The GLOBAL ADVISORY BOARD
Grounded in The Futures Project’s vision, mission and values, the Global Advisory Board consists of experienced stakeholders from a broad array of sectors, regions and backgrounds and encompasses a wide-ranging spectrum of voices, experiences and perspectives. Board members provide expert knowledge and recommendations and act as an independent sounding board.
The Steering Committee
Members of the Steering Committee provide strategic advice and oversight, in-depth input to The Futures Project’s strategic planning, organisational budget, programmatic priorities, and execution of programmes.
Mr Suman Bose, Advisor to Boards and Chief Executives, Singapore and India
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Suman Bose is trying to better the lives of the next 500 million people globally. He is passionate about building frugal innovative solutions in Healthcare, Education, Environment and Livelihood.
As a corporate executive, he has managed highly dispersed teams across 4 continents and over 20 countries. Suman believes in the infinite capacity of humans, with the right attitude as a prerequisite. His core competency is to groom and mentor grass-root leaders, create new breakthrough opportunities and drive outstanding business growth.
Prof. Karen Hussey, Deputy Director General, Department for Environment and Science, Government of Queensland, Australia
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Professor Karen Hussey is Director of the Centre for Policy Futures at The University of Queensland. Trained as a political scientist and economist, Karen undertakes research in the field of public policy and governance, with a particular interest in public policy relating to sustainable development. Her recent research has focused on climate change policy, international trade policy, and the policy and regulatory implications of new and emerging technologies.
Dr Simone Kimpeler, Head of the Competence Center Foresight, Fraunhofer ISI, Germany
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Dr Simone Kimpeler, Head of Competence Center Foresight at Fraunhofer ISI, has a background in Communication Studies, Sociology and Economic Policy and has been working in Innovation Research and Futures Studies at Fraunhofer ISI for more than 15 years. Her research and consulting activities cover the analysis of socio-technological change, horizon scanning as well as scenario processes and roadmapping for firms, industry associations, governments and NGOs. Her specific fields of interest are new approaches for participatory Foresight and innovation impacts of the Creative Industries.
Ms Huguette Umutoni Bitega, Founder, Bitega & Omisore Associates, Switzerland
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Huguette Umutoni Bitega serves as Managing Director at Bitega & Omisore Associates, a communication strategist firm focusing on changing the way the world sees Africa and how Africans see themselves. She is a multilingual development professional and high-level government engagement specialist with diplomatic skills a decade of experience managing national and corporate leaders within global institutions including the World Economic Forum (WEF), Gavi, the Alliance and the United Nations. Huguette engages African Presidents, Ministers and business leaders to advise them on programming, projects and activities to position their nations and brands to achieve their global growth and development goals. She is a passionate women’s health advocate.
Members of the Advisory Board
Riefqah Jappie, ITC Representative to the UN
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Riefqah Jappie has nearly two decades of experience in international trade, economic development and public sector management in Africa, Europe and the United States. Formally trained as a development economist, her interests lie in trade and entrepreneurship for sustainable development. Riefqah currently serves as Representative to the United Nations in New York for the Geneva-based International Trade Centre (ITC) – the joint development agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization. Prior to her current role, she headed ITC’s planning and performance team.
Riefqah holds degrees in Economics and Arts from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, and an Executive Master of Public Administration from the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin, Germany. In addition to her home languages of English and Afrikaans, she is fluent in Spanish and French.
Riefqah holds degrees in Economics and Arts from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, and an Executive Master of Public Administration from the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin, Germany. In addition to her home languages of English and Afrikaans, she is fluent in Spanish and French.
Dr Lyn Jeffery, Distinguished Fellow, Institute for the Future, Palo Alto, US
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Lyn Jeffery is a cultural anthropologist who collects stories of change from around the world and tracks the new social practices that make you shake your head in wonder or concern about where we’re heading. Her core interest is in exploring how people make sense of the rapidly shifting world around them, whether it’s a “leftbehind” child in a Sichuan village, an executive in a large multinational organization, or an amateur musician experimenting with new VR instruments. She has enduring interests in mobility, social media, communication and collaboration, and over thirty years of experience doing research in China. Specific methodological interests include group processes for insight generation and immersive learning. An IFTF Distinguished Fellow, Lyn leads IFTF’s Foresight Essentials program, delivering professional foresight training to public and private sector practitioners around the world. Lyn holds a BA in Chinese Studies and a Ph.D. in anthropology from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
Mr Herbert Mangesius, Founding Partner, Vsquared Ventures; Co-Founder 1e9, Germany
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Herbert Mangesius is founding member of Vito Ventures – Germany’s first and only early-stage deep tech VC. He has been researcher as leading European Institutes in Paris, Louvain, and Munich at the intersection of engineering science, physics and cybernetics. Lately, he founded the 1E9 Denkfabrik together with the former WIRED Germany team to bring back high quality, innovative tech journalism to the German-speaking geographies.
Msgr. Prof. Obiora Ike, Executive Director of Globethics.net, Switzerland
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Obiora Francis Ike Obiora was born in Gusau, Nigeria, and studied in Austria, Germany, UK and France. He is fluent in 7 languages and was appointed papal Chamberlain by Pope John Paul II in the Vatican in 1999.
Obiora is Executive Director GLOBETHICS.net Geneva, Professor of Ethics and Intercultural Studies at Godfrey Okoye University Enugu Nigeria and Prelate of the Catholic Church. He presides the Club of Rome Nigeria chapter and has co-founded one of the largest financial institutions to access credit to poor people in Nigeria. In addition, he is a human rights activist engaged in culturally rooted sustainable development and African self-determination.
Obiora is Executive Director GLOBETHICS.net Geneva, Professor of Ethics and Intercultural Studies at Godfrey Okoye University Enugu Nigeria and Prelate of the Catholic Church. He presides the Club of Rome Nigeria chapter and has co-founded one of the largest financial institutions to access credit to poor people in Nigeria. In addition, he is a human rights activist engaged in culturally rooted sustainable development and African self-determination.
Nivi Sharma, COO, BRCK, Kenya
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Nivi Sharma is the COO of BRCK, a Kenyan tech company on a mission to connect Africa to the internet by overcoming the hurdles to infrastructure access, affordability and literacy. Nivi is also the cofounder of eLimu, the first company to digitize the Kenyan curriculum for revision and literacy. In her spare time, Nivi and her husband build playgrounds for public spaces and cook together.
Dr Leena Srivastava, Deputy Director General (Science), IIASA, Austria
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Dr Leena Srivastava is the incoming Deputy Director General – Science of the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Vienna, Austria. She was the Vice Chancellor of the TERI School of Advanced Studies in Delhi, India, since 2012 and has over three decades of research experience in the areas of energy, environment and climate change policies.
She is a member of various committees and boards both at the international and national levels. Among others, she serves as the Co-Chair of the Science Advisory Group for the UNSG’s Global Climate Action Summit and a Co-Chair on the Science Advisory Committee of Future Earth.
She is a member of various committees and boards both at the international and national levels. Among others, she serves as the Co-Chair of the Science Advisory Group for the UNSG’s Global Climate Action Summit and a Co-Chair on the Science Advisory Committee of Future Earth.
Dr Colin Tukuitonga, Associate Dean (Pacific), University of Auckland, New Zealand
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Dr Colin Tukuitonga is the Community Director-General of the Pacific Community (SPC), and formerly the director of the SPC’s Public Health Division. He has held various roles related to public health and the Pacific region, including as Chief Executive Officer of the New Zealand Government’s Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs, Associate Professor of Public Health and Head of Pacific and International Health at the University of Auckland. Colin is also a member of various initiatives related to Pacific arts and culture.
Dr Lieve van Woensel, Head, Scientific Foresight Service, European Parliament, Belgium
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Dr Lieve van Woensel is a foresight expert and and heads the Scientific Foresight service at the European Parliament, monitoring techno-scientific trends, developing science-policy analyses of future developments in science and technology and analysing how parliaments can anticipate the impact of scientific developments and emerging technologies on citizens’ lives. Her wide-ranging areas of interest embrace today’s main societal challenges. Lieve investigates foresight methodologies for policy purposes, is a member of various professional foresight associations and wrote a book on foresight, bias, and future-proof policy-making (appearing soon).
