Key speakers
Sanda Ojiambo of Kenya was appointed Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations Global Compact by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to lead the world's largest corporate sustainability initiative.
As the world grappled with the COVID-19 pandemic, Ms. Ojiambo launched an ambitious new UN Global Compact strategy to accelerate and scale the global collective impact of business and delivering the SDGS through accountable companies and ecosystems.
Ms. Ojiambo brings to the UN Global Compact more than 20 years' experience in the public, multilateral and private sectors including as Head of Sustainable Business and Social Impact, Safaricom Plc in Kenya; and capacity development work in CARE International and United Nations Development Programme Somalia.
Ms. Ojiambo holds a Master of Arts in Public Policy from the University of Minnesota, USA, and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and International Development from McGill University, Canada.
Isaac Solomon is the President (Ag.) at the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), the regional development finance institution based in Barbados. Mr. Solomon is responsible for the strategic direction and overall management of the Bank and spearheads the Bank's engagement with its member countries and development partners.
Prior to this, Mr. Solomon held the position of Vice President (Operations) in which he provided leadership and direction to the Economics and Projects Departments and the Corporate Strategy Division.
Mr. Solomon holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree from the University of the West Indies in Management, and a Master of Science degree in Financial Management from the University of London’s Centre for International Education in Economics. He also holds the Certified Public Accountant designation.
The Hon. Kerrie Symmonds has served as the minister of foreign affairs and foreign trade in the government of Barbados since 2022. He is also the Senior Minister coordinating Productive Sector.
Since May 2018, Minister Symmonds has served as Minister of Tourism and International Transport; Minister of Energy, Small Business and Entrepreneurship; and Minister of Energy and Business Development.
George Tavo is the Deputy Secretary Operations of the Ministry of Public Works, Meteorological Services and Transport of Fiji.
With a career spanning over 35 years in Government, he has served extensively across Fiji in the field of construction management, project management and contract administration working very closely with other professionals such as architects, quantity surveyors, engineers (civil, structural, mechanical and electrical) that are involved in the construction and built environment sector.
He provides advice to the Permanent Secretary and Minister on policy, administration and operational matters associated with Transport (land and maritime), shipping services, energy, meteorological and hydrological services, water and sewerage, roads and public works construction.
Speakers (A-Z)
Victor Ban serves as Special Counsel for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, where he coordinates the development of supply chain policy through trade negotiations and inter-agency initiatives.
Before joining USTR, he practiced law at Covington & Burling, clerked for two federal judges, and was a management consultant at McKinsey and Company.
He is a graduate of Harvard Law School, Oxford University, and Harvard College, and is a licensed U.S. customs broker.
In 2020 Fabrizio was appointed Seafarers and Inland Navigation Sections Coordinator, this role assists the ITF Affiliates to be represented at an international level in a variety of fora, including the ILO and IMO.
Fabrizio joined the ITF in 1993 as an inspector in Italy and took on the role of coordinator in 1996. He then moved to London to start work in the ITF London office where he has held several positions including head of the 'Actions' unit and Manager of the Maritime Operations team. In 2011, Fabrizio became Assistant Secretary of the ITF Seafarers, Fisheries and Inland Navigation sections.
Following his studies, Fabrizio spent two years in service in the Italian navy working on board coastguard and search & rescue vessels as chief engineer. He then worked as an engineer on board dry cargo, tankers, and cruise vessels in both the public and private sectors.
Dr. Austin Becker is Professor and Director of Graduate Programs in the Department of Marine Affairs at the University of Rhode Island. As an interdisciplinary social scientist, he works across the fields of planning, policy, engineering, design, and ocean science, with a focus on coastal infrastructure.
He creates, tests, and implements approaches to help decision makers engage with complex problems involving uncertainty, consequences of natural hazards and large-scale shifts in climate, and the resulting challenges in policy and planning.
He is co-editor of Climate Change Adaptation Planning for Ports and has over 50 peer-reviewed publications.
In 2017, Dr. Becker was awarded the prestigious Sloan Foundation Research Fellowship in Ocean Sciences.
He earned a PhD in Environment and Resources at Stanford University. He also maintains his 500-Ton U.S. Coast Guard captain’s license for ocean-going vessels.
Michelle Belgrave is Customs and Trade Compliance Director for the Caribbean, at DHL Express, where she oversees the operations of 31 countries and territories to ensure Customs compliance and drives operational efficiency through the implementation of global SOPs.
Ms Belgrave has made a significant contribution towards achieving meaningful trade facilitation and Customs reforms throughout the Caribbean. She has a longstanding reputation as a business leader and global trade and customs professional.
In her different leadership roles, she has worked collaboratively with government authorities, business associations, and international organizations, identifying key areas of opportunity to improve the business environment, sharing best practices, and representing the express industry in international fora, including as Lead Representative of the express industry at the Conference of Latin American and Caribbean Express Companies (CLADEC), and currently as a Board Member of AmCham Trinidad and Tobago.
Surjit is Member Customs, CBIC and Special Secretary to the Government of India, having previously served as Director in Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.
Born in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, Surjit, an IIT Delhi alumnus, holds a Masters in Chemistry and Modern Methods in Chemical Analysis and an MBA in Public Policy and Business Administration from the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia.
His wildlife preservation commitment is evident through his Master's thesis on Tiger Reserve management. He served as a Jury Member for Earth Heroes Awards and India Sustainability Awards and actively participated in field-level biodiversity conservation activities. He chaired Study Groups on Intelligence Apparatus Modernization, Arrests under Central Excise Law and Customs, Role of Customs in Wildlife Preservation, and Customs modernization.
As an IRS officer of the 1989 Batch, he served in New Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Bangalore, notably in the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence and Directorate of GST Intelligence.
Ms. Duncan is President of the Association of Executives of the Autonomous Port of Abidjan. Lawyer, Occupational Psychologist and Gender Engineering Expert of the regional UNESCO Chaire Office, Ms. Duncan is from the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire.
She has 30 years of professional experience in the port industry. She holds the position of Deputy Human Resources Director and is responsible for the development of human capital with the aim of maintaining the position of the Autonomous Port of Abidjan as a leading port in the West African sub-region.
The Autonomous Port of Abidjan joined the TrainForTrade Port Management Programme in 2014 and is entering its 6th promotion. Ms. Duncan is the Educational Manager and Permanent Secretary of the Programme's French-speaking network. She was recently elevated within the National Order of Merit for Labour for the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire.
Kevin Bishop is a digitization expert with a diverse professional background encompassing information management, communication technology, and academia. He holds pivotal positions in shaping global standards and propelling digital transformation.
Serving as the Associate Information Management Officer at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/CEFACT), Kevin acts as the focal point for the methodology and technology domain. In this role, he oversees vital initiatives and upholds essential data standards.
Moreover, Kevin is entrusted with maintaining the UN/LOCODE, UN/EDIFACT, UN/CCL, and UN/FLUX. His expertise extends beyond the UN, as he also fulfills the role of Secretary for the UNECE/ISO TC 154 JWG 9, contributing significantly to the harmonization of standards in international trade and technology.
Kevin's influence resonates across various platforms, where he participates in the EU Special Data Project Group and the EU MSP (Multi-stakeholder Platform) on ICT Standardization. In these capacities, he promotes collaboration and coherence in ICT standards, ensuring seamless interoperability and enhanced efficiency in global digital systems.
Chad Blackman, Barbadian politician and former diplomat, was appointed to the Senate of Barbados by the Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Amor Mottley, as well as Minister in the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Investment.
He served as the Senior Advisor to the Director-General of the ILO, and as Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Barbados to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva, Vienna, and Rome, and Barbados’ Ambassador to Austria, Hungary, and Serbia
He was the President of the G77 and China Group in Geneva. He is the former Chair for the Trade and Environment Committee and former Chair of the Trade and Development Committee, both in the WTO. He chaired the SIDS Group at UNCTAD, was the Americas Co-ordinator for the Government Group in the ILO, and is a UN International Gender Champion Global Board Member.
Mr. Blackman holds a Law degree and a Master’s in International Trade Law from the University of Essex.
In 2014, John Bliek first joined the ILO as Enterprise Specialist at its Moscow Office. He then moved to the ILO Office for the Andean Countries where he worked for 5 years prior to joining the ILO Caribbean Office in March 2022.
Prior to this, between 2001-2008, Mr Bliek worked in El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua; and between 2008-2014 he coordinated an entrepreneurship promotion and microfinance programme in 12 countries. At the same time he was part of the Board of Directors of the European Microfinance Platform.
Mr Bliek graduated of the University of Nijmegen in the Netherlands on Development Studies. He has been working for the past 20 years on business development services and microfinance, territorial competitiveness, inclusive local economic and sector development and entrepreneurship.
Virginie BOHL is a senior international expert in devising and implementing strategies to optimize the cross-border movement of humanitarian aid.
She worked for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs of the United Nations (UN-OCHA) for 20 years and has experience in coordination, preparedness, response, information management and capacity building support.
She is the coordinator of the inter-agency IMPACCT Working group created in 2017. This group represents a network of strategic partners, such as the World Customs Organization, UNCTAD, ITU, IFRC, MSF, Save the Children, Humanitarian Dubai, HELP Logistics, OCHA and the Global Logistics Cluster (currently the host of IMPACCT).
The mission of IMPACCT aims for countries and humanitarian organizations to be prepared to effectively manage customs clearance and importation processes for humanitarian assistance and equipment.
To achieve its mission, partners come together to develop collective and coordinated approaches to support national authorities and coordination mechanisms.