Salzburg Global Weekend
Looking East

Chairman and President, Asia Financial Holdings; Chairman, Asia Insurance; Chairman of the Board of Governors, Our Hong Kong Foundation; Chairman, M+ Museum, Ltd. and Tai Kwun Culture and Arts Co.; Chairman, Hong Kong – Thailand Business Council; Advisor to Bangkok Bank (China) Co. Ltd; Chairman, China Light and Power; Chairperson, Hong Kong Council of Social Service; Steward, The Hong Kong Jockey Club

The Honourable Bernard Charnwut CHAN is the Chairman & President of Asia Financial Holdings Ltd., Chairman of Asia Insurance Co. Ltd., Chairperson of the Hong Kong Council of Social Service, Chairman of M Plus Museum and Chairman of Tai Kwun Culture & Arts Co. Ltd. He previously served as Hong Kong Deputy to the National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China, the Convenor of the Non-Official Members of the Executive Council of HKSAR, a Legislative Council Member, Chairman of the Hong Kong Palace Museum, the Council of Lingnan University, the Council for Sustainable Development and the Antiquities Advisory Board. He was awarded the Gold Bauhinia Star in 2006 and the Grand Bauhinia Medal in 2020.

Chief Executive Officer, Rebana Metropolitan Authority, Government of West Java, Indonesia

Bernie is currently CEO of Rebana Metropolitan Economic Corridor, the fastest growing economic corridor in Indonesia. He coordinates investment, planning and regional development in the urban aglomeration of 7 local governments with a population of over 10 million. He oversees planning and development of 13 new industrial based new cities in the corridor.

He has been Senior Advisor to West Java Governor, the largest province in Indonesia home to 50+ million. He was the Senior Urban Planner Advisor for McKinsey on the Concept Masterplan of Indonesia's new capital city Nusantara. He has over 34 years of professional and business experience, and was previously equity partner with major consulting firms incl Deloitte, EY, PwC in Indonesia. He is the Chair of the Ethics Committee of the Indonesian Assoc. of Urban Planners, and sit in the Advisory Board of the Endowement Fund Management Body of the Bandung Institute of Technology. He has been a Fellow of Salzburg Global Seminar since 2013.

President and Chief Executive Officer, George H. W. Bush Foundation for U.S.-China Relations

David J. Firestein is the inaugural president and CEO of the George H. W. Bush Foundation for U.S.-China Relations (Bush China Foundation) and a founding and current member of the Foundation's Board of Directors.

Prior to joining the Bush China Foundation, Mr. Firestein was the founding executive director of The University of Texas at Austin's (UT) China Public Policy Center (CPPC) and a clinical professor at UT's Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs. Before moving to UT, Mr. Firestein served as senior vice president and Perot Fellow at the New York City-based EastWest Institute (EWI), where he led the Institute's track 2 diplomacy work in the areas of U.S.-China relations and U.S.-Russia relations.

A decorated career U.S. diplomat from 1992-2010, Mr. Firestein specialized primarily in U.S.-China relations. Among the honors he garnered during his diplomatic career were the Secretary of State's Award for Public Outreach (2006) and the Linguist of the Year Award (1997).

In November 2023, at Carnegie Hall, Mr. Firestein was presented the Maurice R. Greenberg Global Leadership Award "in grateful recognition and admiration of his many years of diligent service to the cause of sustaining and improving relations between the United States and China." The award citation read, in part, "As a diplomat and public servant, nonprofit executive, social entrepreneur, academic, public intellectual, author and speaker, David Firestein has become one of America's most independent, intellectually honest, courageous, thoughtful, articulate and respected voices on the U.S.-China relationship. Mr. Firestein's efforts, achievements and leadership in the U.S.-China relations space... have greatly benefitted our nation and the bilateral relationship."

Mr. Firestein is the author or co-author of three books on China, including two China-published Chinese-language best-sellers, as well as a large number of China-focused monographs, policy reports and articles (and publications on non-China-related topics). The Voice of America's Mandarin Service wrote in 2016 that Mr. Firestein is "one of the world's best non-native speakers of Mandarin Chinese"; Mr. Firestein also speaks Russian.

Numerous incumbent and former U.S. secretaries of state and national security advisors from both sides of the partisan aisle-along with multiple other incumbent and former U.S. Cabinet members, members of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, U.S. combatant commanders and other prominent U.S. figures-have lauded Mr. Firestein's contributions and achievements in the area of U.S.-China relations.

Mr. Firestein serves or has served on the boards of directors or advisors of over a dozen nonprofit organizations; of particular note, he is one of the few Americans who has been concurrently formally affiliated with legacy entities representing both Republican and Democratic U.S. presidents (the Bush China Foundation; and the LBJ School of Public Affairs, where he served on the Dean's Advisory Council).

Mr. Firestein is actively involved in academia. In recent years, Mr. Firestein has annually co-taught a course on U.S.-China relations at China's Tsinghua University. Mr. Firestein serves on the advisory board of the Harvard College China Forum and is a regular keynote speaker at the Forum. Mr. Firestein was a member of the graduate faculty of The University of Texas at Austin for a total of four academic years, most recently from 2017 to 2019.

A native of Austin, Texas and current resident of the Austin area, Mr. Firestein holds a bachelor's degree from Georgetown University and two master's degrees from The University of Texas at Austin, as well as various advanced training certifications from the National Foreign Affairs Training Center of the U.S. Department of State.

Founder and Executive Board Member, Gateway House Indian Council on Global Relations

Prior to the founding of Gateway House, Kripalani was India Bureau chief of Businessweek magazine from 1996 to 2009. During her extensive career in journalism (Businessweek, Worth and Forbes magazines, New York), she has won several awards, including the Gerald Loeb Award, the George Polk Award, Overseas Press Club and Daniel Pearl Awards. Kripalani was the 2006-07 Edward R. Murrow Press Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, New York, which inspired her to found Gateway House. Her political career spans being the deputy press secretary to Steve Forbes during his first run in 1995-96 as Republican candidate for U.S. President in New Jersey, to being press secretary for the Lok Sabha campaign for independent candidate Meera Sanyal in 2008 and 2014 in Mumbai. Kripalani holds two bachelor’s degrees from Bombay University (Bachelor of Law, Bachelor of Arts in English and History) and a master's degree in International Affairs from Columbia University, New York. She sits on the executive board of Gateway House and is a member of the Rotary Club of Bombay.

Founder & Chairman, Harappa Education
Founder & Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Ashoka University
Founding Dean, Indian School of Business

Pramath is a pioneering force in Indian higher education. He is the Founder & Chairman of Harappa (now part of upGrad), which strives to become India’s largest online institution focused on teaching habits and skills critical to workplace success in the 21st century. He is the Founding Dean and a member of the Executive Board of ISB which rapidly became one of the top-20 business schools in the world. He is also the Founder & Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the acclaimed Ashoka University, a liberal arts university which launched the popular Young India Fellowship.

Pramath has been instrumental in setting up a wide spectrum of change-based higher education initiatives, including a management program for careeroriented women, an entrepreneurship fellowship for the Himalayan region, and a solution-focused design education for the built environment. He has also been a media entrepreneur, education consultant and management advisor at the 9.9 Group, which he founded, and a Partner at McKinsey & Company. He has also authored two books: An Idea Whose Time Has Come (2011) and Learn, Don’t Study (2023).

Academics are his first love: He received a PhD and an MSE from the University of Pennsylvania and a BTech from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, where he was honored with the Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2018.

Founder and Chair, the Center for Asia-Pacific Resilience and Innovation (CAPRI), Taipei; Professor, Miller Center at the University of Virginia; Nonresident Senior Fellow in the Foreign Policy Program, Brookings Institution; Professor, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Tsinghua University in Beijing, and National Chengchi University in Taipei

Syaru Shirley Lin is founder and chair of the Center for Asia-Pacific Resilience and Innovation (CAPRI), a new policy think tank conducting interdisciplinary, comparative research on innovative policies that can strengthen resilience and improve governance in the Asia Pacific. Professor Lin is Research Professor at the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia and a Non-Resident Senior Fellow in the Foreign Policy program at Brookings. She is also an Adjunct Professor at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Her book, Taiwan’s China Dilemma, was published in English and Chinese. She is currently working on the high income trap in East Asia. Professor Lin graduated cum laude from Harvard College and earned her masters and Ph.D. from the department of politics and public administration at the University of Hong Kong.

Professor Lin retired as a partner at Goldman Sachs, where she led the Principal Investment Area for Asia ex-Japan. In that capacity, she spearheaded the firm’s investments in many technology start-ups and was a founding board member of Alibaba Group and Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation. Prior to her work in private equity and venture capital, she specialized in the privatization of state-owned enterprises in mainland China, Taiwan and Singapore.

Professor Lin’s present board service includes Langham Hospitality Investments, Goldman Sachs Asia Bank, TE Connectivity and MediaTek. She is also a director of the Focused Ultrasound Foundation, which supports the development and adoption of new therapeutic medical technologies. She serves as a steering committee member of the Partnership for Health System Sustainability and Resilience under the World Economic Forum, and an advisor to the O’Neill-Lancet Commission on Racism and Structural Discrimination and Global Health.

Senior Program Coordinator, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies
Fellow, Salzburg Global
Japan

Abdessalem Rabhi has been working at the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES-Japan) since 2002, addressing sustainability and combating climate change, mainly through promoting corporate environmental management, green technology transfer, and sustainable finance. His work has covered several countries including Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam in Asia, Poland, and Hungary in Europe, and several Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Since 2020, his coverage area has extended to the Middle East and North Africa region. Abdessalem holds a certificate in ESG Investing from the CFA Institute (U.K) and several advanced certificates in Islamic Finance from Ethica (USA), AIMS (U.K.), and BIBF (Bahrain). He is also a RINGO (Research-oriented and independent organizations non-Governmental organizations) representative at The Technology Executive Committee (TEC) Support Taskforce since 2016 and a member of ICMA's Working Group on SLB since 2020. Abdessalem holds a Master's and Ph.D. degrees in comprehensive economic policies from Kobe University (Japan).

EMPOWERING RURAL WOMEN THROUGH ESG SOLUTIONS
This project is dedicated to transforming the lives of Indian rural women by establishing sustainable micro dairy plants, integrating key Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) measures such as employing electric vehicles for transportation and utilizing blockchain for product traceability. Beyond economic empowerment, the initiative creates multipurpose facilities for education and health check-ups, contributing to a holistic community development model. Recognized for its innovative approach with a prestigious runner-up position in the Eureka social track at IIT Bombay, the project is a beacon of empowerment, education, and environmental consciousness, aiming to inspire similar models globally.

Executive Director, Ola Mobility Institute (OMI) Foundation Trust
Fellow, Salzburg Global
India

Aishwarya Raman is the Executive Director at the Ola Mobility Institute (OMI) Foundation Trust. Aishwarya has over a decade of professional experience in the mobility domain. She is the co-founder and ex-CEO of AutoRaja, one of India's earliest and largest book-an-auto services. She also created India's earliest all-women auto-rickshaw fleet, AutoRani. She started her journey with Ola as the head of the Ola Auto category across North India in 2015. Today at OMI, Aishwarya conducts research in areas such as sustainable urban mobility, electric mobility and energy, gender, accessibility and inclusion, future of work and the platform economy, Artificial Intelligence, and much more. Aishwarya is a member of the Global Future Council on Urban Mobility Transitions at the World Economic Forum. Aishwarya advises and mentors organisations, researchers, and young professionals, including the Global Partnership for Informal Transportation, Young Leaders for Active Citizenship, among others. In her previous avatar, Aishwarya was an academic, teaching Sociology at the University of Madras, India. She holds a post-graduate degree in sociology from the University of Oxford, UK.

SUNO SUNAO
Empowering Urban Women through Accessible Digital Solutions: this project tackles the growing digital divide affecting urban women in India by launching Suno Sunao, an innovative AI-enabled application delivering video content in local languages. This initiative aims to bridge the gap in access to information on finance, healthcare, and education, thereby enhancing women's financial independence and access to public services. As urbanization continues to rise, Suno Sunao's focus on empowering underserved urban women and girls through technology-driven solutions is more vital than ever, ensuring they can navigate the digital landscape and improve their overall quality of life in India's rapidly changing urban environment.

Founder and Director, Conyat Create
Fellow, Salzburg Global
Cambodia

Anastacia Howe is the Founder and Director of Conyat Create – an organization dedicated to making a positive impact on people and planet by helping Myanmar companies embrace responsible business practices. Anastacia has been leading a team of experts committed to empowering businesses and organizations from the bottom up to create change, diagnose problems and build solutions for future preparedness of businesses for the past 7 years. Throughout her 15-year career, Anastacia has developed expertise in disaster risk management, human rights, and climate change leadership across Southeast Asia. In addition to her role with Conyat Create, she supports H&M Group to decarbonize their Cambodia and Vietnam supply chains. Anastacia holds a Master in Public Health from the University of Melbourne and a Master in Sustainability Leadership from the University of Cambridge.

ECO-CHARGE: TRANSFORMING ECO ANXIETY
The "Eco-Charge: Transforming Eco Anxiety" initiative addresses the burgeoning issue of eco-anxiety by empowering environmental youth leaders through an interdisciplinary program integrating topophilia, placemaking, and climate advocacy. Aimed at fostering psychological resilience and leadership among young individuals, this project seeks to translate concern into constructive action, promoting sustainable, peaceful coexistence within diverse communities. By nurturing a new generation of empathetic climate advocates, this program contributes to both environmental stewardship and mental well-being.

Project Coordinator, ACTED
Fellow, Salzburg Global
Myanmar

Byar Myar Gay (Lu Lu) is the project coordinator for ACTED Myanmar mission. She supports program development and implementation in various areas, such as livelihood and sustainable development projects for the youths and women in the conflict areas of Myanmar. Previously she worked as Policy Analysis for ENAC, focusing on finding solutions for ethnic conflict and social injustice. She is an Asian peacebuilders scholar from the Karenni state and belongs to the Karenni ethnicity in Myanmar. She commits to the Green Justice Development movement with her unique identity. Byar Myar Gay holds a B.A. in social work from the University of Martin Luther Christian University in India, an M.A. in responsible management and sustainable economic development from the UN-mandated University for Peace in Costa Rica, and an M.A. in political science from Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines.

DEFENDING THE DEFENDERS
The project "Defending the Defenders: Protection Mechanism for Humanitarian Workers” addresses the pressing safety needs of humanitarian personnel in the conflict-stricken Mindanao, Philippines. By developing and disseminating a comprehensive handbook that amalgamates existing and innovative strategies, the project seeks to enhance the overall safety of aid workers, thereby supporting the broader goals of peace and reconciliation. This initiative stands as a testament to the unwavering commitment to protect those dedicated to healing and rebuilding societies afflicted by conflict.

Lead-Finance and Accounts, Rakuten India Enterprise Private Limited
Fellow, Salzburg Global
India

Kaede Nagashima is an expert in project management and team development in global technology projects, particularly cross-border Japan-India business. She is currently leading a Global IT Financial Management project at Rakuten India Private Limited Enterprise. Previously, Kaede worked as a Solution Consultant in Industrial Big Data Analytics for several Japanese clients at a global IT giant headquartered in India, bringing AI technologies from India to various industries in Japan. She also worked as a volunteer at the largest startup ecosystem development community in India. Kaede has been living in Bangalore, India since 2020 and has travelled to almost 15 states across India. Leveraging her unique experience in leading cross-border projects and in-depth understanding of the cultural and business practices differences between India and Japan, Kaede has connected multiple people and companies for cross-border business developments.

BEEKIND
BEEKIND is transforming the landscape of small-scale beekeeping with an innovative approach that merges technology with traditional practices. By deploying an AI-powered mobile application, the project supports migratory beekeeping with real-time data and ensures access to superior beekeeping resources for enhanced productivity. Spearheaded by experts, BEEKIND aims to improve beekeepers' incomes through scientific training and effective hive management, while fostering a fair-trade platform for ethically sourced honey. This initiative is not just about enhancing rural livelihoods; it's about creating a sustainable future for beekeeping, establishing a significant India-Japan honey trade corridor, and contributing to global ecological well-being.

Founder, Educate Lanka
Fellow, Salzburg Global
United States of America/Sri Lanka

Manjula Dissanayake is an investment banker turned social entrepreneur and founder of Educate Lanka, a non-profit social enterprise with a mission of democratizing quality and relevant learning opportunities for enhanced access to equitable schooling, skills, and employment. Manjula's efforts have been recognized and backed internationally, including by the UN, USAID, the US Department of State, the Mastercard Foundation, and the Clinton Foundation. He was named a top under-33 global influencer and a top 10 social innovator in the U.S. His TEDx Talk is titled Talent is universal. Opportunity is not. Manjula holds a bachelor's degree in finance from the University of Maryland, USA, and a master's degree in social innovation and entrepreneurship from the Fletcher School at Tufts University, USA. He also completed his executive education in social entrepreneurship from Stanford University, USA. Manjula lives in Washington, DC and splits his time between the U.S. and Sri Lanka. He is a Fellow of Salzburg Global Seminar.

Chief Executive Officer, Foundation for Innovation and Research in Science and Technology (FIRST), IIT-Kanpur
Fellow, Salzburg Global
India

Nikhil Agarwal is India's foremost innovation and policy expert. He is currently the CEO of the Foundation for Innovation and Research in Science and Technology (FIRST) at IIT-Kanpur. FIRST is responsible for all the incubation, innovation, research and startup activities at IIT-Kanpur. In 2018, he was appointed as vice chairman, Mahaashmita Livelihood Rural Accelerator Program, Government of Maharashtra - a program in joint collaboration with Maharashtra State Rural Livelihoods Mission and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry. In 2017, he was nominated as fellow of IC2 Institute, University of Texas at Austin. In 2014, the Indian Prime Minister urged the Indian diaspora to return to the country to serve the motherland. Nikhil responded to the call to join the government of Andhra Pradesh as chief executive officer of the Andhra Pradesh Innovation Society (APIS) to kick start the statewide innovation agenda between 2015-2017. He was involved in developing large scale innovation projects such as cyber security innovation park, rural innovation labs, incubation centers, startup ecosystem, setup of an INR 1 billion startup fund to name a few. He is instrumental in forging important national and international relationships for the state. Nikhil received an MPhil in technology policy from University of Cambridge and Ph.D. in science & technology studies from University of Edinburgh in United Kingdom.

NEXT SENSORY AUGMENTED HEARING AID (NSAHA)
The NSAHA aims to assist people with hearing disabilities in living their lives through a technology that facilitates communication with others. The team developed an artificial intelligence-enabled hardware device that will convert sounds into vibrations, light, and letters. The hardware device is a combination of “Ontenna” and “Lip-Re.” Ontenna is an accessory device that converts sound volume into vibrations and light intensity to convey sound characteristics to the hearing impaired. Currently being used in Japanese schools, the team seeks to introduce Ontenna to schools for the deaf in India with opportunities to connect through workshops. Lip-Re, meanwhile, is an application that traces lip movements and displays such in an enlarged format to create smoother communication.

Chief Operating Officer and Project Manager, Ohana Co.
Fellow, Salzburg Global
Japan

Remo Sugimoto is a COO and Project Manager at OHANA CO., a company which aims to make a social impact on the inclusion and empowerment of people with different abilities. She helps launch various projects such as creating a shared house specialized for people with severe ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder). She also oversees the development of original products which offer opportunities for people with severe autism to work in a customized working environment. Remo is passionate about the inclusion of people with different abilities. She has experience working at United Nations Volunteers Cambodia as a project manager of Community Action Challenge, a program which supports local Cambodian youth to make social impacts on their own communities. Remo completed her bachelor's in Global Business from Akita International University, Japan and studied social entrepreneurship at NEOMA Business School, France as an exchange student for a year.

CARE FOR ASD
Care for ASD introduces a groundbreaking solution in the realm of Autism Spectrum Disorder by offering a state-of-the-art application designed to empower caregivers with personalized, evidence-based resources. This initiative seeks to bridge the gap between professional therapy and home care by leveraging AI, providing real-time tracking, and fostering a supportive community platform for a holistic care approach. By enhancing the abilities of parents, teachers, and social workers, Care for ASD aims to significantly improve the quality of life for individuals with ASD, to cultivate a more inclusive and understanding society through advanced technology and accessible educational resources.

Director of Sustainability and Circularity, Goodwill Industries International Inc.
Fellow, Salzburg Global
Canada

Sadaf Taimur is the Director of Sustainability & Circularity at Goodwill Industries International Inc., Ontario, Canada. In her role, Sadaf is responsible for developing and implementing strategies, policies, and programs that promote sustainability and circularity to address the social & environmental impacts of operations. Earlier, Sadaf worked as a Senior ESG Specialist at Mondetta, Canada, and as a postdoctoral researcher at McGill University in Canada and the University of Tokyo in Japan under the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) project. As a Sustainability Scientist with a doctorate, Sadaf specializes in individual and organizational transformations to achieve sustainable outcomes. Additionally, Sadaf has started and chaired the Youth General Assembly working towards SDGs, contributed as a consulting member to the PAL network's communication and advocacy working group. As a G20 Global Changer, she actively participated in formulating recommendations on education for sustainable development, which were subsequently presented at the G20 Summit in 2017 held in Germany. She is the recipient of GESS (Global Education Supplies & Solutions) Outstanding Contribution in Education Award 2016, Dubai. Furthermore, she got the Green Talents award by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) 2020 for her outstanding research in the field of sustainability.

SANGAM: CONFLUENCE FESTIVAL
The "SANGAM: Confluence Festival" emerges as a revolutionary initiative to counteract the dual threats of climate change and regional conflicts in South Asia by engaging dynamic youth across eight nations. The project fosters dialogue, understanding, and youth leadership, beginning with a festival in Pakistan and expanding into Nepal. By blending ideas, cultures, and civilizations, it aims to cultivate a generation prepared to address climate-induced challenges and advocate for sustainable peace, shaping a future where resilient, harmonious communities prevail across South Asia.

Founder and Chief Executive, Nepal Peacebuilding Initiative
Fellow, Salzburg Global
Nepal

Subindra Bogati is the Chief Executive at the Nepal Peacebuilding Initiative. He leads design, execution and oversight of projects on peacebuilding, community dialogue, social cohesion and humanitarian response. In collaboration with international organizations, he is leading projects that help strengthen the skills and livelihood of former child soldiers, migrants and refugees. He previously managed projects on people-centered security provision, integration and rehabilitation of Maoist combatants, armed groups and social cohesion. He was awarded the FCO Chevening Fellowship in 2009 at the University of Birmingham, UK. Subindra holds a master's degree in international relations from London Metropolitan University, UK. He is a Fellow of Salzburg Global Seminar.

Senior Program Officer, Nagarik Aawaz
Fellow, Salzburg Global
Nepal

Trishna Thapa is a Senior Program Officer at Nagarik Aawaz, Nepal. She is a registered law practitioner at the Nepal Bar Council. She has comprehensive advocacy experience on the rights of women, girls, and people with disabilities in Nepal, including the prevalence of gender-based violence, discriminatory legal provisions, and the rights of persons with disabilities, children, and adolescents. She has sensitized more than 500 policymakers, including members of parliament, constitutional body members, judicial authorities, and bureaucrats. She has trained more than 1000 youths, including women and persons with psychosocial disabilities, on human rights, access to justice, and mental health awareness issues. She has represented the voice of youth and women at the U.N. Headquarters in New York and at the House of Lords, U.K. Parliament on SDG 3 (Good Health and Wellbeing) and SDG 16 (Peace Justice and Strong Institutions).

AMPLIFYING LOCAL WISDOM FOR MENTAL WELLBEING
The "Innovating for Peace: Amplifying Local Wisdom for Mental Wellbeing" initiative is a ground-breaking project that intersects mental health with peacebuilding by leveraging the rich cultural traditions of Indonesia and Nepal. Focusing on empowering women and youth, the project integrates local wisdom into modern mental health practices, aiming to reach 5,000 households over two years. Through engagement with community members and the implementation of sensitivity training and community engagement strategies, the project confronts challenges such as cultural differences and bureaucratic hurdles, promoting sustainable peace through mental health awareness and empowerment.

Founder and Board Member, Specified Non-Profit Organization Comachiplus
Fellow, Salzburg Global
Japan

Yumiko Mori is the Founder and Board Chair of the Specified Non-Profit Organization Comachiplus. Comachiplus started a Japan-first project to send birthday gift boxes from the community with Yamato Transport, sending 5000 presents in the past 5 years to families of newborn children. This project led to the creation of Japan's first diaper vending machine, which now has 90 machines set up all over Japan. In 2022, Yumiko was invited as a delegate to attend a women's leadership program by the Fish Family Foundation in Boston for a month. She began her career in 2004 at Toyota Motor Corporation, working in the Overseas Sales and Overseas Research Division until 2012. In 2012, she founded an innovative café model that supports isolated parents in Japan, which has now spread throughout Japan. In 2017, she was invited to Israel as one of 10 Japanese Women Entrepreneur delegates for a week. Yumiko is also a Board Member of the Board of Education in Yokohama City.

NARRATIVE KITCHEN
The Narrative Kitchen project utilizes the universal appeal of food to connect urban and rural communities in Japan and India, fostering social inclusion and understanding through culinary storytelling. This technology-enabled distributed living lab encourages people from different backgrounds to share their stories, traditions, and experiences, thereby promoting empathy and unity. By highlighting marginalized voices and converting them into powerful agents of change, Narrative Kitchen aims to influence social policy and create a more inclusive society. This project is poised to redefine community engagement, using the power of food as a catalyst for social cohesion and mutual respect.

Director, International Strategy Forum, Schmidt Futures; Deputy Chief of Staff to Eric Schmidt; former Global Public Policy Manager, Google Search; former Australian Diplomat in Tel Aviv and Hong Kong

Helen Zhang works on venture philanthropy at Schmidt Futures, and is the co-founder of Intrigue Media. Intrigue produces expert but irreverent briefings on global affairs issues at the intersection of geopolitics, tech, and business. Helen is also a non-resident fellow in the United States Studies Centre's Emerging Technology Program and a 2020 Fulbright Scholar and Master in Public Administration graduate from the Harvard Kennedy School, where she specialised in geo-tech policies. Helen is also an ex-Googler, former Australian diplomat (served in Tel Aviv and Hong Kong), Mandarin interpreter, lawyer, public speaker, and a proud ANU alum.

Chief Executive Officer, African Wildlife Foundation, Member, China-African Wildlife Conservation Council

Kaddu Kiwe Sebunya is a prominent figure in the realm of conservation, celebrated for his visionary leadership and steadfast dedication to protecting Africa's wildlife and wilderness areas. Since assuming the CEO role at the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) in 2019, he has played a pivotal role in steering the organization towards a new era of conservation excellence, shaping its strategic direction and fostering multi-sectoral collaborations.

With a career spanning over three decades across the USA, Africa, and Europe, Kaddu has held various positions at grassroots, national, and regional levels. Before becoming CEO, he served as AWF's President, showcasing exceptional leadership and a profound passion for conservation. At the heart of his mission lies a vision for a modern Africa where wildlife and wilderness flourish as essential components of human development, cultural heritage, and economic prosperity.

Under Kaddu's guidance, AWF has emerged as a leading advocate for African conservation, advocating for the continent's natural heritage on both local and global platforms. He led the unveiling of a groundbreaking 10-year strategic vision in 2020, emphasizing the coexistence of wildlife conservation with sustainable progress. Kaddu's leadership extends beyond AWF, as he actively engages with diverse stakeholders and prestigious networks to elevate African voices in the global conservation discourse and foster collaboration for regional conservation efforts.

President and Chief Executive Officer

Martin Weiss became the ninth president of Salzburg Global Seminar in August 2022. Leveraging Salzburg Global's long history, Martin is leading Salzburg Global to have future influence and impact on today and tomorrow's leaders. Martin's career has championed personal and professional exchanges to create a more equitable and peaceful world.

Before this appointment, Martin served as Austrian Ambassador to the US between November 2019 and July 2022. He had also served as Ambassador to Israel (2015-19), Director of the Press and Information Department of the Foreign Ministry (2012-15), and Ambassador to Cyprus (2009-12). Martin also held several postings in the United States. Martin started as a Human Rights Attaché for the Austrian Mission to the United Nations in New York in 1991 before taking on the positions of Political Counselor, Counselor for Congressional Affairs and Public Diplomacy, and later Director of the Austrian Press and Information Service at the Austrian Embassy in Washington, and as Austrian Consul General in Los Angeles (2004-09). Martin holds a law degree (equivalent to JD) from the University of Vienna and a Master of Laws (LLM) from the University of Virginia (UVA).

Chairman, Salzburg Global Seminar; Director, Mars Incorporated

Victoria B. Mars is a member of the Board of Directors for Mars, Incorporated. She is a fourth generation member of the Mars family whose great-grandfather, Frank C. Mars, founded the company in 1911. In her 40 years at Mars, she has held diverse roles ranging from her first role as Assistant Brand Manager in Haguenau, France, to vice president of Services and Finance, Commercial, and People and Organization for Dove International. She also developed and led the Mars Ombudsman program, which for the last 20 years has provided Mars associates with the opportunity to address work-related issues with a neutral third party in a confidential and informal manner. Ms. Mars has served on the Mars Board of Directors since 2006, including acting as Chairman of the Board from 2014 to 2017. She currently sits on the Board's Remuneration and Talent and Benefit Funding and Investment Oversight Committees. She is a past recipient of the Heineken Award and the Ambassador Wilkins Award. She is also the recipient of the Order of Sergey Radonezhsky. In 2017, she was a guest lecturer as part of the Gordon Grand Fellowship Series at Yale University and received the Joseph Wharton Award for Leadership. She is the Chairman of the board of Salzburg Global Seminar.

Epoch Foundation Professorship of Global Economics and Management at MIT Sloan School of Management

Author of The Rise and Fall of the EAST (2023)

Yasheng Huang is a Professor and holds the Epoch Foundation Professorship of Global Economics and Management at MIT Sloan School of Management. From 2013 to 2017, he served as an Associate Dean in charge of MIT Sloan’s GlobalPartnership programs and its Action Learning initiatives. His previous appointments include faculty positions at the University of Michigan and at Harvard Business School.

Professor Huang is the author of 11 books in both English and Chinese and of many academic papers (such as on regulatory transparency, historical autocracy, statistical falsifications, tax, financing, sectoral and regulatory biases, history of reforms and strategy, political economy of controls, etc.) His book, The Rise and Fall of the EAST: How Exams, Autocracy, Stability, and Technology Brought China Success, and Why They Might Lead to its Decline, will be published by Yale University Press in 2023. He is collaborating with other scholars on a book project, Reframing The Needham Question, based on a comprehensive database on Chinese historical inventions (under contract at Princeton University Press). His book, Statism with Chinese Characteristics (under contract at Cambridge University Press), examines economic reforms and economic performance of China since 1978. Professor Huang is a Co-Principal Investigator in a large-scale multi-disciplinary research project on food safety in China.

Outside of his academic research, Professor Huang has written for New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Foreign Policy and Foreign Affairs, and Project Syndicate, Caixin and Caijing. He is working on several policy projects related to US-China relations. He was one of the coauthors of MIT’s report, “University Engagement with China: An MIT Approach” and he is a co-chair of an implementation committee of that report. He is a member of a taskforce at Asia Society on US-China policy and a member of Brookings-CSIS Advisory Council on Advancing US-China collaboration. During 2023-4, he is a visiting fellow at the Kissinger Institute at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington DC.

Professor Huang founded and runs China Lab, ASEAN Lab and India Lab, which have provided low-cost consulting services to hundreds of small and medium enterprises in these countries. From 2015 to 2018, he ran a program in Yunnan province to train women entrepreneurs (funded by Goldman Sachs Foundation). He has held or received prestigious fellowships such as the National Fellowship at Stanford University and the Social Science Research Council-MacArthur Fellowship. The National Asia Research Program named him one of the most outstanding scholars in the United States conducting research on issues of policy importance to the United States. He has served as a consultant at World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and OECD, and serves on advisory and corporate boards of non-profit and for-profit organizations. He is a founding member and is serving as the president of Asian American Scholar Forum, an NGO dedicated to open science, protection of rights and well-being of Asian American scholars.

President of Asia Pacific Ex-Japan (APEJ), Goldman Sachs; former Global Managing Partner, McKinsey & Co.

Kevin is president of Asia Pacific Ex-Japan (APEJ) at Goldman Sachs. He is a member of the Firmwide Management Committee, Asia Pacific Management Committee, Firmwide Conduct Committee, Asia Pacific Conduct Committee, Firmwide Reputational Risk Committee and Firmwide Client Franchise Committee.

Kevin joined Goldman Sachs in 2021 as a partner. Prior to joining Goldman Sachs, Kevin served as the global managing partner of McKinsey & Company. Kevin held various positions over 3 decades with McKinsey including serving as Managing Partner of the Mid Atlantic, United Kingdom and Asian offices.

Kevin is a trustee of the Brookings Institution, member of the Asia Pacific board of The Nature Conservancy and a member of the Mayor of Shanghai's international advisory council. Other roles previously held include serving as President of British American Business and as a member of the advisory council of Singapore’s Economic Development Board.

Kevin earned an LLB with first class honors from Glasgow University and an MBA with highest distinction (Baker Scholar) from Harvard Business School.

Indian Administrative Service, Government of Karnataka, India; Distinguished Senior Fellow, Stanford

Srivatsa Krishna joined the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), India´s elite government cadre, after ranking the 1st out of 600,000 candidates. He is an alumnus of Harvard Business School, Oxford University, and IIT, Madras. He is currently an invited Distinguished Senior Fellow, Stanford University. He has held senior leadership positions in technology & innovation, e-governance, health and commerce & industry. He was part of the core team which set up the new municipality of “Cyberabad”. He worked closely with McKinsey to establish e-governance as a sector in India. Under his leadership as Permanent Secretary, Karnataka set up the Startup Warehouse (India’s Y-Combinator) and the i4 incentives policy which brought in India's largest FDI. He served in the Strategy, Finance and Risk Management Vice Presidency of The World Bank Group in Washington. Srivatsa was awarded World Economic Forum's "Global Leader for Tomorrow" and the Global Thinkers50 Award. Srivatsa has spoken on the Global TED Stage & World Economic Forum, Davos. He is an angel investor and mentor to many startups. He is a columnist for most major national and international publications and also has earned an IMDB credit.