Ban Ki-Moon

8th Secretary-General of the United Nations and Co-chair of the Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens

Ban Ki-moon is a South Korean diplomat who was the eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations (UNSG) from January 2007 to December 2016. Before becoming UNSG, Mr. Ban was a career diplomat in South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the United Nations. As the eighth UNSG, Ban Ki-moon's priorities were to mobilize world leaders around a set of new global challenges, from climate change and economic upheaval to pandemics and increasing pressures involving food, energy, and water. He led the efforts for the landmark Paris Climate Agreement and, under his leadership, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Agenda were created. Ban Ki-moon currently serves as the Co-Chair of the Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens which seeks to empower youth and women to become active global citizens in creating a sustainable future for all. In addition, he currently holds over 20 positions, including the Presidency and the Chairmanship of the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), and Chairmanships of the Global Commission on Adaptation, the Ethics Commission of the International Olympic Committee, and the BOAO Forum in Asia.

Esther Stanhope

Keynote and TEDx Speaker, Author, Personal Impact Expert

Keynote and TEDx Speaker, known as “The Impact Guru,’ Esther Stanhope has interviewed and worked with Hollywood stars (Madonna, George Clooney) and other ‘big’ personalities (three British Prime Ministers) and knows exactly how to get the best performance out of talent. A former “Live” BBC producer, she knows how to help you shine on camera and in person. She uses her 28 years of ‘personal impact’ expertise to help global organisations (Deloitte, Barclays, A & Shearman, Allianz, the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge & Harvard USA) communicate better in business, win pitches, to increase their presence & impact.

Ylann Schemm

Executive Director, Elsevier Foundation

As the Elsevier Foundation’s Executive Director, Ylann Schemm drives inclusive health and research partnerships to support the UN Sustainable Development Goals building research and health capacity in developing countries. She has been an integral part of the Foundation’s growth since 2008. In addition, Ylann is Elsevier’s Vice President of Corporate Responsibility, building on two decades of corporate relations and responsibility roles which focus on gender equality, ‘sound science’ and sustainability collaborations. Since 2015, she has served as the Co-Chair of Elsevier’s Gender Equity Taskforce which shapes Elsevier’s contributions to inclusive research from gender balance in editorial boards to sex and gender analysis in Research.

Youngsuk Chi

Chairman, Elsevier and Director of Corporate Affairs, RELX

Youngsuk ‘YS’ Chi is an international businessman and a global thought leader in the publishing, education and information solutions industries. As Chairman of Elsevier, he works directly with key stakeholders in government, academia and industry to support over 30 million scientists, students and health information professionals. In his role as Director of Corporate Affairs for RELX, Elsevier’s parent company, he is responsible for government affairs, corporate communications and corporate responsibility across all four of the group’s market segments.

Katrina Crossley

Chief Executive, International Law Book Facility

A trained lawyer and legal publisher, with over 30 years’ experience leading legal content in print and online, Katrina Crossley has extensive experience in rule of law projects, collaborating with multiple partners across the legal community. Working with the International Law Book Facility (ILBF) since its founding in 2005, Katrina has held the role of Chief Executive since 2016. The ILBF’s mission is to provide printed legal resources to judiciaries, law schools, universities and NGOs across the world in support of the rule of law and access to justice. In 2025 celebrating the 20th anniversary of the ILBF.

Danna Ingleton

Executive Director, HURIDOCS

Danna Ingleton is a human rights advocate and legal expert dedicated to advancing civil society protections and digital rights. As Executive Director of HURIDOCS, she leads global efforts to empower human rights organizations through innovative information and documentation tools. Previously, she was Deputy Director at Amnesty Tech, where she played a key role in exposing unlawful surveillance through the Pegasus Project. With a law degree from the University of Ottawa, Danna brings legal training and strategic insight to her work at the intersection of technology and human rights, while championing inclusive leadership and digital resilience across sectors.

Alexis Steadman

Global Community Manager, RELX

Alexis is a Community Affairs and Sustainability professional, joining RELX in 2019 to lead RELX Cares, their global community programme supporting employee volunteering and giving that makes a positive impact. As well as leading the Cares programme, Alexis leads on the annual reporting for the Community data and coordinates their responses to disasters and emergencies.

Hugh Jones

CEO of RX

Every executive has to place bets in order for the value propositions to remain relevant to the customers, but not every bet has to work. That philosophy has served Hugh Jones IV well over the years since joining RELX in 2011, following the purchase of Accuity where he was Chief Executive Officer. In addition to leading Accuity to become one of the world’s largest and most significant companies in the payment routing and Anti Money Laundering sectors, Hugh has also led Fircosoft, NRS, I.C.I.S, Estates Gazette (EG) and Cirium; and before joining RX he was Global Managing Director within the Risk and Business Analytics Division. Hugh’s philosophy has seen him lead large scale acquisitions and subsequent integrations of many companies that now reside and prosper within the RELX portfolio. Hugh joined RX as CEO at the start of 2020, bringing with him plenty of experience in public company protocol and all facets of business management including P&L oversight, talent development, forecasting, sales execution, technology innovation and product discovery, launch and growth. Hugh’s experience has been invaluable in navigating RX’s response to challenges and his strategic understanding of technological innovation has accelerated the use of digital and data products and services across RX events, as an ongoing core component of RX face to face events. Passionate about building a culture of collaboration, exploring, risk taking, accountability and courage, Hugh champions the creation of a psychologically safe and inclusive workplace for all.

Margaret Osborne

Interim Executive Director, The Private Sector Humanitarian Alliance

Margaret Zimmerman Osborne is an accomplished international adviser and humanitarian leader with over 15 years of experience driving transformative change at the intersection of law, humanitarian response, and global partnerships. She has led high-impact initiatives with the United Nations, including the creation of the Global Humanitarian Action Executive Alliance and advancing Islamic social financing to support humanitarian goals. As Interim Executive Director and Special Advisor to the Private Sector Humanitarian Alliance, a start-up nonprofit, Margaret leads day-to-day operations, with a focus on strengthening strategic engagement between the private sector and global humanitarian efforts. She has played a pivotal role in fostering partnerships across the Gulf region, mobilising significant resources, and promoting collaborative and sustainable humanitarian crisis response strategies and activities. She previously served as Chief of Staff to the UN Secretary-General’s Special Advisor on Public-Private Partnerships and Islamic Social Financing, as well as to the UN Secretary-General’s Humanitarian Envoy, supporting strategic initiatives and high-level engagement across UN agencies and member states. Margaret’s legal background includes contributing to transitional justice efforts in conflict-affected regions such as Sudan, Libya, Afghanistan and Iraq. A licensed attorney, she brings deep expertise in international human rights, policy development, and governance. Known for her ability to navigate complex geopolitical landscapes and build consensus among diverse stakeholders, Margaret is a sought-after speaker on humanitarian innovation, public-private collaboration, and justice in global development. Margaret earned a Master of Studies (LLM) in International Human Rights Law from the University of Oxford, with a dissertation examining post-conflict justice through UN peacekeeping in Sierra Leone. She also holds a Juris Doctor from DePaul University College of Law, where she specialised in international and comparative law and was recognised as a Sullivan Human Rights Fellow. Margaret completed her undergraduate studies at John Cabot University in Rome, graduating cum laude.

Justin Webb

Journalist & Broadcaster

Justin Webb is the longest serving presenter of BBC Radio 4's flagship news and current affairs programme 'Today.' For the best part of four decades, he has been a voice on the airwaves or a presence on our TV screens. He joined the BBC in 1984 as a trainee, and has reported from around the world, as a war correspondent in the Gulf and in Bosnia, on the break-up of the former Soviet Union and the first democratic elections in South Africa.

Philippa Scarlett

Head of worldwide government affairs and public policy, RELX

Philippa Scarlett is the head of worldwide government affairs and public policy at RELX, a U.K.-based public company that provides information based analytics and decision tools for professional and businesses in more than 180 countries, with offices in 40 countries, and over 33,000 employees. She leads a team of professionals across the U.S., Europe, China, India, and Latin America, engages with senior government leaders and other policy makers, and supports the RELX Board of Directors on public policy and enterprise risk management. Previously, she served as Principal Counsel at Apple Inc., where she spearheaded Apple’s ESG strategy and led the company’s human rights work: developing Apple’s human rights policy; advising business leaders across the company on the policy and its implementation throughout Apple’s operations, product design, and supply chain; and engaging with top shareholders and other key external stakeholders. Earlier in her career at Apple, she negotiated and managed large intellectual property licensing deals on cellular (5G) and video technologies. Before Apple, she served in the Obama Administration in both the White House and the U.S. Department of Justice. At the White House, she served as Deputy Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator, where she developed policy across the federal government to support the creative industries and combat IP theft. At the U.S. Department of Justice, she served as Deputy Associate Attorney General, a member of DOJ’s senior leadership team, where she had a management responsibility of the Civil Rights Division, Antitrust Division, Access to Justice office, and IP policy and enforcement.

Nathan Chappell

Chief AI Officer, Virtuous

Nathan Chappell is a thought leader, public speaker, author, and AI inventor, recognized globally as an expert on the intersection of Artificial Intelligence and generosity. Nathan serves as Chief AI Officer at Virtuous Software where he supports AI integration to help nonprofit organizations amplify mission at scale. In 2018, Nathan founded Fundraising.AI, a global advocacy organization for Responsible and Beneficial AI in the nonprofit sector. Additionally, he is author of two books, Nonprofit AI: A Comprehensive Guide to Implementing Artificial Intelligence for Social Good and the 2022 award-winning book, The Generosity Crisis: The Case for Radical Connection to Solve Humanity’s Greatest Challenges, which has been deemed “required reading for this generation of fundraisers”. With over 20 years of nonprofit leadership experience, Nathan is a global keynote speaker and content contributor. His work has been featured in The Chronicle of Philanthropy, NPR, Forbes, Fast Company and more. His podcast, Fundraising AI, is among the top nonprofit technology podcasts worldwide.

Michael Sheldrick

Co-Founder and Chief Policy, Impact and Government Relations Officer, Global Citizen

MICHAEL SHELDRICK is a policy entrepreneur and a driving force behind the efforts of Global Citizen to end extreme poverty. As a Co-Founder and Chief Policy, Impact, and Government Affairs Officer, he leads the organization's campaigns to mobilize support from governments, businesses, and foundations. He is the author of the Amazon best-selling book, From Ideas to Impact: A Playbook for Influencing and Implementing Change in a Divided World (Wiley: April 2024). With a career that spans the world of pop and policy, Michael has worked with an impressive roster of international artists such as Beyoncé, Coldplay, Idris and Sabrina Elba, Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Priyanka Chopra, Rihanna and Usher, as well as prominent political leaders including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Barbados’ Prime Minister Mia Mottley, former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, and former Australian Prime Ministers Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd. He has co-produced some of the world's most impactful social campaigns and events, including the annual Global Citizen Festival in New York, the Guinness World Record-winning virtual concert One World: Together At Home, and the Nelson Mandela 2018 centennial celebration, Mandela 100. These initiatives have reached millions of people in over 150 countries and helped secure over $40 billion in support for local and regional organizations working to provide access to essential resources such as healthcare, education, and climate resilience. A sought-after speaker and author on policy advocacy, sustainable development, and corporate responsibility, Michael has shared his insights at conferences and summits worldwide. His insights have also featured in leading outlets including Forbes, The Guardian, The Hill, HuffPost, Nikkei and Fairfax Media, and his voice heard on major news networks such as ABC, BBC, France 24, Sky News and CNN.

Teresa Njoroge

Founder & CEO Clean Start Africa

Teresa founded Clean Start after being falsely accused, maliciously prosecuted, and wrongly imprisoned with her then 3 months old daughter, a sentence she served at Langata Women Maximum Prison. Her firsthand experience and the plight of women in prison together with their children inspired her to commit her life purpose to supporting millions of women and children leaving prison to successfully reintegrate back to society.

Dr. Githinji Gitahi

Group CEO, Amref Health Africa

Dr. Githinji Gitahi, MBS, joined Amref Health Africa in 2015 and has held various roles spanning the health, media, and private sectors. Prior to his tenure at Amref, he served as Vice President and Regional Director for Africa at Smile Train International. Dr. Gitahi is esteemed for his leadership on both global and regional stages, with notable achievements, including co-chairing the global UHC2030 movement and serving on the Commission on Africa’s COVID-19 Response. His past roles include serving on the Governing Board of Africa CDC, the Board of the National Cancer Institute, and as Co-Chair of the Strategic Advocacy Committee for PMNCH. Currently, he serves on the Boards of Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Safaricom Foundation, and Food for Education, as well as on the Independent Board of the Lancet Countdown. Recently, he was appointed to the AstraZeneca Global Health Equity Advisory Board and the PMNCH Board, and became a member of the Virchow Foundation Prize Committee and the Advisory Council of the Coalition for Women’s Health in Africa (COWHA). Dr. Gitahi is a prominent advocate for pro-poor Universal Health Coverage and spearheads the largest thought leadership convening on the African health agenda.

Ian McDougall

President, The LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation

Ian McDougall is the Executive Vice President and General Counsel for the LexisNexis, Legal & Professional division of RELX Group PLC and President of the LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation, which he founded in 2019. He is also an Adjunct Professor at IE University Law School, Madrid. Mr. McDougall joined LexisNexis in 2004 as General Counsel since 2012 oversees the legal function for the global LexisNexis organisation. In addition to his role as General Counsel, Mr. McDougall has stepped into various roles, including Interim CEO of Asia Pacific. Mr. McDougall was a founder member of the United Nations Rule of Law Steering Committee and sat on the UN General Counsel Advisory Board. In 2023 Mr McDougall was appointed a Trustee at the National Council for Civil Liberties in the UK. He has previously been a judge in the Barrister’s Disciplinary Tribunal and a broadcast cricket commentator in association with the Royal National Institute for the Blind.

Valentina Isakina

EVP & Chief Strategy Officer, LexisNexis Risk Solutions

Valentina brings with her more than two decades of global operational and consulting experience in strategy, financial services and more – including nearly three years serving as Senior Advisor to the former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair as part of the Office of Tony Blair and Tony Blair Associates. Immediately after, Valentina spent five years as Managing Director, Financial Services & Fintech for JobsOhio (the state’s $25B sovereign wealth fund), where she created, launched and executed a new tech-based growth strategy, resulting in their Financial Services sector becoming the fifth largest in the US. Valentina’s previous roles include Vice President & Head of Corporate Strategy for Nationwide, a Fortune 100 insurance company, where she led the Corporate Strategy department and guided Corporate Development on assessing M&A targets; and over a decade in consulting, including earning a Partner nomination at Bain & Company, where she ran due diligence and post-merger management efforts for key PE and hedge fund clients; as an Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Company, where she was a key member in both Risk Management and Life & Wealth Management practices; and as an Associate Actuary for Milliman Inc., specialising in life insurance/annuities, risk, wealth management and healthcare. Valentina holds a Master of Business Administration from Cornell, along with a Master of Actuarial Science and a Bachelor of Business Administration majoring in Risk Management & Insurance from Georgia State University. She is also a CFA charterholder.

Haywood Talcove

Chief Executive Officer for Government, LexisNexis Risk Solutions

Haywood Talcove is Chief Executive Officer for Government at LexisNexis Risk Solutions. In this capacity, he oversees strategic business activities concerning all customer operations, sales, marketing, communications, consulting, corporate development, and ecosystem activities. His commitment to customers’ needs has empowered LexisNexis to develop market leading solutions that have enabled customers to stop fraud, catch criminals, and enable equitable access to digital government. A passionate advocate for children, he serves on the Board of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). He also serves on the advisory board for The Evidence Based Cybersecurity Research Group (EBCS) at Georgia State University’s Andrew Young School of Policy Studies as well as the DEA Education Foundation. Talcove earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in public administration from the University of Maine. He also attended Executive Education Programs in Leadership and Strategy from Harvard and Wharton.

Andy Dewis

Founder & CEO, Pineapple Sustainable Partnerships

Andy develops Pineapple's impact, growth and partnership strategy by connecting up all things sustainable. He has over 20 years experience of launching, scaling, buying and selling sustainable businesses and advises the boards of multiple sustainability industry bodies and climate tech start ups.

Emma Cherniavsky

Founding CEO of UK for UNHCR

Emma Cherniavsky is the founding CEO of UK for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency’s national partner and one of the UK’s leading refugee charities for people fleeing conflict and persecution around the world.

Dr. Angela Chaudhuri

CEO, Swasti

Dr. Angela Chaudhuri is the CEO of Swasti and a member of the WHO’s Civil Society Commission Steering Committee. With over 27 years of experience in global public health, she has worked across South Asia, Southeast Asia, and East Africa, leading transformative initiatives that convert public health science into community-driven action. Dr. Chaudhuri has played a key role in raising billions of dollars for equity-focused health programs, focusing on improving health outcomes for underserved populations. As Chief Catalyst at Swasti, she is dedicated to achieving the organization’s goal of adding 100 million healthy days to the lives of marginalized communities by 2030, demonstrating her commitment to equity and sustainable development. Dr. Chaudhuri’s work fosters equity through technology and data-driven solutions. Her efforts align with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly in advancing health, well-being, and reducing inequalities, with a strong focus on "Leave No One Behind."

Sir Lenny Henry

Actor, writer, comedian and co-founder of Comic Relief

Sir Lenny has risen from being a cult star on children’s television to becoming one of Britain’s best known television performers, as well as a writer, philanthropist and award-winning stage actor. Lenny’s recent acting screen credits include The Witcher: Blood Origin, Rings of Power, Broadchurch, The Syndicate and the biographic film Danny and The Human Zoo. In theatre, Lenny has starred in The Comedy of Errors at The National, Fences at the Duchess Theatre and The Resistable Rise of Arturo Ui at the Donmar Warehouse. As a co-founder and public face of Comic Relief he has played a central role in the charity raising over £1 billion since 1985. Lenny is a leading advocate for diversity in the arts and has established a centre for Media Diversity at Birmingham City University, written two books on the topic and co-hosted the podcast Black British Lives Matter. He was awarded a Knighthood in 2015 for services to drama and charity and was a Trustee of the National Theatre from 2016 to 2023.

Poppy Robinson

Senior Corporate Partnerships Officer

Senior Corporate Partnerships Officer

Sarah The Duchess of York

The Duchess of York

Sarah, Duchess of York, has dedicated over three decades to advocating for underserved women, children, and communities globally. Her philanthropic journey spans continents. Now, more than ever, she understands the urgency with which we must act to ensure a better future for both people and our planet. Underpinning her passion for social impact is her heartfelt belief that youth are the solution, and that we must do more to work with and for the next generation of changemakers. In her role as the Founding Ambassador of the Youth Impact Council, the Duchess is dedicated to accelerating tomorrow’s youth leaders today. The Youth Impact Council opens lines of communication across generations. The Duchess is committed to listening and learning from the next generation, and she will focus on amplifying the work of youth leaders and entrepreneurs.

Wendy Chen

Venture Builder, Advisor to Family Offices and Co-Founder of Yun Impact

Wendy Chen is a venture builder and advisor to family offices at the intersection of impact investing and philanthropy. She has held senior roles at leading global firms, including overseeing capital markets across the Americas for Fosun International’s $100 billion+ portfolio, and leading the $8.5 billion SPAC IPO of Pagaya Technologies. A former investment banker at Barclays, Wendy has advised CEOs and CFOs on IPOs and strategic financing. Today, as Co-Founder and CEO of Yun Impact, she helps visionary investors, entrepreneurs and family offices scale solutions that deliver both purpose and profit.

Monika Froehler

CEO

Monika Froehler is CEO of the Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens and is a passionate change maker, advocate, founder and speaker. She was entrusted to create the BKMC after working at the UN in Geneva, NY and Vienna, the EU, the Austrian Foreign Ministry and in field missions around the globe. She is passionate about the implementation of the SDGs and the Paris Climate Agreement. Throughout her career she managed to support hundreds of women, young people and communities all over the globe e.g. working in Africa and Latin America to ban landmines; working to improve hospital care in rural Central Asia and Africa; assisting in eco-friendly city planning in Asia and bettering the living conditions of women in the Middle East and West-Africa.