Institute for Business Value in Amsterdam.
Sunnie Groeneveld
CEO & Founder, Inspire 925; Board Member, Sympany, Jung von Matt
Sunnie J. Groeneveld is an entrepreneur, board member, author, and speaker. She is the Founder and Managing Partner of the consultancy Inspire 925 as well as a board member of five companies in Switzerland, including Sympany and Jung von Matt, and the Associate Dean of Studies of the Executive MBA Digital Leadership at the HWZ University of Applied Sciences in Zurich. Previously, she worked as the first Managing Director of digitalswitzerland, Switzerland’s largest cross-industry initiative on digital transformation. She is the author of the book “Inspired at Work”, was named as one of the “Top 100 Women in Business”, appeared in the list “Top 50 Who is Who in Digital Switzerland” by Handelszeitung as well as in the “30 under 30” list of Forbes magazine. Ms. Groeneveld graduated in Economics from Yale University.
Prof. Simon Evenett
Professor of International Trade and Economic Development, University of St.Gallen
Simon Evenett has been Professor of International Trade and Economic Development at the University of St.Gallen since 2011. Additionally, he serves as coordinator of the independent initiative Global Trade Alert (GTA), which provides timely information on state interventions that are likely to affect international commerce. Previously, he has taught at the University of Oxford, the University of Michigan, and Rutgers University, and served twice as an economist for the World Bank. Holding a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Cambridge, UK, and a PhD from Yale University, USA, he has written over 200 publications for academic as well as policy and business audiences.
Prof. Heike Bruch
Director, Institute for Leadership and HR Management, University of St.Gallen
Heike Bruch is a Professor of Leadership at the University of St. Gallen, where she also serves as the Director of the Institute for Leadership and Human Resources Management. She is the Founder of the energy factory, and is also a Member of the Executive Board of the DGFP (German Association for Leadership). Prior to joining the University of St. Gallen, Bruch worked as a Visiting Scholar and later as a Senior Research Fellow at the London Business School from 1999 to 2001. Bruch's research interests include energy and speed in organisations, inspiring leadership, new work transformation, and leaders' self-leadership. In her work, she emphasizes research-based evidence, big data, and analytics to achieve impact in leadership practice and business performance for purpose. Bruch is a sought-after speaker and advisor to top managers of international organizations on leadership and culture transformation. She has received numerous academic awards and has authored six books, edited another six, and written over 110 articles and book chapters. Bruch holds a habilitation from the University of St. Gallen (2001), a doctorate from the University of Hanover (1996), and a master's degree in Business Administration from the Free University of Berlin (1991).
Philippe Narval
Director, SQUARE, University of St.Gallen
Philippe Narval serves as a Director of the newly founded SQUARE dedicated to the future of learning and teaching at the University of St. Gallen. He holds university degrees from Kings College London and the University of Oxford. Between 2012 and 2020, he managed the Alpbach Forum, Europe’s foremost “festival of ideas”. As a columnist, he is a regular contributor to the Austrian “Der Standard” and in 2018 published his book “Die freundliche Revolution” on innovation in democracy in Europe.
Kristina Lunz
Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Centre for Feminist Foreign Policy
Kristina Lunz is co-founder and co-director of the Centre for Feminist Foreign Policy, an award-winning human rights activist and former advisor to the German Foreign Office. She was named one of the 30 under 30 (in Europe and DACH) by Forbes, is Handelsblatt/BCG "Thought Leader 2020", Focus Magazine "100 Women of the Year 2020", and was awarded "Young Elite - Top 40 under 40" by Capital Magazine, Additionally, she is an Atlantik Brücke Young Leader, Ashoka Fellow as well as a BMW Foundation Responsible Leader. Her book "The Future of Foreign Policy is Feminist" was published by Econ/Ullstein Verlag in February 2022. She holds a Bachelor's degree in psychology, as well as a Master's degree in global governance and ethics from University College London and another Master's degree from the University of Oxford in Global Governance and Diplomacy. After graduation, she worked for the United Nations in Myanmar and for an NGO in Colombia, among others. Kristina Lunz has (co-)initiated several activist campaigns such as "No means No" and a campaign against sexism in the Bild newspaper.
Marcus Kink
Retired German Ice Hockey Player & Olympic Athlete; Former Captain of Adler Mannheim
Marcus Kink is a former German professional ice hockey player who played 17 seasons in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL), Germany's highest hockey league. Kink is best known as a left-wing player of Adler Mannheim, where he played from 2004 to 2019 and served as captain from 2010 until his retirement. Additionally, he has represented the German National Ice Hockey Team in numerous IIHF World Championships and tournaments and won a silver medal in the 2018 Winter Olympic Games.
Michael Rauchenstein
News Anchor, SRF
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.
Sandra Klein
Partner, Dr. Bjørn Johansson Associates
Sandra Klein has been a Partner at Dr. Björn Johansson Associates AG (BJA), a global board advisory firm located in Zurich, since January 2022. BJA has been passionately connecting outstanding Leaders for 30 years. Prior to joining BJA, Ms. Klein gained valuable experience in various executive positions with Mercedes-Benz AG and Daimler AG, including Head of Strategy, Digital and Purchase at AMG GmbH and responsibility for the Global Transformation Office as well as Being Member of the Global HR Executive Committee at Mercedes-Benz AG. In 2000, she graduated from the University of Stuttgart with a degree in business and economics. Currently, she is completing her Executive MBA at the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland.
Prof. Tomas Casas i Klett
Director, China Competence Center, University of St.Gallen
Tomas Casas i Klett is a professor at the University of St. Gallen’s Research Institute for International Management (FIM) and Director the China Competence Center. He is also the Index Director and co-author with Prof. Guido Cozzi of the Elite Quality Index (EQx2022), a global political economy index, and collaborates with the St. Gallen Symposium on its sub-index, the NextGen Value Creation Barometer. He 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. Prof. Casas i Klett 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. He later earned a Master of Science in Management degree at Fudan University in Shanghai and a PhD in economics at the University of St. Gallen.
Elliot Gunn
MSc Economic History, London School of Economics & Political Science
Elliot Gunn is currently pursuing his Master's in Economic History at the LSE and also serves as the Managing Editor at the International Journal, Canada's journal of global policy analysis. He previously worked in data science (Plotly, Towards Data Science), and before that, dabbled in global health research as the Global Strategy Lab' 2016 Post-Bachelor Fellow. He has contributed to and co-authored studies on global health and international treaties that have been published in the BMJ, PNAS, and CJPH. He holds an Hons. BA in Economics and International Relations from the University of Toronto. Born and raised in Singapore, he now lives in Toronto, Canada. He looks forward to learning from the Symposium attendees on solving future challenges through interdisciplinary dialogues.
Megan Murphy
Juris Doctor, Ohio State University
Megan Murphy holds a Bachelor's degree in economics from Case Western Reserve University and will soon graduate from the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law with her Juris Doctor degree. During her time in law school, Megan was elected to serve as the president of the Ohio Public Interest Law Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides financial support for students who accept unpaid legal roles serving the public interest. She has been recognized for her commitment to public service and will graduate with the distinction of Public Service Fellow with Dean's Special Recognition, having completed over 300 pro bono hours. Megan will soon begin her career as a Legal Counsel at DHL Supply Chain, where she will focus on labor and employment law, data privacy, and commercial contracts.
Gaurav Kamath
Ph.D. Linguistics, McGill University
Gaurav Kamath is a 2nd-year Ph.D. student in Linguistics at McGill University and Mila. His research, which lies at the intersection of linguistics and AI, focuses on the linguistic structures that AI systems capture. He holds a four-year Doctoral Research Award from the Fonds de Recherche du Québec for this work. He completed his undergraduate studies in Politics, Philosophy & Economics from Ashoka University, India, and is most interested in interdisciplinary approaches to research.
Aiko Doden
Senior Commentator & Senior Producer, NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation)
Aiko Doden is Special Affairs Commentator on international affairs and Senior Director at NHK World TV, Japan’s public broadcaster. In this capacity, she hosts “NHK World Newsline In Depth” and comments on global affairs with a focus on sustainable growth, global health, gender, education, and human rights. She is a globally recognised figure in television and broadcasting with over three decades of experience in journalism. In addition to her roles at NHK, Ms. Doden is a Member of the Thomson Reuters Founders Share Company Board of Directors, the IISS International Institute for Strategic Studies, the UNESCO Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development Board of Governors, the Japanese Foreign Ministry’s Development Projects Accountability Committee, and the Japanese National Commission for UNESCO.
Prof. Guido Cozzi
Professor of Macroeconomics, University of St.Gallen
Guido Cozzi is a Full Professor of Macroeconomics at the HSG’s School of Economics and Political Science, where he has been teaching since 2012. Before joining HSG, he held positions at Durham University (UK), University of Glasgow (UK), University of Rome “La Sapienza” (IT), and Cornell University (USA). With an outstanding publication record, his research has been published in leading journals such as the Journal of Political Economy, the American Economic Review, the Review of Economics and Statistics, the Economic Journal, the Journal of Economic Growth, the Journal of the European Economic Association, the Journal of Economic Theory, and more. Prof. Cozzi has supervised many undergraduate and postgraduate students, with several being awarded prestigious prizes. He has also been awarded several research grants and has consulting experience for top institutions and industry associations. Prof Cozzi's research and teaching activities focus on the fields of Macroeconomics, Economic Growth, and Development Economics. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from New York University and has expertise in Economic Growth, Monetary Economics, Political Economy, Economics of Innovation, IPRs, Dynamic Modeling, and Quantitative Research.
Prof. Naomi Häfner
Assistant Professor for Technology Management, University of St.Gallen
Naomi Häfner is Assistant Professor of Technology Management at the University of St. Gallen. She has held this position since August 2019 and has been with the university for over nine years. Prior to her current role, Naomi was a Postdoctoral Researcher and Lecturer in Management and a Research Associate at the university. She has also worked as a Research Assistant at the university and as a Design Thinking Researcher for FIFA. Naomi's research interests include open innovation, strategic management, and entrepreneurship. She has conducted field studies in several countries around the world, including the United States, Uruguay, Ethiopia, Comoros, Germany, Czech Republic, India, Bhutan, Cambodia, and Switzerland. Naomi holds a Ph.D. in Strategy and Management, a Master of Arts in Business Innovation, and a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration, all from the University of St. Gallen.
Stephan Lendi
Speaker and Moderator
Stephan Lendi is a Voice Over Artist for radio and TV commercials, image films, and corporate films, including companies such as SIEMENS, CocaCola, and Volkswagen. Furthermore, he is the Moderator of Raumkultur TV and Zff72 at the Zurich Film Festival. Mr. Lendi works as a rhetoric and moderating coach at Event Speaking and as a Media and Moderation Coach at Newbury Media and Communications Ltd.
Prof. Johanna Gollnhofer
Managing Director, Institute for Marketing and Customer Insight, University of St.Gallen
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.
Prof. Damian Borth
Professor for Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, University of St.Gallen
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.
Prof. Ulrich Schmid
Professor for Eastern European Studies, University of St. Gallen
Ulrich Schmid is a distinguished academic and the current Professor of Eastern European Studies at the University of St Gallen in Switzerland. Prior to his current position, he held academic positions at the Ruhr University Bochum, the Institute for Slavic Languages and Literatures at the University of Bern, and the Slavic Seminar at the University of Basel. He has also been a guest researcher at the University of Oslo and a visiting fellow at Harvard University's Slavic Department. His research interests span a wide range of topics, including politics and media in Russia and Eastern Europe, and Eastern European literature and culture. His most recent publications include "Regionalism without Regions: Reconceptualizing Ukraine's Heterogeneity" (2019) and "De Profundis: On the Failure of the Russian Revolution" (2017). Schmid completed his doctorate in 1995 with a thesis on Fedor Sologub at the University of Basel, where he later earned his habilitation with a thesis on Russian autobiographies in 1999.
Léa Steinacker
Co-Founder & CIO, ada Learning
Dr. Léa Steinacker is the Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer of Ada Learning, a learning and development community that helps leaders from diverse organizations prepare for the future through content, live experiences, and practical innovation projects. She is also a lecturer at the University of St. Gallen, where she developed CODE Capital, an original framework designed to address the ethical and societal implications of digital technologies. Previously, Dr. Steinacker served as the Chief Innovation Officer of WirtschaftsWoche, Germany's leading business magazine, where she focused on the future of work and socio-technological change. She has received several recognitions, including being named a Forbes 30 Under 30 leader, one of Medium Magazine’s Top 30 Under 30 journalists, a BCG Thought Leader, and an Atlantik Brücke Young Leader. Dr. Steinacker holds a Bachelor's degree from Princeton University, where she was also awarded the Henry Richardson Labouisse Prize in 2011, a Master's degree in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and a PhD from the University of St. Gallen.
Carlos Alvarez Pereira
Vice-President of the Club of Rome
Mr Pereira is the Vice President of the Club of Rome, with over 30 years of experience in research, innovation, entrepreneurship, and business management. He is passionate about exploring cultural transformation for equitable human wellbeing and a healthy biosphere. Mr Pereira is a member of various esteemed associations, including the International Bateson Institute's Advisory Board and the World Academy of Art and Science. He has an MSc in Aerospace Engineering and founded the Innaxis Foundation & Research Institute.
Priya Ragu
Swiss Singer-Songwriter
Ali Miraj
Founder, Contrarian Prize; Broadcaster and Commentator
Ali Miraj is a Managing Director in Infrastructure Finance at ING, financing major infrastructure assets across Europe. He regularly appears on leading British television and radio shows, including BBC News and Times Radio, to provide commentary on politics and international affairs. Ali Miraj was elected as a Councillor and stood for Parliament in both the 2001 and 2005 UK general elections for the Conservative Party. From 2005 to 2007, he served as a Board Member on both the Conservative Party’s Policy Commissions on Quality of Life and International and National Security. Mr. Miraj is a national Vice President of CPRE, a Board Member of the London Institute of Banking and Finance, and a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of International Bankers.
Prof. Claudia Franziska Brühwiler
Professor of American Political Thought and Culture, University of St.Gallen
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 doctorate, summa cum laude, in Political Science and a venia legendi (PD; Privatdozentin) in American Studies from the University of St. Gallen. For her Ph.D. dissertation, "Political Initiation in the Works of Philip Roth," 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.
Hans-Peter Kleebinder
Director of Studies, CAS SMART Mobility Management, University of St.Gallen
Dr. Hans-Peter Kleebinder is the Program Director of the CAS SMART Mobility Management at the Executive School for Management, Law & Technology. He is an expert in the fields of mobility, smart cities, strategic brand management, and innovation management. After obtaining his PhD from St. Gallen on the topic of "Mobility and Public Opinion in Europe" (under Professors Tomczak and Belz), he held senior positions in marketing, sales, communications, and customer service at MINI, BMW, and Audi. Concurrently, Hans-Peter Kleebinder was a lecturer and instructor, including in the Executive MBA program at the University of St. Gallen. He studied business administration, psychology, and politics at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich. He is a co-founder of the EduTec start-up WhatzLearn GmbH and a scientific advisor to the German Federal Association of eMobility.
Kylor Kerns
Ph.D. Candidate, University of Virginia
Kylor earned her BSc. in Environmental Science at the University of Virginia. Her research interests include coastal marine ecosystems and blue carbon. Specifically, her research focuses on seagrass resilience and restoration, asking questions about metabolism, temperature stresses, nutrient cycling, and multi-trophic interactions. After working with the community on the eastern shore of Virginia with the VCR LTER and conducting citizen scientist projects with the Blue Carbon Lab in Australia, she has also found a deep passion for science communication and outreach. She strongly believes science can be fun for everyone!
Prof. James Davis
Professor for Political Science, University of St.Gallen
James Davis is a Professor for Political Science with a special focus on international politics at the University of St. Gallen, where he has been teaching since 2005. He is also the Director of the Institute for Political Science (IPW-HSG) and the Chair of the Centre for Security Economics and Technology (CSET-IPW-HSG), which was established in collaboration with the Swiss Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (VBS). Prior to his current position, he served as the Dean of the School of Economics and Political Science from 2015 to 2019 and as the Vice-Dean of the same school from 2012 to 2015. Prof. Davis' research interests include international security, methods of political science, political psychology, and transatlantic relations. He holds a PhD and a Master's degree in Political Science from Columbia University in New York and a Bachelor's degree in International Relations from Michigan State University.
Ulrike Zimmermann
Project Manager, ZEIT Verlagsgruppe
Ulrike Zimmermann has a diverse educational background, having studied Communication and Media Studies, Sociology, Theater Studies, and Language, Society, and Politics at prestigious institutions such as the University of Leipzig and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She also obtained a diploma in linguistics and phonetics from the Martin-Luther-University in Halle-Wittenberg. Ms. Zimmermann's professional experience includes project management positions at Stiftung Preussischer Kulturbesitz and blue! - advancing european projects, as well as serving as an assistant to the ambassador at the Austrian embassy in Washington, before joining ZEIT Verlagsgruppe as a project manager.
Prof. Christoph Frei
Associate Professor, School of Economics and Political Science University of St. Gallen
Christoph Frei is an Associate Professor at the University of St.Gallen since 2007, where he specializes in the history of political ideas and international relations theory. He is known for his intellectual biography of Hans J. Morgenthau, a founding father of the ‘Realist’ school of International Relations in the United States. Prof. Frei studied political science at the University of St. Gallen. After completing his studies, he worked as an Assistant for Prof. Alois Riklin in the political science institute of the University of St. Gallen. Following this position, Prof. Frei completed two research stays in the US and in Paris. Between 2009 and 2018 he was the Programme Director of the Bachelor of International Affairs and Master of International Affairs Programme.
Clémentine Robert
Project Lead, Young Leaders on Board
Clémentine Robert joined the Sustainability & Responsibility team at the University of St. Gallen in August 2021. In her position as Project Manager for Curriculum Development, she is working closely with Prof. Judith Walls to embed sustainability into courses across institutes, programmes and education levels at the University of St. Gallen. As former president of oikos International, Ms. Robert leverages her local and international experiences as well as her network in the field of sustainability in higher education to help transform the curriculum at HSG. In parallel, she pursues her studies as a PhD student at HSG in the field of sustainable leadership, under the supervision of Prof. Walls.
Jochen Andritzky
Co-Founder & Director, Zukunft-Fabrik.2050
Jochen Andritzky is the Co-Founder and Director of Zukunfts-Fabrik.2050, a think tank associated with HSG Alumni, which focuses on making long-term thinking the basis for political, economic, and societal decision-making. Previously, Mr. Andritzky was Senior Economist at the International Monetary Fund and Secretary General at the German Council of Economic Experts. Currently, he is a Member of the New Bretton Woods Group of the Peterson Institute PIIE as well as the Next Green Macro Group at Bruegel. Mr. Andritzky lectures on macroeconomics at the University of St. Gallen.
Sarah Maria Nordt
Founder & CEO, SANOGE
Sarah Maria Nordt is the Founder and CEO of SANOGE, a FashionTech venture founded in 2019. SANOGE's mission is to revolutionize the textile supply chain by turning customers into co-designers of their highly individualized pieces of apparel and using an AI-based on-demand production approach to eliminate overproduction, reduce return rates, and redefine sustainability in the fashion industry. Prior to founding SANOGE, Nordt studied Business Administration and General Management at the University of St. Gallen and worked in management consulting with a focus on digital transformation. In addition to her work at SANOGE, she is currently pursuing a PhD in Entrepreneurial Finance at the University of St. Gallen.
Abdul Aziz Muhamat
Research & Advocacy Fellow, Global Detention Project; Human Rights Advocate
Abdul Aziz Muhamat is a human rights advocate for migrants and refugees. He was the 2019 Martin Ennals Award Laureate for Human Rights Defenders and a UN fellow at OHCHR. Abdul Aziz also participated in the Human Rights Defenders Advocacy Programme (HRDAP) with the International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) and the Global Detention Project as a Research and Advocacy Fellow in 2021. He is a social worker and co-author of a book called "They Cannot Take the Sky," which he wrote in collaboration with other refugees on offshore and onshore detention. Abdul Aziz also created a podcast called "The Messenger," which won several awards, including the Grand Award at the 2017 New York Festivals International Radio Awards, the 2017 UNAA Media Award for Best Radio Documentary, the Australian Human Rights Commission Media Award, and the 2017 Walkley Award for Radio/Audio Feature.
Devi Sahny
CEO and Founder of Ascend Now
Devi Sahny is the Founder and CEO of Ascend Now, an ed-tech company focused on normalizing entrepreneurship for students aged 6-18. Ascend Now works with over 9,000 students, 100 IB examiners and learning designers, and over 20 institutions. Prior to founding Ascend, Ms. Sahny worked as an Investment Banking Analyst in the M&A Group at Goldman Sachs in New York. She holds degrees in Philosophy and Economics from Georgetown University and is a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, a Gen T fellow, a Sequoia Capital Spark Fellow, a Prestige 40 Under 40 honoree, and a TEDx speaker.
Toby Thorpe
Deputy Mayor of Huon Valley Council, Tasmania
Toby Thorpe was elected as the youngest Deputy Mayor in Tasmania for the Huon Valley Council in November 2022. He is a passionate advocate for youth empowerment and climate action. As Community Engagement Manager for RE-Alliance in Tasmania, he believes young Australians have a unique opportunity to lead sustainability projects that benefit the environment and their communities. Toby has organised and participated in various sustainability and youth empowerment initiatives. As a Programme Manager for Greening Australia from 2021 to 2022, he empowered young Tasmanians to take action on climate change and sustainable development. Toby's international experience includes serving as a TAS Youth Delegate for COP24 in Poland and COP26 in Scotland, which further fueled his passion for climate action at the local and global levels. Aside from his work in sustainability and climate action, Toby has also served as a Youth Ambassador for the Mental Health Foundation Australia and a Public Education Ambassador for the Department of Education, Tasmania.
Anne Snick
Member of the Club of Rome
Philipp Furler
Co-Founder & CEO, Synhelion
Philipp holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from ETH Zurich since 2014. In 2018, he completed his Executive MBA at the University of Strathclyde. Philipp has more than ten years of experience in high-temperature solar chemistry and reactor engineering. For several years, he served as Operating Agent – Solar Chemistry Research for the International Energy Agency’s technology program SolarPACES. Prior to joining Synhelion, Philipp co-founded the ETH spin-off company Sunredox, which was acquired by Synhelion in 2018. He now holds the position of CEO, together with Gianluca Ambrossetti.
Jean Dinco
Data Governance Specialist
Jean Dinco is a cybersecurity expert and an advocate for using technology to promote human rights and combat disinformation. She has been recognized as one of the Top 100 Women in AI Ethics and appointed as a European Commission Peace Ambassador. With a keen interest in data, machine learning, and open-source intelligence, she is open to collaborations in projects related to these areas, as well as those focused on tech and human rights.
John Gilmour
Member of the Club of Rome
John Gilmour is a social entrepreneur who developed the LEAP holistic educational development program for marginalized African children. LEAP outperformed public and private schools and has been replicated in Sub-Saharan national education systems. John's work includes carbon sequestration and water monitoring for townships. He co-founded several organizations to improve educational outcomes and advises the South African Education Department on COVID-19. John is also a member of the Club of Rome, an international think tank addressing global challenges.
Raad Sharar
Programme Coordinator, The Club of Rome
Raad Sharar holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from BRAC University and two Master's degrees from KU Leuven in Social and Cultural Anthropology and Development Studies. With experience as a Program Officer at Nijeria Kori and as a Founding Research Partner at the MEBTG Institute, she currently serves as a Program Coordinator at the Club of Rome, promoting sustainable development and social justice initiatives.
Cyril Flaig
Head of the International Students' Committee
Cyril Flaig is currently Head of the International Students’ Committee, the student body organising the St. Gallen Symposium. He has almost finished his Bachelor's in Economics at the University of St. Gallen. He is part of the St. Gallen Symposium because it offers a unique opportunity for the young generation to be part of the conversation about their future with the leaders of today. After his engagement at the International Students’ Committee, he is looking for a way to engage himself in the finance and technology industry to solve today's and tomorrow's problems.
Deborah Walt
Head of the International Students' Committee
Leo Legler
Head of the International Students' Committee
Leo Legler is head of the St. Gallen Symposium's student team (ISC). The 20-year-old student is currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration at the University of St. Gallen. Legler was born and raised in Mannheim, Germany. Through his commitment, Leo helps to foster a platform for students to engage with global leaders and contribute to build tomorrow. He is interested in entrepreneurship and new ventures that shape the future.
Linn Ehrbar
Member of the International Students' Committee
Linn Ehrbar is a current member of the International Students’ Committee (ISC), which organises the St. Gallen Symposium. Within the ISC, she is responsible for overseeing participants from Scandinavia and managing technical operations. Linn holds a Bachelor's degree in Law and is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Management, Organisation and Culture at the University of St. Gallen. After her involvement with the ISC, Linn will continue her studies while remaining committed to fostering cross-generational dialogue and being active in institutions dedicated to promoting social equity and sustainability.
Johannes Sonnenstatter
Member of the International Students' Committee
Johannes Sonnenstatter is a member of the International Students’ Committee (ISC), which organises the St. Gallen Symposium. Within the ISC, he is responsible for overseeing participants from Germany and managing the symposium’s services. Johannes is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration at the University of St. Gallen. He is passionate about organisational culture, educational equity, and the transformational power of finance. Following these passions, Johannes joined the ISC to commit to a full year of learning and networking. After his time with the ISC, he intends to apply the knowledge gained from his experience to make a positive impact on the world.
Kaylin Barell
Member of the International Students' Committee
Kaylin Barell is a member of the 52nd International Students’ Committee that is responsible for organizing the St. Gallen Symposium. She is currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration at the University of St. Gallen and has already gained some experience in the finance industry. Kaylin's favorite moments at the St. Gallen Symposium have been meeting and engaging in interesting discussions with business leaders from Switzerland and Lichtenstein. She is pleased to see the positive progress made by many organizations, particularly regarding social sustainability. After completing her engagement with the International Students' Committee, Kaylin plans to continue her Bachelor's degree and pursue a future career in the financial sector.
Thomas Hoffmann
Member of the International Students' Committee
Thomas Hoffmann is currently a member of the International Students' Committee (ISC), which organizes the St. Gallen Symposium and a student at the University of St. Gallen. Within the ISC, he is responsible for the Leaders of Tomorrow. Before pursuing his Bachelor's degree in Law & Economics at the University of St. Gallen, he played ice hockey throughout the whole youth programme of HC Davos. His determination to find work that aligns with his values and allows him to contribute to a better future led him to join the ISC. After organizing this event, he looks forward to using the newly acquired skills to face new challenges, preferably connected to one of his biggest passions, sports.
Amanda Sinnecker
Member of the International Students' Committee
Amanda Sinnecker is a member of the International Students' Committee (ISC), where she is responsible for the German markets and Technical Operations. In addition to her roles with the ISC, Ms. Sinnecker is pursuing her Bachelor's degree in Business Administration at the University of St. Gallen. Originally from Germany, she was motivated to leave her home country and study at the University of St. Gallen to be part of the ISC's initiative, which she sees as an opportunity to create impact and foster meaningful dialogue on a larger scale by working with a team of students looking to effect change. After the St. Gallen Symposium, Ms. Sinnecker plans to continue her studies in Business Administration and is excited to put the insights from her year with the ISC into action in her future internships and jobs.
Max Südmark
Member of the International Students' Committee
Max Südmark is a member of the International Students’ Committee (ISC), which organises the St. Gallen Symposium. Within the ISC, he is responsible for overseeing participants from Finland and is part of the Marketing and Communications team, where he manages the symposium’s Media Relations. Alongside his involvement with the symposium, Max is pursuing a major in Business Administration at the University of St. Gallen and holds a scholarship from the talent promotion agency "Cusanuswerk." He is passionate about advocating for disadvantaged individuals and actively participating in his community. To this end, Max has served as a student council president, youth leader, paramedic, and prevention specialist. As a member of the ISC, Max is actively participating in shaping the future by engaging in dialogue with today's leaders and young visionaries to find solutions for the defining issues of our time.
Marisa Endrulat
Member of the International Students' Committee
Marisa Endrulat is a member of the International Students' Committee (ISC), where she is responsible for the Leaders of Tomorrow and Aspiring Leaders. Originally from Munich, Germany, she moved to Switzerland to pursue her Bachelor's degree in Business Administration at the University of St. Gallen. Ms. Endrulat views her involvement in the ISC as an opportunity to engage with inspiring people from all over the world and foster a dialogue that will transform ideas into action. Following her year with the St. Gallen Symposium, she plans to continue her studies and apply the skills and insights gained through the ISC to various environments.