Cristiano Massimo Pasini, was appointed UNIDO Representative in India and Director of the Sub Regional Office for Southern Asia covering Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka as of July 2024. He brings over 20 years of high-level professional experience to his role at UNIDO. His diverse career includes various senior managerial positions related to sustainable industrial development, poverty reduction and post-conflict recovery at national, regional and global level.
Before his assignment for India, he served as the Director of the Division for Industrial Policy Advice and Statistics in Vienna, where he led the team responsible for providing Industrial Policy assistance to UNIDO’s Member States and the flagship publications such as The Industrial Development Report and Statistical Yearbook. Mr. Pasini also held the position of Director of the Regional Office of UNIDO for Mexico and Central America and UNIDO Representative for Colombia, Peru, Guyana and Suriname and UNIDO Representative for Lebanon and Syria (2013-2019), leading strategic and programmatic engagements for the organization in those regions and countries. Between 2011 and 2013, Mr. Pasini served as the UNIDO Country Coordinator for Iraq, overseeing a special program to support the country’s industrial rehabilitation.
Mr. Pasini holds a Doctorate Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Sapienza University in Rome, as well as a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the SDA Bocconi School of Management. He is married and has two children.
Mr. Chandra Prasad Dhakal, an esteemed figure in Nepal’s business sphere, holds a position of significant authority as the Co-Founder and Chairman of the IME Group. This conglomerate has rapidly grown and diversified its investments across various sectors, such as banking, remittance, energy, tourism, automobile, insurance, and information technology, among others.
In addition to his role at IME Group, Mr. Dhakal holds the prestigious position of President of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) for the term 2023-2026. FNCCI, as the apex body of private sectors in Nepal, possesses a vast network both within the nation and globally. Under Mr. Dhakal’s leadership, various business chambers and forums have witnessed substantial expansion of domestic investments and successful attraction of foreign direct investment, fostering a business-friendly environment in Nepal. Moreover, since 2010, Mr. Dhakal has also been dutifully serving as the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Indonesia in Nepal.
Embarking on his entrepreneurial journey in 1987 with a humble grocery store, Mr. Dhakal’s pivotal role in the establishment and expansion of the IME Group’s portfolio has been commendable. Among the notable achievements is the founding of IME Remit, Nepal’s first remittance company. What began in a single room has now evolved into an industry-leading enterprise, offering secure and efficient cross-border money transfer services, significantly contributing to the formalization and institutionalization of remittance inflow in Nepal.
Notably, as Chairman of Global IME Bank, Mr. Dhakal’s leadership expertise facilitated the successful merger and acquisition of five commercial banks, ten development banks, and six finance institutions, resulting in Global IME Bank becoming the largest bank in the country. This accomplishment further solidified his role in formalizing and institutionalizing remittance inflow in Nepal. Moreover, IME’s visionary leadership has brought widespread financial access, even to remote areas, and has connected people globally through the digital wallet, IME Pay. This transformative approach has positioned IME as a key player in Nepal’s socioeconomic development.
With a vision of developing at least one large infrastructure project in each province, the IME Group is diligently working on building cable car systems in various provinces to promote tourism and hospitality in the country. Notable examples include the Chandragiri Cable Car, Maulakali Cable Car, and Lumbini Cable Car, operational in the Bagmati, Gandaki, and Lumbini Provinces, respectively.
Under Mr. Dhakal’s visionary leadership, the IME Group has played a crucial role in driving economic growth and generating over 20 thousand direct and indirect job opportunities in Nepal, making a positive impact on the nation’s employment landscape.
In addition to their remarkable success in business, both Mr. Dhakal and the IME Group exemplify a strong commitment to corporate social responsibility. The IME Foundation actively engages in philanthropy, focusing on education and healthcare initiatives for economically underprivileged children throughout Nepal. Moreover, during times of crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2015 earthquake, the foundation has been at the forefront, providing humanitarian aid and support to affected communities.
Mr. Dhakal’s exceptional contributions to Nepal’s economic growth and prosperity have been recognized and honored by the Government of Nepal with prestigious awards such as the ‘Sukritimaya Rastradeep,’ ‘Prabal Janasewashree (Fourth),’ and ‘Gorkha Dakshin Bahu IV.’ Additionally, he has been acknowledged as a ‘Commercially Important Person’ by the government on multiple occasions.
Mr. Chandra Prasad Dhakal’s leadership and success are driven by three fundamental priorities when investing in any enterprise: direct service to people, alignment with government priorities, and business viability. His achievements and dedication to ethical and impactful entrepreneurship make him an inspiring role model for aspiring business entrepreneurs in Nepal. As the head of the IME Group and holding other esteemed positions, he continues to drive economic development and create a positive impact on society, leaving a lasting legacy in Nepal’s business landscape.
A decorated CIO, a prolific thought-leader, an award-winning business strategist, and a change-maker, Harnath Babu is an influential leader in the Indian technology space. With his innovative mindset, forward-thinking, and willingness to take calculated risks, he has crafted a niche for himself at India’s leading organizations.
Harnath Babu brings 22 years of leadership experience to his role as Partner and Chief Information Officer at KPMG India. Prior to digitally transforming professional services at KPMG, Harnath has worked in the financial services domain for 15 years and has been instrumental in setting up insurance startups and leading various legacy financial firms towards success. He has worked extensively in both Indian and international markets and has helped private and public sector organizations and clients reach their full potential by augmenting their digital transformation journey.
In his current role, he leads the award-winning IT operations across 35 sites for KPMG India professionals. His executive and technical leadership and out-of-the-box thinking have not only transformed IT operations and service delivery at KPMG but have optimized business, accelerated efficiency, and maximized business results for numerous clients. He has championed innovative technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Data Analytics, Robotics Process Automation, Cloud Computing, and more to deploy solutions that not only ease operations but also take them to the next level.
A master’s in computer science and management and an alumnus of IIM, Ahmedabad, Harnath is not only a successful business leader but has also been an efficacious speaker who has inspired thousands with his notable thought-leadership articles and webinars. His words have been published in some leading publications, including Forbes, the Economic Times, the Indian Express and more.
His exemplary career has been validated by the best awarding organizations in India and internationally, winning him numerous awards including Forbes Top 30 Technology Leaders in India, CIO 100 Hall of Fame, IDC, CIO Power List, DynamicCIO, Infosec Maestro, DataQuest, DataCon, and more over the years.
Was Director General, Bureau of Police Research and Development & National Crime Records Bureau. Was chief of Maharashtra Prisons, Commissioner of Police Pune, DIG CBI, chief of Aurangabad & Satara police. DCP of different zones in Mumbai and chief of Crime Branch, Mumbai.
Has Doctorate in ‘Organizational Management’, is a Hubert H. Humphrey Fellow, University of Minnesota USA. Underwent Executive Development program from University of New England Australia. A Law graduate, member of the ‘Core Advisory Group on Criminal Justice System Reforms’ of National Human Rights Commission. Is on various academic boards.
Recipient of President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Services.
Author of three books, ‘Leaves of Life’, ‘Inspector Chougule’, ‘Madam Commissioner’, conducted research on ‘Gender in Maharashtra Police’. Writes extensively.
Pamela Thomson-Hall is an Executive Officer of WTW and leads its International businesses outside of North America and Western Europe. She is responsible for setting strategic vision and driving growth across 70+ countries through the delivery of superior client solutions.
With over 26 years’ experience in the insurance industry, Pamela is a clear, decisive and empathetic leader with strong strategic thinking and analytical skills. She brings complex problem solving and deal making capabilities to the business arena. Her proven track record of building, engaging and leading high performing, diverse teams across complex emerging markets, often in times of change and uncertainty, has enabled colleagues to thrive, deliver exceptional client service and growth.
Pamela passionately believes in the power of diversity to drive better business decisions and is recognised for developing underrepresented talent into leadership roles.
Dr Arunabha Ghosh is an internationally recognised public policy expert, author, columnist, and institution builder. He is the founder-CEO of the Council on Energy, Environment and Water, and has led CEEW to the top ranks as one of Asia’s leading policy research institutions and among the world’s 20 best climate think-tanks. He played a formative role in creating the International Solar Alliance, and was a founding board member of the Clean Energy Access Network. Co-author/editor of four books and with experience in 53 countries, he previously worked at Princeton, Oxford, UNDP (New York), and WTO (Geneva). The Asia Society honoured him with the 2022 Asia Game Changer Award, for his and CEEW’s “incredible work, which is making a real difference for India and for the planet”.
Arunabha advises governments, industry, civil society, and international organisations around the world. In October 2024, the Government of India appointed him to the Commission for Air Quality Management. He currently co-chairs the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on the Energy Nexus (and previously co-chaired the GFC on Clean Air). He served on Government of India’s G20 Finance Track Advisory Group and advised the Sherpa Track for India’s G20 Presidency in 2022-23. In 2022, the UN Secretary-General appointed him to the High-level Expert Group on the Credibility and Accountability of Net-Zero Announcements by Non-State Actors. In 2020, the Government of India appointed him Co-Chair of the energy, environment and climate change track for India’s Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (STIP2020).
Dr Ghosh is currently Vice-Chair of the UN Committee for Development Policy, having been first nominated to the UNCDP by the UN Secretary-General in 2018. He co-convened the Our Common Air Commission. He is a member of several international expert advisory groups: Global Commission on the Economics of Water; High-Level Group of Economists, constituted by the French president for the One Planet Lab; and the Senior Consultative Group for the U.S. Department of State’s Energy Transition Accelerator. He sits on the Oversight Committee of the Exploring Climate Cooling Options programme of the UK’s Advanced Research and Invention Agency. He serves on the Board of ClimateWorks Foundation.
A frequent speaker and adviser to governments, industry and international organisations, he writes monthly columns across various platforms, has hosted or featured in several documentaries, and his 2019 TED Talk on air quality (Mission 80-80-80) has crossed 270,000 views. He was a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader. He holds a D.Phil. from Oxford.
Anton Panayotov, CEO and founder of Alaric Securities, brings almost 30 years of Investment and Capital Markets expertise. Starting his career at Bankers Trust and Deutsche Bank in the late 90s, Mr. Panayotov has pioneered the digitization of Trading & Investments. In 2011, driven by a vision for innovation and client-centric service, Mr. Panayotov started Alaric Securities, a leading EU broker-dealer and asset management company focused on serving professional and retail clients in equities, fixed income, derivatives, and structured investments. The firm is headquartered in Sofia, with offices in London, Frankfurt, Istanbul, and Luxembourg, and employs over 200 professionals worldwide.
Beyond Alaric Securities, Mr. Panayotov is the deputy chairman of the Bulgarian Business Leaders Forum (BBLF) management board. The Forum represents the country’s largest companies, which contribute over 20% of Bulgaria’s GDP. The BBLF’s focus on corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a testament to its dedication to fostering regional leadership and business excellence.