Ambassador Reza Alborzi holds a PhD from the University of Neuchâtel in Switzerland. An international law and private sector consultant, he was Director General of the Foundation for Dialogue among Civilisations until the end of 2009. He also worked for 25 years as a senior diplomat for Iran with extensive involvement in conflict resolution, disarmament, humanitarian negotiations and settlements of disputes. His last diplomatic designation was Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva.  An international humanitarian law expert and lecturer, he is also the author of several publications in law and diplomacy.

Ambassador Hiruy Amanuel served the Ethiopian diplomatic service in various capacities before being appointed to the position of Head of the Ethiopian Mission in Paris and later Ambassador of Ethiopia to Germany. Prior to joining the HD Centre in 2009, he headed the Capacity Building Program Against Terrorism of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD). Prior to his diplomatic work, Ambassador Amanuel also worked as a radio journalist.

Andrew Andrea practised as a lobbyist in a London-based Parliamentary Consultancy, after studying history and politics. He then worked for ActionAid on international communication products and strategies before becoming an adviser to several development charities. In 1995, he joined the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs to set up and implement the Reliefweb information system coordinating information on natural disasters and complex emergencies. Before joining the HD Centre in 2000, he worked with the World Health Organisation to design the Health Information Network for Advanced Planning and other emergency-related information tools and systems.

An accountant by profession, Murari Aryal also holds an MBA, specialising in finance, and is presently completing a PhD at Murdoch University, Western Australia. He joined the HD Centre in 2002 as an administrator working on the Aceh project, Indonesia. He has over 12 years experience as an external auditor for Arthur Andersen, with clients including the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and Asian Development Bank, and as a financial analyst for the United States Agency for International Development (South & South East Asia). He was also Head of Finance and Human Resources with the British Embassy, FCO (UK) in Kathmandu.

Rohaiza Asi holds a BA in Political Science and Information and Communications Management, and an MSc in International Relations. Prior to joining the HD Centre in 2007, she was a research analyst at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. Her research focused on issues of political violence and terrorism in Southeast Asia, and included significant field research.

Vandrazel has a Bachelor of Science in Electronics and Communication Engineering.  Prior to joining the HD Centre, he worked for two years as a computer instructor for the Southwestern Mindanao Islamic Institute in Sulu. He was also Chairman of the United Muslim Youth in Sulu (Islamic oriented Youth group) for ten years, and served for two years as Chairman of the Federation of Muslim Student's Association in Zamboanga City.

While obtaining her degree in Political Sciences from the University of Lyon, France, Flore Brannon specialised in communications. She then gained a Master's degree in International Journalism from City University, London. After completing several internships in journalism and communications, she joined the HD Centre in 2002, to assist with its communications efforts.

Cate Buchanan has a degree in International Relations and Development Studies from the Australian National University, as well as extensive experience of working in violence prevention. Before joining the HD Centre in 2001, to manage the arms- and violence-reduction portfolio, she worked as a lobbyist for Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation, as a legal researcher for a public-sector union, and as a campaigner for the Australian Conservation Foundation on climate change. In 2000, she was the programme associate for disarmament and security for the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, and then worked for the International Action Network on Small Arms as the New York liaison officer.

Luc Chounet-Cambas holds degrees in political science, Middle-Eastern and African studies. He has more than ten years humanitarian and development field experience. Prior to joining the HD Centre in 2008, he worked with the French bilateral cooperation, as well as non-governmental and international organisations in the Middle East, Afghanistan, Indonesia and the Horn of Africa. Initially focused on humanitarian assistance, his work shifted towards DDR and post-conflict programming in recent years.

After studying translation at the University of Geneva University, Alexis de Siebenthal worked for the Touring Club Suisse in the road and traffic information department, and for Skyguide in communications. Prior to joining the HD Centre at the end of 2008, he worked as an assistant for the Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the World Trade Organization and for the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) for 3.5 years.

 

Joëlle Dek holds a Master's degree in International Public Law from Maastricht University. Prior to joining the HD Centre in 2009, she worked for the International Center for Transitional Justice and the International Service for Human Rights in Geneva., as well as Assistant Attaché for the Permanent Mission of the Netherlands to the United Nations in New York.

Suzanne Gentz holds a Master's degree in Peace & Conflict from Uppsala University, Sweden as well as an LLB in Law & European Studies from the University of Surrey, UK. Before joining the HD Centre in 2006, she worked for the Council of Europe, the Transnational Crime and Corruption Centre in Georgia and the UN Office for Project Services. In addition, she has been involved with a Georgian Human Rights NGO and has worked as a freelance journalist covering the South Caucasus region.

David Gorman holds a Master's degree in Social and Economic Policy in Developing Countries and another in International Relations. Before joining the HD Centre in 2000, he work for over ten years in the humanitarian field and in conflict resolution, and has been based in the West Bank and Gaza, Liberia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Indonesia.

With a Master's degree in International Relations from Sorbonne University in Paris, Romain Grandjean has worked for several years as a political analyst within the framework of international electoral observation missions in the Middle East, Africa and Europe. He served for more than two years as a field researcher based in Egypt for the International Crisis Group, and joined the HD Centre in 2007.

A lawyer by training, Martin Griffiths has worked in UNICEF in Asia, in the British Diplomatic Service, and in British NGOs, latterly as Chief Executive of ActionAid. In 1994, he rejoined the United Nations (UN) as Director of the Department of Humanitarian Affairs (which became OCHA) in Geneva, and then from 1998 as Deputy to the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator in New York. During this period he also served as UN Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Great Lakes and UN Regional Coordinator in the Balkans with the rank of UN Assistant Secretary-General.

Prior to joining the HD Centre in 2009, Tim Guldimann was Head of the OSCE Mission and Deputy Special Representative of the United Nations-Secretary General in Kosovo (2007-08). Between 1999 and 2004, he served as Swiss Ambassador to Iran and represented US interests in the country. He also headed the OSCE Missions to Croatia (1997-99) and Chechnya (1996-97), and taught international relations at the Universities of Frankfurt and Bern.

Prior to joining the HD Centre in 2006, Alberto worked for the Philippine Government's Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process from 2003 to 2006. From 1997 to 2002, he was a researcher and consultant for various Filipino companies and foundations engaged in business, development, agriculture, environment and conflict studies.

Suzy Herzfeld has a Master of Science degree in Economics from the University of Geneva and a further qualification (Brevet Fédéral) in Personnel Management. Her professional experience includes seven years in the Human Resources Department of BearingPoint, with responsibility for all aspects of human resources for a group of 60 consultants. Before joining the HD Centre in 2005, Suzy worked for Bunge, a Geneva-based trading company, as an international HR specialist with a focus on Western and Eastern Europe.

Prior to joining the HD Centre in 2009, Marc Hofstetter worked for several non profit organizations at a senior management level: the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), as Deputy Executive Secretary and Chief Operating Officer, 2006-2009; the ECLT Foundation (Eliminating Child Labour in Tobacco-growing), as Executive Director and Secretary of its Board, 2001-2005; and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in various positions, including head of delegation in Iraq and Tajikistan, 1988-1999. Marc also worked as project manager for the World Economic Forum, and as an oil trader for the Royal Dutch Shell company. A Swiss and French citizen, he holds a Masters degree in International Relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in Boston, and a Master degree in Economics and Business Administration from the University of Lausanne, in Switzerland.

Caroline Johnigk holds a Master's degree in Violence, Conflict and Development from the School of Oriental and African Studies, London, and a Diploma in International Business and Cultural Studies from the University of  Passau, Germany. Before joining the HD Centre in 2008, she worked for UNDP BCPR in New York, and for German Technical Cooperation in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Kenya. She has also worked and researched in Indonesia and Vietnam, and was employed as an intern with UNICEF in Bangladesh.

Hemant Katoch has degrees in Economics from McGill University and the University of British Columbia. Prior to joining the HD Centre in 2002, he worked as an intern with the World Trade Organization in Geneva. His work experience also includes serving as Head of Sub-Office for the World Food Programme in Timor-Leste.

David Lambo is a former senior United Nations (UN) official. He started his professional career with the UN in 1971 working for the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) in Addis Ababa.  He served the UN in several different capacities over the next several years in Kenya, Tanzania and again in Ethiopia as well as in Geneva where he was the Director of the Africa Bureau of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNCHR) from 2002 to 2005.  Prior to joining the HD Centre, Mr Lambo worked as Assistant High Commissioner for Refugees (AI) until he retired in March 2006. 

Prior to joining the HD Centre's Mediation Support Programme in January 2008, Stine worked at the Danish Defense Academy (2007), the Danish Institute for International Studies (2003-6), and the Danish Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York (2005). Her field of experience also includes working for an NGO in Cairo (spring 2007) and the setting up of a private consultancy in Copenhagen in 2006. As such she has been working on a variety of issues, including conflict management and resolution, UN and regional peacekeeping, as well as peace building and development. Stine has an MA in Conflict Resolution from Bradford University (UK) and an MA in International Development from Roskilde University (Denmark).

Before joining the HD Centre in late 2009, Beth Lehner worked in the fields of post-conflict peacebuilding and humanitarian assistance. Initially focusing on reconciliation initiatives in the Horn of Africa with Interpeace, she then worked with the ICRC in Chechnya and Angola. Most recently, her work with Oxfam in the United Kingdom involved looking at the accountability of humanitarian activities to populations affected by disasters.

Yodit Lemma holds a Master's degree in Development Studies from the School of Oriental and African studies, London. Before joining the HD Centre in 2004, she served as an intern for UNESCO at UN ECOSOC, and for the UNHCR's Refugee Women's Unit. She also worked as the Assistant Program Coordinator to the Georgia Council for International Visitors while completing her Bachelor's degree in International Relations from Agnes Scott College in Atlanta, USA.

James LeMoyne studied at Harvard University, Oxford University and the London School of Economics, and has served as a senior foreign correspondent and foreign policy analyst specialising in conflicts and peace processes around the world. He has also been involved in peace processes and peacebuilding for more than 20 years, including in Nicaragua, El Salvador, Haiti, the former Yugoslavia, Northern Ireland, Guatemala and Colombia. He was appointed as Special Adviser on Colombia to the UN Secretary-General in 2002. He is now a senior adviser to the HD Centre on its mediation activities.

After obtaining his Master's degree in South Asian Studies at the University of Toronto, Andrew Marshall worked for several years at the Canadian International Development Agency. In 1990, he joined the UN, working successively for UNDP, WFP and OCHA. Before joining the HD Centre in 1999, he was responsible for the management of the OCHA Regional Office for the Great Lakes Region in Nairobi and was Humanitarian Adviser to the Representative of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region.

With a legal background, Dennis McNamara has experience of practising private law, as well as several decades of humanitarian experience mainly with UNHCR and OCHA in Asia and Africa. Before joining the HD Centre in 2007, he headed the Human Rights Component of the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia, and was then appointed to various Director's positions in UNHCR and OCHA. During this period, he also served as UNHCR Special Envoy to the former Yugoslavia and to Iraq, as Deputy SRSG in Kosovo, and in East Timor at UN Assistant Secretary-General level.

Theo Murphy holds degrees from McGill University and the London School for Oriental and African Studies in political science and international law, economics, and international relations. Before joining the HD Centre in 2007, he worked extensively in humanitarian aid, human rights, regional analysis and mediation. His work experience has focused on South/Central Asia, the Middle East and the Horn of Africa. In addition to his work with the HD Centre, Theo was seconded to the African Union/United Nations Darfur Joint Mediation Support Team as expert adviser in 2007-2008.

Vesna Nikolic has a business degree from the Geneva School of Commerce, as well as a diploma in tourism from the School Lejeune. Prior to joining the HD Centre in 2008, she worked in a recruitment agency, assisting the technical department.

Katia Papagianni heads the HD Centre’s Mediation Support Programme.  Before joining the HD Centre, she worked for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the UNDP. Her work has focused on political transitions following the signing of peace agreements, power-sharing in mediation efforts, and constitution-making processes. Her field experience includes work for the National Democratic Institute in Russia, the OSCE in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the UN in Iraq. She holds a doctorate in political science from Columbia University, New York, a Master's degree in Public Administration from Princeton University, and a Bachelor's degree from Brown University. She has taught on peace- and state-building at Columbia University and the Geneva Graduate Institute for International Studies.

Independent Consultant and Special Adviser to the Secretary-General of Amnesty International, David Petrasek has worked extensively on human rights, humanitarian and conflict resolution issues, including for Amnesty International (1990-96), for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (1997-98), for the International Council on Human Rights Policy (1998-02), and as Director of Policy at the HD Centre (2003-07). He has taught international human rights and humanitarian law courses in Canada, Sweden and the United Kingdom, and has worked as a consultant or adviser to several NGOs and UN agencies. He also co-authored Unheard truths - human rights and poverty, forthcoming 2009, with Irene Khan.

Senior managing director, Morgan Stanley, London, 2007-. Chief of Staff to Prime Minister Tony Blair, 1997-2007. Chief of Staff to Tony Blair, Leader of the Opposition, 1994-1997. Principal negotiator of the British Government on Northern Ireland,1997-2007. Worked as a British diplomat for sixteen years and played a central role in the negotiations with China on the return of Hong Kong, the CDE arms control negotiations in Stockholm, the CSCE human rights negotiations with the Soviet Union in Vienna, the two plus four negotiations on German unification and the G7 summits from 1989-91. Author of Great Hatred, Little Room: Making Peace in Northern Ireland, 2008.

Kieran Prendergast served for many years in the British Foreign Office, including in Cyprus, Turkey, Israel, the Netherlands, Kenya and New York. He was Private Secretary to two Foreign Secretaries and later head of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office dealing with Apartheid and Namibia. He also served as UN Under-Secretary-General for Political, providing political advice to the Secretary-General on matters relating to peace and security, with responsibility for the UN's preventive diplomacy, peacemaking, and peacebuilding activities worldwide. He was also the convenor of the SG's Executive Committee on Peace and Security and engaged in peacemaking efforts in Afghanistan, Burundi, Cyprus, the DRC, East Timor, Guatemala, Iraq, the Middle East, Somalia and Sudan. He now advises the HD Centre on its mediation efforts.

With a background in history, and a Master's degree in Conflict Studies, Meredith Preston began her career working with the Naga in Northeast India and with ethnic minorities in Burma. She then worked with various UN agencies and NGOs in Kenya, Sudan and Somalia, focusing on developing new approaches to post-conflict reconstruction, DDR and small-arms control, with a particular emphasis on gender, inclusion of women and addressing the needs of disabled soldiers. More recently, she managed the Upper Nile State office for the UN Resident Coordinator in Southern Sudan, before joining the HD Centre in 2007.

Marc Probst studied economics and international relations at the University of St Gallen, Switzerland, and at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. In 2004, he joined the Political Affairs Division of the Swiss Department of Foreign Affairs as Project Officer in the Peace Policy Section. He was also Head of the Desk, Human Security and Business, in the Human Rights Promotion Section. He joined the HD Centre in 2008 in Singapore as project officer.

 

Juita Puthucheary's research experience has focused on Southeast Asian political history, with special emphasis on Malaysia. In particular, she has researched the process of decolonisation and of the acquisition of independent status in Southeast Asia, including the evolution of political rights, and the related management of potential or actual conflict. Since the award of her doctorate in 1997, and prior to joining the HD Centre in 2000, she has extended her research into more recent political dynamics and changes in the region.

With twenty years experience in the private sector, working as a management consultant and project-management expert, Chris Rotas has lived in South Africa, the United States, Singapore, Indonesia, Oman, the United Kingdom and Switzerland, working on complex project- and business-development initiatives. Before his ten years as a freelance consultant, based in Geneva, he worked for PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte & Touche and an engineering contractor. He has a Bachelor's degree from the University of the Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, UK, and a Master's degree from the University of Texas, Austin, USA. He joined the HD Centre in 2008.

Claire Salignat holds a Master's degree in Contemporary European Studies from the Sussex European Institute, and a Master's degree in Human Rights and Democratisation from the European Inter-University Centre for Human Rights. Before joining the HD Centre in 2007, she worked for the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the OHCHR and for the European Council on Refugees and Exiles.

Juan Sanchez Sierra has worked in accounting and finance for more than ten years. Prior to joining the HD Centre in 2007, he was responsible for the financial analysis of a group of companies operating in the gas and oil sectors. He has a degree in Commerce and finance and accounting.

To be filled in

Prior to joining the HD Centre in 2009, Mila worked for six years with Triumph International Phils. Inc as Secretary to the Head of Direct Sales and Marketing Manager, and for ten years with Rhône Poulenc (now Sanofi Aventis) as secretary to the Group Product Manager and Product Manager.

Ouseph Tharakan has a Master's degree in International Relations. After being briefly associated with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in New Delhi, India, he was selected for the Young South Volunteer programme of the South Centre, an intergovernmental organisation of developing countries based in Geneva. He was then attached to the Global Governance unit of the South Centre as a Fellow, working on issues connected to the UN reform process. Before joining the HD Centre in 2007, he worked as a Programme Associate with the International Trade Centre, a joint agency of UNCTAD and the World Trade Organization.

Anne Thoma has a degree in European studies from London as well as a masters degree in international law from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva.

After completing her thesis on humanitarian law, she worked in Brazil for an NGO which supports street children, and later on opened and ran an office in Germany for this same NGO. Prior to joining the HD Centre in 2008, she also worked as a political journalist.

 

Before joining the HD Centre in 2009, Sirhan served five years in the Special Forces of the Philippine Army. He also worked as a consultant for the Regional Port Management Authority in Sulu, Philippines.

Formerly Editor of the Far Eastern Economic Review, Michael Vatikiotis has been a writer and journalist in Asia for twenty years. He has lived in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Hong Kong, and speaks the Thai and Indonesian languages fluently. He is a graduate of the School of Oriental and African Studies, London, and earned a doctorate from Oxford University.  

Aurélie Villar has a degree in Public Relations and Tourism and a diploma from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). She has worked as a product assistant with various tour operators in Geneva, with a focus on Latin America and Asia. Before joining the HD Centre in 2005, she was in charge of sales training for a retail company in London.

Judyta Wasowska has a diploma from the Institut supérieur d'Interprétation et de Traduction in Paris. She has worked for the UNHCR Regional Office in Caracas, Venezuela, as Senior Secretary to the Regional Representative. She held a similar position in the office of the Assistant High Commissioner at the UNHCR headquarters in Geneva, and worked in UNDP as Administrative Assistant in the Emergency Response Department. She joined the HD Centre in 1999.

HD Centre Adviser and United Nations liaison in New York ; Senior Fellow and Adviser on UN Strategy at the Center on International Cooperation ( CIC ), New York University ; Member of the Board of Trustees, Conciliation Resources ; Member of the Advisory Board, Conflict Prevention and
Peace Forum ; Director of Conflict Prevention and Peace Forum, Social Science Research Council, helping UN officials access expertise on countries in conflict or crisis, 2005 - 2008 ; UN Department of Political Affairs, 1995 - 2000. Ms Whitfield has published extensively on peacemaking and
mediation.

Donna Yiu has a certificate in Business Studies. Before joining the HD Centre in 2006 in Singapore, she worked as a marketing assistant in a cosmetic firm handling events and product promotions, and as a real-estate agent in Singapore.

In her studies of economic history and international relations, Céline Yvon's research focused on Central Asia with particular reference to nation building and the oil issue. While completing her Master's degree at the Graduate Institute for International Relations in Geneva, she joined the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs where she worked on humanitarian aid and international development with special reference to Kosovo, Tajikistan and the Great Lakes region. Before joining the HD Centre in 2004, she worked for an international consultancy company where she specialised in change-management processes. Clients included banking and insurance companies as well as public administrations.