Speakers
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Biography
With more than 3 decades of entrepreneurial success, Kerry Adler has built a venerable career as a widely recognized award winning business leader, visionary, pioneer and trailblazer in the renewable energy and BPO industries.
As one of the first entrepreneurs in North America to spearhead the renewable energy industry, Mr. Adler founded SkyPower in 2003, a globally recognized and leading developer, owner and operator of large utility-scale solar projects with an active presence in over 36 countries and multibillion dollar electricity contracts around the world.
Mr. Adler is a vocal and public champion of solar energy’s global growth potential and under his leadership, SkyPower's vibrant expansion continues to help countries around the world energize their cities. A trusted and sought after energy advisor to numerous Heads of State, Kerry Adler was instrumental in the formation of the Green Energy Act, North America’s first comprehensive clean energy legislation.
Mr. Adler’s proven business leadership spans across multiple, international industries including Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of Webhelp Worldwide, an international BPO solutions group, which today has grown to over 40,000 employees. Prior to this, he served as Chairman and CEO of SITEL Canada and EVP, Office of the President, SITEL Corporation, a leading NYSE-listed CRM company with more than 24,000 employees in 18 countries. Mr. Adler also served as EVP and President of the Canadian Telephone Company, Corpfon Cellular, Canada's first Cellular Reseller Network.
Since 2003, Mr. Adler has been designing and developing renewables strategies coupled with driving governments towards their climate change initiatives by executing on technologically advanced infrastructure projects in renewables with a focus on PPP implementation and GDP growth. He is an active board member, supporter and contributor to global organizations including the UN Global Compact, Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), United Nations Foundation, Canada-UAE Business Council, Business Council for International Understanding (BCIU), Canada Arab Business Council (CABC), Canadian Council on Africa, Special Advisor to the Founders of the IEFA, and a Member of the Government of Canada’s Canada-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), amongst others.
Mr. Adler is also an award winning business leader, having been honoured by the United Nations as the Entrepreneur of the Year in 1999 and once again, by the United Nation Global Compact in 2016 as the Inaugural SDG Pioneer for Climate Action (SDG 13). In 2019, at the 9th Global Ritossa Family Office Investment Summit under the High Patronage of His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco, Mr. Adler was recognized as one of the early pioneers of solar energy and as a leading authority on renewable energy around the world. Mr. Adler received the ‘Family Office Social Responsibility 2019 Award’, an international award in recognition of outstanding business and environmental contributions through sustainable practices benefiting social and economic development.
In 2018, during the Global Giving Awards, Middle East Leadership Awards, and World Leadership Congress Awards, Mr. Adler was honoured with numerous accolades including CEO of the Year ‘Who Believes in the Spirit of Giving’ Award, the 2018 Award for ‘Environmental & Corporate Sustainability’, and the award for leading the ‘Most Successful Sustained Organization in 2018.’ He is also the recipient of other industry awards that include the ‘Global 2016 ESG Responsible Executive Team Award’ and notable awards for building the fastest growing company in Canada as well as the ‘Global Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award’ from the UN.
As an innovator, climate action leader and advocate for a renewable future, Mr. Adler is sought-after as a renowned industry spokesperson at dozens of global events annually that include the World Future Energy Summit, Atlantic Council, UN Global Compact, UN Global Leaders’ Summit, UNECE, International Economic Forum of the Americas, and a champion for advancing the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development and 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Mr. Adler was educated in both the USA and Canada, where he studied at Bryant University, Concordia University and The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), with specializations in Management, Administration, Marketing, Economics (with Honors), and in (AI) Neural Language Programming. Mr. Adler is also a board member, advisor and investor to numerous start-up companies in emerging technology, AI, IOT, media, and infrastructure.
Biography
After graduating from HEC international business school, Jean-Paul Agon joined L’Oréal where he has worked his entire career since 1978. He successively led several of its brands, countries, and geographical zones.
He was appointed CEO of L’Oréal, the 1st cosmetics group worldwide, in 2006, and Chairman and CEO in 2011. Since May 2021, Jean-Paul Agon has been Chairman of L’Oréal. He is also President of the Fondation L’Oréal.
In 15 years, Jean-Paul Agon adapted the company by leading in-depth strategic transformations: notably the digital and e-commerce revolution, and one of responsibility and sustainability. With a twofold ambition: combining economic performance and extra-financial exemplarity.
Under his leadership, the Group has significantly reinforced its position as a global beauty leader. He also made L’Oréal a worldwide reference in environmental, social, ethical, and societal terms. It is the only company worldwide to have been recognized by the CDP as a world leader in corporate sustainability for 5 years in a row. L'Oréal has also been named one of the world's most ethical companies by the Ethisphere Institute for 12 years running. It is among the TOP 5 most gender-balanced companies of the world in Equileap's Global Gender Equality Ranking for the 4th year running.
Jean-Paul Agon is a Director of Air Liquide.
Biography
Geraldine Amiel, 47, is Bloomberg News Paris bureau chief since September 2014. She joined after eight years as The Wall Street Journal/Dow Jones Newswires News Editor for its Paris bureau, where she also covered the energy industry.
Prior to that, Geraldine was briefly CNCB's Paris correspondent after eight years at Agence France-Presse as deputy chief of the Economics department in Paris and various jobs in New York and London.
Geraldine holds a Master Degree in International Law and European Law from Assas-Paris II university and graduated from the Centre de Formation des Journalistes, one of France's top journalism schools.
Geraldine is fluent in French (native) and English, speaks and reads German and Spanish and can manage a little bit of Italian. She's also an alumnus of Die Zeit/Bucerius Foundation, a think-tank based in Hamburg and focused on foreign affairs and diplomacy.
Biography
Gerard Baker is Editor At Large of The Wall Street Journal. He writes columns and commentary for the Journal. He is also the host of “WSJ at Large with Gerry Baker,” a weekly news and current affairs interview show on the Fox Business Network.
Mr. Baker previously served as Editor in Chief of The Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones from 2013 to 2018. Before that, Mr. Baker was Deputy Editor in Chief of The Wall Street Journal.
He has been a journalist for more than 30 years, writing and broadcasting for some of the world’s most famous news organizations, and also has the distinction of being the first British citizen to moderate a US presidential debate when he co-hosted a Republican primary debate in November 2015 that was watched live by more than 15 million people.
Mr. Baker was previously Deputy Editor in Chief of The Wall Street Journal from 2009-2013.
Before joining the Journal, Mr. Baker was the U.S. Editor and an Assistant Editor of The Times of London, where he wrote news and commentary for Britain’s longest continuously published newspaper and oversaw U.S. coverage for the paper and online editions.
From 1994 to 2004, Mr. Baker worked for the Financial Times, first as Tokyo Correspondent, where he wrote about the country’s financial crisis, and then, from 1998 to 2002, as Washington Bureau Chief, where he led a team of 10 correspondents and provided extensive reporting and analysis of the Federal Reserve. From 2002 to 2004, he was the FT’s Chief U.S. Commentator and an Associate Editor.
Before joining the FT, Mr. Baker worked for the BBC from 1988 to 1994, as a producer, then as U.S. producer, and finally as Economics Correspondent for TV and radio.
In addition to the Journal, the FT, The Times and the BBC, Mr. Baker’s work has appeared in many other publications, and he has been a frequent television and radio contributor in the UK, the U.S. and around the world.
Mr. Baker started his working life in the financial sector, first as an analyst at the Bank of England, then as an economist at Lloyds Bank in the city of London.
He was educated at Corpus Christi College, Oxford University, where he graduated in 1983 with a First Class Honours Degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics.
Biography
John M. Beck is Founder and Chairman of Aecon Group Inc. (TSX: ARE), Canada’s premier construction and infrastructure development company. A leader in providing services to private and public sector clients throughout Canada and internationally, Aecon primarily serves the Infrastructure, Energy and Mining sectors.
A graduate in Civil Engineering from McGill University, Mr. Beck has more than 50 years of experience in the construction industry in Canada and internationally. His background includes corporate leadership in numerous construction activities including heavy civil projects and public-private partnerships for the development of infrastructure, such as airports, toll roads and transit systems.
Mr. Beck is currently a member of the Board of Directors of PPP Canada, the Ontario Financing Authority, the Royal Conservatory of Music as well as Co-Chair of the Infrastructure & Urban Development Industries at the World Economic Forum. He is a member of the Advisory Council for the School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary and is also a member of the Business Council of Canada. He was previously Chairman of the Board of the Ontario Power Authority, a government agency with responsibility for planning and procuring all of the province’s power needs for the next 20 years. He was named P3 Champion of the Year by the Canadian Council of Public Private Partnerships in 2013. In recognition of his distinguished achievements and career-long service to the engineering profession, Mr. Beck was inducted as a Fellow into the Canadian Academy of Engineering.
Biography
Deputy CEO in charge of Commercial and Local Authority Clients, and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Nexity Immobilier d’Entreprise since February 2018. She was previously Company Secretary of Nexity as of April 2017. Véronique Bédague-Hamilius began her career in 1990 at the French Ministry of Finance, where she held several positions in the Budget Directorate and then as a member of the Finance Minister’s staff. From 1994 to 1997, she worked as an economist for the International Monetary Fund in Washington. She joined the City of Paris as Finance Director in 2002, before being named its Director-General of Services in 2008. She was chief of staff for the French Prime Minister from 2014 to 2016. A graduate of the École Nationale d’Administration (ENA), she also holds degrees from Sciences Po Paris and the ESSEC business school.
Biography
Melissa Bell is a correspondent for CNN based in the network's Paris bureau.
Bell joined the network in October 2016, but had previously contributed to many of CNN's reports, including the Charlie Hebdo and Bataclan concert hall terrorist attacks, the Mali hotel siege and the Bastille Day attack in Nice.
Bell joined CNN from France 24, where she was a political editor before being promoted to international affairs editor and correspondent. She has extensive knowledge of Africa and the Arab world and has covered most major news story for the network's French and English speaking channels.
Beginning her career as a journalist in 1996, Bell worked for news wires before joining Granada Television in Manchester in 1999. She then moved to the BBC as a political reporter, where she covered Westminster for seven years.
Bell has a degree in Politics from Warwick University.
Bell speaks both French and English.
Biography
Bruno Bézard is a Managing Partner of Cathay Capital, and is based in Paris and in Shanghai.
Bruno has developed his career in top level public government of France, in different senior operational management positions in economy, finance and business.
Before joining Cathay, he was Vice Minister of Finance, head of the French Treasury and chairman of the Paris Club. In his previous position, he was head of the French Inland Revenue department (120 000 employees) which he joined after two years in Beijing as minister counsellor for economy and industry in the French Embassy.
Bruno also created and run the French Government Shareholding Agency (Agence des Participations de l'Etat) in charge of all companies in which the French State has a stake, he has therefore an intense experience of corporate governance and M&A.
Bruno has also been economic advisor to the French Prime Minister.Bruno has been sitting on the board of Electricite de France, SNCF, AREVA, La Poste, Thales, Air France, Engie, Peugeot Citroen.
Bruno graduated from Ecole Polytechnique and Ecole Nationale d'Administration. He has also been teaching in these two institutions for many years.
Biography
Laurent has been Director of Institut Montaigne since 2011.
In this role, he wishes to promote the dialogue with France’s European partners and to contribute to the public debate by proposing practical recommendations to reform French public policy. Laurent has personally supervised the publication of reports and other policy papers on education. He has encouraged various innovative initiatives for Institut Montaigne, such as the budgetary analysis of candidates’ programs for the regional elections (2015), municipal elections (2014), and the last two presidential elections (2012, 2017), a citizen’s conference held in 2012 on France’s healthcare system, a testing on religious discrimination in hiring, as well as multiple investigations on suburbs in France.
Passionate about education, he used to be a teacher before working at Sciences Po between 2000 and 2008, first as Dean of studies, later as Vice President. He also spent a year in London on secondment at the London School of Economics, in 2009.
Laurent is President of two non-profit organizations working in the field of education, Agir pour l’Ecole and Teach for France, and he is member of the Board of Directors of the Lycée International de Londres Winston Churchill in London. Laurent is also co-author of the book ‘Macron, et en même temps…’ (Plon 2017) with Alice Baudry and Olivier Duhamel.
Laurent Bigorgne graduated from Sciences Po Paris, and holds an “Agrégation” in History.
Biography
Selim Bora holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Metallurgical Engineering, from the Middle East Technical University of Ankara, as well as a Master of Science degree in Industrial Engineering from the Alfred University of New York.
In 1993, Mr. Bora joined the Summa International Construction company as Business Development Manager, first in Turkmenistan and then in Kyrgyzstan. In 1995, he was named Regional Manager of Summa for the Russian Federation, based in Moscow. Mr. Bora became President of Summa in 1999 after holding the position of Vice-President for 3 years. Since its foundation in 1989, Summa has enjoyed a reputation for responsible service and on-time, design build, turn-key contract delivery in exigent international markets.
For the last nine years, Summa operates in Sub-Sahara Africa namely; Equatorial Guinea, Senegal, Rwanda, Congo Brazzaville, Niger, Benin.
Under the leadership of Mr. Bora, the Group was ranked within Top 225 International Construction Companies by Engineering News Record- a prominent publication. Today Summa has diversified business interest and operations in BOT Airports, Hospitals, Shopping Malls, Hotels and similar infrastructure projects as an Investor/EPC Contractor globally.
Selim Bora acting as Chairman of non-profit “Akyurt Foundation” also chairs in several economic boards.
Biography
Bertrand Camus is CEO of SUEZ as of May 14, 2019.
He has been SUEZ’s Senior Executive VP for Africa, the Middle East, India, Asia and Australia since March 2018.
A graduate of the Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées, he joined SUEZ in 1994.
He successively held positions as COO of the subsidiary Aguas Argentinas from 2000 to 2006 and Director of Internal Audit at SUEZ.
In 2008, he was appointed CEO of water activities for North America and, in 2015, Deputy CEO of the Water Europe division and CEO of Water France.
Bertrand Camus was born on February 9, 1967.
Biography
Catherine Clark is a nationally respected broadcaster, emcee, writer and the President of Catherine Clark Communications, a consultancy which provides strategic communications advice to individuals, institutions and corporations.
Catherine is host of the live public affairs show Before the Bell, is the Giving Back columnist for Ottawa at Home Magazine, writes for Montreal-based IEFA Magazine, and emcees events across Canada, the United States and in Europe.
She serves on the boards of CARE Canada, CARE International in Kenya and The Writers Trust of Canada, is Honourary Chair of Queensway Carleton Hospital’s Women in Philanthropy campaign, co-chair of the organizing committee of the Politics and the Pen Gala and co-chair of the Ottawa Police Gala.
Biography
After a baccalaureate in economics and his military service at ECPAD (Establishment of Communication and Audiovisual Production of Defense), Thierry Dassault was responsible for Civil Equipment for Electronics Serge Dassault in Brazil from 1979 to 1981, general manager of '' an alarm systems company from 1982 to 1984, associate producer and director of advertising and institutional films at Claude Delon Productions from 1985 to 1993.
From 1994 to 2006, he was Chairman of Dassault Multimedia, which acquired stakes in Infogrames, Gemplus, Infonie, BFM, CdandCo, Net2one, Emme and Welcome Real-time. He has also personally invested in Chapitre.com.
In 2004, he was the federator of Keynectis, which became OpenTrust in September 2013 and then IDnomic in February 2016, he has chaired from the start. IDnomic provides electronic certification and security services, used for the digital identification of people, devices or connected objects. The company was sold to the Atos Group on 09/30/2019.
At the end of 2006, Thierry Dassault created TDH, an investment structure in emerging technologies and niche sectors, which holds stakes in Aquarelle, Bernardaud, Blablacar, Coravin, Halys, La Maison, L Capital, Qista, Scarcell, Wallix Group and YouScribe.
He was reelected in June 2020 for one year, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault (GIMD) and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Rond-Point Immobilière. He is also President of Dassault Immobilier Canada inc.
He sits on the boards of: Artcurial, CDEFQ (Cercle des Dirigeants d’Entreprise Franco-Québécois).
Champagne Taittinger, Dassault Aviation, Dassault Médias (Le Figaro), Halys, Immobilière Dassault, Particulier et Finances Editions, Royal Hotel - Winter & Gstaad Palace, SITAM Belgique, and Wallix Group.
He is a member of the YouScribe Strategic Committee.
He was President of the 58th National Session of the IHEDN (Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Defense Nationale) from 2006 until 2020, Officer of the Legion of Honnor and Colonel of the Air Force under the Citizen Reserve.
Finally, he is Vice-President of the Kidney Foundation and member of the Boards of Directors of the Serge Dassault Foundation and of the Association for Research on Alzheimer's.
Biography
Born in 1967, Clotilde Delbos is graduated from EM Lyon.
She began her career in California, then at Price Waterhouse in Paris before joining the Pechiney Group in 1992. She held various positions in France and in Brussels in Internal Audit, Treasury and Mergers & Acquisitions to then become Division Financial Director (Bauxite Alumina and International Trade). After Pechiney’s acquisition by Alcan, Clotilde Delbos served as Vice President & Business Finance Director of the Engineered Products Division from 2005 up until it was sold in 2011 to Apollo Global Management (Private Equity Fund) and the Fonds Stratégique d’Investissement. In the new company, Constellium, her last two positions were Deputy CFO and Chief Risk Officer.
Clotilde Delbos joined Groupe Renault in 2012 as Group Controller. On May 1, 2014, she was appointed Alliance Global Director, Control, in addition to her current role as Senior Vice President, Groupe Renault Controller.
On April 25, 2016, Clotilde is appointed Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer of Groupe Renault. She also became Chairman of the Board of Directors of RCI Banque.
On April 1, 2019, Clotilde Delbos , Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer of Groupe Renault and Chairman of the Board of Directors of RCI Banque, takes over the responsibility of Internal Control on top of her current role. She is a member of the Groupe Renault Executive Committee.
On October 11, 2019, the Board of Directors decided to appoint, with immediate effect, Mrs Clotilde Delbos as Chief Executive Officer of Renault SA for an interim period, until a process is completed to appoint a new Chief Executive Officer.
She remains Chief Financial Officer of Groupe Renault and Chairman of the Board of Directors of RCI Banque.
Biography
He joined Power in 1981 and assumed the position of Vice-President the following year. In 1984, he led the creation of Power Financial to consolidate Power’s major financial holdings, as well as Pargesa Holding SA, under a single corporate entity. Mr. Desmarais served as Vice-President of Power Financial from 1984 to 1986, as President and Chief Operating Officer from 1986 to 1989, as Executive Vice-Chairman from 1989 to 1990, as Executive Chairman from 1990 to 2005 and as Chairman of the Executive Committee from 2006 to 2008. He also served as Vice-Chairman of Power Corporation from 1991 to 1996.
After Power Financial and the Frère Group of Belgium took control of Pargesa in 1990, Mr. Desmarais moved to Europe from 1991 to 1994, to develop the partnership with the Frère Group and to restructure the Pargesa group. From 1982 to 1990, he was a member of the Management Committee of Pargesa, in 1991, Executive Vice-Chairman and then Executive Chairman of the Committee; from 2003 to 2019, he was Co-Chief Executive Officer and he was named Chairman of the Board in 2013. He has been a director of Pargesa since 1992.
He also serves as Chairman of Power Financial and is a director of many Power Corporation group companies in North America, including Great-West Lifeco, Canada Life, Empower Retirement, Putnam Investments, IGM Financial, IG Wealth Management and Mackenzie. In Europe, he is Chairman of the Board of Groupe Bruxelles Lambert and a director of SGS. He was a director of LafargeHolcim until 2020 and of Total until 2017.
Mr. Desmarais is Chairman of the Board of Governors of The International Economic Forum of the Americas (Canada), a Trustee of The Brookings Institution, Co-Chair of the Brookings International Advisory Council and a member of the Brookings Executive Committee (Washington), a member of the Global Board of Advisors of the Council on Foreign Relations (United States), a member of the Global Advisory Council of Harvard (United States), a member of The Business Council (United States) and of The Business Council of Canada. He is also active on a number of philanthropic advisory councils.
In 1994, he received the Insigne d’Officier de l’Ordre de la Couronne of Belgium. In 2005, he was named an Officer of the Order of Canada and he received the Executive of the Year Award from the Academy of International Business. In 2009, he was named an Officer of the Ordre national du Québec and in 2012, Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur in France. He holds a number of honorary doctorates.
He obtained a Bachelor of Commerce degree from McGill University and an MBA from the European Institute of Business Administration (INSEAD), France.
Biography
Elyas Felfoul is the Director of Partnerships and Policy Development at WISE, a global platform that aims at transforming the world of education through innovation – WISE is an initiative of Qatar Foundation.
Since 2013, Mr. Felfoul has led the development of partnerships with organizations and forums in different regions of the world – such as the Raisina Dialogue, in India; the International Economic Forum of the Americas in Canada and the USA; the Paris Peace Forum in France; the Global Citizenship Forum in Armenia, Concordia Summit in the USA and Latin Americas; and more, which have broadened the reach of discussions about
education among audiences from diverse sectors of society and multiple geographic regions.
He is also in charge of supervising the organization of WISE’s biannual summit in Doha and its international policy engagements; and managing outreach to governments, top academic professionals, though leaders and decision makers.
Before joining WISE, Mr. Felfoul held the role of political advisor to Quebec’s Minister of Justice and Leader of the Quebec Parliament in Canada; and worked on mergers and acquisitions with a Toronto-based company.
Born in Tunisia, he moved to Canada at the age of twelve. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations from Université de Sherbrooke and a Master’s in Public Policy from Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, at the National University of Singapore (NUS).
Biography
Ambassador Thomas Greminger was appointed Secretary General of the OSCE on 18 July 2017 for a three-year term.
Ambassador Greminger joined the diplomatic service of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) in 1990 and has held numerous senior management positions during his career. Prior to his appointment as OSCE Secretary General, he was Deputy Director General of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, overseeing an annual budget of USD 730 million and 900 staff in Bern and abroad.
From 2010 to 2015, Greminger was the Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the OSCE, serving as Chair of the Permanent Council during Switzerland’s 2014 OSCE Chairmanship. Prior to his assignment at the Permanent Delegation of Switzerland to the OSCE, Greminger was Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affair’s Human Security Division, Switzerland’s competence centre for peace, human rights, and humanitarian and migration policy.
Thomas Greminger holds a PhD in history from the University of Zurich and the rank of Lieutenant Colonel (General Staff) in the Swiss Armed Forces. He has authored a number of publications on military history, conflict management, peacekeeping, development and human rights. His mother tongue is German; he speaks fluent English and French, and has a working knowledge of Portuguese. In 2012, he was awarded the OSCE white ribbon for his long-standing support for gender equality.
Biography
After graduating from the École nationale d’administration (French National School of Administration) in the Léon Gambetta graduating class, Catherine Guillouard first worked for the Direction générale du Trésor at the French ministry of Economy. In 1997 she joined Air France where she held various positions such as: Executive Manager of Flight Operations, Delegate-General in charge of Human Resources and Change Management then Group Chief Financial Officer. In 2007, she became the Chief Financial Officer of Eutelsat Communications, also sitting the company’s executive committee. She next joined Rexel Group in 2013, where she was in charge of Group Finance, Control and Legal Affairs and a sitting member of the Executive Board, before being appointed Deputy Group Chief Executive Officer as early as 2014.
A member of the Airbus board of administrators since 2016, Catherine Guillouard also chairs the group’s Audit committee. She has also been part of the board of Systra since 2017 and of the supervisory board of KPN since 2020.
In August 2017, the French President appointed Catherine Guillouard as Chairwoman and CEO of RATP Group, a position she still holds following the renewal of her mandate in July 2019.
Biography
Angel Gurría came to the OECD following a distinguished career in public service that included two ministerial posts. As Mexico’s Minister of Foreign Affairs from December 1994 to January 1998, he made dialogue and consensus-building one of the hallmarks of his approach to global issues. From January 1998 to December 2000, he was Mexico’s Minister of Finance and Public Credit. For the first time in a generation, he steered Mexico’s economy through a change of Administration without a recurrence of the financial crises that had previously dogged such changes.
Biography
University Professor
Doctor Bandar Hajjar was awarded a bachelor's degree with First-Class Honours in Economics and Political Sciences from King Saud University, Riyadh, and a master's degree in Economics from Indiana University, USA. In 1982, he returned to Saudi Arabia, where he worked as a lecturer for four years. In 1986, he attended Loughborough University in the United Kingdom on a scholarship, where he received a Ph.D. in Economics. In his thesis titled "Financing Small Enterprises in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia" he argued that Islamic financing is appropriate for small enterprises, which often lack collateral, administrative, and marketing expertise.
From 1994 to 1998, Dr. Hajjar occupied the posts of Deputy Dean of the College of Economy and Administration; Deputy Director of the Islamic Economics Research Center; and Head of the Committee on Curricula Taught from an Islamic Perspective. He delivered university courses on monetary issues, banks, economic development, the Islamic economic system and macroeconomics. He integrates both theory and practice into his teachings, with a focus on outlooks. He encourages his students to engage in voluntary work.
Chief Editor, Money and Markets Magazine
Dr. Hajjar believes that there is a strong connection between the economy and the media, and together they represent the pillars of community development. Responsible media reveals the economy’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges. It contributes to the development and enhancement of the economy through the objective interpretation of events and future foresight.
This view was the main driver behind the 1996 establishment of Money and Markets, a specialized economics magazine addressing the concerns of the Arab and Islamic worlds in line with ethical and spiritual values. The magazine provided objective insights into the events and successive developments in the international arena, highlighting their consequences for economic activities. It dedicated extensive space for Islamic economy and Islamic financing. Dr. Hajjar was at the helm of the magazine until its discontinuation in 2006.
Member, Shura Council
In 1998, Dr. Hajjar was selected as a member of the Shura Council in its second term. He served on the Council for three consecutive terms, spanning 12 years. He was appointed Vice-Speaker of the Council, and he held that office for three years.
During his term, Dr. Hajjar chaired the Shura Council Committee on Foreign Affairs for one year. He was also a member of the Council’s Committee on Economic Affairs and Energy and the Committee on Social Affairs and Youth. He served on several specialized subcommittees, including the Committee on Integrity and Combating Corruption, the Committee on University Admission, and the Committee on Zakat. At the international level, he represented the Council in the Arab Parliamentary Union and the Inter-Parliamentary Union for two years. He was also part of the team concerned with the accession of the Shura Council to the Inter-Parliamentary Union.
While serving on the Shura Council, Dr. Hajjar developed an interest in environmental protection and renewable energy; the relationship between the public, private and tertiary sectors; investment in education as the major driver of development; human development with an humanitarian dimension in addition to the economic dimension; the role of the tertiary sector in economic and social development; the importance of the middle class in achieving economic, social and political stability; and endowments.
Chairman, Coordinating Council for Monitoring Municipal Elections
Dr. Hajjar formed a coordinating council of seven NGOs under the umbrella of the National Society for Human Rights to monitor the first municipal elections held in Saudi Arabia in 2005. The Council deployed approximately 1,500 volunteer citizens to all cities in the Kingdom and issued daily statements in both Arabic and English explaining the election instructions, regulations, and outcomes.
Chairman, National Society for Human Rights
Believing that upholding human rights and dignity is paramount, Dr. Hajjar, along with 40 Saudi men and women, established a national non-governmental human rights society in 2004.
Under his five-year Chairmanship, the Society managed to raise public awareness among about the rights of citizens and residents as enshrined in Islamic Sharia, domestic laws, and international conventions; and revise laws for alignment with international conventions. It tried to integrate human rights into school curricula, publish a monthly newsletter, and establish an information and documentation center. The Society released the first report on human rights in the Kingdom, which was well received nationally and internationally.
Minister of Hajj
The Ministry of Hajj is the government body mandated with caring for and serving approximately three million pilgrims and seven million Umrah performers visiting the Kingdom annually. The Ministry begins to serve the visitors once they decide to perform the rituals before leaving their own countries. The Ministry, in cooperation with other service departments, continues to serve the Pilgrimage and Umrah performers throughout their stay in the Kingdom and until their departure.
Dr. Hajjar served as Minister of Hajj from 2011 to 2016. During his term, he introduced 25 initiatives to develop and enhance the services provided to the Hajj and Umrah performers. Some of those initiatives have either been fully implemented or are still in progress. The initiatives are aimed at making the Hajj journey an easier, more enjoyable, and an everlasting experience for both Hajj and Umrah performers.
Minister of Culture and Information
Dr. Hajjar was appointed Acting Minister of Culture and Information in addition to his responsibilities as Minister of Hajj for approximately one month and a half until a new minister of culture and information was in place.
ADDITIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
Dr. Hajjar has served as a member of several national and international bodies, including the Board of Trustees of Takaful Charity Organization, which sponsors orphans and needy students, the World Council for Supporting the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), the Disabled Children Association, and the World Islamic Council for Economy and Finance.
Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah Society for Community Development
Dr. Hajjar is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah Society for Community Development, which provides integrated solutions that contribute to the development of youth in Al-Madinah.
The Board of Trustees of the High Commission for the Development of the Hail Region
Dr. Hajjar is a member of the Board of Trustees of the High Commission for the Development of the Hail Region.
King Abdulaziz & his Companions Foundation for Giftedness & Creativity
Dr. Hajjar is a member of the Board of Trustees of the King Abdulaziz & his Companions Foundation for Giftedness & Creativity, a national cultural foundation founded by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, May Allah have mercy on him.
Prince Muqrin Bin Abdulaziz University
Dr. Hajjar is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Prince Muqrin Bin Abdulaziz University.
ORDERS:
Order of the Lion
The Republic of Senegal awarded Dr. Hajjar the National Order of the Lion, the highest national order awarded by the Republic, in recognition of his efforts in supporting the development projects and programs carried out by the Islamic Development Bank in Senegal.
National Order of Merit
The Republic of Tunisia awarded Dr. Hajjar the First Order of Merit on 7 March 2018 during his visit to the country from 7 to 10 March 2018 in the run-up to the 43rd Annual Meeting of the Islamic Development Bank Group.
Biography
Judith Hartmann has extensive international experience as a financial and operational executive, in both services and industry. She served in major international groups such as General Electric, Bertelsmann and The Walt Disney Company, and worked in 7 countries, including the USA, Brazil, Germany. Judith Hartmann was appointed EVP and CFO of GDF SUEZ in 2015. In 2016, she took over the additional responsibility to steer ENGIE operations in the UK and North America. In 2019, she became EVP and CFO, responsible for steering ENGIE publicly listed subsidiaries (supervision of GTT and coordination with Suez) and in charge of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). From February 24 to December 31, 2020 Judith Hartmann ensured the Group’s operational management as a member of a collegial management team with Claire Waysand and Paulo Almirante. Judith Hartmann holds a Master's degree in International Business Administration and a PhD in Economics from WU Vienna University of Business Administration & Economics.
Biography
Ayşe Hazır Valentin is CEO and founder of The Business Year, a global media group that has been providing investors, businesses, and governments with first-hand insights into the world’s most dynamic markets for over a decade. Since founding the company, she has overseen the growth of operations across the Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. Having also successfully guided the company through the digital transition, she is now focusing on the expansion of coverage into Europe.
Before founding The Business Year, Ayşe worked as Europe, Middle East and Asia Regional Director at Oxford Business Group, a London-based publishing house, from 2004 to 2009. Prior to that she was Project Director for Eastern Europe at Global Business Reports, where she coordinated research on countries targeting EU accession.
At the start of her career, she also gathered extensive experience as a sectoral business intelligence project director in various geographies, from Oman to the Russian Federation and Indonesia, covering industries such as oil and gas, power, and chemical manufacturing. Ayşe holds a BA in chemistry from Istanbul Boğaziçi University and lives in London. She is a mother of two, a qualified yoga teacher, and an avid sailor.
Biography
Pierre Heilbronn is responsible for the Bank’s country and sector strategies, policy engagement, TC and initiatives upholding and supporting the Bank’s transition mandate.
Before joining the EBRD in November 2016, he was deputy chief of staff for France’s Minister of Economy and Finance. Before that, he served as the European advisor of the French Prime Minister and for six years. Earlier in his career, he assisted in the creation of the European External Action Service. As head of Cabinet of the European Commissioner for External Relations and Management of Development Aid, he worked on the Neighbourhood policy and on the management of EU development aid at the programming cycle.
Pierre Heilbronn started his career in the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Department of European cooperation) and the Ministry of Finance.
He graduated from the Institut d’Etudes politiques de Paris and the Ecole nationale d’administration (ENA). He holds a Master of Economics from Cambridge University and a Master of European studies from the College of Europe of Bruges. He also studied in Yale University and Georgetown University.
Biography
Anne Hidalgo became the first woman to be elected Mayor of Paris in April 2014. She is a former labour inspector and joined the Socialist Party in 1994. In 1997, she joined the cabinet of Martine Aubry, Minister for Employment and National Solidarity at the time. As First Deputy to Bertrand Delanoë, Mayor of Paris, for 13 years, she headed the list of the Paris Left in its successes in the regional elections of 2004 and 2010. The Mayor of Paris is currently President of the AIMF, President-elect of C40, Co-President of the UCLG and First Vice-President of the Greater Paris Metropolitan Area.
Biography
Glenn Hutchins is Chairman of North Island and North Island Ventures and a co-founder of Silver Lake. He is a director of AT&T, Virtu Financial and Digital Currency Group; Co-Chair of the Brookings Institution and CARE; Vice Chair of the Obama Foundation; on the Executive Committee of the Boston Celtics Basketball Team; and a board member of the New York Presbyterian Hospital. He is also a member of the International Advisory Board of GIC Private Limited, the sovereign wealth fund of Singapore.
He was a Director and Chair of Audit and Risk Committee of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York from 2011- 2020. Mr. Hutchins also served President Clinton in both the transition and the White House as a special advisor on economic and health-care policy.
He was previously chairman of the board of SunGard Data Systems, Inc. and Instinet, Inc. and a long-time director of Nasdaq, Inc. He was also a director of the Harvard Management Company for a decade and co-chairman of Harvard University’s capital campaign.
Mr. Hutchins and his wife, Debbie, founded the Hutchins Family Foundation which, among other projects, is supporting the construction of the Obama Presidential Center and has created the Hutchins Center for African & African American Research at Harvard University; the Hutchins Center on Fiscal and Monetary Policy at The Brookings Institution; and the Chronic Fatigue Initiative, which conducted basic research into the cause of chronic fatigue syndrome.
Mr. Hutchins has published essays on economic and public policy in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, Financial Times, Fortune and Foreign Affairs. He is also a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Mr. Hutchins holds an A.B. from Harvard College, an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School, and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.
Biography
Dr Ibrahim is the Founder and Chair of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation which he established in 2006 to support good governance and exceptional leadership on the African continent.
Sudanese-born, Dr Ibrahim has a distinguished business career. In 1989, he founded Mobile Systems International (MSI), a world leading cellular consulting and software provider and in 1998, Celtel International, one of Africa’s leading mobile telephone companies, which pioneered mobile services in Africa and was sold to Zain in 2005.
Dr Ibrahim is also Founding Chairman of Satya Capital Limited, a private equity fund focused on Africa and Chairman of TPG-Satya, a Joint African Investment Alliance.
Dr Ibrahim has received numerous honorary degrees and fellowships from a range of academic institutions, including Birmingham University, Bradford University, Imperial College – London, London Business School, SOAS – University of London, University of Pennsylvania, and Lancaster University.
Dr Ibrahim was made Commander of the Order of the Lion (Senegal) by President Macky Sall and Commandeur of the Wissam Arch by H.M. King Mohammed VI of Morocco.
Dr Ibrahim was made Commander of the Order of the Lion (Senegal) by President Macky Sall (February 2014) and Commandeur of the Wissam Arch by H.M. King Mohammed VI of Morocco (July 2014).
Biography
Karen joined Bridgewater in 2006 and heads Investment Research. She oversees teams of investors developing systematic insights on global markets and economies and is a regular author of Bridgewater’s Daily Observations, with a focus on fixed income, monetary and fiscal policy, money and credit flows and portfolio construction. Karen received her AB from Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs with a Certificate in Finance. She is a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, an Atlantic Council Millennium Fellow, and serves on the Board of Seeds of Peace, a nonprofit cultivating young leaders to transform conflict in the Middle East and South Asia. Karen was included in Fortune’s 40 Under 40 most influential leaders in business.
Biography
- 2017: ENGIE Executive Vice President, in charge of Strategy, Business Development Oversight, Research & Technology, Innovation, Group’s five “Métiers” (Gas Chain, Centralized Génération, BtoB, BtoT, BtoC), Integration Management, Enterprise Risk Management, Tractebel, ENGIE EPS, ENGIE Solar, based in Paris.
- 2016: Managing Director, ENGIE Centralised Generation, and Chairman of Solairedirect, based in London.
- 2014: EVP, Business Development, ENGIE Energy International Business Line, based in London.
- 2007: Head of Business Development and then CEO/President of ENGIE South Asia, Middle East and Africa, based in Dubai.
- 2002: Developer and then Head of Business Development, ENGIE Asia Pacific and Africa, based in Bangkok.
- 1997: CEO, ENGIE South Asia, based in India.
- 1982: Various roles in construction, project management, marketing and business development at Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), based in India.
Biography
Born 15 September 1977 in Bourg-la-Reine, France
University education
- Strasbourg Institute of Political Studies
- Graduate of ESSEC Business School
Career
- Strategy analyst at IBM Global Services (2000-2002)
- Technical adviser for relations with parliament, attached to the Minister of State for Relations with Parliament and then to the Minister Delegate for the Interior and the Minister Delegate for the Budget and Administrative Reform, Government Spokesperson (2002-2007)
- Deputy secretary general of the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) Group at the French National Assembly (2007-2014)
Elected office
- Councillor for the Yonne Department (since 2008)
- Councillor for the village of Vallery
- Senator for the Yonne Department (since 2014)
Biography
Enrico Letta is the Dean of the Paris School of International Affairs (PSIA) at Sciences Po in Paris and also the President of the Jacques Delors Institute.
He was the Prime Minister of Italy from April 2013 to February 2014. Before he served as Minister for EU Affairs (1998-1999), as Minister for Industry, Commerce and Crafts (January-April 2000, during the second D’Alema Government), as Minister for Industry, Commerce and Crafts and Foreign Trade (2000-2001, during the second Amato Government) and as Undersecretary of State to the Prime Minister of the centre-left government led by Romano Prodi from 2006 to 2008.
Between 2001 and 2015 he was Member of the Italian Parliament, excluding between 2004 and 2006 when he was Member of the European Parliament. He also served as deputy Secretary of the Democratic Party (PD) from 2009 to 2013.
From 1993 to May 2013 he managed an independent think tank, Arel, founded by the late Beniamino Andreatta. He was also Vice Chairman of Aspen Institute Italia, President of the Italy-Spain Dialogue Forum, and a member of the Trilateral Commission.
He was born in Pisa (Tuscany) in 1966 and he spent the first years of his life in Strasbourg. He graduated in International Law at the University of Pisa and obtained a PhD in European Union Law at the School for Advanced Studies “Sant’Anna” of Pisa.
Biography
José Luis Manzano is an Argentine businessman with a deep understanding of Latin American public policy and global emerging markets. He possesses significant experience in the investment, media, energy and distress industries. He speaks frequently across the world on these issues.
Dr. Manzano founded the international firm Integra Capital, a private equity and merchant banking firm. Integra also provides services such as mergers and acquisitions, financial structuring, IPOs, due diligence procedures, debt and company restructuring, among others.
Dr. Manzano and his family are relevant shareholders of Phoenix Global Resources, a company engaged in the exploration and production of oil with activity in Argentina. PGR is listed on the London Stock Exchange, AIM Market, and the Stock Exchange of Buenos Aires, produces 10.000 barrels of oil per day and has more than 60 million barrels of proven reserves and 300 million barrels of unconventional resources. Dr Manzano is also a relevant investor in Interoil, an exploration and production company listed in Oslo stock exchange that produces 1600bopd in Colombia.
Dr. Manzano is the major shareholder of Integra Oil & Gas, an oil production company that produces 4000 bopd in Venezuela. He is also a major shareholder in Integra Gas Distribution in partnership with Mercuria Energy Trading. Integra Gas Distribution is a significant shareholder of Metrogas, the gas distribution company of Buenos Aires serving more than 10 million people. He is also a relevant shareholder of Edemsa, the distribution electricity company of the province of Mendoza, HIDROELECTRICA AMEGHINO, a hidroplant producing 60 megas and Altus, a winery producer of premium wines in Argentina.
In relation to the media industry, Dr. Manzano is a major shareholder of Grupo America, the second by size argentine media group he co-founded in 1996. The group owns TV stations, news channels, radios and newspapers, including America Tv, the national leader on live television, La Capital, the oldest newspaper of the country and El Cronista Comercial, the more prestigious business and finance newspaper of Argentina.
Prior to his business career, Mr. Manzano was active in the Peronist party where he was Secretary General. He served as majority leader in the lower house of Argentina’s National Congress from 1983 to 1991 and was appointed as Homeland Security Minister under President Carlos Menem.
Dr. Manzano is a relevant donor to several educational organizations and charities. Dr. Manzano is the President of Universidad de Congreso, where he is actively involved in academics and research activities. He has developed activities with the climate change organization of Novel Awards Al Gore and the Clinton Global Initiative. He is also active with the UK Argentinean Chamber of Commerce and the Cámara de Comercio Argentino Norteamericana. He is a sponsor of the Chinese House of Culture in Buenos Aires and was a member of the B20, the business group in support of the G20 Argentine presidency. Dr Manzano is a regular participant of the activities of the Council of The Americas and the Americas Society and is a member of the Energy Steering Committee of the Institute of The Americas.
Mr. Manzano received his Medical Doctorate and his Post Degree specialization in Occupational Health from the National University of Cuyo. He has been a Visiting Scholar at both Georgetown University and the University of California at San Diego. He has received an International Business Certificate and an International Finance Certificate from Georgetown University. He has received a diploma in leadership from Oxford University and lectured at prestigious universities in Argentina, Japan, Europe and the United States.
Biography
Studies: Sciences Po Paris, ESSEC (Business School) , Bachelor of laws.
After 3 years in the long-term financing sector, Patrick Martin joined the family SME Martin Belaysoud Expansion (Industrial Supplier), founded in 1829. He is the current CEO and majority shareholder.
o 200 subsidies in France, 1 subsidy in Slovakia and a business presence in Western and Northern Africa and Middle East.
o 100 000 professional consumers, from crafts to multinationals, from many professional sectors.
o Turn-over: more than 900 million euros
o 2.600 employees
o Top 3 in its sector in France.
Fan of high mountains activities. 61 years old – Married - Three children.
Biography
As the inaugural CEO of Invest in Canada, Ian McKay is responsible for positioning Canada as a premier global investment destination. He oversees a team that facilitates investment deals across the country and accelerates large scale transformative investment projects.
Mr. McKay has led a distinguished career in the international financial markets in London, Tokyo and New York and as a political advisor. Most recently as CEO of the Vancouver Economic Commission, he worked tirelessly to accelerate the diversification of Vancouver’s economy and place it on the global investment map. He also served as Chair of the Consider Canada City Alliance, a network of Canada’s thirteen largest economic development agencies collaborating to promote Canada as an ideal destination for global trade and investment.
In January 2018, the Prime Minister appointed Mr. McKay as Special Envoy to assist with the ongoing negotiations of the Trans-Pacific Partnership in Tokyo, Japan, resulting in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) being signed.
With significant executive leadership experience in both the private and public sectors enhanced by a strong understanding of economic development, Mr. McKay brings notable expertise to enhance global investment into Canada, offering far-reaching economic benefits for Canadians.
Fluent in Japanese, Mr. McKay studied Political Science and Asian Studies at the University of British Columbia and holds a Master of Business Administration from Queen’s University.
Biography
Tijjani Muhammad-Bande has had an outstanding career as a scholar and diplomat. He received a BSc (Political Science) from Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria (1979); an MA (Political Science) from Boston University, United States of America (1981); and a PhD (Political Science) from University of Toronto, Canada (1987).
He started his academic career at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Nigeria, rising from Graduate Assistant in 1980 to full Professor in 1998, and ultimately to Vice-Chancellor, in 2004, a position he held for five years. During his tenure as Vice Chancellor, the University, with about 20,000 full-time students in various faculties, ranked first in the accreditation of academic programmes in Nigerian universities (2007).
Between 2000 and 2004, Professor Muhammad-Bande served as Director-General of Le Centre Africain de Formation et de Recherche Administratives pour le Développement (CAFRAD), in Tangiers, Morocco. Established by African governments in 1964, CAFRAD is the continent’s premier intergovernmental Centre for governance reform. Under his stewardship, the Centre improved much-needed training for senior African public servants, conducted specialized research on African governance issues, and worked with a variety of partners, in particular the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations.
From 2010 to 2016, he held the position of Director-General of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Nigeria’s most reputable policy institution for training leaders from the public and private sectors, including high echelon officials of Nigeria’s Armed Forces. In that capacity, he inspired a marked improvement in the quality of the Institute’s programming and activities. One of his signature initiatives in that regard was the establishment of the Political Parties Policy and Leadership Development Centre, the first of its kind in Africa.
As Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (2018-2019), Professor Mohammad-Bande worked with colleagues from all regions of the world to achieve common objectives. He served as Vice-President of the 71st session of the General Assembly and was active in several forums, including as Chair of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations (C34), Member of the Advisory Board of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre, and Chair of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Group.
Professor Muhammad-Bande was an assessor for the National Merit Award (Nigeria) and for professorial positions in universities. He has won merit awards and honours from institutions and governments, including the Government of the United States of America and the Government of China. Most notably, he was named Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR), one of Nigeria’s highest national honours.
He is married with four children, and his hobbies include swimming, soccer, field hockey, farming and music.
Biography
Alain Papiasse began his career in 1973 at Crédit Lyonnais. He held various positions there, including Credit Analyst and Deputy Senior Banker, before being appointed Crédit Lyonnais Executive Vice President for the Americas in 1996. In 2002, Alain Papiasse was appointed Vice President of Crédit Lyonnais and in 2003, Vice President of Crédit Agricole Indosuez Calyon following the merger between Crédit Lyonnais and Crédit Agricole. In January 2005, he joined BNP Paribas as Head of Investment Solutions, the Group’s division responsible for administering customers’ savings programmes and providing asset management. In 2005, Alain Papiasse became a member of the BNP Paribas Group Executive Committee and, in April 2009, was appointed Head of the Corporate and Investment Banking division (CIB). Later in 2009, following the merger with Fortis, Alain Papiasse took a seat on the Board of Directors of BNP Paribas Fortis. On 1 December 2011, he was appointed Deputy Chief Operating Officer and Head of the Corporate and Investment Banking division (CIB). Since 2014, he has represented Group General Management in North America, while continuing to support the development of the Corporate and Institutional Banking Division.
In 2018, Alain Papiasse is appointed Chairman of CIB. As member of the Executive Committee, Alain will bring his expertise and knowledge of the BNP Paribas Group to develop relationships with large international clients, while continuing to oversee the Group’s activity in North America and the United Kingdom.
Education
Alain Papiasse is a graduate of three French business schools : Institut Technique de Banque, Centre d’Etudes Supérieurs de Banque (CESB) and Centre de Perfectionnement aux Affaires (CPA).
Biography
Swaha Pattanaik is Global Economics Editor at Reuters Breakingviews, based in London. Previously Reuters’ EMEA Financial Markets Editor, she writes about global financial markets, macroeconomics, and policymaking. She was posted to Paris as Reuters’ senior economics correspondent and to Brussels as its European economic and monetary affairs correspondent. Before then she was the head of the Reuters FX reporting desk in London. Prior to joining Reuters, she worked for Bloomberg, Euromoney, and consulting firm IDEA. She has an MSc in Political Theory and Political Sociology from Birkbeck and a BSc (Econ) in Mathematical Economics and Econometrics from the London School of Economics.
Biography
Gabriela Ramos is the OECD Chief of Staff and Sherpa to the G20. Besides supporting the Strategic Agenda of the Secretary General, she is responsible for the contributions of the Organisation to the global agenda, including the G20 and the G7. She leads the Inclusive Growth Initiative and the New Approaches to Economic Challenges and also oversees the work on Education, Employment and Social Affairs (including gender).
Previously, she served as Head of the OECD Office in Mexico and Latin America, co-ordinating several reports on Mexico to advance the health and education reform. She developed the OECD’s Mexico Forum and edited and launched the “Getting it Right” flagship publication series.
Prior to joining the OECD, Ms Ramos held several positions in the Mexican Government, including Director of Economic Affairs (and OECD issues) in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Technical Secretary at the Office of the Minister for the Budget. She has also held several positions as Professor of International Economy at the Universidad Iberoamericana and at the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México. Ms Ramos holds an MA in Public Policy from Harvard University, and was a Fulbright and Ford MacArthur fellow. She was decorated with the Ordre du Merit by the President of France, François Hollande, in 2013.
Biography
Born in Hull (Gatineau) on November 25, 1944, son of Carmel Rémillard and Jeannine Desjardins, Gil Rémillard is married to Marie DuPont. They have one son, Nicholas-Philippe, and two grandchildren, Matthieu-Gil and William, whose mother is Élizabeth Côté. Gil has two brothers, Jean and Martin and a sister, Sylvie.
Gil Rémillard holds degrees in Philosophy (1965), Political Science and Economics (1968), was called to the Québec Bar (1969), and has a PhD in Law (1973). He has worked in the fields of university teaching, private law and politics.
Career
From 1965 to 1969, when he was studying at the University of Ottawa, Gil Rémillard worked as a freelance journalist for Radio-Canada on Parliament Hill.
Professor and lawyer (1973 – 1985)
Upon returning from Europe in 1973, where he completed his PhD, Mr. Rémillard began teaching constitutional and administrative law in the Faculty of Law at Laval University in Québec City; he also taught in several other universities. During this time, he also practiced law at the Chouinard, Rémillard, Bussière & Robinson law firm and acted as advisor to the Québec and Ottawa governments on reforming administrative bodies and on certain constitutional issues, among them cable distribution. In 1983, he became a special constitutional advisor to Brian Mulroney, then Prime Minister of Canada, and an advisor to the United Nations Canadian delegation in New York. He has appeared before all levels of the Canadian court system, including the Supreme Court of Canada. From 1981 to 1985, he organized and chaired the Québec Constitutional Conferences at Laval University, which included a number of high-profile speakers, among them Prime Ministers Trudeau and Mulroney, as well as Javier Pérez de Cuéllar (former Secretary-General of the United Nations), Mother Teresa and Marguerite Yourcenar.
Politician (1985 – 1994)
On December 2, 1985, Mr. Rémillard was elected as the MNA for the Québec City riding of Jean-Talon; 10 days later, he was sworn in as a member of Premier Robert Bourassa’s Liberal government. Within that government he held several positions, being successively Minister for Canadian Intergovernmental Affairs, Minister of International Relations, Minister of Public Security, and Minister of Justice. As Québec’s Minister of Justice for nearly six years, Mr. Rémillard was responsible for implementing the new Civil Code of Québec, which came into effect January 1, 1994. In 1990, he presided over the creation of the Human Rights Tribunal of Québec and, on June 4, 1990, convened a major Justice Summit and created the Prix de la justice Award. Each year, the award recognizes the outstanding achievements of individuals who have worked to ensure and promote the quality, universality and accessibility of justice.
As Minister of Canadian Intergovernmental Affairs, Mr. Rémillard headed the negotiations which led to the Meech Lake (1987) and Charlottetown (1992) Accords. While not officially part of the Canadian Constitution, these two agreements had a considerable impact on Canadian federalism, primarily because the Parliament of Canada recognized the “Québec nation.” In addition, the distinct nature of Québec and the principles of cooperative federalism that were central to the Meech Lake Accord are now recognized by the Supreme Court of Canada as points of reference for interpreting the Canadian Constitution.
As Minister of International Relations for the Bourassa government, Mr. Rémillard negotiated the agreement that would lead to the creation of the International Organisation of the Francophonie (OIF). As the Minister responsible for International Relations and La Francophonie, in 1987, he hosted the organization’s second summit in Québec.
Professor and Lawyer (1994 – the present)
In January 1994, Mr. Rémillard left the political arena. From February 1, 1994 until March 1, 2016, he taught at the École Nationale d’Administration Publique (ÉNAP), where he lectured on administrative and international law and gave a course on the principles and issues involved in public administration. He also served as counsel to the law firm Fraser Milner Casgrain, now Dentons Canada LLP.
In 1995, along with his wife Marie DuPont and his son Nicholas Rémillard, he founded the International Economic Forum of the Americas, which annually presents the following events: the World Strategic Forum in April in Miami; the Conference of Montreal in June; the Toronto Global Forum in September; and the Conference of Paris in November. The primary goal of these forums is to promote understanding of the major issues involved in economic globalization.
From 1996 to 2002, Mr. Rémillard acted as an advisor to the governments of the Czech Republic, Romania and Bulgaria concerning the reform of their Civil Codes, as part of the preparation for their entry into the European Union.
From 2008 to 2011, he served as Chair of the Board of Governors for the Université de Sherbrooke. From 2009 to 2012, he acted as a negotiator for the Québec Government and Secretary General of the Québec-France Mutual Recognition Agreement that establishes equivalency of professional qualifications for many trades and professions on both sides of the Atlantic. From 2010 to 2013 he sat on the roundtable of the International Monetary Fund (IMF); in December 2015, the Government of Canada appointed him Chair of the Judicial Compensation and Benefits Commission. As Founding Chairman of the International Economic Forum of the Americas, in partnership with HEC Montreal, Sciences Po Paris, the University of Seoul, the University of California in San Diego, and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), in 2017 he created the International Institute of Economic Diplomacy.
Publications
Mr. Rémillard is the President and publisher of the economic magazine FORCES and IEFA Magazine, the official magazine of the International Economic Forum of the Americas. He is also the author of several books and articles, among them: Le fédéralisme canadien, et Le fédéralisme canadien, Éléments constitutionnels de formation et d’évolution, Volumes I and II. He has edited a number of collections, including Global Economy: The Foundation for the Next Era of Growth, which was published in 2014.
Honours
In 1992, he was made Doctor Honoris Causa by the Faculty of Law and Political Science of Aix-Marseille University, France. In 1994, he was awarded the Mérite du Barreau by the Québec Bar for his assistance in creating the new Civil Code of Québec. In 2001, he was appointed to the Order of Canada and, in 2002, was awarded the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. In 2004, he received the Ordre national du Québec and, that same year, was made a Knight of France’s Légion d’honneur by then-President Jacques Chirac; in 2017, he was made an Officer of that same organization by then-Prime Minister Manuel Valls.
In May 2007, he was granted the honorary title of Advocatus Emeritus by the Québec Bar. In 2013, he was awarded the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal and the France-Canada Institute’s Samuel de Champlain prize. That same year, Ottawa’s Saint Paul University named him Alumnus of the Year and established a fund in his name to help children with learning disabilities. On June 11, 2017, he was awarded the 50th Anniversary Medal by the Québec Ministry for International Relations and La Francophonie (MRIF), in recognition of his years of service as Minister.
Social Involvement
A dyslexic himself, Mr. Rémillard devotes his efforts to supporting organizations that help children with learning disabilities. He serves on a number of Boards of Directors, one of which is the Institute for Canadian Citizenship, co-chaired by former Governor General of Canada Adrienne Clarkson and John Ralston Saul, that helps welcome new citizens and integrate them into Canadian life.
Biography
Nicholas Rémillard, President and Chief Executive Officer, International Economic Forum of the Americas (IEFA), is responsible for the direction and strategy of the IEFA’s four major economic events: the Conference of Montreal, the Toronto Global Forum, the World Strategic Forum and the Conference of Paris.
Since the organization’s inception over 25 years ago, Nicholas Rémillard has held a variety of management roles, ultimately serving as President and CEO from 2010. His contribution led to the rapid expansion of the organization where he launched the Toronto Global Forum and the Palm Beach Strategic Forum in 2007 and 2011, respectively. The latter event is now held in Miami under its new appellation: the World Strategic Forum. In addition to these North American conferences, the IEFA has also shifted towards Europe and will be hosting its fourth edition of the Conference of Paris in November 2020.
Beyond his role at the IEFA, Nicholas Rémillard also serves as Honorary Consul General of Iceland in Montreal.
Nicholas Rémillard holds a law degree from the University of Ottawa.
Biography
Thierry Roland is Group General Manager and Chief Executive Officer, Global Banking & Markets, Europe. He is based in London.
Previous to his current role, Roland was Chief Executive Officer, HSBC Global Banking & Markets, for the US, Canada and Latin America from 2015 to June 2018.
He was Group Treasurer of HSBC Holdings plc from 2010 to April 2015. He has worked for HSBC and Crédit Commercial de France (which HSBC acquired in 2000) since 1988. He has held positions in Tokyo, Paris and London, undertaking various roles in Global Markets and Treasury.
In 2006, Roland was appointed Treasurer of HSBC Bank USA, New York and Head of Balance Sheet Management for the Americas. He served as Chief Executive Officer for HSBC Securities in 2007 and 2008 before relocating to London to become Global Head of Balance Sheet Management.
Roland holds an MSc degree in Engineering from Ecole Centrale, Paris and an MBA in Finance from Paris-Dauphine University.
Global Banking & Markets (‘GBM’) is a principal business line of HSBC Holdings plc (NYSE:HBC), one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organizations. GBM provides wholesale capital markets and transaction banking services organized across eight client-facing businesses. The products and services provided include: credit and rates, foreign exchange and equities sales and trading; capital financing (equity and debt capital markets; M&A advisory, corporate lending, infrastructure and project finance, leveraged and acquisition finance); payments and cash management; securities services (custody and clearing services); global trade and receivables finance; and balance sheet management.
Biography
Mr. Siebel is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of C3.ai, a computer software company that provides a Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Software as a Service (SaaS) applications for rapidly developing and operating enterprise-scale big data, predictive analytics, AI, and IoT solutions.
Mr. Siebel was the founder and chief executive officer of Siebel Systems, one of the world’s leading software companies. Founded in 1993, Siebel Systems pioneered the CRM software market, becoming the global leader with more than 8,000 employees in 32 countries, over 4,500 corporate customers, and annual revenue in excess of $2 billion in less than seven years. Siebel Systems merged with Oracle Corporation in January 2006.
Mr. Siebel is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in History, an M.B.A., and a Master of Science in Computer Science. He is the author of four books, including most recently Digital Transformation: Survive and Thrive in an Era of Mass Extinction (RosettaBooks, 2019).
Biography
Born August 27, 1971, Benjamin Smith is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario. Mr. Smith has extensive managerial experience for over twenty years within the airline industry at an international level.
Additionally, he successfully set up and ran his own corporate travel agency for several years. In previous positions Mr. Smith was President, Airlines & Chief Operating Officer at Air Canada. Benjamin Smith was also the chief architect of the enormous Air Canada growth story, modernizing and expanding the fleet and doubling international capacity over the course of a few short years. As well, the successful Air Canada Rouge subsidiary was his brainchild, which over a very short period was able to grow to a fleet of 50 aircraft, serving leisure destinations in the US, Caribbean, and Europe. This model was endorsed by all labor unions at Air Canada – the first time, globally, for any airline-within-an-airline sub-brand – following his initiative in leading negotiations with social partners, resulting in long term, landmark, win/win deals for all involved.
Biography
Sir Martin Sorrell is Founder and Executive Chairman of S4 Capital plc, which is building a purely digital advertising and marketing services business for global, multinational, regional, local clients and millennial-driven influencer brands.
Sir Martin was CEO of WPP for 33 years, building it from a £1 million “shell” company in 1985 into the world’s largest advertising and marketing services company. When Sir Martin left in April 2018, WPP had a market capitalisation of over £16 billion, revenues of over £15 billion, profits of approximately £2 billion and over 200,000 people in 113 countries. Prior to that, Sir Martin was Group Financial Director of Saatchi & Saatchi plc for 9 years and worked for James Gulliver, Mark McCormack and Glendinning Associates before that.
S4 Capital plc merged with MediaMonks, its content practice, in July 2018 and MightyHive, its programmatic practice, in December 2018 and has added eight further content programmatic and data companies to both practices in 2019 and six in 2020. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange under SFOR.L and after a little over two years, S4 Capital plc has over 2870 people in 30 countries, with a market capitalization of over $2.7 billion.
Sir Martin supports a number of leading business schools and universities, including his alma maters, Harvard Business School and Cambridge University and a number of charities, including his family foundation.
Biography
Sasha is in charge with Euronews’ overall business news coverage and is as well the channel’s representative at various international political and business events.
She presents business section in Euronews daily live shows Good Morning Europe and Euronews Now. Prior to that she presented and produced Business Line, a weekly show combining top stories of the week with wider analysis.
Sasha covers a variety of global political and business events on a regular basis, such as the World Economic Forum in Davos or the World Mobile Congress in Barcelona, and many others. She regularly interviews high profile personalities, such as former US Secretary of State John Kerry or the Nobel Prize for Economics laureate, Joseph Stiglitz.
She moderates and presents regularly a variety of high profile conferences, such as the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, the EU’s our Ocean Conference, European Business Summit, World Travel Market and others.
Sasha holds a Master’s Degree in foreign languages’ studies from Zaporizhzhya National University in Ukraine.
Biography
Clare Woodman is Head of EMEA and CEO of Morgan Stanley & Co. International Plc. She is a member of both the global operating and management committees. Clare was previously Global Chief Operating Officer for Morgan Stanley’s Institutional Securities Group. She joined Morgan Stanley in 2002 from Clifford Chance.
Clare is a Trustee of the Morgan Stanley International Foundation, overseeing the firm’s longstanding partnership with Great Ormond Street Hospital, and she is an active sponsor of the firm’s Women's Business Alliance.
Clare holds senior non-executive roles at The UK Finance Board, The Banking Standards Board and is a member of TheCityUK Advisory Council.
Clare studied at the London Business School where she obtained her MBA.