Category: Invited guests

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the French Republic since July 2022. She has over twenty years of experience in international affairs and public policy. Throughout her career, she has served in Kazakhstan’s embassies in Belgium and France, as well as within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She has also held several strategic positions within the Presidential Administration, particularly in the fields of foreign policy and international relations. In this capacity, she contributed to shaping and implementing Kazakhstan’s diplomatic strategy. In parallel with her duties in France, she also serves as Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to UNESCO. She graduated from the Kazakh State University of World Languages and from the Université des sciences humaines de Strasbourg, where she obtained a postgraduate degree in international relations. She also holds a PhD in international relations from the Academy of Public Administration under the President of Kazakhstan.

Secretary General of The Study Committee on Franco-German Relations (Cerfa) since September 2024. He was Head of the Unit for Germany, Alpine and Adriatic Europe at the European Union Direction of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs from September 2022 to August 2024. He was previously a Research Fellow at Cerfa at the French Institute of International Relations (Ifri) from March 2020 to August 2022, where he worked particularly on issues of German domestic policy and Franco-German relations within the framework of European integration. Paul Maurice holds a PhD in Contemporary History and German Studies from Sorbonne University, conducted under a Franco-German joint supervision agreement with Saarland University (Germany) and within the framework of the research unit UMR Sirice (Sorbonne, Identities, International Relations and Civilizations of Europe). He studied contemporary history and international relations at Paris-Sorbonne University and Freie Universität Berlin. He also teaches at Sciences Po as part of the Master of the School of Public Affairs. He is a member of the editorial board of the journal Allemagne d’aujourd’hui.

Director General for Enterprise at the French Ministry of the Economy, Finance and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty. He began his career in 1995 at the Ministry of Defence as head of fighter aircraft programmes, before serving as Chief of Staff to the Director of Aircraft Programmes. In 2002, he joined the Directorate General of the Treasury, where he held several positions, including Deputy Head of the Asia Office, Head of the Africa-Maghreb Office, Head of the Aeronautical, Military and Naval Affairs Office, Secretary General of the Paris Club, and Deputy Director for Bilateral Economic Relations. In 2010, he was appointed Chief of Staff to the Secretary of State for Foreign Trade (Pierre Lellouche), and subsequently Deputy Chief of Staff to the Ministers of Economy, Finance and Industry (Christine Lagarde and François Baroin). In 2012, he returned to the Treasury as Secretary General, before becoming Deputy Director General from 2015 to 2018. In August 2018, he was appointed Director General for Enterprise. An Ingénieur général de l’Armement, he is a graduate of the École supérieure de l’aéronautique et de l’espace (SUPAERO). He is a Knight of the Legion of Honour and a Commander of the National Order of Merit.

Ambassador of Bulgaria to France since February 2024 and Permanent Delegate of Bulgaria to UNESCO. She joined the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1997. She has held numerous positions related to European affairs, including at the Permanent Mission of Bulgaria to the European Union in Brussels and within departments responsible for European integration and EU policies. She also served at the Bulgarian Embassy in Paris as First Secretary. She has held senior leadership roles at the Ministry, including Director of External Economic Relations and Development Cooperation, as well as Special Coordinator for cooperation with the OECD. She also served as Deputy Head of Mission in Brussels. She holds a Master’s degree in International Economic Relations from the University of National and World Economy in Sofia and a Master’s degree in European Integration from Sofia University.

Ambassador of the Republic of Rwanda to France since 2022, with accreditation to Spain and Portugal, and designated Ambassador to Italy and Monaco, he also serves as Permanent Delegate to several international organizations, including UNESCO, OIF and OECD. With a background in economics, he has 18 years of experience in development economics and public finance management. He notably served at Rwanda’s Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning as Director of the Treasury and later Director General of Corporate Services. He then joined the African Development Bank, where he worked as an expert in governance and public financial management for several East African countries, overseeing major economic reforms. He also served as Ambassador of Rwanda to Qatar. He holds a degree in industrial economics from Université Paris XIII.

Accredited Ambassador of Hungary to France since December 2025, he has extensive diplomatic experience, notably in Morocco where he served as Ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco and the Islamic Republic of Mauritania. He also held the position of Dean of the European Diplomatic Corps in Morocco. He previously served in various roles at the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, including in protocol and Asia-Pacific affairs. He began his professional career in international congress management. Alongside his diplomatic career, he has a distinguished background in elite sports. A former professional water polo player, he competed in France, Italy, and Hungary, winning a LEN European Cup and seven French championship titles. He holds an Executive MBA from Corvinus University of Budapest, as well as degrees in management, and is certified as an occupational health and safety expert. He is fluent in Hungarian, French, Italian, and English.

President and Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association (CVMA). The CVMA represents Canada’s leading manufacturers of light and heavy duty motor vehicles. Its membership includes Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited, General Motors of Canada Company, and Stellantis (FCA Canada). Prior to joining the CVMA, Brian was Vice President of Policy, Fiscal and International, at the Business Council of Canada where he led the Council’s economic policy priorities and global engagement. From 2009 to 2012 he served in the federal government with positions at the Department of Finance, Global Affairs Canada, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, the Treasury Board Secretariat, and the Privy Council Office. Brian is active in the non-profit sector including as past president of the Ottawa Economics Association and past chair of the Banff Forum. Brian holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Carleton University, a master’s degree in international affairs from the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs and an MBA from Ivey Business School.

Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to France, since September 2023. A career diplomat, he has held numerous senior positions within the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He served as Ambassador to Iraq (2011–2013), Saudi Arabia (2013–2018), and Slovakia (2021–2023). He also held key leadership roles in Ankara, including Director General for the Middle East and North Africa and Deputy Director General for relations with Iraq, where he played an active role in shaping Türkiye’s regional policy. Earlier in his career, he was posted to several major diplomatic missions, including Baghdad, Brussels (NATO), Bucharest, Washington, and Beirut. He also served as Chief of Staff to both the Undersecretary of State and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, gaining extensive experience in high-level diplomatic coordination and strategic decision-making. He began his career in 1989 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, initially working on maritime affairs and later on Caucasus-related issues. He is a graduate of the Faculty of Political Sciences at Ankara University. He speaks French and English.

Wiesław Tarka is Chargé d’affaires a.i. and Titular Ambassador of the Republic of Poland in France. A career diplomat, he has held senior positions within the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and abroad. He served as Ambassador of Poland to Croatia (2008–2012) and to Sweden (2015–2018). He also held key responsibilities as Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of the Interior and Administration, overseeing European and international cooperation, migration policy, and cross-border affairs. Within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he has served as Director of the Foreign Service Inspectorate and Deputy Director of the European Policy Department, contributing to regional initiatives such as the Visegrad Group and the Central European Initiative, as well as the coordination of the Western Balkans Summit. Earlier in his career, he was posted to the Polish Embassy in Stockholm and worked in cultural administration in Warsaw. Mr. Tarka holds a degree in Modern Philology from the University of Warsaw and has an academic background in linguistics. He speaks several languages, including English, German, Swedish, Croatian, French, Ukrainian, and Russian. He has been awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta and the Order of Prince Branimir of Croatia.

Professor of Environmental Change and Public Health at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and a leading expert on climate change and health. He is co-principal investigator of the Pathfinder Initiative on a healthy net-zero future, funded by the Wellcome Trust, senior scientific adviser to the Pan-European Commission on Climate Change and Health, and Vice-Chair of the United Nations Independent Panel on the Effects of Nuclear War. He previously served as Director of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (2001–2010). Earlier in his career, he was Professor of Primary Health Care at University College London, a general practitioner in inner London, and a consultant epidemiologist at the Medical Research Council. He has also held advisory and leadership roles with the World Health Organization, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and numerous international research bodies. Professor Haines has published extensively on public health, climate change and planetary health. He qualified in medicine at King’s College London and holds an MD in Epidemiology from the University of London.

Jean-Paul Bouttes, an engineer and economist, is a member of the Scientific Council of the French High Commission for Strategy and Planning. He previously served as Chief Economist and Executive Vice President of Strategy, Prospective and International Relations at EDF (Électricité de France), following his role as Senior Vice President for Industrial Strategy within the Generation Division and several positions in the Group’s General Economic Studies. He has held responsibilities within international energy organizations, notably as a member of the Studies Committee of the World Energy Council and within the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). He has also taught economics at École Polytechnique, where he contributed to the creation and leadership of the Sustainable Development Chair, and at North China Electric Power University in Beijing. Jean-Paul Bouttes is the author of several books, including Energie (PUF 2023), Souveraineté, maîtrise industrielle et transition énergétique (Fondapol 2023) and Nuclear Waste: A Comprehensive Approach (2022). He is a graduate of École Polytechnique and ENSAE.

Global Chief AI Officer at Capgemini Invent, author, columnist for Les Echos, and former senior French civil servant. As a recognized expert in healthcare policy and AI‑driven organizational transformation, he teaches at Sciences Po Paris. As graduate of the École nationale d’administration (ENA) and a member of the Inspectorate General of Social Affairs, he previously served as Deputy Chief of Staff to the High Commissioner for Active Solidarity Against Poverty (2007–2009) and as Chief of Staff to the French Minister for Women’s Rights, Urban Affairs, Youth, and Sports (2012–2014). Étienne Grass joined the Capgemini Group in November 2017. He led the Citizen Services teams before overseeing the Group’s sovereign cloud initiative (“BLEU”). He served as CEO of Capgemini Invent France from 2023 to 2025. Since July 1, 2025, he has been leading the Group’s global AI activities. He is the author of several publications, including L’Europe sociale (La Documentation française, 2013), Les Inégalités de santé (Presses de Sciences Po, 2016), and Génération réenchantée (Calmann‑Lévy, 2016). 

Emeritus Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Margaret Chan is Dean of the Vanke School of Public Health at Tsinghua University. She began her career in public health in 1978 at the Hong Kong Department of Health, where she became Director in 1994, the first woman to hold this position. During her tenure, she strengthened disease prevention, surveillance, and response systems, and notably managed outbreaks of avian influenza and SARS. Dr. Chan joined WHO in 2003 and was elected Director-General in 2006, serving two terms until 2017. She holds a medical degree from the University of Western Ontario, Canada. 

Director for OECD Global Relations and Co-operation, as well as the OECD Sherpa to the G7, the G20 and APEC. He supports and co-ordinates the OECD’s contributions to global governance under the leadership of OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann. He and his team implement the OECD Global Relations Strategy, engaging with over 100 partner countries aound the globe at the ministerial level and building a global level playing field by increasing adherence to OECD standards and policies. Andreas’ expertise includes two decades of conceptional and strategic work on foreign affairs, national, international and global economic policy, and global governance. Prior to joining the OECD, Mr Schaal held various positions during his work for the German Federal Government, including: Deputy Director G8 Summit/German Sherpa Office, Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Technology; Economic Counsellor, German Permanent Delegation to the OECD, Paris; Vice Chair (elected 2005-2006) of the OECD’s Economic and Development Review Committee (EDRC); and Policy Advisor and Chief of Staff to Parliamentary Secretary of State Siegmar Mosdorf, MP, Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Technology.Andreas Schaal is a non-Resident Senior Fellow of the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University of China (RDCY). He holds a Masters in Public Policy and Public Management from the University of Konstanz, Germany .

Head of the Industrial Decarbonization Unit at the French Ministry for the Economy. He oversees the design and implementation of public policies aimed at decarbonizing French industry, including sectoral and technology roadmaps, the design of support schemes, budget negotiations, and European policy engagement. Previously, he served as Head of the State Economic Service for the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region and as economic adviser to the Regional Prefect, contributing to regional economic development and supporting the decarbonization of companies. He also worked at McKinsey & Company, where he advised African governments and development banks on energy transition and industrial decarbonization, and at ENGIE, where he contributed to the Group’s climate strategy. Long committed to environmental issues, Angel Prieto is a co-founder of the movement Pour un réveil écologique and led the French delegation to the G7 Youth Summit in 2024, where he was in charge of negotiations on environmental matters. Angel Prieto is a member of the French Corps des Mines and a graduate of École polytechnique.

French senior civil servant, Hugo Pouzet serves as Deputy Head of the Sustainable Finance, Corporate Law, Accounting and Corporate Governance Unit at the Direction générale du Trésor, within the French Ministry for the Economy, Finance and Industrial, Energy and Digital Sovereignty. A Mining Corps engineer, he held positions during his training across both the public and private sectors, in France and internationally. He notably served as Transformation Project Manager at L’Oréal in Tokyo, and as Decarbonization Engineer at Orano Mining. A graduate of the École normale supérieure and of Mines Paris – PSL, he is also the co-author of a study on drug shortages, analyzing structural vulnerabilities in pharmaceutical supply chains.

Deputy Head of the Risk Prevention Division at the Regional Directorate for the Environment of Île-de-France. His role revolves around the implementation of public policies to prevent industrial pollution and risks. Before joining the French civil service, he worked for Neoen, a renewable energy producer, in Sweden, and for the rail company Eurostar in London. He also had the opportunity to work on the issue of drug shortages, with a focus on public policy and supply-chain resilience. He is a graduate of École polytechnique and a member of the Corps des mines.

Mark Malloch-Brown is a Visiting Professor in Practice at the London School of Economics (LSE), a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perry World House. He was knighted for his contributions to international affairs, and is currently on leave from the British House of Lords. Mark Malloch-Brown has had a long career in international affairs, development, business, and communications. At the United Nations, Mark Malloch-Brown led the global promotion of the UN Millennium Development Goals as head of the UN Development Programme (UNDP). At the UNDP, and previously as vice president of external affairs at the World Bank, he led reform efforts to increase the impact of both organisations. He later served as Kofi Annan’s chief of staff, and then as UN Deputy Secretary General, before joining the British government of Prime Minister Gordon Brown, as minister responsible for Africa and Asia from 2007 to 2009. Most recently, he was president of the Open Society Foundations, the world’s largest private funder of independent groups working for justice, democratic governance, and human rights.

Minister of Culture of the United Arab Emirates since February 2023. In this position, His Excellency Sheikh Salem bin Khalid Al Qassimi is responsible for the strategic and policy direction of the UAE’s culture sectors. He leads the Ministry’s initiatives to enable a robust cultural and creative ecosystem in the country and ensure its sustainability and active contribution to the local economy. Helming multilateral engagements with the UAE’s global and regional partners on international platforms, His Excellency represents the country on high-level global fora related to culture and creativity and heritage preservation. His Excellency was the Permanent Delegate of the UAE to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization “UNESCO” where he contributed to highlighting the country’s efforts and success endeavors, in addition to strengthening relations with other permanent delegates and overseeing the implementation of many joint projects that aims to enhance human and cultural cooperation. He has previously served as the Assistant Undersecretary for Arts and Heritage at the Ministry of Culture, where he led the implementation of high-level projects on national identity, Arabic language, Islamic arts, theatre, literature, archaeology, film and architecture to name few. His Excellency holds a Bachelor of Science in Design Management from the American University of Sharjah, as well as a Master of Public Administration in Environmental Science & Policy from Columbia University and a Master of Urban and Regional Planning from Paris Sorbonne University, Abu Dhabi/Paris.

Permanent Representative of the UAE to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). Dr Nawal Al-Hosany also holds the position of Deputy Director General of the Emirates Diplomatic Academy (EDA), since October 2017, where she contributes to the realisation of the Academy’s mandate; to equip the UAE’s current and future diplomats with the relevant knowledge and multi-disciplinary skills to effectively serve their nation. Prior to this, she was Director of Sustainability at Masdar, Abu Dhabi’s renewable energy company, and Director of Zayed Future Energy Prize, the UAE’s annual global awards for renewable energy and sustainability. Believing that women can play a leading role in responding to global sustainability and climate change challenges, she has been Programme Director of the UAE-led Women in Sustainability, Environment and Renewable Energy (WiSER) initiative since its formation in 2015. Prior to assuming her current roles, Dr Al-Hosany held senior leadership positions with the General Headquarters of the Abu Dhabi Police, including Head of Design and Studies in the Engineering Department. In 2007, she became the first-ever female Deputy Director in the Abu Dhabi Police.

CEO of Al Zarooni Emirates Investments and Al Bidayer Holding. Dr. Adil Alzarooni is an Emirati leader of entrepreneurial teams and educator, committed to lifelong learning. With over two decades of experience in executive management, investments, sales, logistics, IT security and economic zone development, he has served in various leadership positions within UAE government entities as well as family-owned businesses. He has bolstered his portfolio with directorship positions in diverse sectors including healthcare, education, financial services, logistics, media, technology, food and beverage, fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) and real estate. Currently, he operates two family offices and a venture studio. Dr. Adil holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the Etisalat College of Engineering, a master’s in business administration from American University of Sharjah and a PhD in family businesses and business systems from the British University in Dubai. He is a passionate educator and an inspiring public speaker in the fields of economic zone development and sustainability of family businesses. He is the co-author of Economic Zones: The Essentials and the author of Sustaining Family Businesses: The Essentials and The Red Island: The Gatekeeper.

COO of Liquid.AI. Felix Naser is an experienced leader in the fields of technology and automotive software, currently serving as COO at Liquid AI. He has led international teams in academia, startups, and corporations, co-creating intelligent software and mobility solutions. Felix is the co-founder of Venti Technologies, an autonomous vehicle startup. He has also worked as a Global Software Project Lead at BMW Group. In addition to his role at Liquid AI, Felix has been an Angel Investor at Games of Tomorrow GmbH, a Product & Leadership Team member at Pallon, and Founder & Managing Director at SEN GmbH. Forbes 30 Under 30 lister, He holds a master’s degree in electrical engineering and computer science from MIT.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Georgia to the Republic of Türkiye, with accreditation to the Republic of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, the Islamic Republic of Mauritania and the Republic of Sudan. Former Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Sultanate of Oman, the Republic of Yemen, the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Arabic Republic of Egypt. He was also accredited to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and to the Syrian Arab Republic, as well as Representative of Georgia to the Organization of Islamic Corporation (OIC) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Prior to that, he was Head of State Protocol to the President of Georgia and State Advisor on Foreign Relations to the State Council of Georgia. He is a member of the International Oriental Numismatic Society (ONS) and The British Society for Middle Eastern Studies. Fluent in English, Russian, Turkish, and Persian, he has authored two books and over 30 publications. He holds a Diploma with Honors in Economic and Social Geography from Tbilisi State University and studied at Cairo University.

Minister Plenipotentiary Head of the Media and Communication Center at the Foreign Ministry of Oman. Mr. Al Balushi previously held several positions at the Ministry of Information, the latest being Media Attaché at the Embassy of the Sultanate of Oman in the United States of America. With a Master’s degree in International Communications (Political and Crisis Management) he earned in the United Kingdom, Mr. Al Balushi specializes in crisis and emergency management and reputation management. He also worked at the Public Authority for Electricity and Water and the Ministry of Housing.

COO and Executive Vice President of Raban Al-Safina Group (RAS Group). Mr. Saihood’s strategic leadership has been pivotal in expanding the group into a conglomerate comprising 28 companies across diverse industries, including oil & gas, power production, education, banking and financial services, security services, construction and turn-key solutions, consultancies, IT infrastructure and AI solutions, real estate development, and industrial facilities. Guided by a deep understanding of Iraq’s developmental priorities, Mr. Saihood has steered RAS Group’s operations towards bolstering key sectors such as energy, infrastructure, and technology. Under his stewardship, RAS Group has emerged as a driving force behind Iraq’s industrial advancement, aligning its endeavors with the nation’s vision for economic growth and prosperity. As the COO, he has been guiding the operations of several industrial facilities of the group, including a leading manufacturing factory for power distribution substations and components under the license of Siemens Energy, a state-of-the-art heavy engineering fabrication workshop, and a gas turbine capital parts repair-shop in partnership with EthosEnergy.

Senior Vice President of Raban Al-Safina (Group), a pioneering private sector entity driving energy transition in Iraq. In this capacity, Mr. Saihood has played a pivotal role to continuously spearhead strategic projects that not only bolster the nation’s economy but also contribute to its overall development. Through substantial investments with added-value propositions to clients, he has propelled the group to the forefront of Iraq’s energy revolution. In the sphere of energy generation, Mr. Saihood has overseen two of the country’s most significant infrastructure projects; the Maisan Combined Cycle Power Plant, and the Amara Combined Cycle Power Plant. His leadership in the oil and gas sector has included groundbreaking initiatives such as the execution of two complex projects in the gas sector: the Buzurgan Pipeline Project and the Bin Umar Development Project. These strategic endeavors not only reduce Iraq’s dependency on neighboring countries for the supply of gas fuel, but also yields sustainable and positive environmental outcomes.

Diplomatic Advisor to the French President Special Envoy for IMEC. Prior to her diplomatic career, Ambre Eyoum worked in the energy industry for 10 years at TotalEnergies in Paris, at various positions related to energy diplomacy, strategy and sustainability. She became a senior civil servant after passing by the ENA (Ecole nationale d’administration) in 2022-2023 (promotion Guillaume Apollinaire). During her curriculum she was posted at the Embassy of France in the U.S.A in Washington, where she was acting as energy advisor at the chancery. In November 2023, as a diplomat, she integrated the G7-G20 summits Taskforce at the Ministry of Europe and Foreign affairs in Paris. Her scope covers climate, energy and economic diplomacy. Since early 2024 she has been in charge of coordinating the inception phase of the French IMEEC-project team (India-Middle East-Economic corridor) in support of the French President Special Envoy, Mr. Gérard Mestrallet, before becoming his Special and Diplomatic Advisor. Ambre Eyoum is a graduate from Sciences Po Bordeaux, she holds a Master’s degree in Geo-economics. She was a Young Leader of the World petroleum Council and of the “Global Governance Futures 2030” project led by the German think tank GPPi.

Ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia to the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar since August 2022. Amb. Al Mansour started her diplomatic career at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2004. Previously she held various positions at Embassies of the Republic of Slovenia in Tehran, Prague and Cairo, as well as at the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Slovenia to the EU in Brussels. Between 2019 and 2022 she was Head of Department for Africa and the Middle East at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia, and held an additional (honorary) role as Coordinator for Equal Opportunities at the Ministry.

Associate researcher at Ifri since June 2010. He holds a doctorate in geography from the Institut Français de Géopolitique (Université Paris 8), and is also head of investigations at Africa Intelligence. He teaches the geopolitics of oil and gas in Africa, the comparative African policies of the P5 members and relations between Africa and the Gulf at the Executive Masters programs of HEC and Sciences Po Paris. He also lectures at the Diplomatic Academy of the Netherlands (Clingendael).