Category: Invited guests

Ambassador of Algeria. Former Minister of Labor and Social Protection and Minister of Youths and Sports of Algeria. He also served as Prefect, Deputy, President of the Finance and Budget Commission at the National Assembly, member of the Commission of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Emigration. He is a member of the Royal Academy of Spain for Economic and Finance Sciences and of the Forum “Penser l’Europe”. Honorary member of the Barcelona Economics Network. Member of the Scientific Committee of the MS’10 Barcelona International Conference. He is Researcher, Lecturer and Teacher at the Higher School for Political Sciences at the Institute of Diplomacy and at the International Relations and the École nationale d’administration (ENA). He was a Board member of the High Institute of Management and Planning, National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, as well as the National Office of Statistics. He was also member of the mediator’s team for the resolution of the Northern Mali and Northern Niger Conflict, and Co-Editor of the agreements. He graduated from the University of Law and Economic Sciences.

Ambassador of France to Monaco. He joined the French Foreign Service in 1991. He was, among others, Chief of Staff of the State Secretary for Sports, Mrs Rama Yade (2009-2010), Chief of Staff of the State Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Human Rights, Mrs  Rama Yade (2008-2009), Deputy Director of the Communication and Information Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2007-2008) and Technical Advisor to the French Presidency as Deputy Spokesperson  (2006-2007).

Senator and former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania (2000-2004). He is President of the Aspen Institute Romania since 2006. He served as President of the Romanian Senate (2008-2011). Previously, he was Chairman of the Romanian Social-Democrat Party (PSD) (2005-2010), Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee in the Romanian Senate and member in the European Integration Joint Committee of the Romanian Parliament. He also served as Ambassador to the United States. He graduated from the Polytechnic Institute, the University of Bucharest and the Ecole Nationale d’Administration in Paris, France.

Head of Global Prospective and International Relations in 2011, within the Strategy and Prospective Division of EDF. Previous to this he was Head of Corporate International Relations (2007-2011). From 2000 until 2007, he co-founded EDF Italia, the commercial branch of EDF in Italy, where he acted as Head of Key Accounts and Deputy for Strategic Affairs and Energy Procurement. He previously worked in the Corporate Strategy Division of EDF, in charge of investment modeling and planning and regulatory affairs. He was also appointed visiting Professor of Economics at the Dauphine University (Paris IX). He graduated from the Ecole des Mines de Paris.

Former Member of the Turkish Parliament. He served as a member of the Executive Committee of The Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) and of the Parliamentary Network on the IMF & World Bank. He served also as a Deputy Convenor of the PGA Peace & Democracy, Law and Human Rights Programs. He is currently Advisory Board Member of the Iman Foundation (London) and Member of the Alumni Club of the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna. He graduated from the University of Vienna and he holds a PhD in Economics and Social Sciences.

Ambassador of Canada to France and Monaco since 2012. Prior to this appointment, he was an influential member of the Stephen Harper Cabinet, serving as Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs (2008-2011). He served as Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities and Minister responsible for Québec in the Government of Canada (2006-2008). He was also a Member of Parliament for the riding of Pontiac, Québec. He served as Minister of Communications of Québec (1990-1994). He graduated from the Université Laval (Québec City).

Deputy editor of Le Point. She regularly contributes to RFI, Radio-Orient and France 24. She was Reporter for the French magazine Jeune Afrique and for Demain l’Afrique. She also served as Head of foreign section at Le Point, she was in charge of Middle East and Africa. She is the author of « La Poudrière algérienne », Calmann-Levy, 1993, Paris, « Les Martyrs de Tibhirine » Ed. Brepols 1994, Paris, « Chroniques marocaines » Ed. Convergences, 2007, Paris.

Managing Editor of Les Echos. He served as Deputy Managing Editor at Le Figaro (2005-2008). He held the position of Tokyo Bureau Chief, Les Echos (1994-2000). He was correspondent for Les Echos in the United States. He is also a columnist at Europe 1 and Radio classique. He graduated from the Institut d’études politiques, Paris and the Centre de formation des journalists.

Global Chief Technology Officer of Capgemini and Country Board Chairman for North America. During his 30 year career at Capgemini in North America and Ernst & Young combined, he held positions from Consultant to partner/vice president to CEO. He also served on the boards for the Association of Management Consulting Firms (AMCF) and TechAmerica. He graduated from Georgetown University and from Southern Illinois University.  He is also a graduate of the executive leadership programs at the Kellogg School at Northwestern University and Harvard University.

Executive Vice President of Capgemini. He has been Managing director in charge of global industry sectors within Capgemini (consumer products, retail, utilities, tax and welfare, public security, telecommunications, financial services and manufacturing). The transformation of corporations and governments is at the heart of this role. He started his career at the ‘Inspection Generale des Finances’ (French Treasury) and joined Capgemini in 1989. He holds a diploma of the ‘Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris and of the ‘Ecole Nationale d’Administration’.

Regional Director for West and Southern Africa, TechnoServe. In this capacity, he is responsible for leading the organization’s strategy and operations for more than 10 countries in the region. Previously, he was a regional investment advisor for the United States African Development Foundation. He was founder and CEO of Tigris Consulting, a consultancy focused on global sourcing and supply chain consolidation. He graduated from Oberlin College and completed the Owner/President Management Program at Harvard Business School.

Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Sejong University in Seoul. He is also a senior adviser of Kim & Chang Law Office. He served as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade (2008-2010). He started his foreign service in Japan in 1976 and returned as Ambassador to Japan in 2007. He also served as Ambassador to the State of Israel in 2002 and then to the Philippines in 2004. He graduated from the Law School of Seoul National University and studied at the Hague Institute for Social Sciences in 1975.

Managing Partner, SI Capital Partners (SICP). He is also the founder of Maya Finance (investment and real-estate management) and the founder and a Board Member of Quantam, a high frequency trading hedge fund. He was CEO of Editions Moreux (professional publications on Africa, infrastructure and shipping). He is a member of both the Comité des Investisseurs Francais en Afrique and the Forum Francophone des Affaires. He holds an MBA from HEC.

Senator in the Polish Parliament since 2011. He is currently Chairman of the Foreign and European Union Affairs Committee in the Senate of the Republic of Poland. Between 2015 and 2019, he was Minority Leader of the Polish Senate. He served as Minister of Defence from 2007 to 2011 and was a member of the European Parliament. He managed the Information Department at State TV Centre in Cracow between 1990 and 1992. He then was Head of the International Centre for Development of Democracy in Krakow from 1993 to 1999 and Head of the Institute for Strategic Studies from 1999 to 2003. In 1998 and 1999, he was an Advisor to the government plenipotentiary for Poland’s accession negotiations with the EU. He graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at the Krakow Medical Academy and the Faculty of Philosophy and History at the Jagiellonian University. He is a Lecturer at the Institute of European Studies at the Jagiellonian University. Senator Klich has authored numerous publications on foreign policy and international security. In 2001, he founded the Institute for Strategic Studies think tank in Krakow. In the late 1970’s and 1980’s he was active in the democratic opposition movement.

President & CEO, The Montreal Council on Foreign Relations. He is a member of the Barreau du Québec (Bar of the Province of Quebec). He has most notably been active as International Vice-President of Manufacturers and Exporters of Quebec (MEQ), President and Editor of the international magazine World Economic Affairs, Managing Director of Samson Bélair/Deloitte & Touche International, and Vice-President of the International Economic Law Society of Canada. He graduated from the Université de Montréal, the École nationale d’administration publique, McGill University, the Université de Montréal and the Université de Paris.

Chief of Cabinet at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico since 2013. Previously, he served as Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) (2010-2012), Manager, domestic operations,  Banco de México (2004-2009) and Manager, analysis of central bank operations, Banco de México (2001-2004). He taught economy courses and held research positions at the University of Chicago (1994-2000). He graduated from the Universidad Iberamericana and he holds a PhD from the University of Chicago.

Chief Financial Officer Vimetco N.V. and President of the Board of Directors – Alro Slatina, the largest aluminium smelter from Central and Eastern Europe. He has extensive experience in financial consulting and auditing. He has worked at Deloitte & Touche in Romania, and previously in advisory business firms. In 2002, he joined Alro as CFO and member of the Board. He was subsequently appointed Vimetco Group Country Director for Romania, and his current mandate covers all Vimetco Group operations in aluminum and electric power in the country. He graduated from the Bucharest Academy of Economics.

Secretary-General of the Vienna-based King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID) since 2012. Prior to this appointment, he held a number of senior positions in the Saudi Arabian administration and various nonprofit organizations. He served as Vice Minister of Education of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (2009-2011), Advisor to the Royal Court of the then Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and Deputy of the National Guard for Cultural & Educational Affairs. He graduated from the King Saud University and Webster University, USA.

Maurits C. Boas Professor of International Economics at Harvard University since 1981. Previously, he was Chairman of the National Intelligence Council (1995-1997), Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston (1990-1992), Under-Secretary of State for Economic Affairs (1977-1981), Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Monetary Affairs (1965-1966), U.S. Department of State. He received an A.B. from Oberlin College, a M.Sc (Econ) from London School of Economics and Political Science, and a Ph.D. from Harvard University.

Former Premier of Québec. In 1978, she made her official entry into the political arena as the press attaché to then Minister of Finance Jacques Parizeau. She was elected to the National Assembly for the first time in 1981. She has headed numerous ministries, including the Status of Women, Labour and Income Security, Revenue, Education, Child and Family Welfare, Health and Social Services, Economy and Finance, Research, Science and Technology, and Industry and Trade. She has also served as Chair of the Conseil du trésor. She was also Deputy Premier (2001-2003). She graduated from Université Laval and from HEC Montréal business school.

Former Chairman of the Management Board of HSH Nordbank since 2012. He has been a member of the Management Board of HSH Nordbank since 2009, initially as Chief Risk Officer (CRO), before being appointed Chief Financial Officer (CFO). He also served as Deputy Global Head Credit Risk Management Real Estate in Frankfurt and London at the Deutsche Bank (2001-2009). In 2000, he assumed the position of Global Head for Credit Risk Management Developed Markets (investment bank) at the Deutsche Bank in London. He trained as a banker at Deutsche Bank AG in Hamburg.

Chairman of Consolidated Contractors Company www.ccc.net a multi-billion engineering group and one of the largest construction companies in the Middle East. CCC is a large conglomerate with a broad range of activities ranging from its conventional engineering and construction role to the more complex role of an oil and gas and power developer. CCC employs more than 80,000 individuals worldwide (CCC operates in more than 30 countries). According to the annual Engineering News Record (ENR) surveys, CCC ranks continuously among the top 20 Largest International Contractors and is first in the Middle East region. Mr. Khoury is highly involved in business, social and educational activities in the US, the Middle East and Europe focusing on Engineering Innovation, Sustainability, Economic Collaborative Development, Peace and Conflict Resolution Dialogues, Youth Empowerment, Knowledge Societies and Social Enterprise Philanthropies. He holds a BSc in Civil Engineering from California State University in Chico and an MBA from the University of Southern California.

Advisor to the Prime Minister of Lebanon. He is also Executive Director at M1 Group. For many years, he served as Chairman-General Manager of Saradar Investment House, the investment banking arm of Saradar Group. After several years at Merrill Lynch, Paris, he joined the Méditerranée Group in Lebanon as advisor to the Chairman and Deputy General Manager of Méditerranée Investment Bank. He holds a degree in Civil Engineering, a MBA from INSEAD (France).

First Vice President National Liberal Party, member EPP. He served as Minister of Justice of Romania (2008-2012), Interim Prime Minister in 2012 and Interim Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2009. He was also Senior Managing Partner at  Zamfirescu Racoţi Predoiu, Law Company (2007-2008), Senior Managing Partner at Racoţi – Predoiu, Law Company (1995-2006). He co-authered “Companies”, second edition, revised, Bucharest, 2003. He graduated from the University of Bucharest and Caen Bar, France, Training program in Commercial Law Practice.

Former Prime Minister of the Central African Republic (1999-2001) and former Chairman of the Central African States Development Bank (BDEAC) (2001-2010). He also served as Minister of Finance during Michel Gbezera-Bria’s mandate (1997-1999). He began his career at the Bank of Central African States (BEAC) in 1982 before being appointed as representative of its governor to France and the European Union in 1995. He holds a degree in economics from the University of Bordeaux, France.

Ambassador of France. He began to work at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs as Head of the Press and Information Department (1981-1985) and then became Head of the North Africa and Middle-East Department (1985-1989). He was Ambassador to Egypt (1989-1991), Head of the Political Affairs Department (1991-1995), Ambassador to the UN (1995-2000), and then to the Holy See (2000-2001). He is Vice-Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Institut du Monde Arabe and Chairman of the Scientific Committee of the Foundation Res Publica.