Participants 2022

Born on November 7, 1948.
Received Juris Doctorate from Rutgers University School of Law (USA).
Special Representative to the UN in the Permanent Secretariat of the World Summit of Nobel Peace Prize Laureates.
Member of the governing and advisory boards of international organizations: the Lawyers' Committee on Nuclear Policy, the Jane Goodall Institute, the NGO Committee on Disarmament, Peace and Security, as well as the Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament (PNND).
Ambassador for Peace, Security and Nuclear Disarmament of the Parliament of the World's Religions.
Chairman of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Task Force and Senior Advisor to the Committee on National Security of the International Law Section of the American Bar Association.
Was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014.
Member of the Astana Club’s Consultative Council.

LASSINA ZERBO

Executive Secretary Emeritus of the CTBTO, Prime Minister of Burkina Faso (2021-2022), Laureate of the Nazarbayev Prize for Nuclear Weapon Free World and Global Security (2019)

Born on October 10, 1963.
Nuclear science expert, geophysicist.
Received an “Arms Control Person of the Year Award” of the Arms Control Association (USA) in 2013.
From 2013 to 2021, was Executive Secretary of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO PC).
From 2004 to 2013, headed the International Data Center of the CTBTO PC.
In the position of Executive Secretary of the CTBTO, initiated the establishment of the Group of Eminent Persons (GEM), comprising internationally recognized politicians and experts to promote the CTBT’s entry into force.
Since August 2021, the Executive Secretary Emeritus of the organization.
In December 2021 - January 2022, was appointed as Prime Minister of Burkina Faso.
Laureate of numerous prizes and awards, including the Award for Science Diplomacy from the American Association for the Advancement of Science (2018), Nazarbayev Prize for Nuclear Weapon Free World and Global Security (Kazakhstan, 2019).
Graduated from the Université de Paris XI, France, with Ph.D. in Geophysics (1992).
Member of the Astana Club’s Consultative Council.

ANGELA KANE

Vice President of the International Institute for Peace (IIP),

United Nations High Representative for Disarmament Affairs (2012-2015)

Born on September 29, 1948.
Diplomat and expert on disarmament issues.
In 2005-2008, assistant to the UN Secretary-General for Political Affairs, specializing in conflict prevention and resolution.
In 2008-2012, UN Under-Secretary-General for Management.
In 2012-2015, served as the UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs. During her tenure, was responsible for negotiating and investigating the alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria in 2013, a crisis that resulted in the destruction of Syria’s chemical arsenal.
Graduated from the University of Munich, Bryn Mawr College, and the Johns Hopkins School of Advances International Studies.
Holds various positions in international organizations, including Senior Advisor to Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI).

LISA CURTIS

Director of the Indo-Pacific Security Program

at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS),

Deputy Assistant to the US President (2017-2021)

Born on January 4, 1968.
Foreign policy and national security expert. Served for more than 20 years in the U.S. government, including at the National Security Council (NSC), CIA, State Department, and Congress.
Her work has centered on US policy toward the Indo-Pacific and South Asia.
In 1994-1998, served at the US Embassies in Pakistan and India.
From 2006 to 2017, was Senior Fellow on South Asia at The Heritage Foundation.
In 2017-2021, served as Deputy Assistant to the President (under national security advisors J.Bolton, C.Kupperman, R.O'Brien) and NSC Senior Director for South and Central Asia.
Coordinated development of the US Strategy toward Central Asia, to include facilitating new partnerships with Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
In 2020, received the Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service in recognition of her work at the NSC.
Since 2021, Director of the Indo-Pacific Security Program at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS).
Received a B.A. degree in Economics from Indiana University (1990).
Has published commentary in Foreign Policy, The National Interest, NPR, and other media outlets. Made multiple appearances on CNN, Fox News, BBC, MSNBC.

ARIEL COHEN

Senior fellow at the Atlantic Council Eurasia Centre,
Director of the Energy, Growth, and Security Program (ITIC)

Born on April 3, 1959.
Political scientist, expert in the field of international security and energy policy.
In 1976, emigrated with his family to Israel. Served in the Israeli Armed Forces. In 1987 moved to the USA.
Worked as a consultant to the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, the US House Armed Services Representatives Committee on the Air Force, the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, the US Agency for International Development, the World Bank, and the Pentagon.
Since 1992, worked for 20 years as an employee of the Davis Institute for International Studies at the Heritage Foundation.
Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council.
Member of the Council on Foreign Relations of the US and the International Institute for Strategic Studies (London).
Senior Researcher at the International Tax and Investment Centre (ITIC), where he heads the Energy, Growth, and Security (EGS) Program.
Founding Director of The Centre for Energy, Natural Resources and Geopolitics (CENRG) at the Institute for Analysis of Global Security (IAGS).
Founding Principal of International Market Analysis Ltd., a company engaged in business development and political risks in the field of energy and natural resources.
Received a master's degree from Harvard University and a Ph.D. from the Fletcher School of Diplomacy and Law (Tufts University).

KEVIN RUDD

President and CEO of Asia Society,

President, Asia Society Policy Institute,

Prime Minister of Australia (2007-2010, 2013)

Born on September 21, 1957.
Australian politician and diplomat.
Served as Prime Minister of Australia twice: from 2007-2010, and also in 2013.
In this position, Rudd led Australia's response during the Global Financial Crisis. Australia's fiscal response to the crisis was reviewed by the IMF as the most effective stimulus strategy of all member states. Australia was one of the few developed countries to escape the recession of the late 2000s.
From 2006 to 2010, served as leader of the Australian Labor Party.
In 2010-2012, served as Foreign Minister.
Holds a number of senior positions: President and CEO of the Asia Society, Chairman of the Board of the International Peace Institute.
Member of the IMF Managing Director’s External Advisory Group, member of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty Organization’s Group of Eminent Persons.
Senior Fellow at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, a Distinguished Fellow at Chatham House in London, and a Distinguished Fellow at the Paulson Institute in Chicago.
Graduated from the Australian National University with honours in Chinese studies. Fluent in Mandarin.

URBAN RUSNÁK

Secretary General of the Energy Charter Secretariat

Born on September 9, 1967.
Slovak diplomat.
Graduated from the Moscow Institute of Oil and Gas (1990).
In 1998, received his Ph.D. from the Ankara University Institute of Social Sciences. Holds an Honoris Causa doctorate from the Kiev Slavonic University since 2009.
From 1992 to 1999 worked in various positions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic, including Embassy in Turkey.
In 2000-2003, was the Executive Director of the International Visegrad Fund. In 2003, returned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic.
From 2005 to 2009, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Slovakia to Ukraine. During his duties as Ambassador, took part in negotiations on gas problems between Russia and Ukraine.
In 2011, elected as the Secretary General of the Energy Charter Secretariat. Has focused his efforts on the modernisation of the Energy Charter Process, and on the updating of the institutional arrangements for the Conference.
The culmination of Rusnák's modernisation efforts has been the adoption of the International Energy Charter in May 2015, political declaration which addresses the energy challenges of the XXI century.
The Energy Charter is an organization aiming at strengthening energy cooperation between the signatory states. Currently, the Energy Charter Treaty has been signed by 54 countries from Europe, Asia, North America, Africa, also signed by Australia, the European Union and Kazakhstan.
Fluent in English, Russian, Turkish, Ukrainian, French, and Hungarian.

LESLIE SIMM

Founder and Executive Director

of International Forum for Mutual Understanding (IFOUND)

Born in April 1959.
Former British Army late entry officer.
His military career was focused on Human intelligence (HUMINT), Counter Terrorism, Security Sector Reform, Post Conflict Reconstruction, and Defense Diplomacy.
Since leaving the military, worked for the UK Government, UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Afghanistan.
Worked as Project Director for the Abu Dhabi Critical National Infrastructure Authority, Brazil based Crisis and Security Operations Manager, independent consultant for governments, INGOs and businesses in a wide range of sectors.
Since November 2020, Executive Director of the International Forum for Understanding (IFOUND).
Recently working on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation issues with the UN, international organizations, academic institutions, and the Norwegian Nobel Institute.

NOURIEL ROUBINI

Professor Emeritus of Economics at Stern School of Business, New York University,

CEO, Roubini Macro Associates

Born on March 29, 1958.
American economist, one of the world's most respected experts on global finance.
Ranked #4 on Foreign Policy magazine's list of 100 world's great thinkers.
In 2010, Forbes named him the most influential economist in the world.
After graduating from Bocconi University (Italy) and receiving a PhD in Economics from Harvard University (USA), began his academic career at Yale University.
Was a visiting consultant at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Federal Reserve System, the World Bank and the Bank of Israel.
During the administration of President Bill Clinton, was Senior Economist at the Council of Economic Advisers and later Senior Advisor to Timothy Geithner, Secretary of the Treasury under Barack Obama.
Back in 2006, predicted that a mortgage crisis would break out in the US, which would begin the global economic crisis.
Currently is the CEO of Roubini Macro Associates, a New York-based macroeconomics consulting firm, and Chief Economist of the Atlas Capital Team.
Co-author of several papers on the global economy, as well as the October 2022 book “MegaThreats: Ten Dangerous Trends That Imperil Our Future and How to Survive Them”.

JACOB FRENKEL

Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Group of Thirty,

Chairman of JP Morgan Chase International (2009-2019)

Born on February 8, 1943.
A well-known Israeli and world economist.
Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Group of Thirty (G30) – an influential international organization that unites the world's leading economists and financiers, including the heads of the largest private and central banks of the world.
From 2009 to 2019, served as Chairman of JPMorgan Chase International.
In 2001-2011, worked as Chairman and CEO of G30, in 2004-2009 – Vice Chairman of American International Group, Inc., in 2000-2004 – Chairman of Merrill Lynch International Bank.
In 1991-2000, served as Chairman of the Bank of Israel.
Over the years, held the positions of Economic Adviser and Head of Research at the IMF, as well as professor of international economics at the University of Chicago.
Received many awards and prizes in economics.
One of the founders of the Frankel-Zuckerman Institute for Global Economics at Tel Aviv University (TAU).
Currently based in Tel Aviv (Israel).

PETER FRANKOPAN

Director of the Oxford Centre for Byzantine Research,

Professor of Global History at Oxford University, author of the bestseller “The Silk Roads: A New History of the World”

Born on March 22, 1971.
Director of the Oxford Centre for Byzantine Research. Professor of Global History at Oxford University.
Senior Research Fellow at Worcester College, Oxford. Professor at King's College, Cambridge.
Works on the history of the Mediterranean, Russia, the Middle East, Iran, Central Asia, and China.
Author of international bestsellers “The Silk Roads: A New History of the World” (2015) and “The New Silk Roads: The Future and Present of the World” (2018), that have been translated into more than 30 languages.
Often writes for the international press, including The New York Times, Financial Times, The Guardian, China Daily and Good Times, has a regular column in the London Evening Standard.

TERESA CZERWIŃSKA

Vice-President, European Investment Bank (EIB)

Born on September 7, 1974.
Polish economist in the field of risk management of financial institutions, financial markets and public finance.
In 2015-2017, Undersecretary of State, Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Poland.
In 2017-2018, Undersecretary of State of the Ministry of Finance of Poland. In 2018-2019, Minister of Finance in the government of Mateusz Morawiecki.
In 2019-2020, Board Member of the National Bank of Poland.
Since March 2020, Vice-President of the European Investment Bank (EIB).
Czerwińska’s areas of oversight include financing of science, education, innovation and the digital economy, InvestEU Program, financing operations in Croatia, Hungary, Poland, the Eastern Partnership countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia and Ukraine), Central Asia, China and Mongolia, relations with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).
Holds PhD in Economics, University of Gdansk.

CHUNG RAE KWON

Nobel Peace Prize laureate (2007), Member of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

Born in 1954.
Expert on the environment and climate change.
Member of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
2007 Nobel Peace Prize laureate for work in the field of climate change together with the IPCC and former US Vice President Albert Gore.
Served as Climate Change Ambassador of the Republic of Korea, Principal Advisor on Climate Change to the Secretary-General of the UN and as Director for Environment and Development of the UN ESCAP (Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific).
Under his leadership, ESCAP has become a leader in promoting the concept of a Green Growth Strategy since 2005.
Former Board member of the Ban Ki-moon Center.
Professor Emeritus at Institute of Convergence, Science and Technology of Incheon National University, South Korea.
Since 2019, Chairman of the Global Energy Prize International Award Committee (Russia).
Holds a master’s degree in diplomatic relations from Georgetown University.

KAIRAT ABUSSEITOV

Head of International Programmes Center
Nursultan Nazarbayev Foundation

Born on October 20, 1955.
Graduate of Kazakh State University (1979) and Moscow State University Graduate School, holding Candidate of Historical Sciences degree
Has long and extensive experience as Kazakhstan's top-level diplomat. Diplomatic rank – Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.
Deeply engaged for almost 3 decades in advancing multilateral cooperation and foreign policy initiatives related to the entire complex of international peace and security matters.
His position as an Ambassador at Foreign Ministry included Head of Units for International Security organizations and International Security and Arms Control, Director of Multilateral Cooperation Department and Deputy Foreign Minister.
Earlier overseas work included positions of Kazakhstan's Ambassador to Switzerland and Permanent Representative to the UN Office and other international organizations in Geneva, Ambassador to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and also non-resident Ambassador to Ireland, Iceland, and Sweden.
Prior to his work at Nazarbayev Foundation he served as Ambassador of Kazakhstan in Oslo, Norway.
During his diplomatic career received Order of "Kurmet" (2003) and Order of "Dostyk" (2018).

YERZHAN SALTYBAYEV

Director of the Institute of World Economics and Politics (IWEP) under the Nursultan Nazarbayev Foundation

Born on August 5, 1980.
A graduate of the Kazakh State Law Academy (2001). Received LLM degree in international law from Georgetown University (2006). Studied at John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University (2015).
At IWEP, leads research programs in geopolitics, economics, security, domestic politics, and strategic forecasting.
Since 2017, serves as one of the main organizers of the Astana Club – the largest dialogue platform on global issues in Central Asia. The Club became an influential forum, whose participants are former heads of states and governments, international experts, business leaders, diplomats, and heads of world leading think tanks from more than 30 countries.
From 2015 to 2017, headed the Service of Geopolitics and Regional Studies of the Analytical Center under the President of Kazakhstan.
From 2010 to 2015, worked in the Analytical Department of the Security Council of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
From 2007 to 2010, held various positions at the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Member of the Consultative Council under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

ELISABETH RIZZOTTI

Founder and Chief Operating Officer, Managing Director, Newcleo, Italy

Holds a bachelor's degree in physics (1990), graduated from the Graduate School of Nuclear Physics at the University of Turin (1991).
In 1991, began career as a senior manager at Accenture.
In 2002-2021, worked in the banking sector at Banca Lombarda and then at UNI Banca as Head of Strategic Planning, Strategic Marketing, Direct Channels and Communications.
In April 2021, founded Newcleo, a private UK based company working to generate safe, clean and sustainable nuclear energy combining existing available technologies at competitive prices.
Newcleo is building the next generation of nuclear energy working on:
(1) eliminating the need for geological repositories by using a fast neutron flux avoiding production of long-life radioactive elements such plutonium and minor actinides (MA);
(2) developing Accelerator Driven System (ADS), based on the intrinsically safe coupling of a particle accelerator and a sub-critical reactor;
(3) accelerating the development of new fuel cycles.

Nouriel Roubini
CEO
Roubini Macro Associates LLC
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Raekwon Chung
Nobel Peace Prize laureate (2007)
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Jacob Frenkel
Former Governor of Bank of Israel, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Group of Thirty
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Yerzhan Saltybayev
Director
Institute of World Economics and Politics (IWEP)
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Lisa Curtis
Director of the Indo-Pacific Security Program at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), Deputy Assistant to the US President (2017-2021)
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Teresa Cwerzninska
Vice-President
European Investment Bank
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Kairat Abusseitov
Advisor to Director, Nursultan Nazarbayev Foundation
Ambassador
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Angela Kane
Vice President
International Institute for Peace
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Jonathan Granoff
President
Global Security Institute
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Urban Rusnak
Ambassador
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Slovak Repulic
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Ariel Cohen
Director
Energy, Growth and Security Program ITIC
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Leslie Simm
Director
International Forum for Understanding
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Lassina Zerbo
Executive Secretary
Emeritus CTBTO (2013-2021)
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