Karin Keller-Sutter assumed the role of Head of the Federal Department of Finance in Switzerland in 2023. Her political career began in 1992, and she joined the cantonal government of St. Gallen in 2000, where she led the Justice and Security Department. In 2011, Ms Keller-Sutter was elected to the Council of States, and she held the presidency of the Council in 2017/2018, before she was elected to the Federal Council in 2018. Prior to her current position, she served as the Head of the Federal Department of Justice and Police from 2019 to 2022. Prior to her election to the Federal Council, Ms Keller-Sutter was involved in various board memberships, including positions at Bâloise Insurance Group, the Swiss Employers Association, and the NZZ Media Group. She also served as a member of the board of trustees at the St. Gallen Foundation for International Studies until 2018.

Egils Levits served as the President of Latvia from 2019 to 2023. From 1989 to 1991, President Levits participated in the restoration of Latvia. Later in the 1990s, he represented the Republic of Latvia as an Ambassador to Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Hungary. He also held positions as the Minister for Foreign Affairs and served as a Conciliator at the Court of Conciliation and Arbitration within the OSCE. Between 1995 and 2004, President Levits served as a judge at the European Court of Human Rights, followed by a tenure as a judge at the European Court of Justice from 2004 to 2019. He is a graduate in law and political science from the University of Hamburg and has co-authored significant draft laws, including the Law on the Constitutional Court of Latvia and the Law on the Structure of the Cabinet of Ministers.

Yulia Navalnaya was born in Moscow on July 24, 1976. She graduated from the Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, Faculty of International Economic Relations. Along with her husband, Alexei Navalny, she was actively involved in the fight for democratic changes in Russia. After Alexei Navalny's death, she announced that she will continue his work.

Daniel Risch has served as the Prime Minister of the Principality of Liechtenstein since March 2021. From 2007 to 2014, he worked at the Swiss e-business consulting firm Unic in Zurich, where he was a member of the management team responsible for consulting, marketing, sales, account management, and the development of digitalisation solutions. In 2015, Prime Minister Risch returned to Liechtenstein and joined the management team of Liechtensteinische Post AG, where he was responsible for stabilising and processing the foreign e-procurement business. In March 2017, he was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and led the Ministry of Infrastructure, Economy, and Sport until his appointment as Prime Minister. He holds a degree in Business Administration from the University of St.Gallen, Zurich, and Munich and obtained his doctorate in Information Systems from the University of Fribourg. From 2006 to 2007, Prime Minister Risch was a visiting scholar at the University of Melbourne.

Carsten Spohr has served as the CEO of Deutsche Lufthansa AG since 2014, the second-largest airline in Europe in terms of passengers carried and one of the five founding members of Star Alliance, the world’s largest airline alliance. Mr Spohr leads the Lufthansa Group with around 108,000 employees worldwide. Before assuming his current position as CEO, he held the role of a member of the Executive Board of Deutsche Lufthansa AG and Chairman of the Lufthansa Passage Executive Board starting in 2011. Mr Spohr holds a degree in industrial engineering from the University of Karlsruhe, Germany, and is a licensed Lufthansa Captain for the Airbus A320 family air-craft types.

Roshni Nadar Malhotra is the Chairperson of HCLTech, a leading global technology organisation with a market capitalisation of over $50 billion, and the Chairperson of its CSR Board Committee. Additionally, Ms Nadar Malhotra is a Trustee of the Shiv Nadar Foundation, investing in nation building institutions and driving transformational leadership, the Chairperson of VidyaGyan, nurturing future leaders from rural India, and the Founder of The Habitats Trust, working towards protecting India’s natural habitats and indigenous species. Ms Nadar Malhotra is also a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council at the MIT School of Engineering, USA, and a member of the Kellogg School of Management Executive Board for Asia. For the seventh consecutive year, in 2023, Ms Nadar Malhotra was featured in Forbes’ ‘The World's 100 Most Powerful Women’ list, and she was honoured with the ‘Most Powerful Women in Business 2023’ by Business Today. She holds an undergraduate degree in Communications from Northwestern University and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management. Ms Nadar Malhotra serves as one of three Conference Chairpersons of the St. Gallen Symposium.

See Leng Tan has served as Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Trade and Industry of Singapore since 2021. Previously, he held the positions of Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Second Minister for Trade and Industry, and Second Minister for Manpower from 2020. A veteran medical practitioner, Minister Tan was Group CEO and Managing Director at IHH Healthcare Berhad from 2014 to 2019, one of the globally largest listed integrated healthcare providers. He concurrently held the roles of CEO and Managing Director of Parkway Pantai from 2011 to 2019. In the early 1990s, Minister Tan founded Healthway Medical Group in Singapore and was its CEO from 1992 to 2003. Moreover, he served on the boards of several medical committees and on the Advisory board of the Lee Kong Chian School of Business at the Singapore Management University. Minister Tan attained a Master of Medicine from the National University of Singapore and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago.

Péter Szijjártó has served as the Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade since September 2014, following his initial appointment as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade in June 2014. As a dedicated member of the national-conservative party Fidesz, Minister Szijjártó also served as a member of the Hungarian National Assembly for five sessions, spanning from 2002 to 2022. Before assuming his ministerial roles, Minister Szijjártó held significant positions within both the Hungarian government and Fidesz. Notably, from 2012 to 2014, he served as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and External Economic Relations at the Prime Minister’s Office. Additionally, he was the Prime Minister’s Spokesperson from 2010 to 2012 and Fidesz Communications Director from 2006 to 2010. Péter Szijjártó holds a degree in Foreign Affairs from Corvinus University of Budapest.

Prof. Wolfgang Schürer, the Founder of the St. Gallen Symposium, established the Symposium as a student in 1969. Since its 50th anniversary, the Monika & Wolfgang Schürer Award has been presented annually, in recognition to Mrs and Prof. Schürer’s unparalleled commitment to intergenerational dialogue. From 2000-2015, Prof. Schürer served as Chairman of the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings Foundation, where he was subsequently appointed Honorary Chairman. In 2015, Prof. Schürer was honoured with the Great Cross of Merit with Star of the Federal Republic of Germany for his outstanding philanthropic engagement. For two decades, Prof. Schürer was a member and special envoy of the Hague Academy of International Law and since 2018, he has chaired the Foundation for Peace Dialogue of World Religions and Civil Society, which he co-founded with his wife. Furthermore, Prof. Schürer was from 1992-2010 a Member of the Board of Visitors of the School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University, where he also served as a professor for Practice of International Business Diplomacy. Following his appointment as a lecturer in 1985 at the University of St.Gallen, he was awarded with an honorary doctorate in 1999 and appointed as a professor for Public Affairs in 2005. From 2018-2019, Prof. Schürer oversaw the Public Campaign for the newly constructed university building SQUARE.

Lisa Yasko is a member of the Ukrainian Parliament (Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine) and the Ukrainian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), where she served as the Head of the Ukrainian delegation from 2019 to 2021. In addition to her governmental roles, Ms Yasko is the founder of Yellow Blue Strategy, an NGO that supports Ukraine's recovery and promotes the development of Ukraine's cultural diplomacy, creative economy, creative education, and public policy. Ms Yasko holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Political Science from the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, as well as a Master of Public Policy from the University of Oxford.

Matthias Rebellius has served as a Member of the Managing Board of Siemens AG and CEO of Smart Infrastructure at Siemens since 2020. In his position as CEO, he plays a crucial role in steering Siemens’ operations and holds responsibilities in their Supply Chain Management. Prior to his current role, Mr Rebellius held various leadership roles such as CEO of Siemens Switzerland and CEO of Siemens Building Technologies Division. In addition to his current position, he serves as a member of the supervisory boards of Siemens Energy AG and Siemens Energy Management GmbH. Mr Rebellius holds a diploma in Electronics and Communications Engineering from the University of Applied Sciences Trier, Germany.

Felipe Paullier assumed his mandate as Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs in December 2023. He leads systemwide collaboration, coordination, and accountability on youth affairs, overseeing the UN’s efforts to strengthen meaningful youth engagement in the areas of sustainable development, human rights, and peace and security. Prior to taking up his post, Mr Paullier was the Director General of the National Youth Institute of Uruguay beginning in 2020, where he led efforts to engage young people in policy-making processes at the national level. Mr Paullier is a Medical Doctor by training, holding a Medical Doctor degree from the Universidad de la Republica Oriental de Uruguay and an MBA from Universidad Católica de Uruguay.

Ali Aslan is an internationally renowned TV presenter and journalist with over 20 years of experience as a talk show host, news anchor, correspondent, and moderator. His journalistic career spans three continents and includes work for CNN in Washington DC, ABC News in New York, Channel News Asia in Istanbul, and Deutsche Welle TV in Berlin. Mr Aslan regularly moderates at high-level global conferences and has shared the stage with top world leaders, including Angela Merkel, Emmanuel Macron, Justin Trudeau, Christine Lagarde, and Bill Clinton.

Katherine Maher has served as President and CEO of National Public Radio since 2024. She also worked for seven years as CEO of the Wikimedia Foundation, leading Wikipedia to its highest brand trust since its founding, navigating the misinformation crisis and global trust decline in media. Before Wikimedia, Ms Maher worked on rights, democracy, and innovation at Access Now, the World Bank, the National Democratic Institute, and UNICEF. Alongside numerous other engagements, Ms Maher is the Chair of the Board of Signal Foundation, responsible for the secure, private Signal Messenger app, and from 2022 to 2024 served as an advisor to the U.S. Secretary of State's Foreign Affairs Policy Board regarding issues of technology, governance, and human rights. In 2023, she was briefly the CEO of Web Summit and served on its Board of Directors. Ms Maher holds a degree in Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies from New York University.

Christian Kohlpaintner has served as the CEO and Chairman of the Management Board at Brenntag since 2020. Brenntag is the largest global chemical distribution company with more than 600 sites in 72 nations and is listed in the German DAX-40 index. Mr Kohlpaintner’s extensive experience in the chemical sector includes his tenure as CEO and Chairman of the Board at Chemical Specialist Budenheim from 2005 to 2009. He also served as a member of the Executive Committee at Clariant from 2009 to 2019. In addition to his current role, Mr Kohlpaintner holds positions as a member of the Supervisory Board at Evonik, a member of the Board of Directors at the European Petrochemical Association (EPCA), and a member of the Board at the German Chemical Industries Associations (VCI). He holds a Ph.D. in chemistry from the Technical University of Munich.

Clara C. Streit has held the position of Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board at Vonovia since 2013, a multinational real estate company and a member of the German DAX 40. In addition to her role at Vonovia, she assumed the Chair for the Government Commission on the German Corporate Governance Code (GCGC) in 2023. Ms Streit also serves as a member of the boards of Deutsche Börse and Vontobel. Prior to her current positions, she dedicated over two decades of her professional career to McKinsey & Company. Ms Streit earned her Master's degree in business from the University of St.Gallen and was a member of the 21st International Student’s Committee organising the St. Gallen Symposium in 1991.

Zoran Bogdanovic has served as CEO of Coca-Cola HBC since 2017, one of the largest strategic partners of The Coca-Cola Company. Listed on the London Stock Exchange and a member of FTSE100 Index, Coca-Cola HBC operates across 29 markets in Europe and Africa. Mr Bogdanovic holds 20 years of experience in executive leadership positions. Prior to being appointed to CEO, his positions have included Regional Director for 12 countries and General Manager in Greece, Switzerland, and Croatia. Mr Bogdanovic is also a member of CCHBC’s Board of Directors, the Swiss American Chamber of Commerce, and the World Economic Forum Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders. Mr Bogdanovic holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Zagreb and completed the Advanced Management Programme at Harvard Business School.

Bernard Mensah serves as President of International at Bank of America and is a member of its Executive Management Team. He is also CEO of Merrill Lynch International, the bank’s largest international subsidiary. Based in London, he is responsible for the development and execution of Bank of America’s global strategy across various banking sectors and ensuring efficient service delivery to corporate and institutional clients worldwide. Prior to his current position, he led the bank’s global fixed-income, currencies, and commodities trading business. Mr. Mensah joined Bank of America in 2010 from Goldman Sachs in London, where he was a Partner and served as global head of Bank Loan and Distressed Trading. Before assuming this role, he led Goldman’s Asia Credit and Convertibles business, with bases in Hong Kong and Tokyo. Additionally, Mr Mensah is actively involved in philanthropy, co-chairing the Africa Advisory Board of Prince’s Trust International and serving on the board of the Kofi Annan Foundation.

Gerard Barron has served as CEO and Chairman of The Metals Company (formerly DeepGreen Metals) since 2017. The company specialises in the collection of polymetallic nodules from the seafloor, which house metals crucial for batteries and the global energy transition. Furthermore, The Metals Company is dedicated to establishing a circular resource economy, minimising the need for mining virgin ores by implementing the recovery and reuse of the same metal atoms for extended periods. Mr Barron is a seasoned entrepreneur having established global companies in battery technology, media, and future-oriented resource development, both as a chief executive and strategic investor. Mr Barron holds a Business degree from the University of Southern Queensland.

Nikolina Brnjac has been serving as Minister at the Croatian Ministry of Tourism and Sport since 2020. During the Republic of Croatia's presidency of the EU Council in 2020, Ms Brnjac held the position of State Secretary in Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs as well as ministre délégué. Previously, from 2017 to 2019, she served as the State Secretary for Transport in the Ministry of the Sea, Transport, and Infrastructure. Between 2002 and 2016, Ms Brnjac was the head of the Intermodal Transport Department at the Faculty of Transport Sciences. Ms Brnjac earned a Ph.D. from the Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences at the University of Zagreb.

Lieutenant General (Retired) Ben Hodges, the former Commanding General of US Army Europe (2014-2017) and Commander of NATO Allied Land Command in İzmir, Turkey (2012-2014), currently serves as NATO Senior Mentor for Logistics and is a Distinguished Fellow with GLOBSEC. He also serves pro bono on several civic advocacy Boards, including Renew Democracy Initiative, Atlantik Bruecke, Arthur Burns Fellowship, Razom, Spirit of America, and Warsaw Security Forum. Additionally, he consults for several companies on Europe, NATO, and the European Union, and he is co-author of the book, Future War and the Defence of Europe. Before his current roles, he was Senior Advisor to Human Rights First, a non-profit, nonpartisan international human rights organization based in the United States. Prior to that, he held the Pershing Chair in Strategic Studies at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA). During his career with the US Army, he commanded Infantry units at the Company, Battalion, and Brigade levels in the 101st Airborne Division, including the First Brigade Combat Team “Bastogne” in Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003-2004). His other operational assignments include Chief of Operations for Multi-National Corps-Iraq in Operation Iraqi Freedom (2005-2006) and Director of Operations, Regional Command South in Kandahar, Afghanistan (2009-2010). He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from the United States Military Academy West Point, whereafter he was commissioned as an Infantry Officer in the US Army in May 1980, and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Columbus State University. He retired from the U.S. Army in January 2018 and currently resides with his wife in Frankfurt, Germany.

Judith Wittwer has been the Co-Editor of the Süddeutsche Zeitung since 2020, alongside Wolfgang Krach. Before assuming her current position, she held the role of Editor-in-Chief at the Tages-Anzeiger in Zurich from 2016 to 2020. Before joining the Tages-Anzeiger in 2014, Judith Wittwer worked as a business editor for the Axel Springer Handelszeitung in Zurich from 2011 to 2014. She began her journalistic career as a radio reporter for a St. Gallen local radio station of the NZZ Group. Judith Wittwer holds a Master’s degree in International Relations from the University of St.Gallen and completed her diploma at the Swiss journalism school MAZ in Lucerne.

Peter Voser has held the position of Chairman of the Board of Directors at ABB since 2015. Prior to his role at ABB, he served as the CEO of Royal Dutch Shell from 2009 to 2013 and held the position of CFO from 2004 to 2009. Mr Voser is a member of the Board of Directors at IBM Corporation and Temasek Holding, as well as the Group Chairman of the Board of Directors at its subsidiary, PSA International. From 2005 to 2010, he served as a member of the Board of Directors at UBS AG, and from 2011 to 2019, he was a member of the Board of Directors at Roche Holding. Since 2013, Mr Voser has assumed the role of Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the St. Gallen Symposium.

Hans Christoph Atzpodien has been a board member of the Federation of German Security and Defence Industries (BDSV – Bundesverband der Deutschen Sicherheits- und Verteidigungsindustrie) since its establishment in 2009 and has served as its CEO since 2017. BDSV is dedicated to representing the interests of the German Security and Defence Industry both nationally and internationally, with the goal of enhancing their visibility. Before assuming his current role, Mr Atzpodien held several leading positions at ThyssenKrupp. This included serving as a board member of the business area Industrial Solutions and as Chairman of their Marine Systems division until 2016. Mr Atzpodien earned a Ph.D. in Law from the University of Bonn, Germany.

Qiyun Woo is a Singaporean environmentalist, sustainability consultant, content creator, and illustrator who communicates climate science through compelling visuals. Ms Woo is best known for her work with The Weird and Wild, an Instagram page dedicated to producing accessible environmental content to advocate, educate, and engage communities on climate change. Her work has been featured in publications, exhibitions, and in collaborations with global brands like Mercedes-Benz, Decathlon, and WWF. Ms Woo holds a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from the National University of Singapore.

Kai Diekmann, the Founder of Storymachine, served as Editor-in-Chief at Germany’s largest circulated newspaper, BILD, for 15 years, with a daily circulation of over one million copies. In 2017, following his departure from Springer-Verlag, he co-founded Storymachine, a public relations agency in Berlin, and established Der Zukunftsfonds, a digital asset management company. From 2010 to 2022, Mr Diekmann held the position of Non-Executive Director at Times Newspaper Holdings Limited.

Heike Freund has served as COO at Marvel Fusion since 2020, spearheading the company's development and expansion efforts, streamlining processes, and fostering partnerships with top-tier industry leaders. Prior to her current role, Ms Freund was a Partner at McKinsey & Company and a member of their Operations Leadership Team, focusing her expertise on projects within the automotive, machinery, and high-tech industries. Ms Freund holds an MBA from INSEAD and a Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany.

Fridtjof Detzner is a Co-Founder and General Partner of Planet A Ventures, an impact investment firm dedicated to providing early-stage financing and mentoring to highly scalable green technology startups while tracking and projecting their positive environmental impact. He is also a Co-Founder and current board member at Jimdo, a platform that has empowered over 25 million individuals to create their own websites. Additionally, since 2022, he has been a member of the Sustainable Finance Committee of the German government. In 2017, Fridtjof produced a ten-part TV documentary in collaboration with "Deutsche Welle", documenting the world's progress toward achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Witnessing the harsh reality of the climate crisis and human-caused environmental degradation inspired him to channel his time and energy into sustainability efforts.

Gerald Butts is the Vice Chairman and a Senior Advisor of the Eurasia Group. Prior to his current position, he served as Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of Canada, the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, from 2015 to 2019, where he was responsible for providing executive direction on the Canadian government's agenda. From 1999 to 2008, Mr Butts served as Policy Secretary and Principal Secretary to the Premier of Ontario and from 2008 to 2012 as CEO of WWF Canada, where he was responsible for global projects to decarbonise the supply chains of multinational companies. He now serves on the global board of directors for the World Wildlife Fund. He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from McGill University.

Laura Jorde has served as Managing Director of Vocational Education and Training at the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) since 2023. Previously, she held the position of Managing Director at Wirtschaftsjunioren Deutschland, Germany's largest business network for young entrepreneurs and founders under 40, which is part of the worldwide network of Junior Chamber International (JCI). Advocating for increased diversity and bold decisions to modernise associations, Ms Jorde serves as a mediator between generations and was named to the Business Insider Top 25 Zukunftsmacherinnen list in 2023. Ms Jorde holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy from the London School of Economics.

James Appathurai was appointed to Deputy Assistant Secretary General (DASG) for Innovation, Hybrid and Cyber at NATO in September 2021. As DASG, he works on policy development and implementation in the fields of emerging and disruptive technologies, cyber security, energy security, the security implications of climate change, the protection of critical infrastructure, and hybrid defence. Mr Appathurai previously served as DASG for Political Affairs and Security Policy, as well as Special Representative to Central Asia and the Caucasus. He was NATO’s Spokesperson from 2004 to 2010 and, previously, served as Deputy Head and Senior Planning Officer in the Policy Planning and Speechwriting Section of NATO’s Political Affairs Division from 1998 to 2004. From 1994 to 1998, Mr Appathurai served in the Canadian Defence Department.

Caspar Coppetti co-founded the company On in 2010, which quickly developed into a global sports brand with over 2,500 employees. Since 2021, he has held the role of On’s Executive Co-Chairman, having previously served as Chairman and Global Sales Director since 2010. Prior to joining On, Mr Coppetti served as Managing Partner and Chief Strategy Officer for the brand agency Young & Rubicam from 2004 to 2010. He also worked at McKinsey & Company as a Management Consultant from 2001 to 2003. Since 2018, Mr Coppetti has served on the board of InnHub La Punt AG. Mr Coppetti holds a Dr. Oec. Diploma from the University of St.Gallen.

Jonas Kjellberg has served as the Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board at Nornorm since 2020, a company embracing circularity by offering workplace furniture solutions through a subscription model for businesses. In parallel, Mr Kjellberg runs Gear Up Ventures, a company dedicated to implementing the innovation and entrepreneurship model outlined in his book, “Gear Up”. His professional career includes being one of the Co-Creators of Skype, where he served as Managing Director from 2004 to 2007. His journey also encompasses roles such as CEO and Founder of Campuz Mobile, which was acquired by Vodafone, Vice President of Bertelsmann for Lycos Europe, CEO and Partner of Wyatt Media Group, Founder of Player.io (acquired by Yahoo), and Chairman of the board of iCloud (acquired by Apple).

Stefan Schaible has been Managing Director at Roland Berger and CEO for Germany and Central Europe since 2014, and as Global Managing Partner, he leads the company alongside other board members. His consulting expertise focusses on digitalisation and large-scale corporate transformations, drawing on his extensive experience in the public sector, the financial services industry, as well as infrastructure-intensive business sectors. Mr Schaible’s journey with Roland Berger began in 1997, and he became a partner in 2001. From 2004, he took charge of the firm's public sector advisory activities and led the International Civil Economics & Infrastructure division. Mr Schaible studied Chemistry, Philosophy, and Law at the University of Konstanz.

Claudia Suessmuth Dyckerhoff has been with McKinsey for 21 years. Serving as Senior Partner, she led the Asia-wide Health Systems and Services Sector, providing advisory services to healthcare companies and governments. Transitioning to board work in 2016, she assumed the position of Senior Advisor at McKinsey. Ms Suessmuth Dyckerhoff currently serves on the boards of Hoffmann-La Roche, Clariant, Ramsay Health Care, QuEST Global, and Prudential plc. She studied Business Administration at the University of St. Gallen and ESADE, earning an MBA. Furthermore, she holds a PhD in Business Administration from the University of St.Gallen / University of Michigan Ann Arbor. Ms Suessmuth Dyckerhoff is a member of the Board of Trustees of the St. Gallen Foundation for International Studies and the University of St.Gallen Foundation.

Romeo Lacher assumed the position of Chairman of the Board of Directors at Julius Baer in April 2019. In addition to this role, he serves as the Vice Chairman of the Bank Council at the Swiss National Bank. From 2016 to 2020, Mr Lacher held the position of Chairman of the Board of Directors at SIX Group AG, where he had previously served as Vice Chairman from 2008 to 2016. Prior to his tenure at SIX Group, he dedicated 26 years to Credit Suisse, where he held various management positions. His final role at Credit Suisse was COO International Wealth Management, and he was a member of the IWM Management Committee. Mr Lacher holds a degree in business administration from the University of St.Gallen and earned a Ph.D. in Economics from the same institution. He also completed an Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.

Julian Kölbel has been an Assistant Professor of Sustainable Finance at the University of St.Gallen since 2022. His research focuses on the causes of disagreements regarding ESG ratings and analyses their impact on financial markets and the economy. Prof Kölbel is also a research affiliate at MIT Sloan, where he co-founded the Aggregate Confusion Project. In addition to his academic work, he has served on the investment committee of the Swiss pension fund Abendrot since 2019. Prof Kölbel holds a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from ETH Zurich, a Master’s degree in Water Science, Policy, and Management from the University of Oxford, and a PhD in Business and Finance from ETH Zurich.

Martin Reeves is Chairman of the BCG Henderson Institute, BCG’s think tank dedicated to exploring and developing valuable new insights from business, technology, economics, and science by embracing the powerful technology of ideas. He is also a member of the BCG Henderson Institute’s Innovation Sounding Board, which is dedicated to supporting, inspiring, and guiding upstream innovation at BCG. Mr Reeves is a regular contributor to HBR, MIT SMR, Fortune and other management journals on business strategy and management. A regular public speaker and a repeat TED@BCG presenter, he is co-author of “The Imagination Machine”, an executive’s guide to systematically harnessing imagination for corporate reinvention and rejuvenation. Mr Reeves holds a Master’s degree in Natural Sciences from the University of Cambridge and an MBA from the Cranfield School of Management.

Gloria Guevara Manzo joined the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Tourism as Chief Special Advisor to the Minister in May 2021. Her role involves supporting the Kingdom’s ongoing transformation as outlined in its 2030 vision, fostering sustainable tourism locally and globally. Prior to this, Her Excellency Guevara Manzo served as President and CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) from 2017 to 2021, representing the global travel and tourism private sector, a sector responsible for 300 million jobs worldwide. Her leadership guided WTTC through its most challenging period – the Covid-19 pandemic. Between 2010 and 2012, Her Excellency held the position of Minister of Tourism in Mexico, steering the creation of Mexico’s “National Agreement for Tourism” in 2011. She previously held board positions with companies such as HSBC Mexico and Playa Hotels & Resorts. Furthermore, she served as Special Advisor on Government Affairs to Harvard University’s School of Public Health and contributed to the Future of Travel & Tourism Global Agenda Council of the World Economic Forum. Her Excellency earned a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Anahuac University and completed her MBA at Kellogg School of Business, Northwestern University.

Kilian Kaminski is the Co-Founder of refurbed, a Viennese startup dedicated to improving the circularity of the consumer electronics industry by renewing and reselling products such as phones, laptops, tablets. Since 2023, he has also served on the Board of Directors at EUREFAS, an organisation focused to develop and promote the refurbishment industry in Europe. Prior to his current role, Mr Kaminski held positions as the Head of the Amazon Certified Refurbished Program as well as Key Account Manager at Amazon Germany. Additionally, he spent three years, until 2022, as part of a circular economy consortium of experts within the European Union, contributing to the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform (ECESP). Recognised for his achievements, Mr Kaminski was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe list in 2019 and received the Capital Top 40 Under 40 distinction in both 2020 and 2021.

Prof. Małgorzata Bonikowska has been the Co-Founder and President of THINKTANK since 2009, a platform which serves to foster collaboration between business and public administration leaders, facilitate knowledge exchange, and conduct research on topics ranging from management to public policy. In addition to her role at THINKTANK, Prof. Bonikowska has served as the President of the Centre for International Relations Foundation (CIR) since 2013. CIR is a non-governmental think tank dedicated to addressing issues related to Polish foreign, European, and international policy. Prof. Bonikowska holds a Ph.D. in humanities with a specialisation in international relations and communication within public institutions.

Alexander Geiser has served as the CEO of FGS Global since 2021. FGS Global is one of the world's leading strategic advisory and communication firms, specialising in corporate reputation, crisis management, government affairs, and financial communication. Previously, he was Managing Partner at HERING SCHUPPENER since 2003. During his career, Mr Geiser has advised on more than 100 M&A transactions and leadership changes. In 2014, he was named “Young Global Leader” by the World Economic Forum. Mr Geiser holds a Bachelor’s degree in Politics and Economics from Western University in Canada and completed post-graduate studies at INSEAD and Harvard University.

Matthias Tauber has been leading Boston Consulting Group’s operations across Europe, Middle East, South America, and Africa since 2022, holding the position of Managing Director and Senior Partner since 2012. Prior to his current role, he served as the Head of BCG Germany, Austria, Central and Eastern Europe from 2019 to 2022. Mr Tauber’s client work focuses on large-scale change programs with clients in the building materials, metals and mining, and chemicals industries. He has led digital transformations, M&As, and post-merger integrations, as well as stand-alone transformation programs. Mr Tauber earned his B.A. in Civil Engineering from Vienna University of Technology and holds an MBA from INSEAD Business School.

Timo Löyttyniemi is the CEO of the State Pension Fund in Finland (VER), which manages 23 billion euros in assets. From 2015 to 2019, Mr Löyttyniemi served as Vice Chair of the Single Resolution Board (SRB, EU Agency) in Brussels, overseeing over 70 billion euros in its Resolution Fund. Prior to this role, he held various positions in banks and investment banking. Mr Löyttyniemi also served on various boards of companies, foundations, and investment committees, and he is currently the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Foundation for Economic Education. Additionally, he is a university lecturer, focusing on financial stability. Mr Löyttyniemi holds a PhD in Economics and attended the St. Gallen Symposium in 1986 as a Leader of Tomorrow, having qualified through the Essay Competition.

Stephen Cornish has served as General Director of Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders, MSF) Operational Center in Geneva since 2020. During more than ten years of field experience, Mr Cornish managed several major MSF humanitarian interventions in contexts such as Chechnya, Sierra Leone, Georgia, and Peru. He has successfully negotiated humanitarian access to vulnerable populations in conflict settings across the globe and has played a lead role resolving aid-worker abduction crises and other emergencies. From 2008 to 2012, Mr Cornish sat on the board of directors of MSF Canada, before serving as their Executive Director from 2012 to 2017. He also worked with the Canadian Red Cross as manager of programs for countries in armed conflict, for CARE Canada as a policy and advocacy advisor, and for other international organisations with a focus on humanitarian and environmental issues. Mr Cornish holds a Master’s degree in global risk and crisis management from the Université Panthéon Sorbonne in Paris and a post-graduate diploma in conflict resolution from the University of Bradford.

Torsten Müller-Ötvös held the position of CEO at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars from 2010 to 2023, overseeing its transformation from a conventional automotive manufacturer to an international house of luxury. During his tenure, Rolls-Royce initiated a transition to a fully electric product portfolio, marking its beginnings with the introduction of Spectre in 2023. Before joining Rolls-Royce, Mr Müller-Ötvös spent 13 years at BMW Group, holding roles such as Director of the “MINI” Brand and Senior Vice President of Central Marketing & Brand Management. In his final years at BMW Group, spanning from 2008 to 2010, he was responsible for the marketing and product management of BMW’s entire range of automobiles. Mr Müller-Ötvös earned his diploma in economics from the University of Augsburg, Germany.

Lindiwe Mazibuko is a South African public leader, writer, and academic fellow. She was the first black woman in South African history to be elected Leader of the Opposition in Parliament. Ms Mazibuko is the co-founder and CEO of Futurelect, a non-partisan organisation supporting a new generation of political and public sector leaders in Africa. Ms Mazibuko was an elected representative in South Africa’s National Assembly until May 2014, when she resigned from active politics in order to return to higher education. A graduate of the University of Cape Town and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, she has served as a fellow of the Institute of Politics at Harvard University and of the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study in South Africa. Currently, Ms Mazibuko is a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader as well as a Fisher Family Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center for Science & International Affairs.

Captain Cornelissen has participated in more than 25 Sea Shepherd campaigns, rising through the ranks to become Captain. After six years on the ships, he spent another six years running a successful campaign in the Galapagos Islands as the Director of Operations. In his current role as Chief Executive Officer for Sea Shepherd Global, Captain Cornelissen guides global operations. Leading a highly capable team of professionals that spans five continents, he oversees a wide array of international public-private partnerships, manages country agreements, and is responsible for the movements of all vessels in Sea Shepherd's fleet.

Jason Thielman currently holds the position of Executive Director at the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), where he plays a pivotal role in supporting Republican senators across the nation and retaking the Senate Majority in 2024. He has been an influential presence in the political sphere, serving as the top aide to Senator Steve Daines since Daines’ initial election to Congress in 2012. A proud native of Montana, Jason Thielman embarked on his professional journey as a Marketing Officer with Union Bank and Trust. However, his dedication and leadership skills quickly propelled him into the realm of politics. By 2001, he had assumed the role of Chief of Staff under former Montana Secretary of State Bob Brown. Jason’s work with Senator Steve Daines began in 2012, when he took on the pivotal role of Campaign Chairman during Daines’ bid for the U.S. House. Daines’ victory marked the beginning of a longstanding partnership, as Thielman remained by his side and stepped into the role of Chief of Staff. When Senator Daines embarked on his successful campaign for the U.S. Senate in 2013, Jason continued as Daines’ lead strategist, providing critical guidance in his capacity as Chief of Staff. When Senator Daines was elected by his peers as Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Thielman was tapped as Daines’ executive director. In this role, Jason oversees all operational aspects of the NRSC with the mission of flipping the Senate back to Republican control. Jason resides in Alexandria, VA with his wife, Erin, and their three children, Alexander, Abigail, and Andrew.

Mona Ghazi has been the Co-Founder and CEO of Optimo since 2020, a company dedicated to helping manufacturing companies upskill their factory workers for Industry 4.0 through peer-to-peer training. Persuing her first bachelor’s degree in business at the age of 14, Mona Ghazi continued her educational journey with a second degree in Coding and Software Engineering at 18. At the age of 16, she took her first steps as an entrepreneur by founding her startup DINO Solutions, a time management app. Mona Ghazi is a fellow of the Sigma Squared Society, a recipient of the 2023 German Start-up Award for “newcomer of the year” and has been recognised by the magazine Gründerszene as one of the “20 under 20 most interesting young founders”.

Thibaut Bruttin is Assistant Director General for press freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders, also known internationally as Reporters sans frontières (RSF). A graduate from Sciences Po in public affairs, he began his career within the international development team of the Louvre Museum and he also worked for Echo Studio, a production and distribution company specialising in social commitment cinema.

Prof. Manuel Ammann has served as President of the University of St.Gallen since February 2024. Prior to assuming this role, he served as Dean of the School of Finance of the University of St.Gallen, Director of the Swiss Institute of Banking and Finance, Academic Director of HSG’s master program in banking and finance, and Chairman and member of several governing boards of university institutes. As a Professor of Finance, Prof. Ammann’s research interests include derivative securities, asset management, financial markets, and risk management. Prof. Ammann earned a Master's degree in Computer Science from Simon Fraser University in British Columbia and a PhD in Finance from the University of St.Gallen.

Lord Griffiths of Fforestfach is a member of the House of Lords in the UK Parliament and the former Vice-Chairman of Goldman Sachs International. He was educated and afterward taught at the London School of Economics from 1965 to 1976, became Professor at City University in 1976 and held the position of Dean of the University’s Business School from 1982 to 1985. He served as a Director of the Bank of England from 1983 to 1985, Head of the Prime Minister’s Policy Unit from 1985 to 1990, and was the special advisor to the Prime Minister for Domestic Policy Making. Lord Brian Griffiths serves as one of three Conference Chairpersons of the St. Gallen Symposium.

Cathryn Clüver Ashbrook serves as Executive Vice President at Bertelsmann Stiftung and, as a transatlantic policy expert, is leading two of the foundation’s important initiatives: the German-American Future Forum and a high-level strategy group on Europe. She formerly served as both Director and CEO of the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP). Until 2021, Cathryn Clüver Ashbrook was the Executive Director of the Future of Diplomacy Project at Harvard University’s Belfer Center and the Executive Director of the Project on Europe and the Transatlantic Relationship at Harvard Kennedy School.

Emanuel Probst, born 1957, grew up in Oberbuchsiten, Canton Solothurn, and studied business administration at the University of St.Gallen. A subsequent internship on Wall Street in New York was followed by professional engagements in various industries. In 1985 he was appointed to the Board of Directors of JURA Elektroapparate AG, where he took over operational management in 1991. Under his leadership, the company was focused and international growth markets were developed. He transformed JURA from a traditional Swiss company into a global innovation leader for automatic coffee machines operating in around 50 countries.

Hans-Dietrich Reckhaus is the Founder of Insect Respect and Managing Director of his 65-year-old family pesticides business Reckhaus. Insect Respect originated from the family business through the recognition of the importance of biodiversity to our environment. Under his leadership, the company is shifting toward a more sustainable approach with a focus on increasing social awareness regarding the importance of insects and creating compensating insect-friendly habitats. Hans-Dietrich Reckhaus earned a Ph.D. in business from the University of St.Gallen.

Nadine Kessler is the current Managing Director of Women’s Football at UEFA and a former German international midfield player. As the Managing Director of Women’s Football, Ms Kessler is responsible for the strategic direction of the sport and leads all women’s competitions at European level as well as all projects aiming to develop the women’s game. In 2014, Ms Kessler was named the winner of the FIFA World Player of the year and UEFA Best Women’s Player in Europe award. Ms Kessler is a three-time winner of UEFA Women’s Champions League whilst playing for Vfl Wolfsburg and FFC Turbine Potsdam. Furthermore, she has been part of the winning teams in four German domestic championships and two German domestic cups. At an international level, she helped the German national team win at the UEFA Women’s European Championship in 2013.

Christoph Loos has served as President of the Board of Directors at Hilti since 2023, a company providing construction industry products and solutions, operating in more than 120 countries. Prior to joining Hilti in 2001, Mr Loos spent six years at the Boston Consulting Group in Munich and Shanghai. Following various leadership roles within Hilti, he was appointed to the Executive Board in 2007 and served as Hilti’s CEO from 2014 to 2022. Mr Loos holds a Master’s degree and a doctorate in Business Administration from the University of St.Gallen. Mr Loos serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of the St. Gallen Symposium.

Michael Rauchenstein is a News Anchor for SRF Tagesschau, a position he has held since August 2022. Prior to his current role, he worked as SRF's TV Correspondent in Brussels from March 2020 to November 2022. Michael has also served as a journalist for various departments, including the foreign and video editorial departments, as well as the documentary and archive departments. In addition, he has been a part of the team for the political talk show "Arena." Michael holds a Master's degree in Political Science from the Free University of Berlin and a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of Lucerne.

Alexis du Roy de Blicquy has served as CEO of The Family Business Network (FBN) since 2013, the world’s leading network bringing together over 4,000 business owning families –17,000 individual members, including 6,400 Next-Generation members – across 32 chapters spanning 65 countries. Prior to his current role, he held senior leading positions at Lhoist, Verlinvest, Armonea, and IFC (World Bank Group). Since 2020, Mr du Roy de Blicquy has been a board member of Trusted Family, the leading governance platform for family offices and boards. Moreover, for six years, Mr du Roy de Blicquy served as Chairman of the Board of ToolBox, providing professional consultancy to NGOs to improve their management structures. Mr du Roy de Blicquy holds a Master’s degree in Management Science from Solvay Business School and is an INSEAD IEP and IMD HPL Graduate.

Mette Lykke is the CEO of Too Good To Go, the world’s largest B2C marketplace for surplus food. Prior to joining Too Good To Go, Ms Lykke began her career as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company, and subsequently co-founded the fitness and training community Endomondo in 2007, which was later acquired by Under Armour in 2015. Her entrepreneurial spirit and passion for purpose-led tech led her to invest in Too Good To Go in 2016, before taking on the CEO role in 2017. Ms Lykke regularly speaks about the need for companies to take responsibility in tackling social and environmental challenges, particularly the climate crisis. She has earned numerous awards and acknowledgments, including the Female Business Owners’ Inspirational Award and Founder of the Year by Nordic Startup Awards, and is also a WEF Young Global Leader. Ms Lykke holds a Master's degree in Political Science from Aarhus University.

Prof. Marcus Schögel, Institute for Marketing and Customer Insight (IMC-HSG) serves as the Academic Director of the English Master in Marketing Management program at the University of St.Gallen (HSG). His research and teaching focus is on Customer Centricity and Strategic Marketing as well as on the Management of Customer Experiences. Following his research stay as a visiting professor in Singapore in 2013, Prof. Schögel is heading the Customer Centricity Competence Center at SGI-HSG in Singapore. Marcus Schögel has published numerous papers, articles, and books and his teaching excellence has earned him two nominations for the “Credit Suisse Award for Best Teaching”. Since 2022, Prof. Schögel has assumed the role of President of the Foundation Board of the Swiss Marketing Society gfm.

Alex Friedman has served as CEO and Co-Founder of Novata since 2021, a public benefit corporation dedicated to fostering the widespread adoption of universally-defined metrics to prevent the fragmentation of ESG standards and assist companies in improving their ESG reporting. Prior to Novata, Mr Friedman held various leadership roles, including Chief Financial Officer of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where he established its social impact fund, Global Chief Investment Officer of UBS, and Chief Executive Officer of GAM Holding, a publicly listed alternatives asset manager. Furthermore, he co-founded Jackson Hole Economics and currently serves on the board of Franklin Templeton. Mr Friedman holds a Bachelor’s degree from Princeton University, an MBA from Columbia Business School, and a Doctor of Law from Columbia Law School.

Benjamina Bollag is the Founder and CEO of Uncommon, a Cambridge-based food tech startup dedicated to improving people’s health and the health of our planet. Formerly known as Higher Steaks, Uncommon specialises in cultivated meat and has developed innovative proprietary technologies to tackle the challenges of cost and scalability in this industry. They are credited with creating the world's first prototypes for cultivated bacon and pork belly. Prior to her role at Uncommon, Benjamina Bollag co-founded a London-based B2B electronics company. She also gained experience at Stratasys, PepsiCo’s joint venture with Strauss and an ed-tech startup. Benjamina Bollag holds a Master of Chemical Engineering from Imperial College London.

Enow Awah Georges Stevens is a youth frontline health worker and a youth engagement consultant. As an adolescent and youth health physician, he works with young people in sub-Saharan Africa on mental health-related issues. Mr Stevens has worked with the International Association for Youth Mental Health and is a member of the mental health working group at the WHO Youth Council. Since 2013, he has managed Advocates’ AMAZE International work in sub-Saharan Africa, providing technical support to partner organisations on youth sexual and reproductive health programming. Mr Stevens holds a Doctor of Medicine Degree from the University of Bamenda, Cameroon.

Professor Chong-En Bai is Mansfield Freeman Chair Professor, Dean of the School of Economics and Management of Tsinghua University. His research areas include Institutional Economics, Economic Growth and Development, Public Economics, Finance, Corporate Governance, and Chinese Economy. Prof. Bai is Vice-Chairman of the 13th All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce and a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, the “14th Five-Year Plan” National Development Planning Expert Committee, the Chinese Economists 50 Forum, the China Finance 40 Forum, and Chinainfo 100. He is also Chairman of the Academic Committee of China Wealth Management 50 Forum and was a member of the monetary policy committee of the People’s Bank of China from 2015 to 2018. Prof. Bai served as Adjunct Vice-President of Beijing State-Owned Assets Management Co., Ltd. from 2011 to 2012 and was a non-resident Senior Fellow of the Brookings Institution from 2006 to 2007. Prof. Bai earned his Ph.D. degree in Economics from Harvard University.

Fabienne Kinzelmann-Opel has been an Editor and International Correspondent for the Swiss newspaper Handelszeitung since 2022. Previously, she worked as a foreign editor at Ringier AG for four years, wrote for Blick and SonntagsBlick, was a live reporter for Blick TV, and authored a US-related newsletter on the most important topics of US politics. From 2006 to 2018, Fabienne Kinzelmann-Opel was an Independent Journalist for Der Spiegel, Frankfurter Allgemeine, and Deutsche Presse Agentur.

Tomas Casas Klett is a Professor at the University of St.Gallen’s Research Institute for International Management (FIM) and the Director of the China Competence Center. He also serves as the Index Director and Co-Author of the Elite Quality Index (EQx2023), a global political economy index. Additionally, he collaborates with the St. Gallen Symposium on its sub-index, the NextGen Value Creation Barometer. Prof. Casas Klett frequently leads international executive education programmes and courses at leading business schools in China, including Tsinghua SEM, Fudan University FDSM, and Shanghai Jiaotong University Antai. He graduated with honors from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, obtaining in parallel a Japanese language degree from Sophia University in Tokyo. Prof. Casas Klett later earned a Master's degree in Management from Fudan University in Shanghai and a PhD in Economics from the University of St.Gallen.

Prof. Oliver Gassmann has held the position of Professor for Innovation Management at the University of St.Gallen since 2002. His primary areas of focus include global innovation processes, open innovation, and business model innovation. Additionally, he serves as the Director of the Institute of Technology Management and is the Founder of the Global Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation at the University of St.Gallen. In recognition of his contributions, Prof. Gassmann was honoured by the International Association for Management of Technology (IAMOT) as one of the fifty most influential innovation scholars worldwide in 2009. He sits on several boards, founded GLORAD (Global Center for R&D and Innovation), and is the author of the bestselling book, 'Business Model Navigator'.

Veronika Pountcheva has been a full-time member of the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) since 2022. Prior to her appointment, Ms Pountcheva served as Senior Vice President of corporate responsibility of METRO AG and as Co-Chief Executive Officer of NX Food, with responsibility for developing the company’s long-term sustainability strategy. She previously held leadership roles at METRO in Bulgaria, Ukraine, Germany, and Serbia, and she chaired initiatives at the Consumer Goods Forum and Leading Executives Advancing Diversity. Ms Pountcheva holds a Master’s of Economics from the University of National and World Economy in Sofia and a Master’s of Mechanical Engineering and Chemistry from the Technical University of Sofia.

Alexander C. Melchers has been the Managing Director of C. Melchers' Singapore Branch since 1997. After working in brand management for Procter & Gamble, with a focus on business in Asia, he joined the C. Melchers Group in Singapore as General Manager. He is also Vice President of the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) and a founding member and advisory council of the Singaporean-German Chamber of Industry and Commerce.

Manas Chawla is the Founder and CEO of London Politica, which focuses on anticipating emergent macro trends and providing political risk analysis and forecasting to organisations operating in some of the most unstable regions of the world. Mr Chawla’s expertise lies in soft power, corporate diplomacy, and crisis management, and he has worked with prominent institutions such as the United Nations, the World Economic Forum, and the Red Cross. Before founding London Politica, he led The Youth Journal – a youth-led think tank that produced international affairs research for over 60,000 monthly readers. Mr Chawla holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science, a Master’s degree in Global Governance and Diplomacy from the University of Oxford, and is currently pursuing his PhD in International Relations and Affairs at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Rahul Sahgal is the designated CEO of the Swiss-American Chamber of Commerce (Swiss Amcham), set to assume office in the summer of 2024. In this capacity, he will oversee efforts to strengthen bilateral trade and economic relations between Switzerland and the United States. Before his forthcoming role, Mr. Sahgal served as Deputy Head of the Tax Division at the State Secretariat for International Financial Matters (SIF) in Bern since 2021. Prior to his tenure at SIF, he held various diplomatic positions from 2013 to 2021. From August 2017 to July 2021, Mr. Sahgal was stationed in Washington D.C., serving as Counselor for Financial and Fiscal Affairs within the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA). Additionally, from 2014 to 2017, he served as Deputy Head of Unit in the Human Security Division at the FDFA, and his diplomatic career began in 2013 as Attaché Diplomatique at the Swiss Mission to the EU in Brussels. Before his diplomatic service, Mr. Sahgal held leadership roles in the private sector. From 2009 to 2013, he served as a Board Member and President of the Northern Region with the Swiss-Indian Chamber of Commerce. Simultaneously, he led Autoneum, a Rieter spin-off, demonstrating his managerial expertise in the automotive industry. Mr. Sahgal holds master's degrees in both business administration and law, as well as a PhD, all earned from the University of St.Gallen.

Jennifer Jordan is a Professor of Leadership and Organizational Behavior at IMD in Lausanne, Switzerland. She also holds an honorary chair in Human Resource Management at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. Prof. Jordan’s research, teaching, and consulting focuses on ethics, digital leadership, influence, and power. Prior to IMD, Prof. Jordan was a lecturer at the Kellogg School of Management and Tuck School of Business in the United States. Her research articles are published in several top journals within management and social psychology, and she serves on the editorial boards of two academic journals. In 2019, Prof. Jordan was named as one of the top 40 MBA professors worldwide under 40 years of age by Poets and Quants and nominated for a Thinkers50 Radar Award. Prof. Jordan received her PhD and two Master’s degrees from Yale University.

Andreas Aepli has been serving as Chief Financial Officer of Climeworks since 2021, a company dedicated to removing historic and unavoidable CO2 emissions from the air by employing direct air capture technology. In collaboration with its partner firms, the CO2 is geologically stored deep underground for thousands of years. Prior to joining Climeworks, Mr Aepli worked for 12 years for the Swiss Engineering Group Bühler in General Management and Finance roles across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, most recently helping to build the world’s first industrial plant for making sustainable proteins from insects. Andreas Aepli holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of St.Gallen and an MBA from INSEAD.

Lara Mogge is at the forefront of accelerating the transition towards a more sustainable economy. Currently, she spearheads Climate Action & Circular Economy programs such as Climathon and the Circular Economy Incubator at Impact Hub Zurich. Additionally, Lara is an active contributor to the Innovation Booster Living Labs for Energy Decarbonisation at Innosuisse. In her role on the Innovation Committee, she plays a crucial part in selecting and supporting projects aimed at bringing radical innovation to accelerate decarbonisation across various sectors. In addition to her leadership roles, Lara shares her expertise as a lecturer at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences in Business Administration (HWZ), the University of Applied Sciences of the Grisons (FHGR), and the Swiss Distance University of Applied Sciences (FFHS). Previously, Lara honed her expertise in digital strategy and transformation as a lead consultant at Merkle Switzerland from 2017 to 2021. Her passion lies in identifying and leveraging opportunities where incentives for business and the planet align, rather than solely focusing on the challenges of climate change. Lara holds an M.A. in Economics and an M.Sc. in International Management from the University of St. Gallen.

Yéah Samaké is a 2024 Presidential Candidate in Mali. Between 2015 and 2018, he served as Mali’s Ambassador to ten countries, including India, the Republic of Singapore, and the Kingdom of Thailand. His efforts were focused on fostering educational, economic, social, and technological ties between these nations and Mali. Previously, from 2009 to 2015, Ambassador Samaké served as Mayor of the commune of Ouélessébougou, overseeing 44 villages. His tenure was marked by an emphasis on eradicating corruption and enhancing government transparency. During this period, the tax collection rate surged, the first high school was established, and a new hospital was constructed. In 2011, he concurrently served as Vice President of the League of Mayors, representing 703 municipalities. Moreover, Ambassador Samaké served as the Executive Director of the Daily Dose (now Mali Rising Foundation) from 2004 to 2013. Additionally, since 2013, he has been the Co-Founder and Field Specialist of Empower Mali. Both organisations focus on establishing schools in Mali’s rural communities and sponsoring the education of high school and college students in the United States. Ambassador Samaké holds a Bachelor’s degree in Teaching English as a Second Language from École Normale Supérieure, Mali, and a Master’s degree in Public Policy from Brigham Young University, USA.

Stephan Lendi has spent two decades serving as a Moderator and Voice Over Artist, lending his voice to radio and TV commercials, movies, TV shows, image films, and corporate productions. Additionally, he moderates Raumkultur TV and Zff72 at the Zurich Film Festival. Mr Lendi also shares his expertise as a rhetoric and moderating coach at Event Speaking and serves as an executive coach at Newbury Media and Communications Ltd. Mr Lendi holds an MBA from the University of Liverpool and received training in mediation at Harvard Law School and London School of Mediation, along with acquiring skills in conflict management and negotiations at the University of Cape Town.

Prof. Karolin Frankenberger holds multiple roles at the University of St.Gallen, serving as the Academic Director of the Executive MBA, the Director of the Institute of Management and Strategy, and as Professor in strategy and innovation. Furthermore, she was recently appointed to lead the Executive School of Management, Technology & Law from February 2024. Her research focuses on the topics of (digital) business transformation, ecosystems, business model innovation, and circular economy, has won several awards, and appears regularly in top-tier academic and practitioner-oriented journals. Additionally, Prof. Frankenberger co-authored the internationally bestselling book “The Business Model Navigator” and supports company leaders from numerous industries worldwide in their strategy and innovation challenges. Prior to her academic career, she worked at McKinsey & Company from 2004 to 2011. Prof. Frankenberger holds a PhD from the University of St.Gallen.

Nolita Thina Mvunelo has served as a Program Manager at the Club of Rome since 2022. In her role, she leads initiatives that aim to transform economic, financial, innovation, cultural, and intergenerational systems. Additionally, Ms Mvunelo serves as the co-director of The 50 Percent, a global platform enabling leadership and collaboration across generations for equitable and sustainable development. Prior to her current roles, she led a social enterprise incubator, co-created and contributed to youth entrepreneurial programs, and worked at an Ed-Tech start-up. Ms Mvunelo holds a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Cape Town, South Africa.

Louisa Grauvogel is a former US NCAA champion and German national team heptathlete. Transitioning from professional sports to cancer research and molecular sciences, she has been a graduate scholar at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston since 2023. Additionally, she serves as a Laboratory Assistant at the University of Cologne, specialising in the analysis of cancer genome data and cancer evolution. Ms Grauvogel is committed to fostering transatlantic collaboration, particularly in the realms of life sciences and innovation. Ms Grauvogel holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from the University of Georgia and the University of Cologne, along with a Master’s degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine from the University of Cologne.

Fabian Buder heads the Future and Trends research group at the Nuremberg Institute for Market Decisions (NIM), a non-profit research institute at the interface of science and practice. NIM investigates how consumer decisions are changing as a result of new technologies, societal trends, or the application of behavioural science, and the resulting impact on the market and society as a whole. Mr Buder is responsible for the annual "Voices of the Leaders of Tomorrow" report, published by NIM in collaboration with the St. Gallen Symposium. In addition to his role at NIM, he is a Research Affiliate at the Institute for the Future in Palo Alto, USA. Mr Buder holds a degree in Sociology from Otto-Friedrich-University Bamberg, Germany, and earned his PhD in Agricultural and Food Marketing from the University of Kassel, Germany.

Sofia Appelgren is the Founder of Mitt Livs Val Foundation and the social enterprise Mitt Liv AB, advocating for equal job opportunities and conditions in the labour market. As CEO for nine years, she transformed Mitt Liv into Sweden's largest mentoring program for academics with a foreign background and a renowned Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion consultancy, training over 14,000 individuals annually. Ms Appelgren was featured as one of Time Magazine's Next Generation Leaders, received Sweden's Best Social Entrepreneur award by Ben & Jerry's, and was named one of the 125 most influential women in the Swedish business community.

Christoph Frei is an Associate Professor at the University of St.Gallen since 2007, where he specializes in the history of political ideas and international relations theory. He is known for his intellectual biography of Hans J. Morgenthau, a founding father of the ‘Realist’ school of International Relations in the United States. Prof. Frei studied political science at the University of St.Gallen. After completing his studies, he worked as an Assistant for Prof. Alois Riklin in the political science institute of the University of St.Gallen. Following this position, Prof. Frei completed two research stays in the US and in Paris. Between 2009 and 2018 he was the Programme Director of the Bachelor of International Affairs and Master of International Affairs Programme.

Dr. Patrick Müller will serve as Chairman of the Partner’s Board of Vaillant Group as of Mai 2024. The company is a global market leader specialised in heating, cooling, and hot water solutions, employing over 17,000 people worldwide. He was appointed as Member of the Board of Vaillant Group in 2018. Prior to his current role, he held several leading positions at Müller Milk, culminating in his role as CEO of the £2bn UK dairy business. Additionally, Dr. Müller has served as CEO and Co-Owner of Milk & More, the UKs largest doorstep delivery business that was successfully sold in December 2023. Dr. Müller holds a Master’s degree in Economics and a PhD in Corporate Finance from the University of St.Gallen.

Hendrik Fitschen joined Glencore in 2011, and since held various positions in freight & logistics. As an expert in battery supply chains and circular economy for critical raw materials, he is responsible for developing Glencore's recycling activities in Europe. Hendrik holds a degree in Trade and Finance from Bayes Business School, London. Glencore is one of the world’s largest global diversified natural resource companies and a major producer and marketer of more than 60 commodities that advance everyday life. Through a network of assets, customers and suppliers that spans the globe, we produce, process, recycle, source, market and distribute the commodities that support decarbonisation while meeting the energy needs of today.

Claudia Franziska Brühwiler is a Professor of American Political Thought and Culture at the University of St.Gallen. Her research interests encompass a broad range of topics with a particular focus on American conservative and libertarian thought as well as on the interplay of politics, literature, and popular culture. In addition to her current position and previous roles at the University of St. Gallen, Prof. Brühwiler was also a Visiting Professor at Keio University in 2016 and a Visiting Fellow at the Clinton Institute for American Studies at University College Dublin in 2015. Prof. Brühwiler holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in International Affairs and Governance, a doctorate, summa cum laude, in Political Science, and a venia legendi (PD; Privatdozentin) in American Studies from the University of St.Gallen. For her PhD dissertation, Prof. Brühwiler was awarded the Dr. Rudolf Mäder Prize for the best doctorate in law and political science of 2010 at the University of St.Gallen.

Timo Blenk serves as Partner and CEO of Agora Strategy Group AG, a globally operating geopolitical strategy consultancy. His expertise lies at the intersection of business and politics with a focus on strategic issues in the industrial sector, strengthening resilience, and crisis management in the face of global challenges. Prior to his current role, he served as Secretary General of the Swiss Political Science Association from 2015 to 2018 and as a research assistant at the University of the German Armed Forces from 2014 to 2015. Mr Blenk holds a Master’s degree in International Affairs from the Free University of Berlin and Sciences Po and a PhD in International Political Economy from the University of St.Gallen.

Melanie Eckert is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of krisenchat, Germany's largest digital psychosocial counselling service supporting young people in need. Through partnerships with clinics, counselling centres, medical professionals, and youth welfare offices, krisenchat has facilitated over 150,000 consultations since 2019. As a psychologist, Ms Eckert oversees the content and continual development of krisenchat’s services, as well as drives organisational development. Ms Eckert holds a Master’s degree in Psychology from the International Psychoanalytic University Berlin and is currently pursuing her doctorate, focusing on innovative care services tailored for young people.

Marine Hadengue has served as Executive Director of the Higher Education for Good Foundation (HE4G) since 2022, a Swiss-based not-for-profit organisation dedicated to assisting educational institutions in transforming their curricula to meet the demands of the mid-21st century. In this role, Ms Hadengue leads Youth Talks, an initiative that marks the first-ever global youth consultation asking open-ended questions to young people worldwide and using advanced AI tools to analyse their responses. Additionally, she is a professor at SKEMA Business School, a member of the International Advisory Board of the Peter Drucker Society, and the CEO at Arbour Foundation, a Canadian philanthropic organisation focused on improving access to higher education. Ms Hadengue holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Polytechnique Montréal, a Master’s degree in Political Science from the University of Montréal, and a PhD in Innovation Management from Polytechnique Montréal.

Christian Opitz serves as the Head of the Competence Centre for Energy Management at the University of St.Gallen. His research focuses on strategic management in the utilities and waste management sector, business model analysis and innovation, as well as (mega-)trends and strategic positioning. Christian holds a Diploma in Business Administration from the University of Mannheim, Germany, and a PhD in International Business from the University of St.Gallen.

Prof. Peter Vogel is a Professor of Family Business and Entrepreneurship at the International Institute for Management Development (IMD), leading their work in this field as Director of the IMD Global Family Business Center and Debiopharm Chair of Family Philanthropy. The center is dedicated to help enterprising families ensure family unity and business success across generations while also having a positive impact on society. Furthermore, Prof. Vogel is the Director of the IMD Global Family Business Award, which recognises excellence in building and managing successful, sustainable, and well-governed family-owned enterprises. His co-authored book, Family Philanthropy Navigator, was honoured with an Axiom Business Book Awards Silver Medal in 2021. Before joining IMD in 2017, Prof. Vogel served as Director of Custom Programs and Business Development at the Executive School of the University of St.Gallen. He was previously Assistant Professor of Technology Entrepreneurship at the University of St.Gallen, as well as Managing Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship. Prof. Vogel holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering from ETH Zurich. He earned his PhD in Management of Technology and Entrepreneurship from École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL).

Mustika Wijaya currently serves as the Founder & Executive Director of Solar Chapter, a position she has held since March 2017. In this role, she is dedicated to promoting sustainable community development by increasing access to water, sanitation, and education in rural communities across Indonesia. Recognizing the critical importance of these basic necessities, Mustika and her team at Solar Chapter have been working tirelessly for more than five years to address these pressing issues in the rural communities of East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. As an engineer, Mustika has developed an innovative community-owned solar pump system aimed at ensuring that all Indonesians have access to clean water. Her solution not only addresses the immediate need for clean water but also recognizes the long-term impact on women and girls in rural areas, who often bear the disproportionate responsibility of obtaining clean water. By reducing these barriers, Mustika's efforts have contributed to enhancing women's education and employment opportunities in these communities. In addition to her work with Solar Chapter, she was selected as an Obama Scholar by the Obama Foundation, where she engaged in impactful projects from August 2022 to May 2023. Furthermore, Mustika has actively participated in UNICEF's Young Changemakers initiative. Mustika Wijaya holds a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Rachel Brooks has served as the Head of Executive Education at the Competence Center for Social Innovation at the University of St.Gallen (CSI-HSG) since 2020. Her research and teaching focus on supporting practitioners across government, private, and social sectors in cultivating the mindset, skills, and tools to nimbly take action towards impact in an environment of mounting complexity and uncertainty. Previously, she worked in Custom Programs at the Executive School at the University of St.Gallen, and in Latin America at the nexus of business, agricultural producers, government, and non-profit organizations in the global food industry. Rachel Brooks holds a Bachelor’s degree in Latin American and Latino/a Studies from Smith College and a Master’s degree in Latin American and Caribbean Studies from New York University. She earned her PhD in Organization Studies and Cultural Theory from the University of St.Gallen.

Alexandra Wudel is the CEO and Founder of FemAI, a company aiming to bring intersectional and inclusive feminism into the world of AI. As one of the youngest entrepreneurs, researchers, and consultants in the field of AI ethics, she was named "AI Person of the Year 2024", received the title of "35 under 35 Young Leaders" from Santander CIDOB in 2023, and was recognised as one of 25 global experts on ethical considerations in AI. Ms Wudel has published scientific papers on topics including facial recognition software and the socio-technological intercorrelations of AI and content moderation. She has also contributed to the development of ethical AI guidelines for over 15 organisations, including the Federal Foreign Office, the UN, and the German Bundestag. With her feminist vision of a positive future with AI, Alexandra has been featured in national and international media outlets such as Tagesspiegel Background, DIE ZEIT, and Cosmopolitan.

As an MPA in Development Practice at Columbia University, Thaissa is fostering public policies that align the promotion of equality with racial and sustainable perspectives. She is also a Fulbright Scholar and part of the Alcance Program of the Lemann Foundation. Thaissa has extensive experience in international cooperation and has worked, until recently, at the International Advisory of the Brazilian Ministry of Mines and Energy, striving to promote clean, affordable, and secure energy through international cooperation. Her previous engagements include internships at the British Embassy’s Science and Innovation Network and the Energy Program of GIZ Brazil.

George Mwanza was elected Mayor of Chipata, Zambia, as an independent candidate in 2021, currently serving as the youngest mayor in the Southern African Region. In addition to his mayoral duties, Mr Mwanza is an active member of the Young Elected Officials of Africa (YELO Network). In October 2022, he was elected Vice-President for Southern Africa, with a mission to unite Africa through the transformation of local governments. Mr Mwanza is an advocate for youth empowerment, firmly believing that the younger generation must play a significant role in shaping the political landscape.

Michael la Cour assumed the role of CEO at Coop Trading in 2022, leading the largest purchasing organisation in the Nordics, supplying products to consumers in Coop Sweden, Coop Norway, Coop Denmark, and SOK in Finland. His professional journey spans over two decades, involving international work in business, strategy, and organisational development at the intersection between innovation, procurement, and sustainability. Prior to his current role, Mr la Cour served as the Global Head of Commercial and Digitalisation at Ingka Centres between 2021 and 2022. From 2013 to 2021, he served as the CEO for IKEA Foods, preceded by various roles within the IKEA Group, including Purchasing Manager for IKEA South East Asia, Country Manager for IKEA Indonesia, and General Manager at IKEA Orlando. Earlier in his career, from 1994 to 1998, he held the position of Purchasing Manager at Aldi Denmark. Mr la Cour holds an MBA from Aalborg University, Denmark.

Gaia Vince is a Science Writer and Broadcaster exploring the interplay between human systems and the planetary environment. Her first book, Adventures In The Anthropocene, won the Royal Society Science Book of the Year Prize. In her latest book, Nomad Century: How To Survive The Climate Upheaval, she explores how managed migration can help solve the global climate crisis. In addition to her writing, Ms Vince is an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the Anthropocene Institute at University College London and a host of BBC Inside Science. Furthermore, Ms Vince has held senior editorial positions at the science journal Nature, Nature Climate Change, and New Scientist magazine.

Clara Richter is the Founder of Women With Impact, a platform providing women a voice by showcasing the positive impact they have on society. She interviews remarkable women including former heads of state, global leaders, and entrepreneurs including Kerry Kennedy, Susan Rockefeller, H.E. Rosalía Arteaga Serrano, and Jane Wurwand. Additionally, Ms Richter is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Shaper Community, where she leads projects focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Clara Richter holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of St.Gallen and a Master’s degree in Entrepreneurship from the University College London.

Prof. Guido Cozzi is a Full Professor of Macroeconomics at the University of St.Gallen’s School of Economics and Political Science, where he has been teaching since 2012. His research and teaching activities focus on the fields of Macroeconomics, Economic Growth, and Development Economics. Prof. Cozzi’s work has been published in leading journals and has received several research grants. Before joining the University of St.Gallen, he held positions at Durham University, UK, University of Glasgow, UK, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, Italy, and Cornell University, USA. Additionally, he has consulting experience for institutions and industry associations. Prof. Cozzi earned his PhD in Economics from New York University.

Roger Stilz serves as Sporting Director of FC St.Gallen 1879. Before assuming this role, he held similar positions at SK Beveren in Belgium and later at SV Jahn Regensburg in the 2. Bundesliga. Mr Stilz’s journey in football began as a professional player in Switzerland, spanning a decade. Transitioning to coaching, he served as the Head of SC Victoria Hamburg’s youth academy and coach from 2007 to 2013. He then was an assistant coach at Hamburger SV (1. Bundesliga) from 2013 to 2014 and 1. FC Nürnberg (2. Bundesliga) from 2014 to 2016. Subsequently, from 2016 to 2020, Mr Stilz led the youth academy of FC St. Pauli and was a member of their board from 2019 to 2020. Mr Stilz holds a UEFA Pro License and a Master's degree in German Studies.

Fabian Takacs is a post-doctoral researcher and project manager at the University of St.Gallen’s Institute of Management and Strategy. His research focuses on sustainable transformation, circular economy, and business model innovation. At the IfB Competence Center for Circular Economy, Business Models, and Sustainable Transformation, Mr Takacs is establishing the interdisciplinary and practice-oriented Circular Lab, a platform for developing circular and sustainable solutions in the Lake Constance region. Additionally, he is a co-developer of the Circular Navigator, a practice-oriented methodology for creating circular business models. In 2020, with Prof. Karolin Frankenberger and Prof. Oliver Gassmann, he received the HSG Impact Award for impactful research with societal relevance. Mr Takacs holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Zurich, a Master’s degree in Political Economy from the University of Lucerne, and his PhD focussing on circular business models from the University of St.Gallen.

Patricia Willi has served as Co-Head of Sports for FC St.Gallen 1879’s women's team since 2021, concurrently holding the position of Head of Administration at UNITED school of sports in St. Gallen. Prior to her current roles, Ms Willi was a professional football player in the Swiss Nationalliga A, playing for FC St. Gallen from 2019 to 2020 and for FC Zurich from 2015 to 2019. Ms Willi holds a degree in Business Administration from the Akademie St. Gallen.

Anna Stünzi has served as a board member of foraus - the Swiss Forum on Foreign Policy until April 2024. Ms Stünzi has been a member of foraus since 2011, holding various leadership positions, including the role of President from 2019 to 2023. In addition to her commitments at foraus, she works as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of St Gallen, is affiliated with the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), and lectures at the University of St Gallen and ETH Zurich. Furthermore, she is a member of the Executive Board of GOE mbH. Ms Stünzi is the co-author of several publications, served as co-head of the Environment, Energy, and Transport program from 2016 to 2019, and co-founded the Sustainable FinTech project in 2017. Ms Stünzi studied psychology and economics at the Universities of Zurich and Copenhagen and completed her doctorate at the Center for Economic Research at ETH Zurich.

Ulrike Zimmermann has a diverse educational background, having studied Communication and Media Studies, Sociology, Theater Studies, and Language, Society, and Politics at prestigious institutions such as the University of Leipzig and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She also obtained a diploma in linguistics and phonetics from the Martin-Luther-University in Halle-Wittenberg. Ms Zimmermann's professional experience includes project management positions at Stiftung Preussischer Kulturbesitz and blue! - advancing European projects, as well as serving as an assistant to the ambassador at the Austrian embassy in Washington, before joining ZEIT Verlagsgruppe as a project manager.

Nyombi Morris is a climate activist and speaker, who has been advocating for environmental justice and policy change since 2019. He is the Founder and CEO of Earth Volunteers, a non-profit organisation that aims to restore ecosystems and educate communities on climate action voluntarily. Mr Morris is also a Fellow at Environmental Funders Network, a pilot program that supports young climate activists to amplify their messages and reach wider audiences.

Nina Hesel is a Senior Researcher for Marketing Insights and Strategy at the Nuremberg Institute for Market Decisions (NIM), a non-profit research institute at the interface of science and practice. NIM investigates how consumer decisions are changing as a result of new technologies, societal trends, or the application of behavioural science, and the resulting impact on the market and society as a whole. In cooperation with the St. Gallen Symposium, NIM publishes the annual report "Voices of the Leaders of Tomorrow". Prior to her current position, Ms Hesel held various marketing positions in the media and event industries. Ms Hesel holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Business and Intercultural Studies from Heilbronn University of Applied Sciences and a Master’s degree in Business Administration with a focus on Marketing and Research from Nuremberg Institute of Technology.

Liv Antonsen serves as Editor-in-Chief and Co-President of prisma, where she leads the editorial team of the University of St.Gallen’s student magazine. Starting as an editor in 2021, she now manages the production of four annual print issues. Ms Antonsen is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs at the University ofSt. Gallen.

Anushka Purohit is the CEO and Co-Founder of Breer, a food upcycling startup that collects surplus bread from bakeries and restaurants and uses it to brew local craft beer. For her work in furthering the cause of women empowerment and making a difference, Ms Purohit has been awarded the Student of the Year Award by SCMP, the Indians of the World Award 2023 at the House of Lords, UK, was named the Young Achiever of the Year in 2021 by the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, is a Gen T Honoree by Tatler, and has been featured on the Forbes 30 Under 30 List 2023. Ms Purohit holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electronic and Computer Engineering from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

Deborah Walt is one of the three Heads of the International Students' Committee (ISC), overseeing the St. Gallen Symposium’s HR, Finances, and Technical Operations. She has been a member of the student team since 2021 and is leading this year's team in the successful organisation of the 53rd St. Gallen Symposium. Deborah is pursuing a Master's degree in Law and Economics at the University of St.Gallen.

Sophia Gampp is one of the three Heads of the International Students' Committee (ISC), overseeing the St. Gallen Symposium’s Partnerships and Participant Services. She is deeply motivated by the Symposium’s commitment to fostering intergenerational dialogue and providing young individuals with diverse experiences and profound insights into global economics and geopolitics. In addition to leading her team in the successful organisation of the 53rd St. Gallen Symposium, Sophia is currently completing her Bachelor's degree in International Affairs at the University of St.Gallen.

Alisha Thüler is one of the three Heads of the International Students’ Committee (ISC), overseeing the St. Gallen Symposium’s Leaders of Tomorrow, F&B, and social programme. Her creative mindset is paired with an enthusiasm for understanding people and their impact within a company. In her current role, Alisha is gaining a thorough understanding of organisational structures, further fueling her growing passion for driving organisational change and shaping culture. In addition to leading her team in the successful organisation of the 53rd St. Gallen Symposium, Alisha is currently completing her Master’s degree in Accounting and Corporate Finance at the University of St.Gallen.

Mauro Mathys is a Member of the 53rd International Students’ Committee (ISC) and is responsible for St. Gallen Symposium’s Leaders of Tomorrow. Assuming his role in September 2023, Mauro embarked on a journey through Japan and India, dedicated to promoting the Global Essay Competition, engaging with local St. Gallen Symposium communities, and forging new partnerships. Beyond his ISC role, Mauro actively participates in a youth political party, advocating for the involvement of the younger generation in crucial discussions and decision-making processes. His overarching goal is to foster an inclusive environment where the voices of the younger demographic actively shape our collective future. Mauro is currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration at the University of St. Gallen.

Nikita Schönenberger is a Member of the 53rd International Students’ Committee (ISC) and is responsible for St. Gallen Symposium’s Leaders of Tomorrow. Throughout his journey across the United States and Canada, he advocated for the Global Essay Competition in prestigious universities like Harvard and New York University (NYU), aiming to attract exceptional young minds to the St. Gallen Symposium. Beyond his ISC role, Nikita is intrigued by entrepreneurship and emerging ventures that will define our future. Nikita is currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Law and Economics at the University of St.Gallen.

Luca Oberholzer is a Member of the 53rd International Students’ Committee (ISC) and is responsible for St. Gallen Symposium’s Leaders of Tomorrow. Beyond his ISC role, Luca is an avid enthusiast in the realms of global economic and political issues, as well as sustainable finance. His passion for fostering dialogue on matters that shape our world is matched by his commitment to fitness and sports, notably his enthusiasm as a football fan, which mirrors the energy and dedication he brings to every endeavour. Luca is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Accounting and Finance at the University of St.Gallen.

Karin Mannhart is a Member of the 53rd International Students’ Committee (ISC) and is responsible for the Swiss Pharmaceutical, Energy, and Health Industry Market for the St. Gallen Symposium. Since assuming her role in September 2023, Karin has embarked on a journey through Switzerland, dedicated to promoting the St. Gallen Symposium and forging valuable new partnerships. Beyond her ISC role, Karin is committed to ensuring that young people not only make demands but also take responsibility for shaping a promising future. Karin is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Business Innovation at the University of St.Gallen.

Nicolas Matthies is a Member of the 53rd International Students' Committee (ISC) and is responsible for Germany, UK, and Technical Operations. Since assuming his role in September 2023, he has been engaged in organising events and establishing new partnerships for the St. Gallen Symposium. Beyond his ISC role, Nicolas is committed to the education of younger generations, having worked as a teacher abroad and recognising its great value. Nicolas is currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration at the University of St.Gallen.

Sofie Sandvik is a member of the 53rd International Students’ Committee (ISC) and is responsible for transportation. Since assuming her role in February 2024, Sofie has been working on developing all logistical aspects of transportation, ensuring timely and secure travel for all participants of the 53rd St. Gallen Symposium. Beyond her role at the ISC, Sofie is interested in gender equality and sustainability, and she has been involved in initiatives to foster a brighter future for the next generations. Sofie is currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration at the University of St.Gallen.

Matthias Simon is a Member of the 53rd International Students’ Committee (ISC) and is responsible for the western Switzerland and the BeNeLux Market for the St. Gallen Symposium. Since assuming his role in September 2023, Matthias has embarked on a journey through Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg dedicated to promoting the St. Gallen Symposium and forging valuable new partnerships. Beyond his ISC role, Matthias is committed to ensuring that different generations actively search for common ground and goals to shape the future together. Matthias is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration at the University of St. Gallen.