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Aleksey Sim is Head of the Investment Climate and Ratings Department at the Uzbekistan Ministry of Investments, Industry, and Trade, improving the country¡¯s investment attractiveness, streamlining investor services, and aligning with international best practices.?He coordinates the Secretariat of the Foreign Investors Council under the President and conceptualizes flagship initiatives such as the Tashkent International Investment Forum, the national Investment Climate Rating, and the Single Window for Investors digital platform. He was Deputy Director General of the Strategic Reforms Agency and has held senior positions in the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade, and in the banking sector.?He holds an Executive Postgraduate Diploma in Strategy and Innovation from Sa?d Business School, University of Oxford, and a degree in International Economic Relations.

Ambeng Kandakasi was appointed Deputy Chief Justice of Papua New Guinea (PNG) in 2018, having served on the bench since 2001. ?He is president of the Asia Pacific Mediation Forum and Council member of the Australasian Institute of Judicial Administration and the Global Judicial Institute on the Environment. Prior to his judicial appointment, he was a partner in the firm of Young & Williams lawyers and taught law at the University of PNG. Justice Kandakasi chairs the PNG Judiciary¡¯s Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Committee, leading the establishment of a court annexed ADR system and reforms to mainstream the use of ADR within the judicial system and in other sectors. He is a practicing mediator and judicial dispute resolver, judicial trainer and educator in ADR.

Amos Saurombe is a Professor of International Economic Law and related aspects of Intellectual Property Law and Biodiversity at the University of South Africa, as well as the Head of Department for Criminal and Procedural Law in the College of Law. He is an international trade and regional integration consultant for the African Union and their various Regional Economic Communities. He is an Adjunct Professor of international economic law at the Trade Policy Training Centre, Arusha Tanzania. He also teaches international trade at the Thabo Mbeki African School of Public and International Affairs and is a C2 NRF Rated Researcher and member of Southern African Young Academy of Sciences.

Ana Maria Daza-Clark is an Associate Professor in International Economic Law at Edinburgh Law School. Her areas of research cover international trade and investment law, international arbitration, natural resource management and international water law. She has published various academic articles focusing on the intersection between international economic law and environmental protection, water resources management, armed conflict and energy projects. Ana Maria is a member of the steering committee of the Academic Forum for UNCITRAL Group III on the reform of investor state dispute settlement, a member of the Water Law Working Group established under the Global Forum for Law, Justice and Development at the World Bank, and an affiliate of the International Water Law Academy.

Antonio Barreto Rozo is ad hoc justice of the Colombian Constitutional Court and associate professor at the Law School of Universidad de los Andes, where he directs the Graduate Law School, the Public Law Research Group, and the Universidad de los Andes research hotbed group on AI and Law (Lab IA / Law). His academic interests revolve around constitutional law, political philosophy, and legal history. Among his numerous publications, stands out his article ¡°Constitutional history of the Colombian paradox (1886-2016)-Hegemony, Exception, and Postponement.¡± He holds a Philosophy Master from Universidad Nacional de Colombia, and Master's and Doctoral degrees in Constitutional Law from Yale University.?

Antonio Herman Benjamin is President of the Superior Court of Justice and the Federal Justice Council. He has presided the Brazil-United States Law Association, the World Commission on Environmental Law, and the National Forum of Judges and the Environment. He was involved in drafting important Brazilian laws, including the Forest Code, the Forest Concessions Law, and the Atlantic Forest Law. He holds a Master¡¯s degree from the University of Illinois and a Doctorate from the University of Rio Grande do Sul.

Aurelia Devos has been a French magistrate for the past 21 years. In 2007, she was put in charge of international criminal assistance in terrorism matters and with African countries within the Ministry of Justice. Legal advisor to the French Minister of Foreign Affairs between 2009 and 2010, she joined the Paris Public Prosecutor's Office to establish and be the first Prosecutor in charge of the section on crimes against Humanity and war crimes (2010 to 2020). Ms. Devos was then appointed Senior Prosecutor for the Residual Mechanism for international tribunals, based in Kigali. Since September 2021, she is a judge, President of a correctional chamber in France.?

Axel van Trotsenburg is the World Bank¡¯s Senior Managing Director, responsible for Development Policy and Partnerships. He directs the World Bank¡¯s core development work captured by the Verticals ¨C People, Planet, Prosperity, Infrastructure and Digital ¨C and ensures its integration into operations. He oversees the Bank¡¯s partnerships including with the UN, international financial institutions, and bilateral partners, and co-chairs the replenishment of the International Development Association (IDA). Prior to this, Axel was the Managing Director of Operations for 3.5 years where he oversaw the Bank¡¯s global operations, with a footprint spanning more than 140 offices.?

Dr. Baba Yusuf Musa is the Director General of the West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management (WAIFEM), with over 30 years of leadership in economic policy, public finance, and sovereign debt management. A former senior official at the Central Bank of Nigeria and past Director of Fiscal Policy and Debt Management at WAIFEM, he has played a key role in shaping debt strategies, fiscal reforms, and capacity development across Africa. Dr. Musa collaborates extensively with institutions such as the World Bank, IMF, and AfDB, and serves on global debt governance platforms. A prolific author and Editor-in-Chief of WAFER, he holds a Ph.D. in Economics and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers.?

Belema Obuoforibo is the Director of the IBFD Knowledge Centre, Chair of the Centre for Studies in African Taxation, and a Member of the IBFD Executive Board. She is also Extraordinary Lecturer in International Taxation at the University of Pretoria, and a Visiting Lecturer in International Taxation at the University of Cape Town. Belema is a noted lecturer, writer, and editor in the field of international taxation. She is widely published, including as a chapter author of the esteemed publication, Global Tax Treaty Commentaries, and serves on the editorial boards of the Bulletin for International Taxation and the European Taxation journal. In addition, she has advised various African governments, on matters relating to international tax policy, tax treaties, and effective anti-avoidance legislation.

Bel¨¦n P¨¢ez, an Ecuadorian ecologist, is President of Fundaci¨®n Pachamama and Vice-President of Pachamama Alliance, where she promotes transitions toward regenerative economies, climate justice, and the Rights of Nature. She has developed governance and financing mechanisms for bioregions and leads bioeconomy, conservation, and renewable energy initiatives in partnership with Indigenous peoples. She is also a member of the Amazon Scientific Panel, was appointed as an MIT Solve Climate Advisor and serves on the boards of the Sacred Headwaters Alliance, and other international organizations. Ms. P¨¢ez is a leading advocate for innovative solutions to address the global climate ecological crisis, grounded in the integration of ancestral knowledge and deep respect for Indigenous cultures and their relationship with Nature.

Bruno Deffains, Professor at the University of Paris Panth¨¦on-Assas and honorary member of the French University Institute, is distinguished for his expertise in Law and Economics. Former President of the European Association of Law and Economics, he leads the Master of Business Law and Economics at Panth¨¦on Assas University, as well as the University Diplomas in "Digital Transformation of Law and Legaltech.¡± He has been a visiting professor at numerous universities and has served on the National Commission for Commercial Practices and the National Consultative Commission on Human Rights. He develops research programs for the Foundation for the Civil Law Foundation, particularly the World Observatory on Legal Indicators.

Byungsik Jung is Deputy Dean of ADBI, specializing in international finance, trade agreements and international tax. He was previously Director General for International Tax in the Republic of Korea Ministry of Economy and Finance, and Bureau Member in negotiating the Terms of Reference for the UN Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation. He also was a Deputy Director General for the international finance bureau, and co-chair for the G20 International Financial Architecture Working Group. Mr. Jung holds a Doctor of Juridical Science in international trade laws from American University Washington College of Law, an LL.M. in financial law from Georgetown Law Center, and an LL.B. from Korea University, and is a member of the New York Bar.

Carole Botello is a Program Manager at the American Bar Association¡¯s Center for Global Programs, Latin America and the Caribbean Division. She has experience managing complex international programs, with expertise in operational leadership, financial oversight, compliance, and rights-based support for vulnerable populations. Previously, she worked at Dexis Consulting Group where she supported programs aimed at strengthening the rule of law. Carole has supported civil society organizations across Latin America in implementing projects that prevent human trafficking and child exploitation, protect environmental defenders, support LGBTQ+ rights, and increase migrants and refugees¡¯ access to justice. She holds a B.A. in Communication and a minor in International Development and Conflict Management from the University of Maryland. She is pursuing her M.A. in International Affairs at the George Washington University.?

Judge Pugh has served on the United States Tax Court since 2014. Prior to this, he practiced as Counsel at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP. A Member of the American Bar Association, Section of Taxation, where he has served as Chair for the Tax Shelter Committee and Government Relations Committee and as Council Director, he also previously served as Minority Tax Counsel and Majority Tax Counsel on the Committee on Finance in the U.S. Senate. He holds a J.D. from the University of Virgina School of Law, and is a member of the bar in Virginia, the District of Columbia, and the United States Supreme Court.

Dr. Christina Leb works as Lead Water Specialist in the Global Water Department of the World Bank, focusing on transboundary water management. Prior to this, she served as Senior Counsel at the Environment and International Law Department, advising on water law and the Bank¡¯s policies on projects on international waterways. She was also Program Manager of the Central Asia Water Energy Program and worked assignments related to water resources management and transboundary water governance in Africa and South and Central Asia. Dr. Leb previously worked at the Faculty of Law of the University of Geneva. She is a fellow at the Platform for International Water Law of Geneva University and an affiliate member of the International Water Law Academy at Wuhan University.?

Christophe Bondy has over 25 years¡¯ experience as counsel in investor-State and international commercial arbitrations and has acted for multiple sovereigns in such disputes, including nearly a decade as Senior Counsel and Deputy Director at the Trade Law Bureau of his native Canada.? Christophe has particular expertise in investment treaty claims arising out of natural resources development (both mining and energy) and more generally in international claims arising in complex regulatory environments. Christophe is an adjunct professor of international dispute resolution at the Centre for Transnational Legal Studies in London, and a member of the advisory board of the Investment Treaty Forum of the British Institute of International and Comparative Law.

Christophe Soulard has served as First President of the French Cour de cassation since 2022. He promotes legal innovation through initiatives like open data and AI, and encourages coordinated action with institutions such as the World Bank. Trained in private law, his judicial career began in civil law at the Tribunal of First Instance of Metz, then transitioned to criminal law, where he became president of the Supreme Court¡¯s Criminal Chamber. His international experience includes serving as a lecteur d¡¯arr¨ºts (r¨¦f¨¦rendaire) at the Court of Justice of the European Union. Outside of his judicial duties, Mr. Soulard has been an associate professor at several universities and founded the European Centre for the Judiciary and Legal Professions, which provides training for judges in European law.

Christopher Stephens is Senior Vice President and General Counsel of the World Bank Group. He oversees the World Bank¡¯s Legal Vice Presidency, where he is responsible for overall coordination and management of legal aspects of the Operational Activities of the World Bank. He is also responsible for legal aspects of the corporate finance functions, and provides legal advice on institutional administrative matters, as well as leading on litigation and corporate governance. As a Group Officer, he also coordinates legal issues and risks across five institutions of the World Bank Group. As Group General Counsel, he focuses on ensuring efficient and effective support and ideas to deliver on the World Bank Group¡¯s mission, with an emphasis on results-oriented innovations for impact, delivered with a sense of urgency.

Claudia Salomon is the President of the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC Court), the first female President in the institution¡¯s 100-year history. Claudia is a leading arbitration practitioner, with more than 25 years¡¯ experience representing parties in some of the most complex, high value, and significant disputes. She brings her experience of representing clients to the Court, driving a client-centric mindset. Claudia is also an independent arbitrator, specializing in international, investor¨Cstate and complex commercial disputes. She is a member of the New York Bar and a solicitor in England and Wales. She graduated from Harvard Law School, cum laude, and Brandeis University, summa cum laude with honors. She also studied at Somerville College, Oxford University.

Dae Rubinos serves as Counsel in the Environment and International Law Practice Group at the World Bank. Prior to joining the Bank, she held diverse roles at the Asian Development Bank¡¯s Accountability Mechanism, the Green Climate Fund, and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines. She holds a Juris Doctor degree from Ateneo de Manila University and an MSc in Global Energy and Climate Policy from SOAS University of London. Ms. Rubinos plays a key role in the GFLJD Environmental Justice Working Group, where she supports partnerships and collaborations to advance legal perspectives on environmental justice and sustainable development.

The Honorable David G. Campbell chairs the U.S. federal courts¡¯ Committee on International Judicial Relations.? He was appointed to this role in 2022 by the Chief Justice of the United States.? The Committee seeks to advance the rule of law and the administration of justice worldwide. Judge Campbell has worked with judiciaries around the world on judicial independence and integrity, substantive law and procedure, and judicial administration and efficiency.? He regularly participates in the Conference of Chief Justices of Central and Eastern Europe, the Conference of Chief Justices of Asia and the Pacific, and other judicial networks.? He is a Senior District Judge in the District of Arizona and has been on the federal bench for 22 years.

David F. Varela is an international consultant on justice reform to governments and multilateral organizations with more than thirty years of experience in Canada, the United States, Latin America, and the Middle East. Mr. Varela has been responsible for the design, supervision, and evaluation of more than thirty programs and projects financed by the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank, among other clients. Mr. Varela is a Doctor of International Affairs at the School of Advanced International Studies of Johns Hopkins University; a LL.M of McGill University; and a LL.B from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana. Mr. Varela has lectured at several Latin American, Spanish, and U.S. universities and is the author of several publications.

Domenico Tabasso is a Senior Economist for the World Bank¨CUNHCR Joint Data Center on Forced Displacement (JDC). Before joining the JDC, Domenico worked with the Policy Evaluation Unit of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Research Department, where he analyzed the effects of labor market policies in emerging and developing countries. He has also contributed to the work of the ILO within the IFC-ILO-UNHCR-UNICEF-WB and Government of Netherlands partnership on Inclusive Jobs and Education for Forcibly Displaced Persons. Domenico has held academic positions at the universities of Essex, Geneva, and Melbourne, publishing several policy reports and academic articles. He holds a B.Sc in Economics from Bocconi University, and an M.Sc and a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Essex.

Elisa Puglielli is a civil law notary based in Rome. She is an expert in European and international affairs for the Italian Council of Notaries and serves as a member of several Commissions, at the national, European (Family Law Commission of the Council of the Notariats of the European Union ¨C CNUE) and international level (International Organizations Working group of the International Union of Notaries ¨C UINL). She is also a UINL general counsellor and teaches at both the National Italian School of Notaries and the Notarial School in Rome.

Dr. Pinto Moreira is a results-driven and innovative economist fully committed to policy-oriented and analytical work. He has about 30 years of experience in macro-fiscal, growth, poverty, economic governance, trade, and competitiveness related work in middle-income and low-income countries. From 2019 to 2024, he was the Director of the Country Economics Department of the African Development Bank. He came to the AfDB after serving for two decades with the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund. Dr. Pinto Moreira holds a PhD and MS in macroeconomics from the University of Lorraine (France) and is the author of many research papers and publications, most recently ¡°Avoiding the Middle-Income Trap: Challenges for Africa and Policy Lessons.¡± ?

Francisco Ciampolini is the Regional Director at the American Bar Association¡¯s Center for Global Programs, Latin America and the Caribbean Division. Previously, he worked at the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) where he oversaw the implementation of the Central America programs, including several initiatives on juvenile justice, youth empowerment, juvenile restorative justice and youth alternative sentencing. He previously worked for the ABA Rule of Law Initiative¡¯s Latin America and Caribbean Division as the Senior Program Officer. Francisco has also served as visiting professional at the International Criminal Court (ICC), and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR). He holds an LL.M. in international and comparative law from The George Washington University Law School, and a B.A. in law from Faculdades Metropolitanas Unidas in S?o Paulo.

Giselle Oliveira de Barros is the President of the Notarial College of Brazil ¨C Federal Council, for the 2020/2022 and 2023/2025 terms. She has been the notary of the 23rd Notary Office of S?o Paulo/SP since 2011, after being approved in the 7th Public Examination for the Granting of Notarial and Registry Delegations by the S?o Paulo Court of Justice. She holds a law degree from the University of S?o Paulo, with specializations in Family Entities from the Autonomous University of Law and in Notarial and Registry Law from the S?o Paulo School of Magistrates.

Guy Grossman is?a Professor at the?University of Pennsylvania. His research is in applied political economy, with a substantive focus on governance, migration and forced displacement, human trafficking, and conflict processes, in the context of developing countries.?Grossman is the founder and co-director of Penn¡¯s Development Research Initiative (PDRI-DevLab), which advances research to identify solutions to the challenges facing low- and middle-income countries. PDRI seeks to foster impactful international development research by harnessing the expertise of its affiliates from various disciplines and utilizing diverse methodological approaches. Grossman¡¯s work has appeared in numerous academic journals and popular magazines. He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Columbia University, as well as MA in Political Philosophy and LLB in Law, both from Tel-Aviv University.??

Julie Couturier is the President of the Conseil national des barreaux for the 2024-2026 term. She is currently a partner at JCD Avocats, the law firm she founded, which specializes in enforcement, property and real estate law. Previously, she was the President of the Paris Bar Association for the 2022-2023 term. Ms. Couturier has been treasurer and vice-president of the Union of Young Lawyers of Paris. She is also an honorary member of the National Federation of Union of Young Lawyers, and was a member of the Paris Bar Council from 2009 to 2011. Admitted to the Paris Bar in 1995, she holds a DEA in general private law from Paris I.

Klaus Koch-Saldarriaga is a Senior Private Sector Development Specialist within the Development Economics Vice Presidency, Global Indicators Group, responsible for overseeing the dialogue with stakeholders, including governments. He coordinated the public consultation process for the B-Ready Concept Note and led the B-Ready branding initiative. Previously, he served as a diplomat-counselor at the Embassy of Colombia in the United States, supporting the approval of the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement and the bilateral Action Plan on Labor Rights. He has also held positions at the Business Association of Colombia (ANDI) and legal firms Heuking K¨¹hn in Germany and DG&A in Colombia. He holds a LL.M. from UC Berkeley, completed a negotiation program at Harvard University, and earned his law degree from Javeriana University in Colombia.?

Dr. Marek Dubovec is the Director of Law Reform Programs at the International Law Institute. For over 15 years, he has been collaborating with UNCITRAL and UNIDROIT to develop international standards that modernize commercial law frameworks. He has worked on implementing these standards under projects funded by the World Bank Group, the EBRD, FSD-Kenya, and others. Marek is one of the principal authors of several publications, including the Secured Transactions, Collateral Registries, and Movable Asset-Based Financing Knowledge Guide, Guidance Notes on Distributed Ledger Technology and Secured Transactions, and the New Finance Support Report.

Dr. Maria Mousmouti is Associate Research Fellow at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (IALS) at University of London and Executive Director at the Centre for European Constitutional Law. On behalf of the University, she coordinates the Urban Law Initiative which is a research cooperation between the Sir William Dale Centre for Legislative Studies at IALS and UN-Habitat with the aim to improve the quality of urban legislation in countries around the world. Maria Mousmouti specialises in law-making, legislative quality and effectiveness, legislative design and drafting and equality and fundamental rights. Her expertise covers law-making, legislative drafting, ex-ante and ex-post legislative scrutiny and gender-sensitive scrutiny of legislation.

Mauro Luiz Campbell Marques has been a Minister of the Superior Court of Justice since 2008, appointed by the Public Prosecutor¡¯s Office. He has worked as a lawyer, advisor to the Court of Accounts of Amazonas, and as a prosecutor with the Public Prosecutor¡¯s Office of Amazonas and was appointed Attorney General of Justice three times. He has served as Inspector General of Federal Justice, Electoral Inspector General (2021¨C2022), and, in 2022, became Director of ENFAM ¨C the National School for the Training and Improvement of Magistrates. Since September 2024, he has held the position of National Inspector of Justice at the National Council of Justice (CNJ) for the 2024¨C2026 term. He holds a law degree from Centro Universit¨¢rio Metodista Bennett (Unibennett).

Mtende Mhango is Professor of Law at the University of Limpopo (UL) and the inaugural Metropolitan Research Chair in Pension Law Studies, a joint initiative between UL and the National University of Lesotho (NUL). He previously served as Dean of Law at NUL and Deputy Head of the School of Law at Wits University. His research on pension law in the South African Development Community has informed reforms in Lesotho, Malawi, Eswatini, and Botswana. His most recent book is Pension Law in Lesotho: A Commentary on Selected Provisions of the Pension Funds Act 5 of 2019, published by Juta. Mhango holds a BA (Morehead State University), JD (Michigan State University), LLM (Wayne State University) and LLD (University of South Africa).

Nahla Zeitoun is the Senior Social Protection Specialist at the World Bank for the GCC Region with more than 28 years of operational and analytical experience. Her areas of expertise include program design, delivery and monitoring along with evidence-based policy dialogue/research, covering areas including adaptive social protection, economic inclusion, subsidy reform, women¡¯s empowerment, early childhood development, human capital, social care and disability. Prior to joining the Bank, Nahla served for eighteen years in UNDP Egypt, where she led the Poverty Team on areas related to Poverty Reduction/Job creation, Private Sector Development/Engagement, Youth Engagement and Gender Empowerment.?She holds a Master of Arts?Degree in Sociology from the American University in Cairo.

Natallia Karkanitsa is an Analyst with the Business Ready Unit of the World Bank Group. Previously, she served as a Head of Office of the UN Resident Coordinator in Belarus, she drafted the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2021-2025. Natallia also led the Governance portfolio at the UN Development Programme, where she organized SDG Impact Investment Forum, created programs on access to justice and rule of law, ensured strategic oversight of planning, budgeting, and project implementation. Natallia served as a Senior Lecturer at Belarusian State University, where she taught Refugee Law, Human Rights, and Non-Discrimination. Natallia holds a LL.M. from American University Washington College of Law, master¡¯s degree in Law, Economics, and Management from the University of Bordeaux, and she earned her law degree from Belarusian State University.

Nato Kurshitashvili is a Senior Transport Specialist at the World Bank Group, where she leads the development of global analytics focused on transport and gender equality while supporting transport operations and policy dialogues across multiple regions. Prior to this, she served as Principal Gender Adviser at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), where she spearheaded projects promoting gender equality and women¡¯s economic empowerment across the Bank's operations, with a particular focus on infrastructure sectors. Notably, she co-led the creation of the EBRD's flagship Women in Business and Green Cities programs. Nato holds an MSc in Social Policy and Development from the London School of Economics and Political Science and an MA in Public Policy from Central European University, Hungary.

Nicole Kearse is Principal Legal Counsel and Head of Sovereign Finance at the African Legal Support Facility (ALSF). She has almost two decades of experience in finance and corporate law, with the last ten years focused on Africa. Prior to ALSF, she co-founded Krescent Consulting, advising African law firms, SMEs, and non-profits. She also served as Director of Learning and Strategic Development at ILFA. Nicole was formerly Deputy Managing Director at DaMina Advisors and practiced law at Shearman & Sterling and Baker & McKenzie, advising Fortune 500 companies on major cross-border deals. She also worked at Citibank on commercial lending in Latin America. Nicole holds a JD from Georgetown and master's degrees from Columbia University and the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.

Since 2020, Normal Loayza has overseen the production of the World Bank¡¯s flagship data and reports, Women, Business and the Law, Enterprise Surveys, and the global and subnational Business Ready. From 2015 to 2020, he led the Asia hub of the Development Research Group. He directed the World Development Report 2014: Risk and Opportunity ¨C Managing Risk for Development. Mr. Loayza joined the World Bank in 1994 and served most of his career in the Development Research Group. He has edited or written 11 books and published about 50 papers in professional journals and volumes. He is an associate editor of the World Bank Economic Review. Mr. Loayza holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard University.?

Olagnika Salam is a civil law notary from Benin and, since 2023, serves as the President of the African Affairs Commission of the International Union of Notaries (UINL). He has worked as a notary in Benin since 2005, after working as a notary-candidate in several French law firms. He holds a PhD in Law and a Higher Diploma in Notarial Studies from the University of Poitiers (France).?

Pierre Hoffman is a partner at Hoffman, a law firm focused on intellectual property. In June 2023, he was elected President of the Paris Bar for the 2024-2025 term. From 2016 to 2018, he was a member of the Paris Bar Council, where he served as Secretary for Public Affairs. Mr. Hoffman began his legal career specializing in criminal law, working alongside renowned attorney Jean-Louis Pelletier. In 2003, Mr. Hoffman joined the Union des Jeunes Avocats (¡°Young Lawyers Association¡±), a lawyers¡¯ union where he later served as treasurer, then vice-president. A lawyer and Doctor of Law, Mr. Hoffman holds a postgraduate degree in Multimedia and IT Law and a postgraduate degree in Business Law.?

Prita Miranti Suyudi is a notary and land deed official based in Jakarta. She is a certified notary for the Indonesian Financial Services Authority handling publicly listed corporations. She serves as the member of the International Cooperation Commission (CCNI) of the International Union of Notaries (UINL), Head of International Relations of the Indonesian Notary Association, Head of Research of the Indonesian Land Deed Officials Association, and Vice Chair of the Notary Alumni Association of University of Indonesia. She earned her Bachelor of Laws degree from Universitas Gadjah Mada and obtained her Master of Notarial Law from Universitas Indonesia. She is currently also a PhD candidate in Law at Universitas Gadjah Mada.

Rafael has over 20 years¡¯ experience across the UN and other international organizations, mainly working at the intersection of sustainable development, peace and security in diverse regions and countries including Haiti, the Central African Republic, West Africa, the Western Balkans and Somalia. Before joining the UN, he held various roles with international organizations in Amman, Pristina, and Sarajevo. Prior to his role as Regional Director at UNEP, ?Rafael was Chief of Staff of UNEP. He holds a Master¡¯s degree in International Relations from the Brussels School of International Studies-University of Kent at Canterbury and a degree in Law from the Universidad Aut¨®noma de Madrid.

Mr. Remi Moncel is a Senior Counsel in the Environment and International Law Practice Group at the World Bank Legal Vice Presidency. He is Co-Chair of the GFLJD Environmental Justice Working Group. Prior to joining the World Bank, Mr. Moncel served as a Judicial Law Clerk at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, and practiced law at O¡¯Melveny, where he focused on sustainability and compliance with U.S. and international environmental, antitrust, anticorruption, and human rights laws. He also held advisory roles at BSR and the World Resources Institute, where he contributed to international climate negotiations under the UNFCCC and published widely on environmental governance and climate policy. Mr. Moncel holds a Juris Doctor from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law, where he was Editor-in-Chief of the Berkeley Journal of International Law.

Revai Makanje Aalbaek is the Global Lead for Rule of law Justice and Security for UNDP where she leads strategic policy and programming initiatives on people centred justice and security systems. She has over 20 years of experience working on governance issues and, more specifically, on human rights, justice, security, rule of law, social cohesion and gender equality. She has served as UN Women Acting Country Representative for Zimbabwe, Deputy Country Representative UN Women Papua New Guinea, Team Leader Governance and Gender equality with UNDP Zimbabwe and UNDP Team Leader for Effective Governance for the Pacific Region based in Fiji. She holds an LLM in Human Rights from the University of Pretoria and a Masters in Women¡¯s Law from the University of Zimbabwe.

Robert Cicuto has been a judicial officer since 1990 and carries out the ancillary activities of property manager and mediator. He first served on the Departmental Chamber of Judicial Officers, then Chaired the Regional Chamber for more than a decade. During his term, he co-founded a mediation center in Amiens bringing together notaries and chartered accountants. Appointed delegate of the Court of Appeal in 2022, he became treasurer of the UIHJ in 2024, then president of the European Chamber of Judicial Officers. Mr. Cicuto is also recognized for his expertise in environment-related cases, including noise pollution, environmental damage, ecosystem harm, and litigation linked to ecological transition.

Sahar Albazar is an Egyptian Member of Parliament, serving as Deputy Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the House of Representatives and Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee for the Egyptian Majority Political Party, Mostaqbal Watan. She is the Founding Chairwoman of the Ubuntu Parliamentary Initiative for Climate Finance and serves on the Executive Board of Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) in New York. Sahar previously served as President of the IPU Forum of Young Parliamentarians and was the Founding Chair of the Women Parliamentary Council of the Parliamentary Network on the IMF and World Bank. She holds a Master in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School.

Sara Marzal Yetano is a Legal Counsel at the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). Prior to joining ICSID, she practiced law at Clifford Chance US LLP, Chadbourne & Parke LLP, and Arnold & Porter LLP in Washington, DC, as well as at Ur¨ªa Men¨¦ndez in Spain. She also served as a Consultant in the International Trade and Integration Sector of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and clerked at the Appellate Body Secretariat of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Ms. Marzal holds law degrees from Georgetown University Law Center (LL.M.) and ESADE (LL.M. and Law Degree).

Mr. Shamiso Mtisi is the Deputy Director at Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association (ZELA). He is also the global Coordinator of the Kimberley Process Civil Society Coalition that monitors trade of conflict diamonds around the world. He is registered with the High Court of Zimbabwe as a legal practitioner, notary public and conveyancer. With over 19 years working experience in the extractive sector, mining and natural resources sector, he has gained extensive research and advocacy skills on human rights, extractive industries, water resources management, intellectual property rights and farmer's rights. Mr. Mtisi holds a Masters in Law (LLM) in Constitutional and Human Rights Law from Midlands State University and a Bachelor of Laws Honours (LLBS) Degree from the University of Zimbabwe.

Sheila Braka Musiime is the Deputy General Counsel for Operations for the World Bank. She oversees the work supporting the Bank¡¯s financing operations, as well as operations policy, environment, and international law matters. She has held various legal positions with the World Bank, working on matters including fraud and corruption, access to information, financial management and new financial instruments, and on lending operations in East Asia and Pacific, South Asia, Europe and Central Asia, Middle East and North Africa and Africa. Previously, Sheila worked as a corporate lawyer in Uganda, focusing on commercial transactions and project finance. Sheila holds an LLB with distinction from Makerere University Law School in Uganda and graduated with an LLM from Harvard Law School.

Shingira Masanzu is a Senior Counsel at the World Bank where she advises on legal, policy, and risk matters in sovereign lending and private sector-oriented operations. She has worked on projects in sectors such as energy, infrastructure, education, and health, with experience in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Prior to joining the World Bank, Shingi was an associate at a leading corporate New York law firm.?She completed her PhD at the London School of Economics in 2024, focused on the prominence of public-private partnerships in infrastructure development. Shingi holds an LLB (magna cum laude) and Post-Graduate Diploma (Public Law) from the University of Cape Town, and an LLM (International Legal Studies) from NYU School of Law, where she was a Hauser Global Scholar.

Smriti Seth is a Senior Economist in the Economic Policy Unit of the World Bank. She has served as a country economist in various regions, including Africa and South Asia. Smriti also worked in the World Bank's credit risk department for 12 countries across different regions. Her experience spans operational and corporate roles, leading analytical work, technical assistance and lending operations, with a focus on fiscal policy, growth analysis, macro-modelling, and debt management.?

Dr. Souley Amadou is the General Counsel and Director of the Legal Services Department at the African Development Bank Group, where he advises the Board of Governors, Board of Directors, and the President on strategic legal and governance matters. With more than twenty-five years of legal and transactional experience, he has been central to structuring sovereign loans, private equity investments, and landmark public-private partnerships in infrastructure, energy, transport, and financial markets. From 2015 to 2018, he was Acting Corporate Secretary and General Counsel of Africa50.?He holds a Doctorate in Business Law, a Master¡¯s in Tax and Business Law from the University of Auvergne, and the Certificate of Aptitude for the Legal Profession in France.

Sven Renner has been with the World Bank for eight years. Before that, he held various positions in German government and was, among others, in charge of designing the federal policy on raw materials. Between 1996 and 2009 he managed the bureaus of the German Cooperation in the mining sector in Chile and Bolivia. He initiated his career in the mining industry in 1986 as an exploration geologist in the Pijiguaos bauxite deposit in Venezuela. Sven is a geologist by training and holds a Ph.D. from T¨¹bingen University. Since 2017 he has been an honorary lecturer at the Centre for Energy, Petroleum and Mineral Law and Policy, University of Dundee.

Taiwo, a British national, has two decades of experience in the financial industry across asset management, investment banking and financial institutions with exposure to different global markets. Previously, Taiwo was the Global Head of Compliance at British International Investment (BII), where she held the statutory function of Compliance Oversight and Money Laundering Reporting Officer under the UK Financial Regulatory Regime. Taiwo holds an LL.M. in Banking and Finance Law from Queen Mary University of London and completed her legal practice course at the College of Law, London.

Tea Trumbic is the Manager of the Women, Business and the Law project in the World Bank¡¯s Development Economics Vice Presidency, where she leads a dynamic team to produce data and analysis on laws and policies that impact women¡¯s economic opportunities in 190 economies. She joined the World Bank in 2006 and has worked on production of indicators related to business taxation, credit information, agribusiness, trade and gender. Before joining the World Bank, Tea worked at the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Croatia and the International Monetary Fund. She holds a bachelor¡¯s degree in economics from Stanford University and a master¡¯s degree in economics from the London School of Economics.

Tigran Dadunts is the Deputy Minister of Justice of Armenia, overseeing regulatory policy in judicial and legal reforms, including Alternative Dispute Resolution. He previously served as Director of the Center for Legislation Development at the Ministry of Justice and is one of the co-founders of the Arbitration and Mediation Center of Armenia, where he also served as President of the Board of Trustees. Mr. Dadunts holds both an LLB and LLM from Yerevan State University, currently pursuing a PhD and lecturing. Mr. Dadunts is also a U.S. Government alumnus of the International Visitor Leadership Program and the Professional Fellows Program. He began his professional career in banking in 2015 before joining the Ministry of Justice in 2017.

Victor Mosoti is the Chief Counsel of the Environment and International Law Practice Group within the World Bank Legal Vice Presidency. In this capacity, he provides legal leadership and strategic guidance on environmental and international law matters, focused on the application of the Bank¡¯s operational safeguard policies, international law, environmental governance, and institutional accountability. Prior to joining the World Bank, he held legal positions at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome, Italy, and at the Appellate Body of the World Trade Organization in Geneva, Switzerland. He holds a Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.) from the University of Wisconsin¨CMadison and a Certificate in Public Policy from Harvard University.

Yan Liu is General Counsel and Director of the Legal Department of the International Monetary Fund. She advises the institution on all legal aspects of the Fund¡¯s operations, including its lending, surveillance, capacity development, regulatory and advisory functions.?Ms. Liu has led the Legal Department¡¯s work on reforming IMF policies on lending; helping strengthen central banking and financial sector legal frameworks in response to technological changes; leading work on corporate and household insolvency, and public debt management; and contributing to the development of international standards for financial regulation. She holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois, and a master¡¯s degree from the University of Chicago.

Zach Pouga is an International Tax Partner at Ernst & Young LLP, in the National Tax Department, based in New York City. His practice focuses on US tax aspects of cross-border transactions with a main concentration on US inbounds. Pouga is also an Adjunct professor of tax law at New York University (NYU) Law School and a consultant with several international organization including the African Union NEPAD. He helps build capacity regularly in developing countries on the most complex and pressing issues in international tax and has trained government officials in more than a dozen African countries. Pouga is a published author and an internationally acclaimed speaker on issues of law, tax, and development.

Ana Paula Pimentel Walker is an associate professor in urban and regional planning at the University of Michigan¡¯s Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning. She teaches graduate courses in participatory planning and community development, comparative housing, environmental planning, award-winning capstones, and comparative planning law. Pimentel Walker investigates how disenfranchised communities engage with urban governance and evaluates the significance of participatory institutions in planning socially and environmentally just cities. Pimentel Walker received a PhD in anthropology from the University of California, San Diego; a Master of Urban Planning and a Master of Arts in Latin American studies from the University of California, Los Angeles; and a law degree from the University of Cruz Alta in Brazil.

Anna Veneziano is the Deputy Secretary General of the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT), and a Professor of Comparative Law at the University of Teramo, Italy. Her main work and research areas are on uniform law, particularly in the field of secured transactions and international contracts. In relation to Private Law and Agriculture, she participated in the development of the 2015 UNIDROIT/FAO/IFAD Legal Guide on Contract Farming and of the Mining, Agriculture and Construction Protocol to the Cape Town Convention, and is involved in the current UNIDROIT project on Collaborative Structures for Agricultural Enterprises.?

Anne Amin is a legal and governance specialist at the Policy, Legislation and Governance Section of UN-Habitat. She has twenty-five years of international professional experience in a variety of different areas, including advisory services in legislative processes, legislative drafting, capacity building and research. Her areas of expertise include urban governance, physical planning law, climate change and human rights. Ms. Amin holds a Master¡¯s degree in Law from the University of Helsinki, Finland, and a Master¡¯s Degree in International Law from the University of Paris VIII, France.

Anup Jagwani is the Senior Global Sector Manager for Agribusiness and Forestry at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the largest development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. Anup is a seasoned investment and emerging markets professional with over 30 years of experience. In his current leadership role, Anup is responsible for the framing and implementation of the Agribusiness & Forestry sector strategy, including growing IFC¡¯s Agribusiness & Forestry portfolio and creating markets through new initiatives and products. He leads on innovation and the development and of new areas and, ensuring the effective delivery of Investment and Advisory projects. ?

Dil Rahut is Vice Chair and Senior Fellow at Asian Development Bank Institute. He was a global program manager for the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre¡¯s (CIMMYT) socioeconomics and sustainable intensification programs. He also served as chair of the staffs¡¯ committee at CIMMYT. He has more than 240 peer reviewed publications in Scopus indexed journals focusing on development issues across Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. He holds a Ph.D. in development economics from the University of Bonn¡¯s Center for Development Research, a master¡¯s degree in economic policy management from the University of Tsukuba, an MBA specializing in finance, and a Bachelor of Science degree from India.

Katherine Meighan is the Chief Legal & Governance Officer at the International Fund for Agriculture (IFAD), serving in this role since 2017. She holds degrees in law and economics and has over 25 years of experience in international development leadership. Her responsibilities have included overseeing initiatives such as amending IFAD¡¯s Articles to facilitate private sector borrowing and leading efforts that resulted in IFAD obtaining an AA+ credit rating. Previously, she worked at the World Bank Group¡¯s International Finance Corporation, including roles as Assistant General Counsel and assignments in Washington, Buenos Aires, and Istanbul, with a focus on investments in emerging markets and debt restructurings.

Owen McIntyre is a Professor at the School of Law, University College Cork, where he is Director of the LL.M. (Environmental & Natural Resources Law)?Programme and Co-Director of the UCC Centre for Law & the Environment. His principal area of research is Environmental and Natural Resources Law, with a particular focus on International and Comparative Water Law. He is General Editor of the Journal of Water Law and Series Editor of the Brill International Water Law Series of research monographs. He has served as the inaugural Chair of the IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law Specialist Group on Water and Wetlands, a panel member of the EBRD¡¯s Project Complaints Mechanism, and a member of the Scientific Committee of the European Environment Agency.?

Raf Tuts is Director of the Global Solutions Division of UN-Habitat, based in Nairobi, Kenya. He oversees the development of UN-Habitat¡¯s normative guidelines through global initiatives, covering various dimensions of sustainable urbanization. Since joining UN-Habitat in 1995, he has held the following positions: Manager of the Localizing Agenda 21 Programme, Chief of the Training and Capacity Building Branch, Manager of the Cities and Climate Change Initiative, Coordinator of the Urban Planning and Design Branch, and Director of the Programme Division. He coordinated UN-Habitat¡¯s engagement in formulating the Sustainable Development Goals and led an agency-wide global effort to study city responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2016, he was awarded the title of Honorary Professor from his alma mater, the University of Leuven, Belgium.

Raphael Tshimanga is a Professor of hydrology and water resources at the University of Kinshasa, DRC. He is the Director of the Regional School of Water and the Congo Basin Water Resources Research Center (CRREBaC). He is the Co-Chair of the Congo Basin Science Initiative and the former Co-Chair of the Congo Basin Science Panel. Professor Tshimanga is the initiator and coordinator of several research and capacity building programs aimed at promoting improved access to water resources services and conservation in the Congo Basin. He is the Developer of a knowledge hub for the Congo Basin: the Congo Basin Catchment Information Catchment Information System (CB-CIS), and recently co-edited the book Congo Basin Hydrology, Climate, and Biogeochemistry: A Foundation for the Future.

Ren¨¦e Gift is an environmental lawyer and Legal Officer at the Montevideo Coordination and Delivery Unit of UNEP's Law Division. Her current portfolio focuses on leading the Law Division¡¯s work on legal responses to air pollution, climate change, and the management of ozone-depleting substances. Prior to working at UNEP, she worked within the Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme of UNESCO on promoting collaboration over transboundary water resources, and as an independent legal adviser on several projects in SIDS, advising on climate change, biodiversity and coastal zone management legislation and policy for national governments. Ren¨¦e obtained her LL.B at the University of the West Indies and her LL.M at the Lewis and Clark North-western School of Law and was admitted to the Trinidad and Tobago Bar in 2008.

Richard Damania is the Chief Economist for the World Bank¡¯s Planet Vice Presidency.?He has held several positions in the World Bank including as Senior Economic Advisor in the Water Practice, and Lead Economist in the Africa, South Asia, and Latin America and Caribbean Regions. His work has spanned across multiple sectors and has helped the World Bank become an acknowledged thought-leader on matters relating to environment, water, and the economy. Prior to joining the WBG he was an academic in Australia where he held numerous positions. He has published extensively with over 100 papers in scientific journals, has held numerous advisory positions with governments and in international organizations and serves on the Editorial Board of several journals.??

Scot Anderson is the Office Managing Partner in the Denver office of Womble Bond Dickinson. Decades of work in oil, gas, and mining gives Scot a deep understanding of the extractives industries and their role in the energy transition. He advises clients on commercial transactions and project development for the development of natural resources, and regularly works on matters throughout the Americas, Europe, Australia, Africa, and Asia. He is also working on the development of natural resources in outer space and the deep sea. Scot is a past president of the Foundation for Natural Resources and Energy Law and is an honorary lecturer at the Centre for Energy, Petroleum and Mineral Law and Policy, University of Dundee.

Susanne Schmeier is the Head of the Water Governance Department and an Associate Professor of Water Law and Diplomacy at IHE Delft ¨C Institute of Water Education. She is also the International Waters Panel Member at the Global Environment Facility (GEF)¡¯s Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel, co-leads the Shared Waters Law Partnership and is affiliated with Oregon State University. Her work focuses on shared natural resources and the environment, with a particular interest in water, and the legal and institutional mechanisms for governing those in a cooperative, peaceful, and equitable manner. Prior to joining IHE she worked, among others, for the Gesellschaft f¨¹r Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the Mekong River Commission (MRC), and the World Bank.??

Zione Ntaba is a Justice of the High Court in Malawi as well as a legislative drafting expert with over 23 years legal experience. She possesses a strong practical background of legislative and policy development and analysis in several areas in governance, law, and climate change (land, energy, housing, construction) and human rights. She has on several occasions presented on Malawi¡¯s urban planning systems and sources of law and urban planning practices. She possesses great networking and engagement skills with government, the private sector, international organizations, and other stakeholders in the environment sector.