BIOGRAPHIES

Stephen Ritz

Innovator, Educator
Founder, Green Bronx Machine

BIO

Stephen Ritz is a South Bronx educator / administrator who believes that students shouldn’t have to leave their community to live, learn, and earn in a better one. Through his association Green Bronx Machine he has been moving generations of students into spheres of personal and academic successes they have never imagined, while reclaiming and rebuilding the Bronx. Stephen’s extended student and community family have grown more than 30,000 pounds of vegetables in the Bronx while generating extraordinary academic performance. Just named a 2015 Top Ten Finalist for the $1m Global Teacher Prize, Stephen’s accolades include a 2014 Greenius Award, 2014 Green Difference Award, 2013 Latin Trends Award, ABC Above and Beyond Award, Chevrolet / General Motors National Green Educator Award, USS Intrepid Hometown Hero Award, NYC Chancellor’s Award and various others.

Daniela Saltzman

Director, The Generation Foundation

BIO

Daniela leads Generation’s advocacy work on Sustainable Capitalism through The Generation Foundation. Daniela has been actively researching and writing on the intersection of finance and sustainability since 2003 and has experience in both fields. Prior to joining Generation, Daniela was with Goldman Sachs in the investment banking legal group. Previously, she focused on human rights and social justice work as part of Professor Alan Dershowitz’s research team at Harvard Law School. Daniela received her B.A. from Brown University (honors) and her M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.

Frode Hvaring

Head of Human Resources,
European Broadcasting Union (EBC)

BIO

Frode Hvaring has an international career and network with its roots in Norway, France and Switzerland where he is now based.
He held various Management and Human Resources roles over the last 20 years, among which: Swiss employers’ association, Credit Suisse Group, Management Consulting, Energy Industry (Caterpillar Group). Since May 2009, Frode leads the global Human Resources of the EBU (European Broadcasting Union), the World’s largest association of public broadcasters.
On a parallel path Frode was always active in associations, such as Young Entrepreneurs, HR-Swiss (Ticino and Geneva Chapters), and today an active Member of the Advisory Education Board of the IMD and pro bono Board member of an NGO, Citizens of our World.

Georges Bwelle

General Surgeon, Central Hospital Yaoundé
Top 10 CNN Heroes 2013

BIO

Coming Soon

Hans Herren

President & CEO
Millenium Institute USA

BIO

The first Swiss to receive the 1995 World Food Prize, Hans Herren is an entomologist, farmer and development specialist with achievements in holistic, integrated and sustainable agriculture and food systems. He has managed agriculture and bioscience research organizations and is active today at the policy development level. He is the President and CEO of the Millennium Institute USA since 2005. An institute that envisions a world where decision makers apply extensive knowledge and a systematic perspective to bring about sustainable, equitable and a peaceful global society. As co – founder and president of the Swiss Foundation Biovision, Mr. Herren stands for combating hunger at it’s root and commits to the spread of ecological methods and practices that sustainably improve living conditions.

Alexander Schischlik

Chief of Section, Youth & Sport Sector,
Social & Human Sciences

BIO

Alexander Schischlik is currently Chief of the Youth and Sports Section at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), based in Paris. In his current position, he not only appreciates interaction with individuals from diverse cultures of the world but also has a keen interest, following and support for the youth agenda and youth development initiatives in both the economic and social spheres. Born in Austria, he holds a Master degree in Economics and a Doctorate in Law from the University of Vienna. He joined UNESCO in 1993, where he has been overseeing international programs in a number of fields including music and the arts, cultural industries and human rights.

Stahli

Felix Stähli

Co-Founder
Impact Hub, Geneva

BIO

Coming Soon

Mehan

Shalini Mehan

Livelihoods Unit, UNHCR / Executive MBA with CSR Specialization
University of Geneva

BIO

Shalini Mehan spearheads UNHCR’s global initiative on inclusive artisan value chains.
She works at the Livelihoods Unit which uses a market-based approach to refugee selfreliance,
using refugees’ existing skills and vocations to their best advantage. Prior to
UNHCR, Shalini has work experiences in design entrepreneurship, marketing consulting,
and information technology management. Of Indian origin, Shalini grew up in both India
and the USA, and has worked in Australia, Lebanon and Jordan, USA and India prior to
joining UNHCR. Shalini has a BA in Economics from Cornell University. Married, with two
daughters, Shalini lives in Switzerland, from where she travels frequently to troubled
borderlands where she works to help refugees maintain and hone their artistic traditions
while supporting themselves and their families.

Olivier Fruchaud

Ashoka Representative
Switzerland

BIO

Olivier is the Representative of Ashoka in Switzerland, the leading network of social entrepreneurs. Prior to that, he was a philanthropy and sustainability advisor and coordinated networks of expertise in sustainable urban management for the UN. After his studies, Olivier launched the “ecotour venture” in 1999 aimed at identifying innovative local environmental best practices and engaging students on sustainable development. It led to the publication of the book “Des Idées plein la Terre” in 2004
Olivier also co­created the association “Sustainable Finance Geneva” in 2008 to promote sustainability and responsibility within the Swiss financial community.

Lassaad Metoui

Artist, Calligraphist

BIO

Lassaad Metoui is an artist and calligrapher who embraces diversity in art. Born in Gabes Tunisia, he decided to become an artist at age 16. He studied calligraphy for six years at the Beaux Art School of Gabes and completed his arts education at the Beaux Art School in Nantes, France. During that time he also worked within the architecture domain. Later moving to France, he continued to quench his thirst for art with classes at the Ecole de Louvre, the Sorbonne University I and the Ecole Normale Superior des Beaux Arts. As an accomplished artist, his curiosity, thirst for knowledge and joy in discovering cultures is transparent in his work. He exhibits privately and publicly in many galeries, museums and cultural enters around the world.

René Esterman

CEO, MyClimate

BIO

CEO of myclimate since 2007, president of climatop. myclimate is a ETH-spinoff, Swiss based, internationally operating non-for-profit foundation for carbon management solutions. Internationally recognised, myclimate is a leading premium provider of high quality carbon-offset-solutions in the carbon-market. Climatop, founded in 2008 as a myclimate-spinoff, realises carbon-accounting, carbon-declaration and -labelling of products and services.
René, happy father of three girls, worked as an independent environmental consultant and managing director at Swiss compostforum or the inspection of Swiss biogas & composting plants for 17 years.

Souad Dibi

Présidente, Association Féminine de
Bienfaisance El Khir

BIO

Souad Dibi is the president and founder of the association Elkhir. Born in Essaouira, she returned to her hometown after her marriage and found herself very touched by the conditions in which women lived. She realised how unstable their lives were, plagued with analphabetism, poverty and a lack of quality infrastructure these women seemed at a dead end. The lack of confidence in these women to stand up for rights appalled and saddened her, which is why she created the association: l’Association Feminine de Bienfaisance ElKhir in 1998. Since then she has created countless programs and helped women in her town grow in confidence and make an independent living. She manages a help center for parents and children in precarious situations where they are fed, educated and participate in many activities.

Bonnie Chiu

Co-Founder and Director, Lensational
Consultant, The Social Investment Consultancy

BIO

Bonnie is the co­founder and CEO of Lensational, a social enterprise aiming to empower women through photography. Lensational has expanded to 5 locations and a team of 40 volunteers from 20 nationalities. She has received awards for Lensational globally, including the Hivos Social Innovation Award 2014. Bonnie is also a consultant at a philanthropic advisory firm called The Social Investment Consultancy. Prior to her social entrepreneurship career, she worked at HSBC, Amnesty International, and the Hong Kong government.

Chad Harper

Founder and CEO
Hip Hop Saves Lives

BIO

Coming Soon

Carry Somer

Founder, Fashion Revolution

BIO

Coming Soon

Michel Jaccard

Founder, Id Est Avocats

BIO

Michel Jaccard is the founder of id est avocats, a Swiss corporate and technology boutique law firm, and a widely respected tech | media, IP and corporate law expert. He also maintains a blog on Technologies, Media and Innovation, chaired for several years the Jury of the Prix Strategies for Innovation and is a member of the national jury for the Swiss ICT Awards.
He has practiced law for more than 15 years in Switzerland and abroad in leading business firms. Michel’s clients include many award winning Swiss startups and entrepreneurs, global brands, leading Swiss and foreign venture capitalists, and well established industrial SMEs headquartered in the Lake of Geneva region.

Khathu Mashau

Managing Editor
Nunnovation.com

BIO

Born an Innovator in rural South Africa, Khathu has emerged as a leading social entrepreneur in the continent. He’s a the Vice Chairperson of the Southern Africa Innovation Network (SAINE), where he’s advancing the use of new media to inspire upcoming innovators. He’s a seasoned Mentor and adjudicator in various leading innovation programmes.

Vivienne de Courcy

Director & Writer
Dare to Be Wild

BIO

Vivienne de Courcy is an Irish writer, director and environmentalist whose goal is to change the world through the medium of powerful films which elevate the human spirit and inspire people to act. She has written 17 screenplays on various humanity related themes. After working for many years as a corporate finance attorney in Chicago, Vivienne recently directed her first feature due for release in Spring 2016. DARE TO BE WILD, a romantic adventure story about a young Irish landscape designer and a British botanist, who believe we can preserve and re-generate wild nature – and in so doing – save ourselves.

Jonathan Normand

Codethic MD & Co-Founder
B Corp Switzerland

BIO

Jonathan Normand is the Founder and CEO of Codethic, WHO help all companies harness the power of business to create positive change. Since 2014 he Founded B­Corp Switzerland. B Corps are a new type of companies that use the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. B­corporation is a movement including more than 1400 companies. These are certified by the B Lab to meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. In June 2015 he co­ found the Swiss crowdfunding Association and develop hub for impact investing with Crowd lending platform and investors.

Hélène Bayeux

Executive Director
IFPD

BIO

Coming Soon

Claude Michaud

Co-Founder, Social Business Models

BIO

Claude Michaud is co-founder of the association: Social Business Models. He has had an exciting career: from his education to a first job at the Cern in Switzerland, followed by 23 years in Brazil, time spent in the USA and a constant back and forth throughout Switzerland. He trained as an electro technicien with a specialisation in nuclear engineering. He is also an advisor for shaping public organisations, coaches for the creation of companies and more.
He has created five companies, among them a computer creation company, that will be 36 years old this year. He launched an incubator and co-founded the association Social Business Models. He has a unique and acute take on things thanks to his multiple activities in classic entrepreneurship as well as his role as advisor and coach in social entrepreneurship.

Tina Wells

CEO & Founder
Buzz Marketing Group

BIO

Tina Wells is the CEO and founder of Buzz Marketing Group, which creates marketing strategies for clients within the beauty, entertainment, fashion, financial, and lifestyle sectors. She has authored the youth marketing handbook Chasing Youth Culture And Getting It Right and the bestselling tween series Mackenzie Blue. In addition to serving on the Young Entrepreneur Council, the United Nations Foundation’s Global Entrepreneurs Council, and The Franklin Institute’s board of directors, Tina is also the current Academic Director of Wharton’s Leadership in the Business World program. Tina’s long list of honors include Essence’s 40 Under 40, Billboard’s 30 Under 30, Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People in Business, and Inc’s 30 Under 30.

Christoph Ebell

Director
The Human Brain Project

BIO

Christoph Ebell is the Executive Director of the Human Brain Project. Prior to this position, he served as the Science and Technology Counselor at the Swiss Embassy in Washington, D.C. In this diplomatic post, he linked Switzerland and the United States in the fields of science, technology, innovation, higher education, and professional education. Before working in the United States, Ebell was part of the Swiss Department of Economic Affairs in Bern, Switzerland, where he headed the international cooperation section for innovation, education and international organizations.
He began his career at the Swiss Commission for Technology and Innovation—Switzerland’s innovation funding agency. Before joining government services, Ebell carried out research in American and Afro-American studies in Switzerland and the United States (Harvard University). He received Master’s degrees from the University of Bern and the University of Illinois at Chicago, and also taught at the University of Basel.

Lasse Gustavsson

Senior Vice President & Executive Director
Oceana Europe

BIO

Lasse has been engaged in environmental and development issues since his early years and has a lifetime commitment to sustainable development and social change. He has many years of experience in leading international organisations, programmes and campaigns, developing partnerships with business, running constructive political lobbying efforts as well as leading conservation programmes in the field. Lasse has dedicated the greatest part of his professional career to supporting the work of various NGOs, including Greenpeace, WWF and Oceana. He is a very dedicated conservationist who always gives great priority to conservation impact on the ground.

Rekha Masalami

President, Agragami India
Project Director, IFPD New Dehli & Bihar

BIO

Coming Soon

Varun Saraf

Board Member, IFPD
Social Entrepreneur

BIO

Coming Soon

Joffman

Wolfgang Jamann

Secretary General & CEO
CARE International Secretariat

BIO

Dr. Wolfgang Jamann joined CARE in March 2015 as the Secretary General and CEO of CARE International, one of the world’s leading non-governmental humanitarian organizations, based in Geneva, Switzerland.
Dr. Jamann has more than 20 years of experience in development assistance and humanitarian response, and has lived and worked in Africa and Southeast Asia. Prior to his current position at CARE, he was the CEO and Chairman of Welthungerhilfe (German Agro Action), one of the largest international aid organizations in Germany fighting hunger and poverty, with a particular focus on food security and sustainable development.

Jobard

Coco Jobard

Designer, Arranger &
Editor of Cook Recipes

BIO

Coco Jobard presents a multi – faceted artistic experience through her work. An expert in the art of tableware and decorative art; she is also a food designer, an exquisite cook, a stylist by calling and an independent journalist. She conceptualises and writes recipes, she is also a food designer for chefs with a magic and colourful aesthetic touch.

Gadea

Tais Gadea Lara

Climate Reality Leader, Environmental Journalist
Sustentator, Ecomanía, La Razón

BIO

Tais Gadea is an environmental journalist in different media of graphic, digital, radio and film communication. She was recognized with the ADEPA Journalism Award 2014 in the category of Ecology and Environment. She is a Climate Reality Leader, coached by the former Vice President Al Gore. She is the editor of the magazine Ecomanía and the blog Sustentator, and writes for the newspaper La Razón. She writes in different national media about sustainability, environment, climate change, entrepreneurship, and the role of women in promoting change. She also co-hosts the radio program Ser Sustentable in Radio Palermo and annually edits the magazine Conecta, the publication of the Environmental Film Festival Green Film Fest.

Bastante

Silvia Bastante

Head of Philanthropy Advisory
UBS Switzerland

BIO

Silvia Bastante de Unverhau is the Head of Philanthropy Advisory at UBS with over fifteen years of experience in related fields. In her current role she leads a global team of specialists helping UHNW individuals and families realize their philanthropic aspirations. Her advice encompasses the full spectrum – from developing a philanthropic strategy, to maximizing impact, or employing new approaches such as venture philanthropy or impact investing. Ms. Bastante is also responsible for UBS’s Global Philanthropy Forum, a yearly by invitation only event which brings together world class committed philanthropists and experts. She regularly speaks and writes on philanthropic topics.
Prior to joining UBS, Ms. Bastante was an Associate Partner at the global strategy consulting firm Monitor Group, where she worked with some of the leading foundations and non-profits worldwide, as well as private sector companies and governments. She has been an advisor to national leaders on social change and has extensive expertise in development, organizational transformations, leadership and governance. Prior to consulting she gained first hand experience in the field holding management roles at the Organization of American States in Washington DC, the International Secretariat of Amnesty International in London and the Office of the President of Peru.
Ms. Bastante brings a unique global perspective to her work, coming from a developing country with experience working in the USA, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. She graduated from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) with a B.Sc Government and Economics and holds a Master in Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) in Cambridge, MA, where she was also a Mason Fellow.

Jobard

Vicki Hansen

Award Winning Producer, Award Winning Optioned Writer, Communications Consultant

BIO

Born and bred in Iowa, USA, Vicki has represented Democrats overseas for more than 10 years. She served on the Democratic National Committee, sitting on the Rural Council for more than 2 years. Vicki stepped down from her elected position to write this novel and make a feature film to illuminate our largest trade issue ‐ Genetically Modified Seeds and Food, highlighting the difference between the ‘substantially equivalent’ doctrine espoused by US food corps and the ‘precautionary principal’ advocated by scientists from all corners of the globe.
Having enjoyed 50 countries, she is keen to make movies with messages that bring people together.

Gadea

Essa Al Mannai

Executive Director
Reach Out To Asia (ROTA)

BIO

Essa Al Mannai joined Reach Out To Asia (ROTA) as Senior Operations Manager in 2009 and was promoted to the role of Executive Director in 2010. Since then he has been responsible for continuing the strategic course set by ROTA’s Board of Directors. Under his leadership the organization has led a variety of initiatives in 13 countries around Asia such as Indonesia, Lebanon, Pakistan, Palestine, Nepal, as well as Quatar. The Projects work to ensure that people affected by calamities across Asia have continuous access to high quality primary and secondary education. Among its many other initiatives, ROTA has led adult literacy trainings, youth leadership programs, and many programs designed to benefit students and teachers.

Maurel

François Maurel

Photographer

BIO

Malgasy photographer Francois Maurel is an undeniable adventurer. He’s been to about 25 countries taking photos and started his professional career in 2007. As a photojournalist for the agency Racines et Culture, he has covered the world surf competition in Bali for Slater Kelly, the international film festival of Marrakech, the Sao Paulo Carnival, photographed the migrants in occidental Sahara, the albinos kids of Benin, vaudou cultes, the caribbean volcanos and more. He works regularly in Brazil, Indonesia, India and on the African continent. Rewarded and published in international press coverages, he has also won a prize at the arts academy of the Maison Royal in 2007. His work, all in black and white is grand, engaging and spontaneous. It is a mix of journalism, documentary, essay and art, he is hard to put in a box which makes him a multi-faceted photographer. He is also founder and president of the Studio Maurel and of Perline Madagascar.

Campioni

Maddalena Campioni

Public Health Specialist & Scenarists
Scenario Development

BIO

Maddalena Campioni, PHD is a public health specialist and scenarist from the UNAIDS. With team member Patrick Noack she co-leads the latest Global Scenario Initiative and is involved in the country dissemination strategy of the Future Scenarios for Africa. She is on the Advisory Group for the Knowledge Summary on Multistakeholder Dialogues PMNCH/WHO; visiting lecturers at Bocconi University, and occasionally contributes for Oxford Analytica and Devex.
Maddalena is also a Mentor at University College of London and London School of Economics for health, decision-making and science topics. She holds a PhD in Medical Science from the University College of London and a joint MSc in Health Policy Planning and Financing from the London School of Economics and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Noack

Patrick Noack

Public Health Specialist & Scenarists
Scenario Development

BIO

Patrick Noack, PHD is a public health specialist and scenarist from the UNAIDS. With team member Maddalena Campioni, he co-leads the latest Global Scenario Initiative and is involved in the country dissemination strategy of the Future Scenarios for Africa. He is on the Advisory Group for the Knowledge Summary on Multistakeholder Dialogues PMNCH/WHO; visiting lecturers at Bocconi University, and occasionally contributes for Oxford Analytica and Devex.
Patrick led the technology and foresight unit at CTBTO and holds a PhD in Science and an MSc in Social Sciences from the London School of Economics and Social Sciences.

Acher

Dan Acher

Founder & director
Happy City Lab

BIO

Dan Acher is Founder and director of Happy City Lab. A Swiss artivist, he is focused on creating happier and healthier cities. From neighbourhood exchange boxes to pop-up dance floors, lost pianos, participative cinema and streetlight orchestras, his routine-busting installations change mindsets and transform the way we live together.
Dan has travelled the world exploring various cultures and has a New Zealand university background in social anthropology and management. He is a prizewinner in the 2013 Ashoka Impact program, teaches at EESP, Lausanne, and is regularly invited to give talks on his work and vision.

Tsafack

Bathermy Tsafack

Resident Representative in Burundi
WSA

BIO

Coming Soon

Fokker

Rian Fokker

Director
Heifer Nederland

BIO

Rian Fokker (1966) is the director of Heifer Nederland, an independent member of the international Heifer network. She holds a Master’s in Tropical Agronomy, obtained at the Wageningen University and Research Centre. Before she joined Heifer Nederland in 2009, she led the Advocacy and Global Programs department at Oxfam Novib.
During her career she held various positions in Dutch environmental, agricultural and development NGOs. She is a great proponent of the way the Heifer network combines these three perspectives in its integrated approach on sustainable agricultural development.

Pujara

Dhairya Pujara

Founder & CEO
Ycenter

BIO

Dhairya Pujara is founder and CEO of Ycenter,­ a Higher Education Social Innovation enterprise based out of Philadelphia. Through Ycenter, Dhairya has created community centered projects in Mozambique, Africa and India. He received his Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering from Drexel University in 2012. Dhairya is a “Global Shaper” chosen by World Economic Forum’s Philadelphia Hub Community. He has been a global TEDx organizer and a public speaker on entrepreneurship and international development. In 2015, American Immigration granted him an approval for special category work visa reserved for “an individual of extraordinary abilities”.

DJJoo

DJ Joo

Film Editor

BIO

Daniel Jayson Woo has built a strong career as an editor, working with numerous high-end clients, while also traveling to 47 different countries. He has stood atop Annapurna in the first light of day, and have knelt at the feet of those in their darkest hour in the Kalighat Home of the Dying and Destitute in India, swathed in humility. From video shoots with celebrities in Manhattan and the Hollywood Hills to teaching orphans in Burma and walking with Buddhist monks in Laos, He has managed to do what his parents always encouraged me to do: everything. There are more than 150 countries left for him to see, and a career editing feature films ahead. People often find his desire to reach the pinnacle of his field while also contributing all I can to the greater world contradictory but he accepts his contradictions.

Gonsolin

Hervé Gonsolin

Special Adviser on
Peace & Security

BIO

Coming Soon

Haddi

Michel Haddi

Fashion Photographer
Michel Haddi Studio Ltd

BIO

Having worked for more than 20 years as one of the leading photographers in fashion, Michel HADDI, born in France and a resident of both London and the US, has had an exciting career. Michel Haddi’s editorial collaborations include the most important magazines in Europe, Asia and the USA: Italian Vogue, Italian Glamour, Uomo Vogue, French Vogue, British Vogue and many more. While living in the USA, he met and photographed many high profile celebrities. They include Clint Eastwood, Martin Scorsese, David Bowie, Uma Thurman, Cameron Diaz, Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie, Janet Jackson and many others. Michel Haddi is not only a photographer; he also manages a publishing house, Michel Haddi studio Ltd, based in London, which publishes fashion and beauty books.

Khumalo

Siphepihle Khumalo

Project Coordinator
for Dessine l’Espoir – Swaziland

BIO

Siphephile Khumalo coordinates projects for the association Dessine l’Espoir (Draw Hope) in Swaziland with the non profit organisation Fundzisa Live. She is in charge of a training program for traditional and sustainable agricultural technics (permaculture, agroecology, cultural associations, crop preservation). The training has two main target groups: beginning with kids in rural areas through a network of educational gardens in many schools across the country. The second group are individuals affected by the HIV virus, all with the purpose of encouraging them to improve their daily diet thanks to family meals. She was trained through various programs in Southern Africa and also supervises projects in neighbouring African countries, in Lesotho and South Africa.

Ricard

Xavier Ricard

Expert in Development Matters
Director International
Partnerships at CCFD

BIO

Coming Soon

Baumann

Michel Baumann

Founder & President
The Meal

BIO

Michel Baumann, a musician, is passionate about sciences, digital technologies, and human relations. As Secretary-General of the International Society for Human Rights, he represents the organisation at the UN in Geneva. Also an event manager, he founded an international movement that aims to gather people simultaneously in different places of the world in order for them to share a lunch together. The event is called The Meal and it aims to support farmers, autonomous food chains, and the right of local populations to have access to their natural resources. The goal is to contribute to the emergence of collective awareness on global governance in respect of human rights.

Galoselva

Cecile Galoselva

Founding MD, ETIC
Fundamentally Responsible

BIO

With an MBA from Oxford’s SBS and 5 years of “usual” business experience in France, Germany, Hungary and the U.S., Cecile Galoselva joined The Ethical Property Company, UK, in 2004 as executive COO, delivering financial success as well as environmental progress and social benefits. She moved to France in 2010 to launch the model, founding ETIC® – Foncièrement Responsable. ETIC® creates offices and facilities dedicated to sustainable organizations, funded by responsible investors. ETIC® proposes flexible leases, lower rents, mutualized services and office equipment. Winning many prizes, ETIC® operates in France in Clichy, Castres, Lyon, Montreuil, Nanterre and Vaulx-en-Velin. Since 2007, Cecile is also an independent NED of a few organisations and an active member of social entrepreneurship networks.

Isidro

Isidro Villoria

Director
Alicia Koplowitz Foundation

BIO

Coming Soon

Lavison

Jean-François de Lavison

President & Founder
Ahimsa Partners & Ahimsa Fund

BIO

Jean-François de Lavison is President and Founder of Ahimsa Partners and Ahimsa Fund. Ahimsa Fund focuses on the most underprivileged populations of the world and develops realistic, innovative, cost-effective and replicable public health initiatives with the objective of empowering the local population. He worked in the Pharma industry for 29 years, where he held several international positions, participating in the group’s international expansion in Europe, Asia, Middle-East, Africa and Latin America. Through his extensive international experience in both developed and developing countries, Jean-François acquired unique skills in the field of Global Health. Additionally, Jean-François is involved in many projects related to the “bottom of the worldwide pyramid population” and “social business” approaches; with top tier international Business Schools. He teaches Business Ethics at HEC in collaboration with a Benedictine monk.

Parienti

Yonathan Parienti

Founder & CEO
Horyou

BIO

Yonathan Parienti is CEO and founding member of Horyou, the action oriented social network for social good. His strong knowledge of the international financial markets, drawn from his former responsibilities in major global banking groups (JP Morgan Chase, Bank of China, Julius Baer), and his conviction to make technology accessible to all, are some of the key influences that led him to envision a humanistic approach to technology; a social networking platform that is at the service of solidarity and social good. With the growing importance of social networks, he saw the challenge of combining communication with technology to promote and advance ideas, projects and actions at all levels: local, national, and global. In addition, he is one of the founders of the Horyou Foundation, which believes in active solidarity as a major factor of change for the better and will lead the way in philanthropy for a more harmonious world.

Schnurr

Maria Schnurr

Foresight Consultant
Z_punkt, The Foresight Company

BIO

Dr Maria Schnurr works as a foresight consultant for Cologne based think tank Z_punkt, the Foresight Company. A social scientist by training, she is an expert in innovative solutions in the areas of mobility and sustainability. Starting from the belief that our mobility system requires a fundamental rethink, Maria Schnurr used her dissertation to analyse the potential offered by urban mobility services for car manufacturers. A key area of Maria Schnurr’s work at present is alternative strategies for the social, economic and political implementation of ambitious sustainability targets.

Bouabid

Touraya Bouabid

President & Founder
AMESIP Association

BIO

Coming Soon

deMeyer

Sofia de Meyer

Founder
Opaline

BIO

Sofia de Meyer founded Opaline in 2009. Born and raised in Switzerland, she started her career as a corporate lawyer, working for an international law firm, in London, Milan and Chicago. After 7 years at the service of multinational companies, she felt the urge to create her own company, focusing primarily on sustainable development. She started with Whitepod, an eco-tourism concept, located in Switzerland. Founded in 2004, this concept won the World Eco-Tourism Award and rapidly awoke the interest of a Swiss entrepreneur who took over in 2008. Today, it is in the context of Opaline, producer of Swiss fine juices, that she will speak at SIGEF.

Nelson

Shyla Nelson

Founder
One Earth. One Voice. Campaign

BIO

Shyla Nelson is an internationally-acclaimed operatic soprano and Founder of the One Earth. One Voice. Campaign, a global grassroots initiative through song raising environmental awareness. The campaign has reached over 400 million people in more than 75 countries worldwide and has been endorsed/supported by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Chief Oren Lyons, the late Pete Seeger, Sir Richard Branson, US Senator Bernie Sanders, and environmentalist Bill McKibben. Honoring past examples of the power of song changing the course of history, Shyla believes that song is a primary catalyst in healing humanity’s relationship with the Earth. The campaign heads next to the UN Climate Talks in Paris later this year.

Zoltani

Tenke Zoltani

President
Impact Investing, UBS

BIO

Coming Soon

Steudler

Barbara Steudler

Manager, Nice Future Association
Founder, G21 Sustainability Forum

BIO

Barbara Steudler is manager at Nice Future Association and Founder of G21 Sustainability Forum. A passionate about life, ecology and new models of Society, she has worked for 13 years on creating numerous sustainable projects. The goal being to create awareness for a more sustainable society. Her projects are at the crossroad for sustainable development, the creation of a network between the key actors in society who need to be engaged through communications, entrepreneurship and culture. All this through her work within NiceFuture Association that she co-founded and directs.

boudemagh

Zouhir Boudemagh

Founder
Alma Nostra Foundation – Alma Chamber Orchestra

BIO

Coming Soon

selian

Audrey Selian

Director
Artha Initiative, Rianta Capital Zurich

BIO

Audrey Selian currently serves as Director of the Artha Initiative associated with Rianta Capital Zurich and is a team member/advisor to the Halloran Philanthropies. She has been active in the impact investing sector since 2006, and is founder of Artha Networks Inc., an online impact investment ‘operating system’ platform that is designed to tackle the economics of due diligence around high impact, small scale SMEs/SGBs. She currently serves as a trustee for several non-profit organizations, sits on the board of a few for-profits, and holds a PhD in Technology Policy & Development Studies from The Fletcher School at Tufts University. She also holds degrees from The London School of Economics and Wellesley College. In 2003-4 she was a doctoral fellow at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.

Richter

Eliane Sussman Richter

Director
Strategic Alliances, PVBLIC Foundation

BIO

Coming Soon

eichenberger

Etienne Eichenberger

Managing partner
WISE – philanthropy advisors

BIO

Prior to setting up WISE – philanthropy advisors, Etienne worked for 10 years in the field of international development and foundations. He began his career with the Swiss Agency for Co-operation and Development, before joining the Avina Foundation in Latin America. He then became for 5 years Senior Manager at the Centre for Strategic Insight (part of the World Economic Forum). He worked directly with individuals and their families in shaping their endeavor in philanthropy across Europe and in selected emerging markets. Today, he is the Swiss Philanthropy Foundation president and a training expert for the ICHEC – Brussels Management School Family in Enterprise Chair. He has also co-funded and was the vice-president of Sustainable Finance Geneva.

jenkins

Hamish Jenkins

Officer-in-Charge
United Nations Non-Governmental Liaison Service (UN-NGLS)

BIO

Hamish Jenkins is Officer-in-Charge of the United Nations Non-Governmental Liaison Service (UN-NGLS) based in Geneva. UN-NGLS is an inter-agency programme of the United Nations system that promotes dynamic engagement with civil society organizations around the world on emerging and cross-cutting issues on the UN global agenda. Mr. Jenkins works on issues related to social and economic justice and alternative development strategies. In this context, he played a leading role in establishing the UN Inter-agency Task Force on the Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE), which aims to promote SSE as a strategic alternative economic approach to help meet the multiple dimensions of sustainable development. He has also worked at the International Labour Organization on the social dimension of globalization, as research coordinator for NGO networks on access to environmental justice and as a freelance journalist. He was the lead author of an NGLS policy handbook: Decent Work and Fair Globalization: A Guide to Policy Dialogue. His background is in development studies.

Richter

Karen Wilson

Senior Fellow – Bruegel / Structural Policy Division
Science, Technology and Industry Directorate, OECD

BIO

Coming Soon

Epalle

Alexandre Epalle

Deputy Secretary General, Economic Issues
Department of Security & Economy (DSE), Geneva

BIO

Alexandre Epalle is currently Deputy Secretary General in charge of economic questions in the Department of Security and Economy (DSE) of the Republic and Canton of Geneva. Prior to working in DSE, he has founded and managed, from 2000 to 2010, the Cantonal office for a sustainable development. He also served as Deputy Secretary General in charge of regional and cross-border questions, sustainable development and economy at the Department of Regional Affairs, Economy and Health.

In his previous positions, he was active in the fields of sustainable production and consumption, and directed several publications among which: a Guide “SME’s and sustainability”, a collection of index cards ” The Geneva Guide to Sustainable Living”, and a “Guide for a sustainable procurement”.
In his current position, he directed the publication of the “Cantonal economic Strategy 2030 for Geneva”. Holder of a Master’s degree in Political Sciences obtained in the University of Geneva, he also obtained a Master’s degree in International Relations from the Geneva’s Graduate Institute of International Studies.

Walls

Jon Marks Walls

CEO
GovFaces

BIO

Coming Soon

Pizer

Thomas Pizer

Founder
Aquaverde

BIO

Founder of Aquaverde, an association based in Switzerland with the goal of promoting and supporting the initiatives of the Indigenous people of the Amazon. The aime is to bring a new dimension into the interaction between human societies and the environment. Thomas Pizer has worked for 15 years in the humanitarian domain, mostly as a delegate for the International Committee of the Red Cross in Iran, the Philippines, Cambodia, Sri Lanka and Sierra Leone.

Alfaro

José Miguel Alfaro

Partner
s.e.e.d.

BIO

Coming Soon

Subilia

Vincent Subilia

Deputy Director, International Affairs
Geneva Chamber of Commerce

BIO

Coming Soon

Krebs

Viola Krebs

Founder & Executive Director
ICV Volunteers

BIO

Viola Krebs (PhD, MSc, BA) is the Founder and Executive Director of ICVolunteers, a non­-profit organization focusing on communications (communication technologies, culture & languages and conference support). ICVolunteers works with a network of 14,000 volunteers worldwide. Viola also teaches and is the writer and editor of a number of articles and publications. She is a board member of the European University for Volunteering (EUV). Further, she has chaired several international conferences, and served from 2003 to 2005 on the Civil Society Bureau of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) and was a Member of the Strategy Council of the United Nations Global Alliance for ICT and Development (GAID) from 2006 to 2011. She has worked in both the public and the private sectors, including for People Living with HIV/AIDS (PWA), the World Economic Forum (WEF) and Merrill Lynch.

Luisoni

Lucas Luisoni

Co-President
Alternatiba Léman

BIO

Coming Soon

Marquez

Nagidmy Marquez Acosta

VP Global & Strategic Communication
Horyou

BIO

Coming Soon

Jindal

Manu Jindal

Sustainability Project Manager
Nespresso

BIO

Manu Jindal is a Sustainability Project Manager at Nestle Nespresso and presently managing the Nespresso’s AAA Sustainable Quality Program in India and Indonesia. His work revolves around developing strategies and implementing projects to support the coffee farmers and communities in adopting sustainable coffee farming practices.
He is also responsible for the Monitoring and Impact evaluation projects to understand better the overall impact on ground level and gain further insights to continuously improve Nespresso’s efforts.
Prior to joining Nespresso, Manu completed his Master’s in Business Administration at IMD business school in Lausanne, Switzerland in year 2012.
Manu is passionate about creating impact and developing sustainable solutions to tackle today’s global challenges. Back in India, he did a two year fellowship at Teach For India and taught 48 kids at low‐income school in city of Pune. He shared his experience of bringing change at TEDX Lausanne.

Jianmei

Peng Jianmei

Executive Secretary-General
China Charity Alliance

BIO

Jianmei, previously known as the Associate Senior Editor of China Youth Magazine, Vice-president of China Philanthropy Times, and is currently the Director of China Charity and Donation Information Center. In addition to her 15 years’ experience in media, she also had 10 years’ experience in philanthropy policy advocacy, charity donation research and capacity building & development of charity organizations.
She mainly focuses on social innovation, Corporate Social Responsibility, NGO accountability and China Cities Charity Index. China Charity Alliance is committed to act as a platform to mobilize all social forces to take part in philanthropy, to help the charities both at home and abroad to stay informed, to promote NGO’s transparency and accountability, and to advance the development of China’s philanthropic sector.

deBrito

Isabella de Brito

Vice President, Marketing
AIESEC Switzerland

BIO

Isabella de Brito joined AIESEC in 2012, and is currently Vice President of Marketing in AIESEC in Switzerland, national branch of the world’s largest organization run by students with more than 100,000 members represented in 126 countries.
Graphic designer, Isabella has been involved in social projects related on children education and homeless issues in Brazil, and now she’s an speaker on how youth leadership is the answer in order to build a better society.

Ayoub

Elie Ayoub

Advisor, Strategic Communication
Horyou

BIO

Coming Soon

Longet

René Longet

Sustainable Development
Expert

BIO

Coming Soon

Ngouamo

Walter Ngouamo

Redactor
AfriqueITNews.com

BIO

Walter NGOUAMO was born in Bamenda, Cameroon. After starting his studies in Cameroon, he headed to Senegal to complete a graduate degree in telecommunications with a focus on planning and designing,communications & IT Networks. After that, he joined INAOTA, which offers communication services focused in the tech industry. Inaota has worked with some of the most important tech companies in Africa.
The company is behind the main tech news platform in francophone Africa: AfriqueITNews.com and the yearly AfriqueITNews Forum which gathers together the best of tech entrepreneurship in francophone Africa. He is now based in France where he’s a business development consultant and he covers the African Tech Ecosystem for AfriqueITNews.

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