Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam is an Egyptian judge, legal expert, and public figure.

Judge Abdelsalam currently serves as Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders and Secretary-General of the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity. He previously held the position of legal and legislative advisor to His Eminence Ahmed El-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, for 8 years. He was awarded papal knighthood by the late His Holiness Pope Francis for efforts advancing tolerance and interfaith dialogue. He is the first Arab and Muslim to be awarded this accolade.

Judge Abdelsalam is also Co-President of Religions for Peace, member of Al-Azhar's Center for Interreligious Dialogue, and member of the Board of Trustees of the King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence.

He is a graduate of Al-Azhar University.

Dr. Umid Abidhadjaev is currently Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance and Director of the Institute for Macroeconomic and Regional Studies under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan. A position he has held since December 2024.

Previous positions include:

• Director of the Institute for Macroeconomic and Regional Studies under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan. (2021-2024)
• Deputy Director of the Centre for Economic Research and Reforms under the Administration of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. (2019-2021)
• Head of the analytical group for infrastructure projects under the Ministry of Economy and Industry of the Republic of Uzbekistan. (2019)
• Research Associate of Keio University, Japan. (2018-2019)
• Project consultant focusing on infrastructure investments impact evaluation, Asian Development Bank Institute. (2017-2018)
• Adjunct-researcher at Keio University, Japan (2014-2017)
• Research Associate at the Asian Development Bank Institute. (2014-2016)
• Specialist of the first category, leading specialist of the Department of External and Public Relations of the State Property Management of the Republic of Uzbekistan. (2009-2011)

Umid Abidhadjaev graduated from Tashkent Islamic University with a major in World Economy and International Economic Relations, and holds a Ph.D. in Development Economics and International Development from Keio University, Japan.

Dr. Ratnakar Adhikari is the Executive Director of the Executive Secretariat for the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) at the World Trade Organization (WTO).

He also serves on the Board of the Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA) at UNCTAD, Geneva, as Professorial Fellow at Aston Business School, Birmingham, and as Distinguished Fellow at the Institute for Public Value, Oxford. 

His career spans leadership roles, including Chief Executive of South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) in Kathmandu, where he currently serves as Chair of the Board and Senior Adviser to Nepal's National Planning Commission. He has also worked as a Trade Programme Specialist at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Regional Centre in Colombo, and as a Credit Manager at Nepal Indosuez Bank Ltd. (formerly a member of Crédit Agricole, France), Kathmandu. 

He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Warwick, a Master of International Law and Economics from the World Trade Institute, and a Master of Commerce from the University of Delhi. He specializes in international trade and investment, technology and innovation, and development finance. He has co-authored eight books, numerous peer-reviewed articles, and over 200 op-eds from the perspective of the least developed countries.

Mr Nazar Agahanov, appointed Minister of Trade and Foreign Economic Relations of Turkmenistan in July 2025, previously served as Deputy Minister and Head of Foreign Economic Relations.

With experience in the Presidential Office (2016–2024), he holds degrees from MGIMO and the Diplomatic Academy of Russia.

Rajesh Agrawal is a distinguished civil servant with more than three decades of service marked by leadership, policy formulation and implementation across a wide spectrum of sectors, including skill development, human resource development, power, fertilizers, agriculture and MSME sectors.

Rajesh has been instrumental in the development of national policies and guidelines for skill development and has served as a focal point for overseeing implementation of the same. He represented India for three consecutive years as an official delegate to the WorldSkills Governing Council. In the past, he has also led institutional and sectoral reforms in the states of Manipur, Jharkhand and Bihar in the domains of power and agriculture.

In the Department of Commerce, he supervised India’s trade negotiations under various free trade agreements and served as the Chief Negotiator for the India–US Bilateral Trade Agreement, the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, the India–Australia Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement and the review of the ASEAN FTA. He also focused extensively on export promotion in the agriculture and allied sectors.

Rajesh assumed charge as Commerce Secretary on 1 October 2025. As Commerce Secretary, he continues to guide India’s trade policy, trade negotiations and export promotion, advancing the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047 and working to establish India as a prominent global economic power.

Vèna Arielle Ahouansou is a Beninese medical doctor and the CEO of Kea Medicals. In January 2017, she created the Kea Medicals Pharmaceuticals & Technologies software to digitise patient information.

An innovative woman, she says she was inspired by a loss of data that cost a patient her life while she was interning at the hospital. Her software, also available as a mobile app, has been welcomed by consumers in Benin and several other African countries.

Dr Arielle Ahouansou has won several awards, including the ‘Projet Afrique Future In Afrique’ prize in 2018 and the ‘Grand Prix 2019 de l'innovation’ organised in Paris.

She attended medical school in Parakou. During her studies, she taught herself about female leadership, management and community transformation, leading her to create the NGO Refled to help girls and women. At the end of her training, she prepared her thesis on the Beninese healthcare system.

Dr. Giulia Ajmone Marsan is the Head of Startups and Digital Inclusion at the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA). In 2023, she was appointed Co-Chair of the G20/Startup20 Inclusion Task Force under India’s G20 Presidency. In 2024, she joined the G20/Startup20 ESG Task Force under Brazil’s G20 Presidency and currently serves as a Member of the G20/Startup20 International Secretariat under South Africa’s Presidency.

Prior to joining ERIA, Dr. Ajmone Marsan worked as an Innovation Economist at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

She holds both a Bachelor's and a Master's degree in Applied Mathematics from the Polytechnic University of Turin, Italy, and a PhD in Applied Mathematics and Economics of Complex Systems, jointly awarded by the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS) in Paris, France, and the IMT School for Advanced Studies in Lucca, Italy.

Atheer Dawood Salman Al Ghurairi is an Iraqi politician who has been serving as the Minister of Trade of Iraq since 2022.

Before that, he held the following positions:

• Director Manager of State Company for Grains, processing from (2021-2022)
• Director Manager of State Company for Central Markets (2020-2021)
• Deputy Director General of the Planning and Follow-up Department (2018-2020)

He holds a PhD in Economics.

His Excellency Saleh Bin Nasser al-Jasser has been the Minister of Transport and Logistic Services in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia since 23 October 2019, and the chairman of the Board of Directors of Saudia.

Prior to that, he held a number positions. From 2014 to 2019, he served as the Director General of Saudia and a member of its board of directors. Before that, from 2010 to 2014, he was the chief executive officer of the Saudi National Shipping Company. For approximately seven years, from 2003 to 2010, he served as the executive general manager for the Lexus division at Abdul Latif Jameel Group and later at Toyota. He also held the position of general manager of media affairs and marketing programs at Saudi Telecommunications Company from 2000 to 2003. From 1995 to 2000, he was the assistant general manager at al-Jomaih Bottling Plants. From 1990 to 1995, he was a project manager at the Industrial Development Fund. Earlier, from 1983 to 1989, he was the branch services supervisor at Bank AlJazira.

He was appointed as the director general of Saudia and a member of its board of directors from 2014 to 2019. In 2015, al-Jasser was elected to the Board of Governors of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) during its seventy-first meeting in Miami, USA. Later, he was appointed as the Minister of Transport and Logistic Services by a royal order from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on 23 October 2019. On 23 February 2020, he was also appointed as the chairman of the Board of Saudia.

He holds a bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering from King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah and a master's degree in Business Administration from King Saud University in Riyadh.

Shaikha Al Nowais is a distinguished leader in global tourism and hospitality, with an extensive background in delivering governance, sustainability, and economic development projects and initiatives across the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe, and Turkey. Shaikha’s service to the tourism industry extends beyond the private sector, to a number of voluntary stewardship roles where she champions inclusion, education and growth.

Her candidacy for UN Tourism Secretary-General is anchored in a vision of sustainability, digital transformation, ethical governance, and cultural advancement.

As a progressive and forward-thinking leader, Shaikha is dedicated to working with global partners to unlock the economic potential of tourism, and guide the industry toward a sustainable, innovative, and inclusive future.

Eng. Sultan Al-Hamidi is the Chief Executive of the Social Development Bank (SDB), appointed in February 2024. He has been instrumental in steering the organization towards realizing its strategic vision of creating a comprehensive ecosystem of superior and unique financial products and services tailored for entrepreneurs and the community, in line with Saudi Vision 2030. His leadership has been pivotal in spearheading digital transformation initiatives, enhancing operational efficiency, and driving innovation to maximize impact on the growth of the national economy. He has played a crucial role in developing sustainable finance strategies and forging strategic partnerships to broaden SDB's impact and support economic diversification.

He previously served as the Chief Business Officer at SDB since October 2019, where he played a prominent role in helping SDB achieve its strategic objective of developing an integrated system of high-quality and distinctive financial products and services, aimed at Saudi entrepreneurs and members of society.

Sultan played a significant role in launching several financial and non-financial services, as well as savings and training programs, as part of SDB’s efforts to foster a culture of entrepreneurship, encourage a savings mindset, support various segments of society, and nurture the growth of startups and SMEs.

Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Kassabi has been the Minister of Commerce since 2016.  He also currently serves as chair of the board of directors for several organizations in his capacity as Minister of Commerce. These include the National Competitiveness Center, the Saudi Business Center, and Monshaat, the Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority.

He also currently chairs the General Authority of Foreign Trade, the Saudi Standards, Metrology, and Quality Organization, along with the Saudi Accreditation Center.  Additionally, he is currently the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Organization for Chartered and Professional Accountants.

Previously, Dr. Al-Kassabi served as Acting Minister of Media, Acting Minister of Rural Affairs, and Minister of Social Affairs. He also used to serve as Advisor at the Chief Administration Office of His Highness the Crown Prince with Minister’s rank.

Al-Kassabi earned his B.A. in Civil Administration from the University of Portland in 1981, followed by his Master’s in the same field from the University of Berkeley in 1982. In 1983, he earned his Master’s in Engineering Management from the University of Missouri, followed by his PhD in Engineering Management from the University of Missouri in 1985.

Eng. Suliman bin Khalid Al-Mazroua is the President of the Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani). He is a board member at the General Authority for Foreign Trade, the Saudi Export Development Authority, and the National Transport Safety Center. He also serves on the Board of the Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, on the Board of Marafiq, and on the Board of Taibah Valley.

He previously served as CEO of the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program. With more than 22 years of experience, he has held senior leadership roles at Saudi Aramco, complemented by roles at United States-based technology firms Aruba Networks and Caspian Networks. He also served as Chief Technology Officer at Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare. In addition, he joined the Delivery and Rapid Intervention Center and contributed to the National Transformation Program. He has also served as an advisor to expert committees at the National Digital Transformation Center.

He holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Hull (United Kingdom) and a Bachelor’s degree in Systems Engineering from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (Saudi Arabia), and has completed executive programs at IMD, Rice University, and Harvard Kennedy School.

Juhara AlSuwaidi is a Qatari diplomat with more than two decades of experience in international relations and human rights. She currently serves as the Deputy Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Office at Geneva.

Throughout her diplomatic career, she has represented Qatar in numerous international and UN forums, led initiatives related to human rights, and coordinated national efforts in cooperation with international organizations and UN mechanisms.

She holds a Master’s degree in Corruption, Law and Governance (LL.M.) from the University of Sussex. Her professional journey reflects a strong commitment to multilateral diplomacy, the promotion of human rights, and advancing Qatar’s role on the international stage.

Emma Algotsson is the founder and project lead of Catchgreen, a South African startup and collaborative research initiative tackling marine sustainability. Under her leadership, Catchgreen has pioneered the development of specialized marine compounds and executed successful fishing net trials—including pilot programs in Kenya focused on seaweed farming and gear exchange. These innovations directly address critical challenges such as abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing gear (ALDFG), ghost fishing, and ocean plastic pollution.

With over eight years of experience in the trade and manufacturing of biodegradable and compostable plastics, Emma is also the founder of the South African Compostable Plastics Council (COPCO). COPCO advocates for the compostable plastics industry, promoting alignment with international certification standards and driving sustainable product innovation.

Emma holds an M.Phil from the University of Cambridge and a CPE in Law from City, University of London. Her work is driven by a deep commitment to creating solutions that serve both the planet and its people.

Sabina Alkire has a DPhil in Economics, and directs the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) in the University of Oxford, where she is Professor of Poverty and Human Development.  OPHI advances the measurement and policy use of multidimensional poverty (and well-being) indices (MPIs) – such as the global MPI released jointly with UNDP, and also accompanies national official poverty statistics tailored multidimensional indices to country contexts.

Alkire’s research focuses on Sen’s capability approach; well-being and poverty measurement and analysis; child, gendered and intrahousehold analyses of multidimensional poverty indices; and poverty data. 

H.E. Mr. Abdullah Kh. Almusaibeeh is currently President of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), a position he assumed on 1 July 2025. In this role, he oversees the Bank’s operations and strategic activities to advance economic and financial cooperation between Arab and African countries.

Before joining BADEA, Mr. Almusaibeeh served as Director of Operations at the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, where he held several senior leadership positions since joining the Fund in 1993. These included Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Arab countries, as well as Deputy Director of Operations.

Throughout his career, he has participated in numerous boards, committees, and Arab and international development funds, including membership in BADEA’s Board of Directors.

Deemah bint Yahya AlYahya is a Saudi tech diplomat and digital economy expert. In 2021, she was elected as the first Secretary-General of the Digital Cooperation Organization, an inter-governmental organization established in 2020 to work towards a world in which every country, business and person has a fair opportunity to prosper in the global digital economy. She works directly with heads of state, government ministers and digital economy leaders to promote the inclusive development of the digital economy, focusing on global initiatives with real-world impact.

Secretary-General AlYahya has spent nearly 20 years building tech communities in the United States and across the Middle East, acting as a catalyst for innovation and improving the environment for digital entrepreneurs and developers. More than 2.5 million people have benefitted from the ecosystems she has built to distribute the digital economy’s advantages more widely.

A trailblazer for Saudi women in tech, Secretary-General AlYahya began her career as a developer but quickly demonstrated her ability to build public sector centers of innovation from the ground up, among them Saudi Arabia’s National Digital Transformation Unit and the Innovation wing of the MiSK Foundation.

She has served as Chief Innovation Evangelist at Microsoft, responsible for expanding the developer ecosystem and in empowering youth, women and independent software vendors by providing the technology, skills and tools they needed to evolve from job seekers to job creators.

She holds a BA in Computer Science and Information Systems from King Saud University, and has attended senior executive programs with Harvard Business School, and the INSEAD business school.

Max Amanu is a Development Economist, Youth Empowerment Strategist and Education Activist, dedicated to empowering young people to become active agents of positive change through advancing access to quality education and championing youth participation in public life.

He is currently the Regional Director for Africa at changing-lives Switzerland, Thematic Lead for Education and Employability at the Queen Elizabeth II Commonwealth Trust (QECT) and a Co-Founder of Northwind Foundation, a nonprofit organization that empowers youth from low-income backgrounds through access to free education and employability skills training. 

The Honourable Mia Amor Mottley, Q.C., M.P., became Barbados' eighth and first female Prime Minister on 25 May 2018.

Ms. Mottley was elected to the Parliament of Barbados in September 1994 as part of the new Barbados Labour Party Government.

Prior to that, she served as one of two Opposition Senators between 1991 and 1994. One of the youngest persons ever to be assigned a ministerial portfolio, Ms. Mottley was appointed Minister of Education, Youth Affairs and Culture from 1994 to 2001.

She later served as Attorney General and Deputy Prime Minister of Barbados from 2001 to 2008 and was the first female to hold that position.

Ms. Mottley is an Attorney-at-law with a degree from the London School of Economics, specialising in advocacy. She is also a Barrister of the Bar of England and Wales.

In 2002, she became a member of the Local Privy Council. She was also admitted to the Inner Bar, becoming the youngest ever Queens Counsel in Barbados.