Global Risks Forum 2025

Strategic Leadership

Location: United Arab Emirates
Current: UNESCO Chair on Strategic Foresight and Higher Education; Head of the UNESCO-UNEVOC Center at the Higher Colleges of Technology; Chairman of the Goodman Award for Excellence in Strategy at the International Association for Strategy Professionals

Experience: Executive Director of Strategy & Future at the Higher Colleges of Technology; National Board Director and Vice President at the International Association for Strategy Professionals
Areas:  Policy Development, Strategic Foresight & Management, International Partnerships 

Location: Australia
Current: Chairperson of the Board at Consumers of Mental Health Western Australia Incorporated

Experience: Governance Coordinator at Horizon Power
Areas: Corporate Governance, Strategy, Risk Management, and Stakeholder Relations

Location: United Arab Emirates
Current: Group Chief Disruption Officer & CEO-EdTech at GEMS Education

Experience: Citigroup, Fidelity Investments, First Abu Dhabi Bank, BankMuscat, QIB Group
Areas: Digital Transformation, Product Innovation, Strategy Consulting, Exponential Technologies

Location: United Arab Emirates
Current: Head of Finance And Administration at SBK Holding

Experience: SBK Holding & The Private Office of H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Areas: Finance Leader at SBK Holding- Financial Management, Wealth Management, Real-Estate Administration, Strategic Budgeting, Forecasting, Cost Control & Cash Flow Management

Location: Canada
Current: Consultant at The World Bank

Experience: Ontario Centre of Innovation
Areas: Strategy, Multilateral & Public Policy, International Relations

Location: Canada
Current: Trade Commissioner Service (TCS)

Experience:Deputy Director at Global Affairs Canada, AÉTÉLUQ
Areas: Public Affairs and International Relations

Location: Greece
Current: CEO/Partner at ETSdesk, Member Of The Supervisory Board at PeerBerry

Experience: Strategy, ESG and Carbon Credits Trading Consultant at The House of Shipping, Board Of Directors at DNV, Technical-Compliance Director at Southpoint Maritime. In his significant 20-year tenure with DNV, Mr. Papanikos has held multiple roles, including Director on Board Of Directors and Flag Liaison Officer for the Greek Flag, as well as a Principal Surveyor Lead Auditor
Areas: Maritime, Engineering, ESG

Location: United Kingdom
Current: CEO at IAIA (International Association for Impact Assessment)

Experience: Former Managing Director, Head of Global Research, Advocacy, and Standards at the CFA Institute, Managing Director at Jefferies, and Head of European Equity Strategy at Bank of America. Gary has also held the positions of Deputy Head of Equity Research and Head of Global Sector Equity Research at Merrill.  As Head of EMEA Region at CFA Institute, he was actively involved in strengthening ties with 40 country-based member societies as well as fostering collaboration with educational institutions, regulatory bodies, and institutional partners
Areas: Impact Assessment, Finance, Investment, Research and Standards

Location: Singapore
Current: Head of Strategic Pursuits & Sustainability (ASEAN), Amazon Web Services Singapore Pte. Ltd.

Experience: Build AWS sustainability capabilities in ASEAN with pathway to net-zero, Build and Manage Alibaba Cloud International business. Manage the sales team across Asia Pacific, EMEA and US/LATAM, Build a new Alibaba Group business unit for Olympics Sports and Major events with full P&L responsibilities, ecosystem development (USD 800M), Strategize and build new business entities and Logistics hubs for Alibaba Group Globalization Office, eWTP (Electronics World Trade Platform), in Belgium, Malaysia and Thailand, Plan, Invest and Expand Alibaba’s 14 Internet Datacenters across the world
Areas: Digitalization and International expansion

Location: Canada
Current: Former Global Legal COO at a Fortune Global 500 company

Experience: Manulife, The Citco Group Limited
Areas: (Legal) Operations, International Project & Program Management, Strategic Planning, Process Optimization

Location: United Kingdom
Current: Managing Director in Venture Building, Saudi Arabia

Experience
: Saudi Vision 2030, Halo Transformation Ltd., Anheuser-Busch InBev, SABMiller
Areas: Value Driven Transformation; Creation of Global Innovation Ecosystems; Cognitive Hyper-connected Cities, Economies and Governments; Venture Building and Investment

Location: Switzerland
Current: CEO and Founder of MRGN Advisors

Experience
: CanSino Biologics Inc.康希诺生物, Limula, Kupando, Amoéba, UNIVERCELLS, Vaccitech, Merieux Equity Partners, Eurocine Vaccines
Areas: Human Life Sciences, P&L, M&A Strategy and Implementation, Corporate Governance and Crisis Management

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