The road to the Imperial Springs International Forum begins with the Experts Meeting. A select group of Club de Madrid Members, international experts and Chinese experts join this meeting to prepare each edition of the forum.

Discover some Experts Meetings here:

Andrés Allamand

Secretary General of the Ibero-American General Secretariat

Lawyer, he studied law at the Law School of the University of Chile, where he graduated with highest distinction. He signed the “National Agreement for the Transition to Full Democracy”, a key document for the Chilean transition that took place in the 1990s. Subsequently, he was elected deputy for one term and then twice senator of the Republic of Chile. In his parliamentary career, he was a member of the Education, Constitution, Legislation and Justice, Labor and Social Security Commissions and dealt with matters related to International Relations and regionalization processes. He worked as a consultant at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in Washington DC, focusing on democratic governance, strengthening of Congresses and empowerment of civil society. In the academic field, he was Dean of the School of Government at the Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez. In this position he worked on issues related to leadership, reengineering of organizations, linkage between the political and business world and distancing between citizens and public institutions. He has also served as Minister of Defense and Minister of Foreign Affairs. He has authored and participated in more than 10 books and several publications, among them, “La política importa. Democracy and Development in Latin America” edited by the Inter-American Development Bank and the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance. On February 8, 2022, he was appointed Ibero-American Secretary General.

Esko Aho

Prime Minister of Finland (1991-1995), Member of Club de Madrid

Mr. Aho was a Member of the Finnish Parliament (1983-2003). He chaired the Centre Party (1990- 2002) and was Prime Minister of Finland (1991-1995). After political career, Esko Aho served as President of the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra (2004-2008) and thereafter he served as Executive Vice President for Corporate Relations and Responsibility at Nokia Corporation and was a member of its Executive Board until 2012. Esko Aho served as Executive Chairman of the Board at East Office of Finnish Industries (2013-2019) and Chairman of Cinia Oy (2017-2023). Furthermore, he served as elected member of the Executive Board at the International Chamber of Commerce (2013-2019). He acted as Chairman of the Board at ICC Executive Board Policy and Commissions Committee for four years. Currently, Esko Aho is Chairman of the Board at China Office of Finnish Industries. He is a member of the JP Morgan Advisory Council for Europe, Middle East and Africa. Esko Aho also is an advisor to several international and domestic companies and communities. Mr. Aho is a member of Club de Madrid, an independent organization of former heads of state and government dedicated to strengthening democracy. Esko Aho has been active in the world of academia. He has been a Resident Fellow and later Senior Fellow at Harvard University and he has served as an Executive in Residence at Aalto University (2015- 2022). He served as a visiting professor at Sciences Po University in Paris (2017-2018). Esko Aho holds honorary doctorate degrees from the University of Vaasa and the University of Alberta. In addition to business life, academia and politics, Mr. Aho is a publisher and a writer. He has published more than a dozen books under Verbatum ́s label and written five books.

Carlos Alvarado

President of Costa Rica (2018-2022), Member of Club de Madrid

Carlos Alvarado is a Club de Madrid Member since 2022. Under President Alvarado’s leadership, Costa Rica contributed to global efforts to combat climate change and defended human rights, democracy, and multilateralism. His innovative approach to sustainable energy, his ambitious climate policies, and his highly successful response to the COVID-19 pandemic have been widely recognised. President Alvarado is a recipient of the 2022 Planetary Leadership Award by the National Geographic Society for his outstanding commitment and action towards protecting the ocean. In September 2019, he also received on behalf of his country the Champion on the Earth Award, presented by the United Nations Environment Program. In November 2019, he was named one of TIME’s 100 Next emerging leaders around the world. In 2019, President Alvarado launched Costa Rica’s National Decarbonisation Plan, which established the road map to decarbonize the country’s economy by 2050. Its administration organised the run-up to the U.N. Climate Change Conference – COP25 in Madrid, and created with France and the United Kingdom the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People which now includes more than one hundred member states. President Alvarado’s prior government leadership service includes a tenure as Minister of Labour and Social Security (2016-2018), as Minister of Human Development and Social Inclusion (2014 – 2016), and as Executive President of the Joint Social Welfare Institute, responsible for implementing social protection and promoting poverty alleviation programs. Before entering politics, he worked for Procter & Gamble, Latin America. Alvarado holds a Bachelor’s in journalism, an MSc in Political Science from the University of Costa Rica and received a master’s degree in development studies from the Institute of Development Studies at Sussex University. He currently is a Professor of Practice at The Fletcher School at Tufts University and is also a Richard von Weizsäcker fellow at the Robert Bosch Academy.

Michelle Bachelet

President of Chile (2006-2010, 2014-2018) and Vice President of Club de Madrid

Michelle Bachelet has been a Club de Madrid Member since 2010. She is also one of the Vice Presidents of Club de Madrid Michelle Bachelet was the first Chilean woman to hold the office, and the first President of Chile democratically re-elected since 1932. In 1982, President Bachelet graduated from the Medical School of the University of Chile. Later, she studied military strategy at the National Academy of Strategic and Political Studies. As a student, Bachelet actively supported Salvador Allende’s Partido Socialista de Chile until Augusto Pinochet’s coup d’état in September 1973 forced her to flee the country. Following Chile’s return to democracy in 1990, Bachelet started her professional career as an epidemiologist. In 2000, Bachelet was named Minister of Health by then Chilean President, Ricardo Lagos. Two years later, she moved to head the Defence Ministry, becoming the first Chilean woman to lead this branch. Following a steady rise in her polling numbers during 2004, Bachelet accepted her party’s nomination for President in January 2005. A year later, she was elected President with 53.5 % of the votes. President Bachelet’s first term was characterised by the expansion of Chile’s Social Protection System for children, the elderly and the disabled; greater investment in education and health; labour law reforms; and gender equality as a polity of the State. Between presidential terms, Bachelet was appointed the first-ever Director of UN Women. President Bachelet was re-elected as President again in 2014, obtaining 62.1 % of the votes. In this second period, she introduced free university education; new environmental policies; same-sex marriage; and created the Ministry for Women and Gender Equality. In September 2018, following approval by the UN General Assembly, she was appointed UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. She held this position until August 2022.

Valdis Birkavs

Prime Minister of Latvia (1993-1994), Member of Club de Madrid

Valdis Birkavs has dedicated his career to advancing democratic principles and legal reforms in Latvia and the Baltic region. He studied law, philosophy, sociology, psychology, and mathematical logic at the University of Latvia, later earning a PhD in criminology from Moscow’s Institute of Criminology in 1978. Birkavs played a pivotal role in Latvia’s National Awakening Movement, famously known as “The Singing Revolution,” advocating for democratic reforms during the country’s transition to independence. As a Founding Member and President of the Latvian Bar Association from 1988 to 1995, he laid the groundwork for Latvia’s legal independence and co-authored the May 4, 1990 Declaration of Independence. His political career began in 1990 as a Deputy in the Latvian Parliament, where he has since held influential positions including Deputy Chairman of the Judicial Committee and Chairman of the Parliament. Birkavs co-founded and chaired the liberal-conservative political party Latvijas ceļš (Latvian Way), and served as Latvia’s first Prime Minister under the renewed constitution in 1993. During his tenure, he successfully negotiated the withdrawal of Russian troops from Latvia and held key ministerial roles including Foreign Minister and Minister of Justice across multiple administrations. Internationally, Birkavs chaired the Baltic States’ Council of Ministers and the Baltic Assembly’s Judicial Committee, fostering regional cooperation through agreements like the Baltic States’ Free Trade Agreement and the establishment of the Baltic Council of Ministers’ Secretariat. He has been actively involved in the Liberal International since 1997, contributing over 150 academic papers and articles on crime prevention, democracy, human rights, and international politics. He is also a Board Member of School for International Civic Education. Valdis Birkavs continues to influence legal and political discourse, promoting the rule of law and democratic values in Latvia and beyond.

Kjell Magne Bondevik

Prime Minister of Norway (1997-2000, 2001-2005), Member of Club de Madrid and Member of Nizami Ganjavi International Center

Kjell Magne Bondevik has been a Club de Madrid Member since 2005. Bondevik, born in Molde, Norway in 1947, embarked on a career that blended politics, religion, and international diplomacy. He began his journey at the Norwegian School of Theology, becoming ordained as a pastor in the Lutheran Church of Norway in 1979. From 1973 to 2005, Bondevik represented the County of Møre og Romsdal in the Stortinget (Parliament of Norway) as a member of the Christian Democratic Party. Throughout his tenure, he held several key roles including Minister of Church Affairs and Education from 1983 to 1986, and Deputy Prime Minister under Prime Minister Kåre Willoch from 1985 to 1986. He also served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1989 to 1990 and held various leadership positions within his party, including party leader and parliamentary leader at different intervals. Bondevik became Prime Minister of Norway twice; first in 1997 leading a coalition government with the Christian Democratic Party, the Centre Party, and the Liberal Party, and again in 2001, heading a coalition between the Christian Democratic Party, the Conservative Party, and the Liberal Party until 2005. After retiring from politics, Bondevik founded The Oslo Center in 2006, where he served as President and later as Executive chair before he stepped down in 2023. His dedication to international dialogue and democracy led him to join the Club de Madrid in 2005, an organization of former heads of state and government dedicated to democratic leadership and governance.

Kim Campbell

Prime Minister of Canada (1993), Member of Club de Madrid

Kim Campbell is a Club de Madrid founding Member. She is also a Club de Madrid Board Member. Kim Campbell was the first woman to hold the Prime Minister’s office in Canada. Previously, she had served as Minister for Indian Affairs, Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Minister of National Defense, and Minister of Veterans’ Affairs. As Prime Minister, she implemented radical changes to the structure of the government. This included the redesign of 8 ministries and the abolition or merging of 15 others. Additionally, Campbell consolidated more services for the Canadian people by creating three new ministries: Health, Canadian Heritage, and Public Security. Throughout her career, Campbell has been deeply engaged in international issues including law reform and criminal justice, international trade and security. After her tenure as Prime Minister, Campbell was a fellow at the Institute of Politics (1994) and the Joan Shorenstein Center for the Study of Press and Politics (1994-1995), at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. The following year, she was appointed the Canadian Consul General in Los Angeles (1996-2000) and then returned to Harvard to teach at the Center for Public Leadership at the Kennedy School. In 2016, Campbell was named Chairperson of the Independent Advisory Board for Supreme Court of Canada Judicial Appointments. Campbell’s most notable achievement in recent years is the design and launch of a ground-breaking leadership program for undergraduates at the University of Alberta called the Peter Lougheed Leadership College. She served as its Founding Principal from 2014 to 2018. She is a member of the International Women’s Forum and a member and chair emerita of the Council of Women World Leaders. She is a trustee of the International Center for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence at King’s College.

Siddharth Chatterjee

United Nations Resident Coordinator in China

Mr. Siddharth Chatterjee took office as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in China and is the designated representative of the UN Secretary-General. He presented his letter of credence to the President of China on 14 April 2021. With over 25 years of experience in the United Nations, he has served in many fragile and war-torn countries. A 3 times TEDx speaker, he is a regular opinion contributor for a range of international & mainstream Chinese media. He holds a master’s degree in public policy from Princeton University in the United States of America.

Li Cheng

Professor of Department of Politics and Public Administration of the University of Hong Kong, Founding Director of the Centre on Contemporary China and the World (CCCW)

Li Cheng is Professor of Political Science and Founding Director of the Centre on Contemporary China and the World at the University of Hong Kong. Dr. Li’s research areas include the transformation of political leaders, the Chinese middle class, technological development in China, Sino-U.S. relations, and global governance. Li is the author and editor of 19 books, including more recently Middle Class Shanghai: Reshaping U.S.-China Engagement, The Power of Ideas: The Rising Influence of Thinkers and Think Tanks in China, and Chinese Politics in the Xi Jinping Era. Prior to joining the University of Hong Kong, Li served as director and senior fellow at the Brookings Institution’s John L. Thornton China Center, where he remains a nonresident senior fellow. Dr. Li is also a director of the National Committee on U.S.- China Relations, a Distinguished Fellow of the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at University of Toronto, a nonresident fellow at Yale University’s Paul Tsai China Center, and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Li received an M.A. in Asian Studies from the University of California at Berkeley and a Ph.D. in Political Science from Princeton University.

Sean Cleary

Executive Vice Chair of the FutureWorld Foundation and Club de Madrid Advisor

Sean Cleary, Chairman of Strategic Concepts (Pty) Ltd and Advisor of Club de Madrid Sean Cleary is Executive Vice-Chair of the FutureWorld Foundation; an Advisor of Club de Madrid, EIT Climate-KIC, and the Institute of Advanced Studies, Kőszeg; a Faculty Member of the Parmenides Foundation; a Senior Fellow and Senior Advisor of the Salzburg Global Seminar; Special Advisor to (and Fellow of) the Global Solutions Initiative; and a Diplomacy Moderator of the Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator. He saw diplomatic service in Iran, the USA, and Namibia en route to its independence in 1990, where he facilitated negotiations between Namibia’s political parties, the release of political prisoners, and the adoption of a pre-independence Bill of Rights. In South Africa, he served on the Facilitating Committee and Preparatory Committee of the National Peace Accord, where he chaired the Working Group on the Code of Conduct for Political Parties and Organizations; and on the NEPAD Business Steering Group. He has served on the Boards of numerous non-profit organisations, including the Peace and Reconstruction Foundation, LEAD International, Carbon War Room, Rocky Mountain Institute, Operation Hope, the Carnegie Artificial Intelligence and Equality Initiative, and the Salzburg Global Seminar; and an as Strategic Adviser to the World Economic Forum, and its Arab Business Council. He studied social sciences, philosophy and law at the University of Cape Town, University of South Africa, and Pahlavi University in Shiraz, and has an MBA from Henley Management College, Brunel University. He has lectured on global corporate strategy at business schools, and the strategic challenges of globalisation, and conflict resolution, at defence colleges, universities and institutes around the world. Mr. Cleary has received academic and public service awards, co-authored Resilience to Risk (Human & Rosseau 2006) and Global Risks (Palgrave Macmillan 2007) with Thierry Malleret, and published numerous journal articles and book chapters, including Cognitive Constraints and Behavioral Biases in Learning from Catastrophes: Strategies for Reaction and Response. (Wharton, Pearson 2009); and The role of universities in disruptive transition, in Fit for purpose? The futures of universities (World Scientific 2022).

Rafael Dezcallar

Ambassador of Spain to China (2018-2024), Career Diplomat, Club de Madrid Advisor

Rafael Dezcallar Mazarredo is a diplomat who has served Spain with commitment through different responsibilities until his retirement in 2024. He has been with the foreign service all his professional life, albeit to the highest-ranking positions, in particular serving as Ambassador of Spain to Ethiopia and Germany, and more recently to the People’s Republic of China. His other positions in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Spain include serving as Director General of Foreign Policy and as the Deputy Director General of United Nations Affairs. During his career, Ambassador Dezcallar has represented Spain at a variety of postings around the world, including in Honduras (1985-1987), Israel (1989-1992), Cuba (1992-1995), and the Holy See (2017-2018), often serving as chargé d’affaires or Deputy Head of Mission. He also served as Consul General in Moscow (1997-1998) and Bogotá (2012-2015), which further deepened his experience in political and consular matters. Throughout his career, he has been an intensive contributor to diplomatic discourse, with various lectures at the Atlantic Club in New York, the Economic Circle in Barcelona, the University of Tübingen, or the College of Europe, along with publications in prestigious Spanish and international media. For such committed service, Ambassador Dezcallar received several prestigious awards and honours; he received the Commander and Officer designations of the Order of Civil Merit and the Order of Isabella the Catholic, respectively, granted by the Spanish government for his contributions concerning foreign affairs. Furthermore, he was awarded the Grosse Verdienstkreuz of the Federal Republic of Germany. These distinctions underpin his commitment to the service for strengthening Spain’s international relationships and his role in the promotion of diplomatic ties around the world. Nowadays, Ambassador Dezcallar is actively involved in international and academic life. Fluent in several languages, including English, French, German, and Italian. He maintains his public service activities as a member of non-governmental organisations and advisory boards, such as the Spanish Chapter of the Club of Rome. He is also the President of Ayuda en Acción, a developmental NGO. Ambassador Dezcallar is also an accomplished author, having published numerous works that reflect his diplomatic experience and insights into international affairs. His publications include “La Europa Dependiente” (1992), “Entre el Desierto y el Mar” (1998), “Tierra de Israel, Tierra Palestina” (2003), “Seda Negra” (2009), “El Pirata Bien Educado” (2015), and “Cesó la Horrible Noche” (2018).

Zhu Feng

Chair Professor and Dean of School of International Studies, Nanjing University, Executive Director of the Collaborative, Innovation Center of South China Sea Studies, Nanjing University

Zhu Feng is Chair Professor and Dean of School of International Studies, and Executive Director of the Collaborative Innovation Center of South China Sea Studies, Nanjing University. The School of International Studies is the most recently established institution of Nanjing University dedicated to teaching, research and talent training in the field of international relations. Professor Zhu Feng was previously vice president of the Institute of International and Strategic Studies and professor at the School of International Studies of Peking University. In 2014, he transferred to Nanjing University to preside over its first national collaborative innovation center for liberal arts – the Collaborative Innovation Center for South China Sea Studies. Professor Zhu’s research specialty is U.S.-China relations, East Asian regional security, and Asia-Pacific maritime security. He is currently Vice Chair of National Association of International Relations Studies, Vice Chair of National Association of Japan Studies, and Vice Chair of the Chinese Association of American Studies. In 2018, Professor Zhu was selected as the first batch of “High-end Scholars Going Global Project” by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee. In June 2020, Professor Zhu was appointed one of the first batch of special researchers of the “Xi Jinping Diplomatic Thought Research Center” of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In December 2021, he was selected as one of the first batch of special researchers of the Research Center for Xi Jinping Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era in Jiangsu Province. He is currently a member of the 15th CPPCC of Nanjing and a director of the Jiangsu European and American Scholars Association. Professor Zhu is also a leading talent in philosophy and social sciences of the national “Ten Thousand Talents Program”. Professor Zhu was a visiting scholar at internationally renowned academic institutions such as the Brookings Institution, Harvard University, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Tulane University in the United Kingdom, and the University of Wellington in New Zealand. His representative academic monographs include: China’s Ascent: Power, Security and International Politics (co-edited with Prof. Robert S. Ross, Cornell University Press, 2008), America, China and the Struggle for the World Order (co-edited with Prof. G. John Ikenbery and Prof. Wang Jisi, MacMillan Press, 2015), Sea Power in the 21st Century: Historical Experience and Chinese Issues (edited, World Knowledge Press, 2016), International Relations Theory and East Asian Security (Renmin University Press, 2007), China’s Rise: Theoretical and Policy Perspectives (edited, World Knowledge Publishing House, 2008 edition), Analysis of the Philippine South China Sea Arbitration Case (edited, World Knowledge Publishing House, 2017 edition), Analysis of the Security Situation around the South China Sea (edited, Nanjing University Press, 2021 edition). His latest forthcoming book is Building a Maritime Community with a Shared Future: Theory and Practice (People’s Publishing House, 2024).

Leonel Fernández

President of the Dominican Republic (1996-2000, 2004-2012), Member of Club de Madrid

Fernández is a Club de Madrid Member and became involved with politics at a young age. He was an outstanding student leader, and held the General Secretariat of the Students’ Association of the Faculty for Judicial and Social Sciences of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo, in addition to actively taking part in the protests against the Balaguer regime. He founded the Party of Dominican Liberation (PLD) in 1973 and was a member of its Central Committee (1983) and Political Committee (1990), and later served as its Press Secretary and Secretary of International Relations. In 1996, he won the Presidency of the Dominican Republic and held office until 2000. During his Presidency, Fernández began dynamic and aggressive policies that reinserted the Dominican Republic into the international sphere and brought it out of its traditional isolation, thus beginning processes of regional integration, open markets, and globalization. Fernández is currently President of the World Fund For Democracy and Development, and President of the Club of Executives of the United States of the Caribbean, organized by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington. In addition, he is Advisor to the Freely-Elected Heads of Government at the Carter Center, contributing member of Foreign Affairs Magazine Spanish Edition, a Member of Inter-American Dialogue, and a member of the Circle of Montevideo. He remains President of the PLD.

Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle

President of Chile (1994-2000), Member of Club de Madrid

Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle is a Club de Madrid founding Member. Born on June 24, 1942, in Santiago de Chile, Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle embarked on a journey that would intertwine engineering, politics, and national leadership. After earning a degree in Civil Engineering with a specialization in Hydraulics from the University of Chile, he furthered his education in Technical Management Administration in Italy in 1969. His early career saw him working with the engineering firm Sigdo Koppers, S.A., where he remained until 1988. Frei’s political involvement began in 1958 when he joined the Christian Democratic Party. As a student leader at the University of Chile, he became an active supporter of his father, Eduardo Frei Montalva, whose successful campaign for the presidency in 1964 was a defining moment for the family. During Augusto Pinochet’s authoritarian regime, Frei emerged as a staunch advocate for democracy. He helped establish the Pro Free-Elections Committee and was a key figure in the campaign against the 1988 plebiscite, which marked the beginning of Chile’s transition to democracy. The following year, he was elected to the Senate, where he took on significant responsibilities, including chairing the Finance and Budget Commissions and contributing to the Housing Commission. In 1994, Eduardo Frei became President of Chile, a role in which he prioritized modernizing the country’s economy and enhancing its global integration. His administration signed free-trade agreements with Canada, Mexico, and several Central American nations, and facilitated Chile’s entry into prominent international organizations, including MERCOSUR, the World Trade Organization, and APEC. Domestically, he championed reforms to the 1980 Constitution and spearheaded initiatives to reduce poverty, improve education, and strengthen healthcare systems. Frei’s contributions have earned him numerous civil honors and several Doctorates Honoris Causa.

Dalia Grybauskaitė

President of Lithuania (2009-2019) and Member of Club de Madrid

Dalia Grybauskaitė has been a Club de Madrid Member since 2020. Grybauskaitė served as President from 2009 to 2019. She was the country’s first woman President and the only President in Lithuania’s post-Soviet history to have served two consecutive terms. Born in Vilnius on March 1 1956, Ms Grybauskaitė holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Economy from Saint Petersburg (Leningrad) State University and a Doctorate in Economics from the Moscow Academy of Public Sciences. She is also Doctor of Humane Letters, Honoris Causa, at Georgetown University. After the deepening global economic crisis in 2009, Grybauskaitė left her EU post of Commissioner to run as an independent candidate in Lithuania’s presidential election. After taking office in July 2009, Grybauskaitė focused on lifting the country’s economic fortunes. In May 2014 she won reelection. During her second term, she emphasized Lithuanian military readiness and welcomed a NATO battle group as part of the Alliance’s “enhanced forward presence” in Lithuania. President Grybauskaitė also served as Finance Minister for Lithuania from 2001 to 2004. While serving as European Union Commissioner for Financial Programming and Budgets, she was elected Commissioner of the Year in 2005. Dalia Grybauskaitė served as Minister Plenipotentiary in the Lithuanian Mission to the European Union, Deputy Chief Negotiator for Lithuania’s Association Agreement with the European Union, and Minister Plenipotentiary in the Lithuanian Mission to the United States. At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, she was Director of the Economic Relations Department, responsible for economic diplomacy and development assistance. She was also Chief Negotiator for Lithuania’s Free Trade Agreement with the European Union. Dalia Grybauskaitė remains widely popular with the Lithuanian public after ending her second and final presidential term in July 2019. She continues to speak widely on women’s leadership, gender equality, sustainable development, economic transparency and accountability.

Chiril Gaburici

Prime Minister of Moldova (2015), Member of Nizami Ganjavi International Center

Chiril Gaburici is a Moldovan businessman and politician who served as Prime Minister of Moldova from February 18 to June 22, 2015. He has a background in economics and a successful career in the telecommunications industry. Gaburici began his career at Moldcell, a mobile network operator, where he rose through the ranks to become CEO in 2008. In 2012, he moved to Azerbaijan to lead Azercell, another telecommunications company. In February 2015, Gaburici was appointed Prime Minister of Moldova. His tenure was brief, lasting just over four months. During his time in office, he focused on European integration and economic reforms. However, his term ended in controversy when he resigned amid an inquiry into the authenticity of his school diploma. After his political career, Gaburici became a Member of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center (NGIC). He has maintained ties with Azerbaijan, having worked there previously and expressing familiarity with individuals from Karabakh.

Nathalie de Gaulle

Vice-chair of Teneo

Nathalie de Gaulle is a prominent French business executive and the Vice-chair of Teneo, a global CEO advisory firm. In her role at Teneo, Nathalie focuses on strategic advisory services, leveraging her extensive experience in corporate communications and public affairs. She has held various leadership positions in both public and private sectors, contributing to her expertise in navigating complex political and economic landscapes. Nathalie is recognised for her insights into governance and her commitment to fostering strong relationships between businesses and governmental entities

Ángel Gurría

Secretary General of OCDE (2006-2021), Honorary Member of Club de Madrid

Ángel Gurría has been a Club de Madrid Honorary Member since 2022. Gurría is a Mexican diplomat and economist. He served as Secretary General of OECD from 2006 to 2021. He is a world-known specialist in the fields of debt management and of development banking. Moreover, he has been a vocal spokesman in the fight against Climate Change and in defence of Biodiversity and the planet’s natural resources. Born on May 8th, 1950, in Tampico, Mexico, Mr. Gurría holds a B.A. degree in Economics from UNAM (Mexico) and a M.A. degree in Economics from Leeds University (United Kingdom). He has received seven Honorary Degrees from Universities in Israel, Mexico, Slovakia, Spain and the United Kingdom. Mr. Gurría’s distinguished career in public service in Mexico include positions such as Secretary of Foreign Affairs (1994-1997) and Secretary of Finance and Public Credit (1998-2000). Mr Gurría has participated in various international not-for-profit bodies, including the Population Council, based in New York, and the Centre for Global Development based in Washington. He chaired the International Task Force on Financing Water for All and continues to be deeply involved in water issues, having been a member of the United Nations Secretary General Advisory Board for Water and Sanitation (UNSGAB) and of the Global Council on Water Security. He recently received the Hassan II Prize from the World Water Council. He was also a member of the Advisory Board of the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI), based in Canada; the Advisory Board for the Global Green Growth Forum (3GF), co-hosted by Korea and Denmark, and was appointed as a member of the Royal Academy of Economic and Financial Sciences of Spain. He is presently a Member of the Board of Trustees of the World Economic Forum.

Mladen Ivanić

President of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2014-2018), Member of Nizami Ganjavi International Center

Mladen Ivanić, is a NGIC member and a Bosnian Serb politician who served as the 6th Serb member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina from November 17, 2014, to November 20, 2018. He is the founder of the Party of Democratic Progress and previously held positions such as Prime Minister of Republika Srpska and Minister of Foreign Affairs. During his presidency, Ivanić focused on Bosnia and Herzegovina’s European Union integration and economic reforms. He holds a PhD and is fluent in English. Currently, he is a Member of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center (NGIC), engaging in international policy discussions.

Ivo Josipović

President of Croatia (2010-2015) Member of Club de Madrid and Member of Nizami Ganjavi International Center

Ivo Josipović is a NGIC member. Born in Zagreb, 1957 Mr Josipovic graduated from the University of Zagreb, where he studied Law and Music at the Faculty of Law and the Music Academy, respectively. Before his presidential tenure, Josipović was a university professor, Member of Parliament, and composer. He was also the Director of the Music Biennale Zagreb – International Festival of Contemporary Music and the Secretary General of the Croatian Composers Union. After his mandate, Ivo Josipović returned to his position as professor at the University of Zagreb and continued his career as a composer. As a politician, Ivo Josipović is dedicated to promoting peace in the region, fighting against corruption, and defending human rights. As a composer, he has produced around 60 pieces for orchestra, chamber groups, and solo instruments. His compositions have been performed in many European countries, as well as in the USA, Canada, China, and Japan. He has also recorded more than 30 CDs and DVDs. At the Faculty of Law of the University of Zagreb, Ivo Josipović is a professor of Criminal Procedure and International Criminal Law. He has published several books, research papers, and articles on the topics of international criminal law, criminal procedure, and human rights, both in Croatian and foreign journals. Aside from his career as a university professor and composer, Ivo Josipović is an active member of many cultural, legal, scientific, and human rights organisations, both national and international. He is a patron of the European Academy of Art and Science, a Board Member of NGIC, and a member of the World Academy of Art and Science and the Croatian Composers Society, among other organisations. He continues to participate in international conferences, lecturing at universities in several countries, publishing legal research papers, composing music, and writing articles in newspapers and journals.

Mehdi Jomaa

Prime Minister of Tunisia (2014-2015) and Member of Club de Madrid

Mehdi Jomaa has been a Club de Madrid Member since 2015. Born in Mahdia, Tunisia, in April 1962, he earned a Master’s Degree in Engineering from ENIT in Tunisia, which laid the foundation for his diverse professional journey. Jomaa spent 25 years at Hutchinson, serving as CEO of its Aerospace Division and a Member of the Executive Committee. During this time, he developed expertise in aerospace programs, strategy, international business management, organizational change, and transformational leadership. His transition from the corporate world to politics began in March 2013 when he was appointed Tunisia’s Minister of Industry. In this role, he initiated pivotal policy changes, including a new energy strategy with a focus on renewable energy, rationalization of energy subsidies, and promoting social responsibility within large industrial groups. In January 2014, amidst a political crisis that stalled Tunisia’s transition, Jomaa was elected by the National Dialogue Committee to lead the country as Head of Government. He introduced an innovative governance framework centered on “vision, strategy, and leadership.” His tenure was marked by significant achievements, including restructuring Tunisia’s security apparatus to counter terrorism, launching a national economic dialogue to build consensus around fiscal and structural reforms, and hosting the landmark “Invest in Tunisia: Start-up Democracy” conference in September 2014. Jomaa later founded the think tank “Tunisia Alternatives,” providing high-level expertise on policy reforms and social policies. His contributions have been widely recognized, including decorations from the Tunisian Order of the Republic and the German Order of Merit, as well as being named the 2014 Amadeus “Man of the Year” by Morocco.

Csaba Kőrösi

77th President of the United Nations General Assembly (2022-2023) and Member of Nizami Ganjavi International Center

Csaba Kőrösi is a Hungarian diplomat who served as the President of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly from September 2022 to September 2023. He previously held the position of Hungary’s Permanent Representative to the UN. During his presidency, Kőrösi focused on global challenges such as climate change, food security, and international conflicts, promoting solutions through solidarity, sustainability, and science. He is also a Member of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center (NGIC), where he engages in discussions on international cooperation and policy.

Aleksander Kwaśniewski

President of Poland (1995-2005), Member of Club de Madrid and Member of Nizami Ganjavi International Center

Aleksander Kwaśniewski has been a Club de Madrid Member since 2011. Kwaśniewski was a member of the Polish United Workers’ Party (PZPR) from 1977 until its dissolution in 1990. He was particularly active in the student movement and worked as the editor-in-chief of the student weekly ITD magazine. Kwaśniewski participated in the famous “Round-Table” negotiations in Poland that brought the peaceful transformation of Poland and the whole of Central and Eastern Europe from communism to democracy. Once the Iron Curtain had fallen, President Kwaśniewski co-founded the Social Democratic Party of the Republic of Poland (SdRP) and became its first chairman. One of Kwaśniewski’s first great achievements was to bring about a new democratic Constitution in Poland, which became effective in July 1997. Highly popular in his country, he was re-elected in 2000 for a second and final five-year term. During his Presidency, Kwaśniewski played a key role in the reconciliation between the Poles and the Germans, an the Jewish and the Ukrainian people. He further inspired the international mediation efforts during the 2004 Orange Revolution in Ukraine, helping the young democracy to prevail. Finally, Kwaśniewski was a strong advocate of EU and NATO integration and led Poland to join both institutions during his tenure. Mr. Kwasniewski was appointed Distinguished Scholar in the Practice of Global Leadership at Georgetown University, where he taught for several years at the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service. Until November 2013, Kwaśniewski co-led the European Parliament monitoring mission in Ukraine to monitor the criminal cases against Yulia Tymoshenko, Yuriy Lutsenko and Valeriy Ivaschenko. Since 2019, Kwaśniewski has been a Member of the International Advisory Council (IAC) of Uzbekistan. In 2020, he became the Chair of the Eastern Europe and Central Asia Commission on Drugs.

Zlatko Lagumdžija

Prime Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2001-2002) and PR of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the UN, Member of Club de Madrid and Member of Nizami Ganjavi International Center

Zlatko Lagumdžija is a NGIC member. Lagumdžija is the Permanent Representative of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the United Nations since 2023. Prior to his appointment, Lagumdžija served between 1992 and 2015 as Minister for Foreign Affairs in the institutions of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (until 1995) and Bosnia and Herzegovina. He also served as Chairman and Deputy Chairman/Prime Minister of the Council of Ministers twice and was elected as a Deputy in six convocations of the House of Representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Lagumdžija is concurrently a professor at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Economics in Sarajevo, where he founded and still heads the Department of Management and Information Technology and the Management and Information Technology Center. He is a member of several associations and boards, including the World Academy of Sciences and Arts, International Board of Directors of Nizami Ganjavi International Centers and the Board of Directors of the World Association for Artificial Intelligence, among others. Lagumdžija has served as a visiting professor at various universities in Europe, United States and Asia, focusing on leadership in the time of sustainable development and artificial intelligence. Born in 1955, Lagumdžija received a Bachelor of Science in 1977, a Master of Science in 1980 and a doctorate in 1988 in informatics and computer science at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Xue Lan

Distinguished Professor of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Tsinghua University, Dean, Schwarzman College, Tsinghua University

Dr. Lan Xue is a Distinguished Professor of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Tsinghua University, where he also serves as the Director of Institute for AI International Governance, Director of China Institute for Science and Technology Policy, and Co-Director of Global Institute for SDGs. His teaching and research interests include global governance, crisis management, and science, technology and innovation policy. From 2000 to 2018, he served as Associate Dean, Executive Associate Dean and Dean of the School of Public Policy and Management at Tsinghua University. Currently, he also serves as a Counsellor of the State Council, Co-convener of the Public Administration Discipline Evaluation Group of the Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council, Chair of China’s National Expert Committee on Next Generation AI governance, and a member of the Standing Committee of Chinese Association of Science and Technology. He is an adjunct professor at Carnegie Mellon University and a non-resident senior fellow of the Brookings Institution. He is a board member of the UN Sustainable Development Solution Network, and a member of the UN Committee of Experts on Public Administration and the inaugural Internet Governance Forum Leadership Panel. Dr. Xue is a recipient of Distinguished Young Scholar Award from National Natural Science Foundation of China, Cheung Kong Chair Distinguished Professor of the Ministry of Education, the Fudan Distinguished Contribution Award for Management Science, the Distinguished Contribution Award from Chinese Association for Science of Science and S&T Policy, and the Second National Award for Excellence in Innovation in China. He holds a PhD in Engineering and Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon University.

Yves Leterme

Prime Minister of Belgium (2009-2011) Member of Club de Madrid and Member of Nizami Ganjavi International Center

Yves Leterme has been a Club de Madrid Member since 2014. Leterme held the position of Secretary General of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) from 2014-2019. Between 2011-2014, Leterme served as Deputy Secretary General of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Prior to joining the OECD, Leterme held a variety of political posts in Belgium at all levels and in all areas of government. After starting his career as an Alderman in his home town of Ypres, he became a Member of Parliament in the Chamber of Representatives, Group Chairman and leader of the opposition, Secretary-General and Chairman of the CD&V party, Minister-President and Minister for Agriculture of the Flemish Government, Federal Senator, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of the Budget and Mobility, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Prime Minister. During Leterme’s tenure as a Prime Minister, Belgium held the Presidency of the European Union. At a professional level, Yves Leterme has worked, inter alia, as a deputy auditor at the Belgian Court of Audit, as an administrator at the European Parliament, as Chief Investigator Financial Fair Play at UEFA, as Member of the Board of Directors of TeleColumbus AG, and Member of the GSC at Volkswagen AG. At present, he is a partner at TheManagementLab (Geneva) and Chairman of Tojoy EMEA (Paris).

Tse Kwok Leung

Senior Research Fellow (Honorary) of Lau Chor Tak Institute of Global Economics and Finance (IGEF), The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Dr. Tse Kwok Leung is Senior Research Fellow (Honorary) of Lau Chor Tak Institute of Global Economics and Finance (IGEF), The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Dr. Tse has over 30 years of experience in the banking industry, specializing in economic research. Before joining IGEF in 2021, he was Head of Economic Research Division at Bank of China (Hong Kong) during 2008- 2019. Dr. Tse is committed to serving the community with his profound professional knowledge. He has served as the economic advisor of Zhangzhou Municipal Government (Fujian Province) for 6 years, and also served on the committees of various chambers of commerce and industrial organizations in Hong Kong. He was the leader of the Academic Committee of the Chinese Banks’s Association during 2011-2019; a representative of Bank of China (Hong Kong) and the rotating chairperson of the Belt and Road Committee, The Hong Kong Association of Banks; and a member of the International Affair Committee and Taxation Committee, The Federation of Hong Kong Industries. He was also a member of the Greater Bay Area Working Group and the Belt and Road Working Group, The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce. Dr. Tse was a member of the Pan-Pearl River Delta Committee of the Central Policy Unit of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region from 2008 to 2012 and served as a non-fulltime member of the Central Policy Unit of the Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region from 2013 to 2015. Since June 2022, Dr Tse has served as the chief editor of the Financial Volume of “Hong Kong Chronicles”. Mr. Tse obtained his Ph.D. in Economics from School of Management, Fudan University.

Qi Liling

President of Puente China Holding S.L, President of Shenzhen Industry and Commerce Association in Spain

Qi Liling is a prominent Chinese business leader serving as the President of Puente China Holding S.L and the President of the Shenzhen Industry and Commerce Association in Spain. She plays a significant role in facilitating business connections between China and Spain, particularly focusing on economic exchanges and cooperation between Shenzhen and Spanish business communities. She is a key figure in fostering international business relationships in promoting bilateral trade and investment, helping to bridge Chinese and Spanish business ecosystems.

Pilar Manchón

Senior Director, Engineering, AI Research Strategy, Google

Pilar has been a leading voice within the AI industry for more than 25 years: as an entrepreneur, driving her AI startup through a successful exit, and as an executive at companies such as Roku, Amazon, Intel and now as the Senior Director of Research Strategy at Google AI. After building high-performance teams, launching full product lines, raising millions in venture capital and developing leading-edge AI, Pilar believes that having an inspiring mission and a hard-working, determined and diverse team are the key to a successful venture. Pilar’s main areas of expertise range from Natural Language Understanding and Multimodal Conversational Systems to Speech Recognition & Synthesis, Machine Translation and Language Technologies and AI in general. Pilar is particularly interested in Intelligent Conversational Agents, Cognitive Science, Machine Learning, Human-Computer Interaction, User Experience, Artificial Intelligence, Cognitive Computing, Ambient Computing & Robotics. Pilar is originally from Spain and holds an MSc. in Cognitive Science and Natural Language and a PhD in Intelligent Dialog Systems. She is also an advisor to several Al companies, academic institutions, NGOs, VCs, an investor, a lecturer and a public speaker. She is also a member of the AI Strategy Advisory Council in the Government of Spain, and recipient of multiple awards and recognitions for her contributions to the Hispanic/Latinx Community as well as Women and Entrepreneur leadership.

Cristina Manzano

External Relations Director of SEGIB, Club de Madrid and Representative of Constituent Foundation (FRIDE)

Cristina Manzano is External Relations Director of the Ibero-American General Secretariat (SEGIB) and a Board Member of Club de Madrid.

She has developed her career between the management of organisations and the generation of content, especially in bringing international affairs to diverse audiences. As a journalist, she has been a regular contributor to newspapers such as El País and El Periódico de Catalunya, as well as audiovisual media such as RTVE and Cadena SER.

She regularly participates in meetings on international relations, with a special focus on the management of globalisation and global governance, European foreign policy and Spanish foreign policy. She is a member of the Spanish Board of the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), the Scientific Committees of CIDOB and Real Instituto Elcano, and the board of trustees of the NGO Alianza por la Solidaridad/Action Aid, among others

She was the Director of esglobal (a leading digital publication on global affairs in Spanish), the Director of IE Insights (IE University’s knowledge hub publication),). She was also the Deputy Director General of the Foundation for International Relations and External Dialogue (FRIDE, in Spanish), an independent think tank based in Madrid. Previously she was Managing Director of Reporter, a leading company in corporate publications and communications.

She took post-graduate studies in journalism at the University of Maryland (College Park, USA), thanks to a Fulbright Scholarship, and holds a Degree in Information Sciences from the Complutense University of Madrid.

Moussa Mara

Prime Minister of Mali (2014-2015), Member of Club de Madrid and Member of Nizami Ganjavi International Center

Moussa Mara has been a Club de Madrid Member since 2022. Moussa Mara is the country’s youngest to hold the position of Prime Minister at 39. Born 2 March 1975, Mr Mara is an expert accountant. He attended the New School of Business Management and the National Institute of Economic and Accounting Techniques (both in France), where he formed himself as an accountant, becoming a certified expert accountant in 1997. He served as the head of Mali’s largest audit firm, and continues to hold other responsibilities in Africa (member of juries, associate professor and member of international accounting structures). Prior to serving as Prime Minister, Mr Mara held the post of Minister in charge of Urban Planning and City Policy in 2013 and served as the mayor of commune IV from 2009-2013. His term as Prime minister was marked by ongoing violence between rebel groups, notably in the north of Mali. While on an official visit to Kidal in May 2014, violent clashes erupted between armed groups and Malian Army, a key moment that later became a symbol of government passivity toward the violent crisis in the North of Mali. Prime Minister Mara resigned from his post a year later in January 2015 at the request of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta. Mr Mara was President from 2010 to 2021 of the party YELEMA “The Change”. He has served as an international consultant in the fields of Governance, Institutional, organisational and operational studies, assistance to countries and intergovernmental organizations: has carried out numerous interventions in Gabon, Mali, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal but also for the benefit of CIPRESS (social security, 17 member countries), CILSS (food security, 13 member countries), UEMOA (8 member countries), ECOWAS (15 member countries).

Rexhep Meidani

President of Albania (1997-2002), Member of Club de Madrid and Member of Nizami Ganjavi International Center

Rexhep Meidani is a Club de Madrid founding Member. Meidani earned a Bachelor’s degree in Physics from the University of Tirana in 1966 and a Diplôme en Etudes Approfondies in Solid State Physics from the University of Caen, France, in 1974. He later served as a Professor at the University of Tirana and the University of Pristina. Transitioning into politics in the 1990s, he chaired Albania’s Central Election Commission during its first multiparty elections in 1991 and joined the Presidential Council. He contributed significantly to civil society as Chairman of the Board of the Albanian Center for Human Rights from 1994 to 1996, joining the Socialist Party in 1996 until elected President of Albania in 1997. Meidani played a key role in strengthening democratic institutions and promoting economic growth. He advocated for the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe to foster peace and development in the Balkans. He co-led the International Observer Delegation during the Palestinian Legislative Council Elections in 2006. Meidani is a Member or Honorary Member of various prestigious organisations. He has served on the General Advisory Board of the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy and the Board of Trustees of Bibliotheca Alexandrina. He has participated in numerous academic and scientific councils, focusing on university studies, post-university qualification, and education system reforms. His awards include the Gold Medal of Merit of the City of Athens (1998), the Great Cross of Salvation of Greece (1998), and the National Order Golden Star of Romania (1999). He received the Golden Key of the City of Worcester, Massachusetts (2000), and the Order of King Tomislav of Croatia (2001). Other accolades include the Medal Schuman by the Robert Schuman Foundation in Paris (2001), the National Order of Merit of Malta (2002), and being named an International Honorary Citizen of New Orleans (2002).

James Michel

President of Seychelles (2004-2016), Member of Club de Madrid

James Michel has been a Club de Madrid Member since 2019. Michel was born on 16 August 1944 on the island of Mahé, Seychelles. He was the third president of the Republic of Seychelles, succeeding France Albert René upon the retirement of the latter on 14 April 2004, and was elected as president in July 2006, re-elected in May 2011 and again re-elected for a final term in December 2015. In April 2016, an amendment to the Constitution, proposed by Michel, limiting presidential mandates to two terms of 5 years in office was approved by the country’s National Assembly. Faithful to his commitment not to hold on to power, “for power’s sake”, James Michel resigned as president barely 10 months after taking office, handing over office to the Vice President. James Michel was responsible for the democratisation of the islands’ education system in the early 1980s. Today all Seychellois children have access to a minimum 14 years of non-fee-paying education and equal opportunities to learning. Mr. Michel established the University of Seychelles in 2009 and was its chancellor until he resigned in 2021. James Michel has propelled Seychelles on the international scene as an ardent advocate of the cause of small island developing states, the preservation of the environment and the Blue Economy. He has been responsible for the promulgation of legislation transforming half of Seychelles’ territory into nature reserves – the highest proportion in the world. He co-chaired the Global Island Partnership (GLISPA) and has mobilised political support for the Blue Economy and marine protected areas within island regions of the world. He is also one of the patrons of the World Sustainable Development Forum (WSDF).

Luz Maria de la Mora

Director of the Division of International Trade and Commodities, UNCTAD

Luz Maria de la Mora is the Director of UNCTAD’s Division on International Trade and Commodities since mid-July 2024. As a former Vice-Minister for International Trade and decades of government and private sector positions, Ms. de la Mora developed a career in international trade policy, negotiation, operations, and trade promotion. During her tenure as Vice-Minister for International Trade of Mexico from 2018 to 2022, Ms. de la Mora led Mexico’s trade and investment policy, overseeing fourteen free trade agreements with 51 countries. To bolster Mexico’s development, she steered discussions in the World Trade Organization, the United States-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement, Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, and Pacific Alliance, among others. She also coordinated policy dialogues and handled private sector consultations. Ms. de la Mora holds a PhD in Political Science from Yale University, USA, a Master’s degree in International Affairs from Carleton University, Canada, and a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from El Colegio de México, Mexico.

Manuel Muñiz

Provost, IE University, and Club de Madrid Advisor

Manuel Muñiz is the Provost of IE University in Madrid and a Professor of Practice of International Relations, with a range of experience in academia. He is also the Dean of IE School of Politics, Economics & Global Affairs, responsible for research and teaching in public policy and global affairs. His academic work has focused on the fields of innovation and disruption, political economy, and regional and global governance. From January of 2020 to July of 2021, Muñiz served as State Secretary at the Spanish Foreign Ministry. In this role, he was responsible for leading the ministry’s Strategy and Foresight Unit, the Economic Diplomacy Team, and the Communications Department, including the Office for Diplomatic Information. He coordinated Spain’s 2021–2024 Foreign Policy Strategy, and led the work on the National Strategy on Technology and Global Order. During this time, he coordinated Spain’s OECD Ministerial Presidency of 2020 and was a member of the Prime Minister’s COVID-19 task force.

Olusegun Obasanjo

President of Nigeria (1999-2007) and Member of Club de Madrid

Olusegun Obasanjo has been a Club de Madrid Member since 2008. Obasanjo served for two successive terms from 1976-1979 and 1999-2007. Mr. Obasanjo pledged to continue the restoration of civilian government and to carry forward the reform programme to improve the quality of public service. During the dictatorship of Sani Abacha, Mr. Obasanjo spoke out against the human rights abuses of the regime, and was imprisoned with the claim of planning a coup. In the 1999 elections he decided to run for the presidency as the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP. President Obasanjo won the elections and was later re-elected in 2003. Within the period of his presidency, he played an instrumental role in bringing democracy back to the country. While leading a public campaign against corruption and implementing economic reforms in his country, he has been widely seen abroad as an African statesman championing debt relief and democratic institutions. President Obasanjo stepped down after the April 2007 elections won by Umaru Yar’Adua. Mr Obasanjo was Chairperson of the African Union from July 2004 to January 2006 and, he has also at different times served as Chairman of the Group of 77, Chairman of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, Chairman of the African Heads of State and Government Implementation Committee on NEPAD, and served on the African Progress Panel to monitor and promote Africa‘s development. Mr Obasanjo was also involved in international mediation efforts in Namibia, Angola, South Africa, Mozambique and Burundi. In 2008, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appointed President Obasanjo as his Special Envoy on the Great Lakes. And he has also been overseeing or consulted on the democratic elections of countries across the African continent especially on behalf of the African Union and ECOWAS.

Rosen Plevneliev

President of Bulgaria (2012-2017), Member of Nizami Ganjavi International Center

Rosen Plevneliev, is a Bulgarian politician and businessman who served as the President of Bulgaria from 2012 to 2017. Before entering politics, he was a successful entrepreneur, founding IRIS International Ltd. and managing over 80 construction projects in Germany and Bulgaria, including the Sofia Business Park. In 2009, Plevneliev became Bulgaria’s Minister of Regional Development and Public Works, where he focused on infrastructure modernisation and the effective management of EU funds. He was elected President in November 2011, during a period marked by political instability and protests. His presidency emphasised national development initiatives, including the Bulgaria 2020 program, and he played a key role in promoting innovation and energy efficiency. Plevneliev is also a Member of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center (NGIC), contributing to intercultural dialogue and cooperation.

Sanjay Puri

Founder and President of RegulatingAI

A dynamic business leader, in-demand global speaker, serial podcaster, and community builder, SANJAY PURI is changing the narrative of generative AI and raising the collective consciousness of these technologies through media, education, and advocacy. Through his podcasts, CAIO (Chief AI Officer) and Regulating AI, and his public speaking appearances at conferences, Sanjay debunks myths and misinformation, advances new thinking, and carves out a unique leadership presence in the rapidly evolving AI industry. Unlike many mobilizing at high speed to cash in on the burgeoning AI field, Sanjay was ahead of the curve in monitoring trends, anticipating disruption, and adopting new technologies. As generative AI emerged, he recognized the need for regulation, bringing visionary leaders to the forefront to communicate the societal benefits and forecast the dangers of the movement. With the technologies firmly positioned in the mainstream, Sanjay has enhanced his value as a strategic partner to help organizational cultures and communities harness AI’s transformational capacity to create positive change. Leveraging his success as host of the INDIANNESS and REGULATING AI podcasts, Sanjay has broadened his appeal with the launch of a third program, CAIO (Chief AI Officer), to guide critical discussions, build engaged global communications, and generate measurable and sustainable social impact.

BRINGING GENERATIVE AI INTO THE C-SUITE

Sanjay is shifting the narrative for organizations as they address the immense challenge of navigating and negotiating AI. Recognizing the need for high-level corporate decision-making exclusive to AI dynamics, he sets forth guidelines for the Chief AI Officer, a pinnacle leadership role with duties and responsibilities that dovetail but are separate from other C-suite domains. A seated CAIO would ensure accessibility and the best use of available AI technologies to drive innovation and revenue growth.

DEMOCRATIZING TALENT FOR AI THROUGH REGULATION

Sanjay’s mission is to broaden the reach of AI talent and foster a more inclusive spread of AI applications and expertise beyond the mainstream tech landscape and into diverse, often-overlooked industries. He believes an equal distribution of AI talent will unlock its full and unlimited power to create a more balanced, dynamic ecosystem, spark innovation, and drive economic growth.

ASPIRING TO BOARD SERVICE

Sanjay wishes to leverage his leadership experience, deep professional network, and AI focus to serve on a board of directors.

Gabriela Ramos

Assistant Director-General for the Social and Human Sciences of UNESCO

Gabriela Ramos is UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for the Social and Human Sciences. She oversees the institution’s contributions to building inclusive societies. Her mandate includes tackling economic inequalities of income and opportunity, and promoting social inclusion and gender equality. She also oversees the youth empowerment agenda, promoting values through sport, fighting against racism and discrimination, and the ethics of science and technology. She oversaw the development and adoption of the Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (2021), its Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM), and the establishment of UNESCO’s annual Global Forum on the Ethics of AI. She is currently steering the Organization’s two-year-long inclusive process to develop the first global Recommendation on the ethics of neurotechnology. She also launched the Global Forum against Racism and Discrimination to catalyze Member States’ political support for this cause. On gender equality, she has advanced several initiatives, particularly to combat gender stereotypes and biases, including in new technologies. She also leads UNESCO’s Management of Social Transformations (MOST) programme to support governments in strengthening the connection between innovative research and policy action. She has overseen several of UNESCO’s research publications, notably “Inclusive and resilient societies: equality, sustainability and efficiency” (2023). She is currently the Co-Chair of the Task Force on Inequalities and Social Related Financial Disclosures.

Maria João Rodrigues

President of the Foundation for European Progressive Studies

Maria João Rodrigues, former Portuguese Minister of Employment in Portugal of PM Antonio Guterres, is a European politician with a large track in different European institutions: EU Presidencies, Council, European Council, European Commission and, more recently, European Parliament where she was Vice-President of S&D Group, the second most important EP Group, in charge of the general coordination and interface with the other EU institutions. She played a relevant role in several important European initiatives such as the Lisbon Treaty, the Lisbon and the Europe 2020 strategy (the EU’s agenda for growth and jobs), the Eurozone reform, the interface with EU strategic partners, the roadmap for EU’s future and, more recently, the European Pillar of Social Rights. She is now involved in developing the plans to respond to the COVID crisis. She is currently the President of the Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS), a European political foundation located in Brussels, financed by the EU budget to support EU policy-making and debate, with UN observer status and counting with a network of partners across Europe and the world. In academic terms, she was a professor of European economic policies at the European Studies Institute – Université Libre de Bruxelles and in the Lisbon University Institute. She was also the chair of the European Commission Advisory Board for socio-economic sciences. She is the author of more than one hundred publications.

Petre Roman

Prime Minister of Romania (1989-1991), Member of Club de Madrid and Member of Nizami Ganjavi International Center

Petre Roman has been a Club de Madrid Member since 2002. Roman holds a degree from the Power Engineering Faculty at Politehnica University Bucharest (1968), Diplôme d’Etudes Approfondies-DEA on Hydrodynamics at ENSEEIHT (Ecole Nationale d’Electrotechnique, Electronique, Informatique et Hydraulique), Toulouse, France (1971), and PhD in Fluid Dynamics at “Paul Sabatier” University, Toulouse, France (1974). Petre Roman has served as Professor on Hydrology and Water and Air Pollution and Physics of Fluids (1975-2016) and the Head of Hydraulics, Hydraulic Machinery and Environmental Engineering Department, Faculty of Hydro-Power Engineering, Bucharest Politehnica University (1986-2007). Professor Emeritus at the same University. He became the first Prime Minister of the post-dictatorship government. In June 1990 he was elected as Prime Minister after the first free elections were held in Romania and initiated the comprehensive Program of the Reform Plan for the Establishment of a Market Economy in Romania and in 15 months the Romanian Parliament approved 100 Laws of that program. His government was among the most severe to openly condemn the Moscow Putsch in August 1991. He founded the Democratic Party of Romania and served as the Chairman from 1993 to 2001. He served as Speaker of the Senate and the Parliament of Romania (1996-1999) and Minister of Foreign Affairs (1999-2001). Petre Roman also served as Special Rapporteur to the North Atlantic Assembly (1993-1996, 2001-2004) and as the Acting President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (1997-1998). Currently, Petre Roman is Professor and President of the SWISS UMEF University in Geneva, Switzerland. He is active as a scientist in the field of Climate Science.

Guy Ryder

Under-Secretary-General for Policy, United Nations, Director-General of the International Labour Organization (2012-2022)

Mr. Guy Ryder is the Under-Secretary-General for Policy in the Executive Office of the Secretary-General (EOSG) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. He leads global policy coordination with a focus on the Summit of the Future and its follow-ups, and ensures strategic alignment within the Executive Office. Mr. Ryder also oversees coherence in the analysis presented to the Secretary-General and supports system-wide coordination, including the implementation of the Secretary-General’s “Call to Action for Human Rights.” He chairs the Deputies Committee, oversees the secretariat to the Executive Committee and the Senior Management Group, and closely coordinates on matters related to the Chief Executives Board. Prior to his current position, Mr. Ryder served as Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Geneva for two consecutive terms beginning in October 2012. His tenure at the ILO began in 1998 as Director of the Bureau for Workers’ Activities, followed by his role as Director of the Office of the Director-General in 1999. Mr. Ryder began his career in 1981 at the International Department of the Trades Union Congress in London. From 1985, he held the position of Secretary of the Industry Trade Section of the International Federation of Commercial, Clerical, Professional, and Technical Employees (FIET) in Geneva. In 1988, he was appointed Assistant Director and later, in 1993, Director of the Geneva office of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU). He became General Secretary of the ICFTU in 2002 and was elected the first General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) in 2006. He rejoined the ILO in 2010 as Executive Director, responsible for international labor standards and fundamental principles and rights at work. Mr. Ryder holds a degree in Social and Political Sciences from the University of Cambridge and a degree in Latin American Studies from the University of Liverpool. He is fluent in English, French, and Spanish.

Han Seung-soo

Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea (2008-2009) and Vice President of Club de Madrid

Han Seung-soo has been a Club de Madrid Member since 2010. He is also one of the Vice Presidents of Club de Madrid Prior to his entry into politics in 1988, he taught and did research at the Universities of York (1965-68), Cambridge (1968-70), Harvard (1985-86) and Tokyo (1986-87), and had a distinguished academic career as Professor of Economics at Seoul National University (1970-88). Dr. Han was Korea’s Minister of Trade and lndustry (1988-90}, Korean Ambassador to the United States (1993-94), Chief of Staff to the President (1994-95), Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance (1996-97), and Minister of Foreign Affairs (2001-02). He was a three-term Member of the Korean National Assembly. Han was President of the 56th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (2001-02), Chair of the 2009 OECD Ministerial Council Meeting in Paris where he played a pivotal role in unanimously adopting the OECD Declaration on Green Growth (2009). At the UN level, he was the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Climate Change (2007-08) and for Disaster Risk Reduction and Water (2013-18), Special Advisor to the UN/World Bank High-Level Panel on Water (2016-18), Member of the UN Secretary-General’s Advisory Board for Water and Sanitation (2007-15), Member of the UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel for Global Sustainability (2010-12), and Founding Chair of Global Green Growth lnstitute (2010-12). He is currently Chairman of the Council of Presidents of the United Nations General Assembly (UNCPGA), Co-Chair of the lnternational Finance Forum, Chair of the ADB’s Water Advisory Group, Host of the Biennial UN Special Thematic Session on Water and Disasters, Member of the WMO Water and Climate Leaders Panel and Senior Adviser at KIM & CHANG law office. Han Seung-soo was educated at Yonsei University (BA), Seoul National University (MPA) and University of York, England (Ph.D.1968/D.Univ.1997).

Petar Stoyanov

President of Bulgaria (1997-2002), Member of Nizami Ganjavi International Center

Petar Stoyanov is a NGIC member and a Bulgarian lawyer and politician who served as President of Bulgaria from January 22, 1997, to January 22, 2002. He was a key figure in Bulgaria’s democratic transition, becoming the second democratically elected president after the fall of communism. A lawyer by training, Stoyanov was one of the founders of the Union of Democratic Forces (UDF) and played a crucial role in Bulgaria’s Euro-Atlantic integration. During his presidency, he was instrumental in submitting Bulgaria’s application to NATO and setting the country’s course towards European Union membership. After his presidency, Stoyanov remained active in international organizations. He is currently a Board Member of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center (NGIC), and serves as an Honorary Co-Chair of the World Justice Project. He has also been involved with the Trilateral Commission and the Center for Global Dialogue and Cooperation in Vienna.

Francisco Sagasti

President of Peru (2020-2021) and Member of Club de Madrid

Francisco Sagasti has been a Club de Madrid Member since 2022. Sagasti is an affiliated researcher at the Institute of Peruvian Studies and professor at the Universidad del Pacífico. He has been President of the Republic, Congressman, Head of Strategic Planning at the World Bank, President of the UN Council on Science and Technology, and professor at the Wharton School of Business in Philadelphia, the Instituto de Empresa in Madrid, the Universidad para la Paz in Costa Rica, and the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú. He has been an advisor and board member of numerous international organisations, public institutions, private companies and civil society organisations in Peru and abroad. He holds a degree in industrial engineering from the National University of Engineering, a master’s degree in industrial engineering from Penn State University, and a PhD in operations research and social systems science from the University of Pennsylvania. He is the author of over thirty books and more than 200 academic articles. He has been a member of the editorial board of the journals Foresight, El Trimestre Económico, World Development and Technological Forecasting and Social Change, and a contributor to CARETAS magazine in Peru. In 2017 he received the Robert K. Merton Award from the International Sociological Association for his academic and professional career, and previously received the Paul Hoffman Award, created in memory of the administrator of the Marshall Plan, and first director of the United Nations Development Programme.

Ismail Serageldin

Vice President of the World Bank (1992-2000) and Co-Chair of Nizami Ganjavi International Center

Ismail Serageldin is an Egyptian scholar, international development expert, and academic leader. Born in 1944 in Giza, Egypt, he served as Vice President of the World Bank from 1992 to 2000, where he was a prominent voice on sustainable development, environmental issues, and poverty reduction. After his World Bank career, Serageldin became the Founding Director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina (2001-2017), transforming the historic library into a modern cultural and research center. He currently serves as Emeritus Librarian and is a member of the Library of Alexandria’s Board of Trustees. Serageldin is a prolific author, having published over 100 books and 500 articles on topics including biotechnology, rural development, and sustainability. He holds a PhD from Harvard University and has received numerous international honors, including over 40 honorary doctorates. Currently, he is the Co-Chair of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center (NGIC) and continues to be active in various academic, scientific, and international advisory roles, advocating for knowledge, innovation, and global cooperation.

Wolfgang Schüssel

Chancellor of Austria (2000-2007) and Member of Club de Madrid

Wolfgang Schüssel has been a Club de Madrid Member since 2015. From 2000 to 2007, Wolfgang Schüssel served as Federal Chancellor of Austria, chairing the European Council during Austria‘s EU Presidency in the first half of 2006. His term in office saw the introduction of the Euro, a comprehensive reform of Austria’s pension system, the consolidation of the country‘s budget, the privatization of nationalized industries, as well as restitution payments to the victims of National Socialism. From 1995 to 2007, Mr Schüssel was the National Chairman of the Austrian People‘s Party. From 1989 to 1995 he served as Minister of Economic Affairs, and from 1995 to 1999 as Vice-Chancellor and Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs. Mr Schüssel played a key role in Austria’s accession to the European Union and during the country‘s first Presidency of the EU Council. Mr Schüssel was born in Vienna in 1945 and received his doctorate in law from Vienna University in 1968. Mr Schüssel is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Allensbach Institute, since October 2015 Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. From 2007-2017 he has been a Member of the Board of Trustees of the Bertelsmann Foundation. Since 2008 Wolfgang Schüssel has been an active President of the Foreign Policy and United Nations Association of Austria.

Jenny Shipley

Prime Minister of New Zealand (1997-1999) and Member of Club de Madrid

Dame Jenny Shipley has been a Club de Madrid Member since 2004. Dame Jenny Shipley entered New Zealand’s Parliament in 1987 and held key ministerial roles, including Social Welfare and Women’s Affairs (1990–1993), Health (1993–1996), and State-Owned Enterprises, State Services, Transport, and ACC (1996–1997). In 1997, she became New Zealand’s first female Prime Minister, hosting APEC in Auckland in 1999. After stepping down as Leader of the Opposition in 2002, she transitioned to a distinguished career in governance, serving as a Director for China Construction Bank and Chair of its New Zealand subsidiary, as well as Chair of Genesis Energy. Dame Jenny is a board member of the BOAO Forum and the International Finance Forum in Beijing. She co-initiated the Education Forum for East Asia and is a member of the World Women’s Leadership Council. She also served as Vice President of the Club of Madrid, demonstrating her ongoing global influence in leadership and policy.

Xiang Songzuo

Former Chief Economist of Agricultural Bank of China, Director of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area Finance Institute in Shenzhen

Xiang Songzuo is a renowned economist. He was former chief economist, Agricultural Bank of China. He is now Director of Guangdong-Hong Kong- Macau Greater Bay Area Finance Institute in Shenzhen; Co-Founder of Center for International Monetary Research, Renmin University of China; Adjunct professor, Business School at China University of Political Science and Law, School of Finance at Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, School of Economics at Huazhong University of Science and Technology; Senior Advisor, Institute of Applied Economic Research at Johns Hopkins University; and Vice Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum (OMFIF). Xiang Songzuo is a specially invited representative of the Chinese side for the China-US Economists Dialogue and was a member of the International Economic and Financial Advisory Committee of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He has been a regular guest commentator on financial programs of many Chinese and international mainstream TV stations, such as CCTV-2, CCTV-4, CCTV-13, Phoenix TV, BBC, CNBC and ABC. He graduated from Huazhong University of Science and Technology and Renmin University of China and later received education at Cambridge University in the UK and Columbia University in the US, where he studied under Professor Robert A. Mundell, the father of the Euro and 1999 Nobel Laureate in Economics. He has also worked for the People’s Bank of China and various enterprises. He is also a rigorous scholar and prolific author, with a broad vision and profound ideas. His major publications include: The New Economics (fivevolume set), The New Capitalism, Selected Works on Economics of Robert A. Mundell (translated in six volumes), A Financial Investment Lesson You Can Understand, The New Economic Growth Drivers, The Race to the Top, Don’t Play with the Exchange Rate, Steven N.S. Cheung Economics, and many others.

Boris Tadić

President of Serbia (2004-2012), Member of Club de Madrid and Member of Nizami Ganjavi International Center

Boris Tadić is a NGIC member. Tadić graduated from the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Belgrade, studying Social Psychology. Mr. Tadić later served as a lecturer at the University of Belgrade, and received an Honorary Doctorate from Dimitrie Cantemir Christian University in 2009. Boris Tadić began his political career as a student at the University of Belgrade, joining Serbia´s anti-communist dissident movement of the 1980´s at the cost of repeated political imprisonment. After graduating from the University of Belgrade, Mr. Tadić taught psychology and worked as a military clinical psychologist. In 1997, he founded the Centre for the Development of Democracy and Political Skills, an NGO specializing in political and civil education. After the overthrow of Slobodan Milosevic´s regime in 2000, Tadić served as the Minister of Telecommunications under the Democratic Opposition of Serbia coalition. From 2003 until 2004, Tadić served as the Minister of Defense to Serbia and Montenegro. While serving as Minister of Defense, Mr. Tadić made dramatic reforms to the Ministry and the military, both of which displayed unique courage and leadership skills. He was responsible for creating a rapid reaction force under the control of civilians, and his reforms of the Ministry brought it to comply with NATO regulations. After the assassination of Zoran Đinđić in 2003 Mr. Tadić was chosen as the new leader of the Serbia´s Democratic Party in 2004, and later that year he won the general presidential elections. Under his presidency, Serbia´s partnerships with the United States, Russia, China, and EU member states were strategically improved. In 2007, Mr. Tadić made an official apology to Croatia for any crimes committed on Serbia´s part during the war with Croatia in the early 1990´s. Boris Tadić´s presidency brought Serbia closer to membership in the European Union.

Jigmi Yoser Thinley

Prime Minister of Bhutan (2008-2013, Member of Club de Madrid

Jigmi Y. Thinley has been a Club de Madrid Member since 2014. Thinley, born in Bhutan in 1952, holds the distinction of being Bhutan’s first democratically elected Prime Minister, serving from 2008 to 2013. He pursued higher education at St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University, earning an honors degree, and later obtained a Master’s degree in public administration from Pennsylvania State University in 1976. Thinley represented Bhutan as Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN in New York and Geneva, serving as Ambassador to the EU and several European countries. His career culminated in appointments as Foreign Minister and Home Minister before being appointed Prime Minister by the King for two single-year terms in 1998 and 2003. After Bhutan’s transition to a multiparty democracy, PM Thinley founded a liberal political party and formed the country’s first democratically elected government. Central to Prime Minister Thinley’s leadership is his advocacy for Gross National Happiness, a holistic development philosophy integral to Bhutan’s national policies since the 1970s. In 2012, he organized a successful ‘High-Level Meeting’ at the UN Headquarters in New York on ‘Wellbeing and Happiness: Defining a New Economic Paradigm’. This initiative led to Bhutan spearheading the UN General Assembly resolution declaring March 20 as the International Day of Happiness. Under Thinley’s stewardship, Bhutan actively engaged in international dialogues on sustainable development. His government committed to maintaining carbon neutrality at COP 15 in Copenhagen and hosted the “Climate Summit for a Living Himalayas” in 2011, highlighting Bhutan’s proactive stance on environmental conservation. Thinley is a recipient of many national and international awards including his country’s highest civilian decoration. He is a member of the Club de Madrid, Asian Peace and Reconciliation Council, patron of Save the Asian Elephants, and member of the Global Leadership Council for Water and Sanitation for All.

Eka Tkeshelashvili

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia (2008) and Deputy Prime Minister of Georgia (2010-2012), Member of Nizami Ganjavi International Center

Eka Tkeshelashvili is a Georgian politician and diplomat who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2008 and Deputy Prime Minister from 2010 to 2012. She has held key positions, including Minister of Justice and National Security Council Secretary. After her government service, Tkeshelashvili led international anti-corruption initiatives in Ukraine and currently serves as a distinguished visiting fellow with the German Marshall Fund. She is also a professor at Kyiv’s Civil and Political School and Tbilisi’s Black Sea University, and she leads the Georgian Institute for Strategic Studies. Additionally, she is a Member of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center (NGIC).

Javier Torá

Founder and President of ES Grupo

Javier Torá is the Founder and President of ES Grupo, a consulting firm based in Spain that specializes in strategic advisory services. With extensive experience in business development and management, he has played a pivotal role in guiding companies through complex market landscapes. Torá’s career includes significant contributions to various sectors, focusing on enhancing operational efficiency and fostering international partnerships. Under his leadership, ES Grupo has established a reputation for delivering innovative solutions that address the unique challenges faced by businesses in today’s competitive environment. In addition to his role at ES Grupo, Torá is actively involved in promoting entrepreneurship and economic development, making him a key figure in the Spanish business community.

Aminata Touré

Prime Minister of Senegal (2013-2014), Member of Club de Madrid and Member of Nizami Ganjavi International Center

Aminata Touré has been a Club de Madrid Member since 2018. Touré, born in Dakar, Senegal in 1962, is a prominent politician and human rights activist who served as Senegal’s Prime Minister from 2013 to 2014, becoming the second woman to hold this position in the country. She holds a PhD in International Business Administration and Finance from the International School of Management ISM in New York and Paris, and a Master’s Degree in Economics from the University of Dijon Business School in France. Touré began her career in the private sector and later worked with the Senegalese branch of the International Planned Parenthood Federation. Her extensive international experience includes over 24 years with the United Nations, where she held various technical expert positions such as UNFPA Senior Advisor in Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, and at the UN headquarters in New York. She also served as Director of Gender and Human Rights at the United Nations Population Fund in New York from 2009 to 2012. In Senegal, Dr. Touré held key governmental roles including Minister of Justice (2012-2013), where she focused on anti-corruption initiatives, and later as President’s Special Envoy for Internal and External Affairs (2015-2019) and President of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council (2019-2020). Touré has been also actively involved in election observation missions across Africa, leading and co-leading missions on behalf of the African Union and The Carter Center. She has authored more than 30 United Nations publications and in 2021 published a book on Africa’s contribution to International Penal Law through the trial of Hissein Habré. Touré’s expertise spans gender issues, good governance, and economic development. Aminata Touré is currently High Representative of the Senegalese President and member of the sixteen United Nations Advisors Committee.

Karen Tramontano

CEO and Founder of Blue Star Strategies, and Former Deputy Chief of Staff to the President of the USA

Karen A. Tramontano is Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Blue Star Strategies, LLC where she provides corporate, institutional, and public sector clients with results oriented strategies. From 1997 to 2001, Karen served in the White House as deputy chief of staff to President William Jefferson Clinton and counselor to Erskine Bowles and John Podesta. Her portfolio encompassed a wide range of issues, including international trade and transatlantic relations as well as economic and financial issues concerning the World Trade Organization, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, World Bank, and International Monetary Fund. Karen later served as chief of staff for President Clinton’s transition, where she established his office and presence in New York City. Before her tenure at the White House, Karen served as chief of staff to mayor of the District of Columbia Sharon Pratt, chief of staff to Service Employees International Union presidents John Sweeney and Andy Stern, and counsel to the United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. Karen is also Founder and President of the Global Fairness Initiative, a nonprofit organization working to promote a more equitable and sustainable approach to globalization. Karen earned a J. D. degree from Catholic University Law School and a B.A. from Boston College. An aging triathlete, she holds a fifth degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do.

Elbegdorj Tsakhia

Prime Minister of Mongolia (1998, 2004-2006) and President of Mongolia (2009-2017), Member of Club de Madrid

Elbegdorj Tsakhia has been a Club de Madrid Member since 2018. Elbegdorj is a public servant, a freedom fighter, and a policymaker from Mongolia. In 1990, he was one of the key leaders of the Mongolian Democratic Revolution that ended seven decades of one-party rule. Since then, Elbegdorj has continuously served Mongolia as a Member of Parliament four times, as Prime Minister two times, and was elected President for two terms. As Prime Minister, Member of Parliament, and President, Elbegdorj prioritized strengthening the rule of law in Mongolia, fostering social justice, fighting poverty, combating corruption, supporting environmental sustainability, and advancing vibrant participatory democracy. He has also initiated and led many social, economic, and governance reforms. Aiming to consolidate democracy in Asia, President Elbegdorj established the Asian Partnership for Democracy initiative within the confines of the Community of Democracies, the largest international organization that drives the global democracy agenda, which Mongolia presided in 2011-2013. Under the chairmanship of the Community of Democracies, he developed a plan to promote civil society and advocate women’s rights, particularly political ones. Now he serves as the International Commission against Death Penalty (ICDP) Commissioner, Patron of the World Sustainable Development Forum (WSDF), and President of the World Mongol Federation. In 2022, he became a member of The Elders. In Mongolia, he continues his work to improve public policy, governance, and democracy through the Institute. During his tenure as President, he also focused on climate change, air and soil pollution impacts. Elbegdorj holds a Master of Public Administration from Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government (2002) and a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Land Forces Military Academy of Lviv of former USSR (1988). Since 2023, he has been a Bernard and Susan Liautaud Visiting Fellow at Stanford University Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies.

Danilo Türk

President of Slovenia (2007-2012) and President of Club de Madrid

Danilo Türk is currently serving as the President of Club de Madrid. He has been a Club de Madrid since 2013. He graduated from the University of Ljubljana in 1975 with a degree in law and later obtained his PhD with a thesis on the principle of non-intervention in international law in 1982. President Türk became Director of the Institute on International Law at the University of Ljubljana in 1983. Additionally, he was a member of the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, a UN body of independent experts. In that capacity he served, between 1986 and 1992, as the UN Special Rapporteur on the realization of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. In 1990-1991, Türk took part in the drafting of the Constitution of Slovenia by preparing the draft chapter related to human rights and fundamental freedoms. From 1992 to 2000, he became the first Slovene Permanent Representative to the UN in New York, and represented Slovenia on the UN Security Council in 1998 and 1999. In 2000, he was invited by Kofi Annan, then Secretary-General, to serve as UN Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs (2000-2005). In 2005, he returned to Slovenia as Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Ljubljana. He was elected as President in 2007 as an independent, being supported by several political parties. Dr. Türk chaired the Global High Level Panel on Water and Peace between 2015 and 2016, which published the report “A Matter of Survival” (2017). In 2016, he was one of the candidates for the post of the Secretary-General of the UN. In 2022, Türk was named one of the 12 Eminent individuals invited to be part of the UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Advisory Board on Effective Multilateralism.

Cassam Uteem

President of Mauritius (1992-2002), Member of Club de Madrid and Member of Nizami Ganjavi International Center

Cassam Uteem has been a Club de Madrid Member since 2005. Uteem studied at Paris VII University where he received a Bachelor’s degree in Art and a Master’s degree in Psychology. Uteem has a long history of involvement in politics, both at the community and national level. As a youth leader and social worker, he was involved in local community work and in the struggle for the Independence of Mauritius. In the early seventies, he joined the leftist political party the Militant Movement of Mauritius (MMM) where he rose to become its deputy leader. In 1969, he was elected at the Municipal Elections to serve as Councilor of the City of Port Louis. He remained in this position for several years and became the city’s Lord Mayor in 1986. In 1976, Uteem was elected a Member of the Mauritian Parliament. Later on, he was appointed Minister of Employment, Social Security and National Solidarity, and Deputy-Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Industrial Technology. In 1992, Uteem was elected President of the Republic of Mauritius. In 1997, he was re-elected for a second 5-year term. Uteem has since been very active in the field of international public policy. He is currently a member of Club de Madrid, the Africa Forum, member of the Governing Council of Interpeace, Member of the Africa Forum and founder-member of the Global Leadership Foundation (GLF). In January 2015, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon appointed him as his Special Envoy and Head of the Electoral Observation Mission in Burundi. Between 2002 and 2015 he led several Electoral Observation Missions for the African Union, the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Carter Center and the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA) in the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Lesotho, Madagascar, Egypt, Tunisia & Zambia.

Filip Vujanović

President of Montenegro (2003-2018), Member of Nizami Ganjavi International Center

Filip Vujanović is a Montenegrin politician who served as the President of Montenegro from 2006 to 2018, making him the first president of independent Montenegro after the country’s separation from Serbia. He was a key figure in Montenegro’s independence movement. Vujanović began his political career in 1993, joining the Democratic Party of Socialists. He served as Prime Minister of Montenegro from 1998 to 2003 before becoming president. During his presidency, he played a crucial role in Montenegro’s independence referendum in 2006 and the country’s subsequent international recognition. He was elected president three times, serving initially as president of Montenegro within Serbia and Montenegro (2003-2006) and then as president of the independent state (2006-2018). Throughout his political career, Vujanović was known for promoting peaceful separation from Serbia and fostering post-independence cooperation. Currently, Vujanović continues to be involved in international political circles as a Member of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center (NGIC).

Wang Wen

Dean of Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies (RDCY)

Dr. WANG Wen is the Dean of Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies (RDCY), the Deputy Dean and Distinguished Professor of Silk Road School, Renmin University of China. He is also the Secretary-General of the Green Finance Committee of China Society for Finance and Banking, a Researcher of the Financial Research Center of the Counsellor Office of the State Council. Dr. WANG used to be a Chief Op-eds Editor and Editorial Writer at Global Times, one of the most best-selling newspapers under the People’s Daily, and won the China News Awards in 2011. He has authored, co-authored, translated and contributed to more than 30 books, in which “The Think Tank Perspective of Wang Wen” series published by the People’s Publishing House including: “A Promising China: Chinese Think Tank’s Voice in the World”, “Think as a Tank: How China Influences the World”, and “America’s Anxiety: A Think Tank Scholar’s Perspective on China’s Rise & U.S. Response” have been republished or reprinted many times. Dr. WANG has visited nearly 100 countries (including South Pole) and conducted extensive researches and field investigations. Many of his research reports have ended up with the instructions or comments from the CPC and state leaders of China. Besides, he is an advisory consultant for several Chinese important ministries and commissions and has won many honors such as“2014 Top Ten Figures of Chinese Think Tank”, “2015 China Reform and Development Pioneers”, “2016 Influential Figures of Chinese Think Tank”, “2017 Reputable Scholars and the ‘Four Batches of Talent Development Project’ talents”, and “special prize fot policy research” in “National High- Level Think Tank” construction outstanding achievements of Renmin University of China in 2019. In 2016, General Secretary Xi Jinping presided over the Symposium on Philosophy and Social Science, and Dr. Wang Wen was one of the ten speaking scholars.

Ed Williams

President Edelman International

Ed is President, International at Edelman, the world’s largest communications firm, overseeing the firm’s 28-country markets across Latin America, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific. He specializes in strategic communications with a focus on geopolitical issues, advising institutional leaders in both the private and public sectors. Active in civil society, Ed is an executive board member of the Institute of Strategic Dialogue (ISD), a global leader in combating extremism, hate, and disinformation through research and policy solutions. He also serves on the US Board of the Aspen Institute, chairs Aspen UK, and is a trustee of the Woolf Institute and the Royal College of Art. Before joining Edelman, Ed sat on the management board of the BBC as Communications Director and was Group Corporate Affairs Director at Reuters, where he also served on the management board. He began his career in television journalism as a News Editor and Producer, covering significant events, including the Northern Ireland Troubles. He has been a Visiting Fellow at The Institute of Management Studies, is an Honorary Fellow of Goldsmiths University and a graduate of Harvard Business School’s AMP programme. He is a frequent speaker at global events, including the World Economic Forum, and regularly anchors Edelman’s key IP events, such as the Edelman Trust Barometer launch.

Wang Xi

Member of the Standing Committee of CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee, President of Guangdong Overseas Friendship Association

Wang Xi is a Chinese materials scientist and politician who is an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and currently vice governor of Guangdong.

Yang Wanming

President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries

Yang Wanming is a veteran Chinese diplomat and the President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), a position he assumed in September 2023. With a strong background in international relations, particularly focusing on Latin America, he aims to enhance people-to-people exchanges and diplomatic ties between China and other nations. Before his appointment, Yang held various diplomatic roles, contributing to China’s foreign policy initiatives. As the head of CPAFFC, he plays a crucial role in promoting cultural exchanges and fostering mutual understanding, aligning with China’s broader diplomatic strategies. His leadership is particularly significant in strengthening relationships with countries in Latin America and beyond, as China seeks to expand its global influence through friendship and collaboration

Dr. Chau Chak Wing

President of the Australia-China Friendship and Exchange Association, Chair of the Asia-Pacific Region of World Leadership Alliance – Club de Madrid President’s Circle, Co-chair of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center Global Circle

Dr. Chau Chak Wing is an Australian-Chinese business leader, philanthropist, and prominent figure in fostering Australia-China relations. Born in Guangdong, China, he migrated to Australia in the 1980s and became a citizen. Dr. Chau founded the Kingold Group, with interests in property, finance, education, and media. He serves as President of the Australia-China Friendship and Exchange Association, Chair of the Asia-Pacific Region of World Leadership Alliance – Club de Madrid President’s Circle, and Co-chair of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center (NGIC) Global Circle. Dr. Chau is known for his significant philanthropic contributions, including donations to Australian universities and veterans’ organizations. His efforts in promoting bilateral ties between Australia and China have been recognized by both countries. Dr. Chau established the Imperial Springs International Forum to facilitate global cooperation through citizen diplomacy.

Yao Yao

Professor of the Center for International Communication Studies at the Communication, University of China, Director of the Center for National Soft Power Research

Dr. Yao Yao is Professor of the Center for International Communication Studies at the Communication University of China. He also acts as the Director General of the Rou Yuan Institute for Soft Power Dialogue, and the Chief Advisor of the Do-Planet Arts Laboratory. As an academic scholar focusing on public diplomacy and cultural exchange, Yao has published monographs such as History of China’s Public Diplomacy and China’s Diplomatic Soft Power for a New Era. Yao holds an L.L.B. in International Politics and a B.A. in Economics from Peking University, and a joint Ph.D. in International Communication from Tsinghua University and Harvard University. He finished his postdoctoral research at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee, and completed a Sino-U.S. joint research program on soft power as a Fulbright Scholar at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Zheng Yu

Professor, Head of Department of International Politics, School of International Relations and Public Affairs (SIRPA), Fudan University

ZHENG Yu is a Professor and Head of Department of International Politics, School of International Relations and Public Affairs (SIRPA), Fudan University. He is the editor-in-chief of Fudan International Studies Review and Mayling Birney Global Scholar at London School of Economics (LSE). His research interests include international development, international political economy, and global governance. He received his PhD from the University of California, San Diego and a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University. Prior to joining Fudan, he held the position of associate professor at the University of Connecticut. He is the author of Multifaceted Globalization: A New Paradigm of International Development. His publications have also appeared in journals such as Social Science in China, Comparative Politics, International Studies Quarterly, Public Opinion Quarterly, Socio-Economic Review, Studies in Comparative International Development, Third World Quarterly and the University of Michigan Press.

Valdis Zatlers

President of Latvia (2007-2011), Member of Club de Madrid and Member of Nizami Ganjavi International Center

Valdis Zatlers is a NGIC member. During the late 80s and early 90s, he was an active member of the Popular Front of Latvia, a political organisation that led to regaining the independence of Latvia, and also served as a member of its council. In addition to this, Mr Zatlers took part in the meeting of the three national movements of the Baltic states that later gathered people for the history-changing act – The Baltic Way. His educational background includes graduating from the Riga Institute of Medicine in 1979 as well as professional orthopaedic training at Yale and Syracuse Universities in 1991. After completing his medical studies, Mr Zatlers became a traumatologist-orthopedist (1979-1985). Mr Zatlers worked as a doctor in Chernobyl following the failure of the nuclear power plant in 1986. Later on, his career in medicine led him to other opportunities and leadership roles, including serving as Head of the Traumatology Department (1985-94) at the 2nd Hospital of Riga, becoming the Director and Chairman of the Board of the State Hospital of Traumatology and Orthopedics (1994-2007), and being appointed President of the Association of Traumatologists and Orthopedists in Latvia (2003-2008). After his presidency, President Zatlers formed a political party and ministered as deputy at the Parliament of Latvia (Saeima), where he served on and chaired the National Security Committee. After retiring, Mr Zatlers began working on his first book Kas Es Esmu (Who am I) which was first published in March 2015 and has been printed in two languages – Latvian and Russian. President Zatlers has received several recognitions for his work including the Commander of the Order of Three Stars; the Order of Viesturs, First Class; and the Cross of Recognition, First Class.