TEAM
Navroop Sahdev
FOUNDER & CEO
Navroop is a pioneering economist, technology futurist and founder & CEO of The Digital Economist. She is also a Fellow at MIT Connection Science and a well- known economist in the emerging tech space. She in based in New York City.
Jose Luis Carvalho
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CENTER OF EXCELLENCE
Jose oversees The Digital Economist Center of Excellence on Human Centered Global economy, focused on growing it's impact and scale. He has over 23 years of experience in services, consulting, and technology sectors.
Dr. Maha Hosain Aziz
NON-EXEC CHAIR & SENIOR FELLOW, POLICY
Maha is a Professor at New York University's Masters in Arts - International Relations Program specializing in Global Risk and Future Trends. She is a speaker and author & a member of the World Economic Forum's Global Future Council on Complex Risk.
Dr. Melodena Stephens
NON-EXEC CHAIR & SENIOR FELLOW, POLICY
Melodena is an Innovation & Technology Governance Professor at the Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government in Dubai with over three decades of corporate, academic, and consulting experience across Asia, Europe and Middle East.
Bruce Armstrong Taylor
NON-EXEC CHAIR & SENIOR FELLOW, SUSTAINABILITY
Bruce is the Co-Founder & Managing Director of SmartNations Foundation with a lifelong career in digital technology - as an analyst and journalist, having served as a writer, editor, publisher, speaker and conference producer.
Shannon Kennedy
NON-EXEC CHAIR & SENIOR FELLOW, HEALTHCARE
Shannon is the Founder & CEO of Sekhmet Advisors, with 30 years of expertise in healthcare policy, compliance, and AI ethics. Passionate about equitable innovation, she supports startups advancing technology for community health.
Sandy Carter
NON-EXEC CHAIR & SENIOR FELLOW, APPLIED AI
Sandy is the Chief Operating Officer of Unstoppable Domains, creating Web3 domains with user-controlled data at its core. A trailblazer in AI and Blockchain, Sandy has held top leadership roles, including at AWS and IBM.
Dr. Nikhil Varma
NON-EXEC CHAIR & SENIOR FELLOW, BLOCKCHAIN & DIGITAL ASSETS
Nikhil is an Associate Professor of Management at Ramapo College of New Jersey with over 20 years of experience across operations and supply chain management, blockchain, data analytics, artificial intelligence, and sustainability.
Bhuva Shakti
NON-EXEC CHAIR & SENIOR FELLOW, GOVERNANCE
Bhuva is a Board Director and fractional C-Suite Advisor for several social impact corporations. With an MBA from Columbia University in New York, she has led financial risk governance and product data compliance for investment banks.
Arvinder Singh Kang
PROGRAM DIRECTOR & STRATEGIC ADVISOR
Arvinder is a TEDx speaker, AI/ML researcher and tech entrepreneur with 15+ years of experience. He drives ventures at the nexus of digital infrastructure and social impact merging systems thinking with expertise in tech, management & design.
Zolboo Batbileg
SENIOR FELLOW, BLOCKCHAIN & DIGITAL ASSETS
Zolboo is the CEO of Ard Financial Group, leading Mongolia’s first listed mutual fund. With 8+ years in capital markets, asset management, and FinTech, they are passionate about blockchain, AI, and innovation in finance.
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Mickie Chandra
SENIOR FELLOW, APPLIED AI
Mickie is the Technology Committee Chair at the Montgomery County Council of Parent Teacher Associations (MCCPTA) with a decade of economics experience at the US federal level. She advocates for family empowerment through safe data practices.
Olga Magnusson
SENIOR FELLOW, APPLIED AI
Olga is a leader in digital transformation and change, with a career spanning industries such as technology, telecommunications, and recruitment. She is currently a Senior Consultant at Marlink.
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Alex Kontoleon
SENIOR FELLOW, SUSTAINABILITY
Alex is a CSO at Green Impact Exchange, drives strategies for sustainable impact. With a Master’s from Columbia University and 14+ years at State Street, he excels in innovation, business development, and collaborative growth.
Dr. Aurélie Jean
SENIOR FELLOW, APPLIED AI
Aurélie is a computational scientist, entrepreneur and author, specialized in algorithmic modeling. She is the Founder and CEO of In Silico Veritas and Visiting Research Fellow at Hult International Business School.
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Jamil Hasan
SENIOR FELLOW, BLOCKCHAIN & DIGITAL ASSETS
Jamil is founder of Crypto Hipster Publications. Before entering the blockchain industry in 2017, he spent 17 years in the insurance and investments industry, where he created financial intelligence engines, most notably at American International Group (AIG).
Oabona Kgengwenyane
SENIOR FELLOW, POLICY
Oabona brings over 25 years of expertise in project and asset management, corporate governance, and strategic transformation across Southern Africa as the founder of Innolead Consulting and DigitalGae Technologies.
Jean Criss
SENIOR FELLOW, BLOCKCHAIN & DIGITAL ASSETS
Jean is the Founder and CEO of Jean Criss Media, driving innovation at the intersection of media, fashion & tech with a diverse career spanning global leadership, sustainable and immersive fashion design, & digital media production.
Sherman Kong
SENIOR FELLOW, POLICY
Sherman is a former Senior Advisor at the United Nations Foundation, and a co-founding member of the GovStack initiative. With 15+ years of experience, he has held leadership and advisory roles in multilateral organizations.
Marisa Zalabak
SENIOR FELLOW, APPLIED AI
Marisa is an AI ethicist and educational psychologist focused on regenerative solutions and responsible technology for inclusion and sustainability. She is also the founder of Open Channel Culture serving global leadership teams.
Dr. Priyanka Shrivastava
SENIOR FELLOW, APPLIED AI
Priyanka is a Professor of Marketing & Analytics at Hult International Business School with over 18 years of experience, she is a recognized leader in data analytics, digital marketing, and AI’s transformative impact on the future of work.
Dr Dimitrios Salampasis
SENIOR FELLOW, BLOCKCHAIN & DIGITAL ASSETS
Dimitrios is the FinTech Capability Lead and Senior Lecturer of Emerging Technologies and FinTech at Swinburne University of Technology and a globally-recognized thought leader at the nexus of digital economy, sustainability, and innovation.
William J. Vogt
SENIOR FELLOW, POLICY
William is an expert in Asian and Latin American affairs, specializing in China, emerging markets, and cybersecurity. With published research and teaching experience, they advise global public and private sector clients.
Bill Lesieur
SENIOR FELLOW, APPLIED AI
Bill is a strategist with 20+ years in consulting, corporate innovation, and partnerships. Specializing in Strategic Foresight and AI’s future impact, he also drives Open Innovation, Corporate Venture Capital, and angel investments.
Dr. Eldar Shafir
SENIOR FELLOW, POLICY
Eldar is the Class of 1987 Professor of Behavioral Science & Public Policy, & Professor of Psychology & Public Affairs at Princeton University. He's also the Inaugural Director of Kahneman-Treisman Center for Behavioral Science & Public Policy.
Rob Ginsburg
SENIOR FELLOW, GOVERNANCE
Rob is a Professor of Global Strategy and Business Law at Hult International Business School. A Forbes columnist, his work has also appeared in the Financial Times and leading academic journals.
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Balaji Dhamodharan
SENIOR FELLOW, APPLIED AI
Balaji is an award-winning AI leader with 15+ years of experience driving machine learning solutions across industries. A speaker, author, and mentor, he specializes in AI strategy, business transformation, and team building.
Cathy Latiwa Amato
SENIOR FELLOW, SUSTAINABILITY
Cathy is a lawyer, gender inclusion expert, founder of Latiwa Development Foundation, and co-founder of BuildHerAFture Africa. She is also a global ambassador for the Makutano Network and 2024 member of 100 Women Davos.
Mallika Ramamurthy
SENIOR FELLOW, BLOCKCHAIN & DIGITAL ASSETS
Mallika is a business adviser and technology consultant specializing in digital transformation and process optimization. She is certified in fintech and focused on ethical tech for social impact.
Manas Talukdar
SENIOR FELLOW, APPLIED AI
Manas is a senior industry leader in enterprise AI & data infrastructure. He holds patents, is a senior member of IEEE, Fellow of BCS, AI 2030 Fellow and has received multiple industry awards.
Nancy Kgengwenyane
SENIOR FELLOW, SUSTAINABILITY
Nancy is an environmental lawyer specializing mineral development, climate governance, IP rights, and Indigenous knowledge. She holds an LLB from the University of Botswana and master's in environmental law from the University of Sydney.
Nikolaos Ntigrintakis
SENIOR FELLOW, APPLIED AI
Nikolaos is a Greek-Swedish entrepreneur with over 30 years in blockchain, fintech, digital assets, and internet innovation, driving growth through human-centered technology.
Athena Visel
SENIOR FELLOW, HEALTHCARE
Athena is the founder of Cliq, advising life sciences firms on FDA compliance, quality systems, and digital transformation to accelerate safe innovation.
Satish Padmanabhan
SENIOR FELLOW, GOVERNANCE
Dr. Satish is a senior leader in banking data governance with 24+ years in financial services. He holds honorary doctorates and has been twice featured in Forbes India for tech-driven socioeconomic impact.
Dr. Georgios Samakovitis
SENIOR FELLOW, BLOCKCHAIN & DIGITAL ASSETS
George is a professor of fintech at the University of Greenwich with 20+ years of research in AML, blockchain, and digital assets. He has advised the Bank of England, UK Cabinet Office, and other national forums on financial crime and data strategy.
Dr. Manjula Devi Shroff
SENIOR FELLOW, HEALTHCARE
Manjula is an MD and CEO of Kalorex Group and an education entrepreneur who has founded institutions impacting over 100,000 students. She is the author of Baby Steps to Big Dreams and a speaker at the UN, COP28, and WEF Davos.
Shyam Nagarajan
SENIOR FELLOW, BLOCKCHAIN & DIGITAL ASSETS
Shyam is COO of Hedera and former IBM executive. He is a global leader in responsible AI, blockchain, and digital trust, advising enterprises and governments through platforms like the World Economic Forum and Concensus.
Neeraj Madan
SENIOR FELLOW, APPLIED AI
Neeraj is an IBM certfied AI expert and adjunct professor at Collin College with 20+ years in data science. He contributes IBM's AI blog and chairs the nonprofit Keep Little Elm Beautiful.
Laurel Hudson Cipriani
SENIOR FELLOW, HEALTHCARE
Laurel is a health-care executive with 20+ years in nursing, population health, and digital systems. With a master's in technology leadership at Brown University, she focuses on the intersection of AI and mental health.
Imen Ameur
SENIOR FELLOW, POLICY
Imen is a professor of practice at Hult International Business School and AI governance specialist. Her work bridges technology policy, ethics, and economic development, supporting global public and private sector innovation.
Dr. Sindhu Bhaskar
SENIOR FELLOW, SUSTAINABILITY
Dr. Sindhu is chairman and CEO of EST Global Inc., part of MIT ecosystem. A Forbes Council Member, he is advancing digital transformation across fintech, health tech, agritech, and edtech.
Yuri Cataldo
SENIOR FELLOW, BLOCKCHAIN & DIGITAL ASSETS
Yuri is a research scientist at Autodesk Research and co-founder of Athenian Capital. With an MBA from MIT and MFA from Yale, he brings deep expertise in AI trends, market analysis, and venture strategy.
Sindile Monica Mazibuko
SENIOR FELLOW, SUSTAINABILITY
Sindile is a business strategist, author, and sustainability consultant. As founder and CEO of Skyverse888 Foundation, she advocates for digital literacy, workforce development, mentorship, and sustainability-driven solutions for Inclusive Women Creation.
Rafal Libera
SENIOR FELLOW, SUSTAINABILITY
Rafal is an energy executive with 15 years of experience across US and EU markets. He is also the founder and CEO of Transatlantic Future Leaders Forum and advises on energy policy at the Sobieski Institute.
Paul Murphy
FELLOW, BLOCKCHAIN & DIGITAL ASSETS
Paul works at the intersection of Digital Technologies, Political Economy & Transparent Systems, expanding the applications of blockchain technologies to new use cases. He was previously a Research Affiliate at University of California, Berkeley.
Lamek Nyabuga
FELLOW, POLICY
Lamek is an Associate at Genesis Analytics Genesis Analytics, specializing in HIV prevention initiatives in South Sudan and Eswatini. As the lead for the South to South HIV Prevention Learning Network, covers 15 African countries.
Ayodele Emmanuel Akande
FELLOW, SUSTAINABILITY
Ayodele is a Research Fellow at Qatar Foundation - Hamad Bin Khalifa University, where his research spans agri-food security, sustainable development, and finance. He holds three Masters degrees from Italy, France and Qatar focused on economic policy.
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Najada Taci
FELLOW, SUSTAINABILITY
Najada brings over a decade of expertise in financial planning, investment management, and risk mitigation. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Banking & Insurance Management. She holds a Global MBA from Bologna Business School.
Yoshita Sharma
FELLOW, APPLIED AI
Yoshita is a Technical Program Manager at Microsoft with over 7 years of experience in interactive media technology, smartphone tech & cloud services. She holds a Masters in Computer Science from the University of Southern California.
Océane Desvigne
FELLOW, BLOCKCHAIN & DIGITAL ASSETS
Océane is a recent graduate from Concordia University with a Bachelor of Business Administration (Finance). She is dedicated to integrating sustainability, collaboration, and technology for a brighter future.
Mat Yarger
FELLOW, SUSTAINABILITY
Mat is the Founder & CEO of Demia, where he is dedicated to building solutions that help companies accelerate their sustainable impact. His work addresses critical issues of trust, transparency, and accountability in climate markets.
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Mohammad Mudassir
FELLOW,BLOCKCHAIN & DIGITAL ASSETS
Mohammad, a Support Engineer at Algorand Foundation, ensures smooth operations and technical support. A former AlgoBharat Ambassador, he specializes in smart contracts and has researched consensus protocols at IIT Bombay.
Dr Monica Lopez
FELLOW, APPLIED AI
Monica is a global AI ethics leader, recognized among the 100 Brilliant Women in AI Ethics. She pioneers interdisciplinary education at Johns Hopkins and Georgetown, mentors future leaders, and advocates for ethical, sustainable AI.
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Meet Thosar
FELLOW, BLOCKCHAIN & DIGITAL ASSETS
Meet is a seasoned full-stack developer and Senior Support Engineer at Algorand Foundation. With 10+ years of experience, she specializes in building applications for education and service industries.
Ahlam Alduhaish
FELLOW, POLICY
Ahlam is an AI leader with 10+ years of experience driving innovation in the public sector. An entrepreneur and doctoral researcher, she specializes in governance, applied AI, and policy, bridging research with real-world impact.
Sundar Krishnan
FELLOW, HEALTH
Sundar is a Senior Manager of Data Science at CVS Health, with 11+ years of experience in AI and machine learning. A published author and award-winning innovator, they specialize in AI-driven customer analytics.
Vinayak Sharma
FELLOW, POLICY
Vinayak is a Senior Account Executive at Burson, leveraging behavioral insights to improve public policy and global tech accessibility. With a Master’s in Behavioral Economics, his research explores messaging effects on policy and social norms.
Shivedita Singh
FELLOW, SUSTAINABILITY
Shivedita is a climate and energy expert with 6+ years in engineering, policy advocacy, and ESG strategy. At Climate Group India, she leads RE100 and state-level renewable energy initiatives.
Dr. Chetana Naskar
FELLOW, SUSTAINABILITY
Chetana is the Lead Coordinator at SHE Changes Climate and has she has worked extensively in child protection, human trafficking, & gender-based violence. She holds an M.A., M.Phil., and Ph.D. from Jawaharlal Nehru University.
Tristan Thoma
FELLOW, BLOCKCHAIN & DIGITAL ASSETS
Tristan serves as Executive Managing Director of Impera Strategy focused on National Digital Currency systems aimed at fostering economic development and inclusion. He has a background in Organizational Psychology and Computer Science.
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Ambriel Pouncy
FELLOW, BLOCKCHAIN & DIGITAL ASSETS
Ambriel is the Global Head of Web3 Luxury Partnerships and Innovation at Intertrust, and the Founder & Creative Director at Art Haus. Her core expertise in the fashion industry, having worked in the United States, Dubai, London, and Canada.
Justin Bérubé
FELLOW, APPLIED AI
Justin Bérubé is a Government Relations Consultant at Earnscliffe Strategies. He has previously served as an advisor to a federal cabinet minister in Canada. He holds a Masters in Public Policy in Digital Society from McMaster University.
Comfort Onyaga
FELLOW, SUSTAINABILITY
Comfort is a strategic leader in market systems development, policy, and sustainability. She is secretary of the UNAA-WA Environment Committee, serves on boards including IFAMA and Policy Shapers, and speaker at global forums.
Shree Varuna Ramesh
FELLOW, APPLIED AI
Shree is an AI and data science graduate working at Omnicom's Innovation & Capability Centre on gen AI and analytics. She brings experience across finance, sustainability, and applied AI research focused on ethics.
Sangeetha Rajkumar
FELLOW, APPLIED AI
Sangeetha is a technologist and product manager with 9+ years of experience in product development, fintech, and cloud infrastructure. A Cornell graduate, she is passionate about mentoring, innovation, and inclusivity.
Nikhil Kassetty
FELLOW, APPLIED AI
Nikhil is a software engineer and AI/fintech thought leader with 15 years of experience in cloud computing, blockchain, and secure payments. He is also a speaker, judge, mentor, and author in AI–driven finance.
Maneesh Kumar
FELLOW, SUSTAINABILITY
Maneesh is a deputy manager for a chief economist at a reputed Mumbai firm, with nearly 8 years of experience in data analytics and research. Holding a master’s in applied economics, he aims to drive impact in sustainability and policy.
Riddhima Gangwal
OPERATIONS SPECIALIST
Riddhima specializes in data-driven strategy, project management & digital optimization. Rooted in branding & advertising, she is driven by the intersection of technology and sustainability. She is a student at University College London.
Resham Kataria
TECHNOLOGY SPECIALIST
Resham specializes in process optimization, project coordination & cross-functional collaboration. With expertise in data management & event planning, she enhances operational efficiency & team productivity.
Ananya Laddha
COMMUNITY GROWTH SPECIALIST
Ananya specializes in solving complex business challenges and uncovering growth opportunities. With experience in policy analysis, she brings a strategic lens to market-driven innovation. She is a student at Duke University (Class of 2026).
Zia Esmalin
EDITOR
Zia is an editor and quality assurance specialist with a decade of experience. She ensures clarity, consistency & adherence to editorial standards while also excelling in technical writing and content development.
Salman Pangestu
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Salman is a Jakarta-based specialist in graphic design, web design & no-code development. He manages the entire creative process, from concept to execution, ensuring seamless design and technical implementation.