Deputy Director-General for International Partnerships of the European Commission since November 2021.  She is an agricultural engineer from the Institut National Agronomique Paris-Grignon (INAPG) and has a degree in European law from the Institute of European Studies of the Free University of Brussels.

Veronique Lorenzo is the EU Ambassador to Nepal. She was previously the Head of the Division for South America in the European External Action Service. An economist by training, Veronique has over 30 years of international experience, mostly in development cooperation and has lived and worked in a number of fragile and conflict affected countries, including Mozambique, Afghanistan, Uganda, Myanmar and Somalia where she was the EU Ambassador from 2006 to 2008.

Dr. Prativa Pandey, Founder/CEO of Catalyst Technology and Herveda Botanicals, is an award-winning scientist and science entrepreneur. She has a Ph.D. degree in Organic Chemistry and Nanotechnology from Northwestern University, U.S.A, and certifications in Management and Leadership from Northwestern University and Harvard University. Dr. Pandey is committed to the value addition of Nepal’s medicinal and aromatic plants through innovative technological and entrepreneurial approaches. She has been honored with various awards such as the NABIL-NAST Science and Technology Award 2019, SAARC Woman Entrepreneur of the Year 2022, and the OWSD-UNESCO Early Career Fellowship 2019. Dr. Pandey also holds three US patents in semiconductor technology.

Mr. Anand Bagaria is a corporate entrepreneur/businessman in Nepal with substantial appetite for growth. His focus is on agri-businesses (feed milling, solvent extraction, edible oil refinery, mustard oil expelling, pulses and TVP processing, etc.), food and Agri-processing, Agri-input import and trading, and distribution. He is also involved in PP Woven and non-woven fabrics, geo-textiles, packaging fabrics & paint resins & chemicals. He is currently working on building an e-commerce platform to try to disrupt the conventional FMCG distribution network.

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Mr. Björn Söderberg is the co-founder and managing director of award-winning social business, Build-up Nepal. He is an experienced social entrepreneur with a 20-year track record building social businesses to tackle poverty and climate change in Nepal, where he has lived since 2005. Some companies he is associated with are Fair Enterprise Network AB (impact investment company in Sweden), WebSearch (IT company with HQ in Sweden and 35 programmers in Nepal), Watabaran Biofuel (manufacturing of biofuel briquettes in Nepal, sold in 2013), and Build-up Nepal Engineering Pvt Ltd.

Mr. Suman Joshi has intimate knowledge of commercial and investment banking, where be began working in 1990. Following various senior positions with ANZ Grindlays and Standard Chartered Bank in India and Nepal, he was the founding CEO of Laxmi Bank, where he completed three tenures. After a successful banking career, Mr. Joshi established True North Associates (TNA). In 2018, TNA acquired a significant stake in a Dutch impact investment firm One to Watch which channels foreign capital into Nepali SMEs. In addition to investing in Nepali businesses, both companies are actively involved in supporting entrepreneurs with management and strategic advisory.

Mr. Vicente Rustarazo is an engineer in telecommunications, specialising in technology, software development, cloud and data and analytics (from strategy, architecture, governance, technologies, and AI/ML). Mr. Rustarazo combines strong technological, analytical and leadership skills and international experience across a range of sectors including telecoms, transportation, health, finance, and advertising.
He is passionate about developing new solutions to harness the huge amount of data now available to achieve improved financial and social returns. He has assisted start-ups in Nepal and is now Vice President, Data and Analytics at Fusemachines.

He is passionate about developing new solutions to harness the huge amount of data now available to achieve improved financial and social returns. He has assisted start-ups in Nepal and is now Vice President Data and Analytics at Fusemachines.

Mr. Manish Silakar is the Regional Head of Energy Portfolio Management at Hitachi Energy. The company has been working on advancing the world’s energy system to be more sustainable, flexible, and secure. Mr. Silakar’s career at Pioneer Solutions LLC began in 2008. He has held several roles such as business analytics, software sales, product, and project management. After heading European operations for several years, he took on the role as Regional Head of Energy Portfolio Management, Enterprise Software Division of Hitachi Energy to expand operations in Nepal.

Manish has a MSc. degree in Strategic Management from Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University, The Netherlands.

Aarti Rajya Laxmi Rana is a seasoned banking professional who has contributed more than 2 decades to the Nepalese financial sector. Currently, she is the Chief Business Officer at Laxmi Sunrise Bank, spearheading the Commercial and Industrial Credit Portfolio of the bank. She is also the Director of Adhyanta Fund Management Limited, PE/VC. She has also served as the Board Member of National Banking Institute and Mero Micro Finance Bittiya Sanstha Limited in the past. Ms. Rana started her banking career in 2002 as the management trainee from Everest Bank Ltd. She has contributed to diverse domains of banking encompassing marketing, retail banking, branch management, digital banking and card, remittance, corporate lending, infrastructure project financing, and SME banking including risk management.

Besides her professional involvements, Rana is also contributing to the society through her engagements in social clubs, as a charter membership chair of Rotary Club of Himalayan Golfers. Currently she is the public image chair of the club.

Bidhya, a seasoned Chartered Accountant with over 15 years of experience in finance and accounting across India and Nepal, notably in the banking sector. He honed his skills at JC Bhalla & Co, Delhi, and TR Upadhya & Co, where he specialized in equity valuation. At Kailash Bikas Bank, he excelled as Head of Business, managing a high-performing credit portfolio and serving on top management committees. Bidhya holds an MBA from Kathmandu University and completed leadership programs at London Business School. He’s a certified corporate director and non-executive director at Dolma Impact Fund’s portfolio companies. Bidhya’s contributions extend to regulatory bodies like the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nepal, where he serves as a council member.

Dr. Julia Wernersson received her doctoral degree from the University of Copenhagen, Department of Food and Resource Economics, Global Development. Dr Wernersson joined the Swedish Energy Agency in 2021 where she works with the development of intergovernmental relationships within the scope of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, on behalf of Sweden. Other key topics of work include sustainable development and the voluntary carbon market. Prior to joining the Swedish Energy Agency, she worked on climate strategy and adaptation to climate change in the private sector.

Marina Adel is Programme Manager with the International Climate Cooperation Unit of the Swedish Energy Agency. She heads the team responsible for procurement of activities under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement and has been engaged in international climate cooperation with Nepal since 2021. Prior to joining the Swedish Energy Agency, she worked at UNDP in Indonesia as a programme officer. Marina has an MSc in Ecological Economics from the University of Edinburgh.

Dr. Anzoo Sharma, an accomplished electrical and electronics engineer with a PhD in Energy Diplomacy and an MSc in Engineering in Energy Systems Planning and Management, currently serves as Director at the prestigious NGO: Center for Rural Technology in Nepal. She leads initiatives focused on empowering rural communities through appropriate technologies. With expertise in energy systems planning, electricity economics, climate change mitigation, and renewable energy, Dr. Sharma also contributes as a research associate at the Center for Energy Studies, Tribhuvan University. Passionate about achieving a harmonious balance in the energy trilemma, she is dedicated to driving impactful change in the energy landscape.

Bhanu is the Founder and Group Managing Director at Urja Developers Pvt. Ltd. Committed to prioritizing sustainability standards and striving to achieve the best Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices, Urja ecosystem is growing as a holistic solution provider in the renewable energy (RE) sector in Nepal creating long-term value for all stakeholders. Urja has established a portfolio of hydropower and solar projects with a cumulative installed capacity of over 400 MW over the past seven years since its establishment in 2016; and aims to enhance the RE portfolio to 1 GW by 2030.

A well-known name as a leading hydropower & RE professional holding over 33 years of professional experience across the project’s life cycle, Bhanu is a seasoned expert in Project Portfolio Development and Management, Planning, Design, Execution, Risk Management, Financial Management, and maintaining liaison with international stakeholders.

The past president of the Nepal Hydropower Association (NHA), he serves as an advisor to the Independent Power Producers Association Nepal (IPPAN) currently.

Paulina Campos is the Deputy Country Director of GIZ Nepal, where she manages the organization’s portfolio in areas such as energy, sustainable transport, health, sustainable economic development, and peacebuilding. Paulina has dedicated the past 15 years to working on climate change and biodiversity conservation, primarily in Latin America and Asia.

She earned a Master of Science in Environmental Governance from the University of Freiburg and a business degree from Universidad Interamericana in Costa Rica. Before her tenure at GIZ, Paulina worked in the private sector in Costa Rica. She is a strong proponent of the critical role businesses play in promoting innovative solutions for sustainable development.

Dr. Anil Khanal is a Hydrologist at BWI – Blue Water Intelligence, France. BWI is a NewSpace company dedicated to basin digitization, offering holistic hydrological services to enhance climate resilience. Leveraging in-situ observations, Earth Observation (EO) data, and advanced hydrological models powered by machine learning, BWI provides comprehensive solutions. Dr. Khanal plays a crucial role in the company’s mission to launch a constellation of 10 altimetry nanosatellites, aiming to monitor water levels in lakes and rivers worldwide. With his expertise and dedication, Dr. Khanal contributes significantly to BWI’s innovative approach towards water management and climate adaptation.

Uttam Bhlon is a Director of the Board at CEDB Hydro Power Development Company and a director at NMB Bank Limited, a joint venture with FMO Netherlands. He oversees multiple hydropower projects with a combined capacity of over 600 MW. Mr. Bhlon specializes in infrastructure financing and Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contracting. He has a master’s degree in management and 12 years of experience in the energy sector.

Kul Man Ghising is the current managing director of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA). He is known for solving the problem of severe power cuts (load-shedding) in Nepal, managing domestic demands, and promoting greater regional cooperation.

Bal Krishna Joshi is the Chairman and Founder of Xuno, one of the world’s first neo-banks for the X-Border Economy.

Recently, he was felicitated with the ‘Pioneer ICT Award’ by the tech community of Nepal for his contribution to the tech sector. He played a pioneering role in introducing e-commerce to Nepal through thamel.com and in building Nepal’s largest software service company, Leapfrog. Additionally, he developed the world’s first remittance-as-a-service API, Machnet, and established the world’s first neo-bank for the borderless economy, Xuno.

The companies he has helped build employ over 600+ full-time staff and conduct business in over 20 countries. His most significant contribution so far has been the launch of the first-ever multi-sided fintech platform that enables individuals, businesses, merchants, and financial institutions to access a borderless marketplace.

Bal is the Lewis & Clark College’s outstanding Young Alumnus of 2003, having graduated with a degree in Liberal Arts.

Ms. Mona Nyachhyon is a cyber security professional who has been working in the IT sector internationally for over a decade. She has led successful IT companies and provided technical managerial supervision. She has been recognised with Women in IT award – Nepal and has been nominated for several IT awards in the U.S.A and Asia as leader of different software companies. She is CEH, CAL, Scrum@Scale, ATM, MBA, MPA and Merit holder in BE.

Vishal Hemne – Head of Sales Nepal & Bhutan. Having introduced Nokia in 2017, Vishal has been working on enhancing broadband penetration in Nepal through internet service providers. Over the past 22 Years, Vishal has worked with major OEMs in the ICT Industry and supported operators with telecom networks and technology solutions. His objective, alongside Nokia, is to steer, empower, and fortify resilient, forward-looking communication infrastructure in Nepal. This effort aims to further narrow the Digital Divide and bolster the groundwork for the Digital Nepal Drive.

Tul Hari is a renowned tech entrepreneur and visionary leader with over 30 years of experience in the IT industry, both in Nepal and globally. His expertise spans the entire IT spectrum, from design to management. Tul Hari has been instrumental in advancing Nepal’s technological landscape, serving as a consultant for various government and private sector IT projects. He worked with the Asian Development Bank as an IT consultant for over a decade. A pioneer in Nepal’s dotcom era, he founded AccessWorld Tech, Nepal’s first Cloud Service Provider with its own data center, in 2013. His leadership aims to transform Nepal into a digital powerhouse by empowering entrepreneurs and improving public access to digital services.

Mr. Pramod Kaushik is the President and Managing Director of Hexagon, India and also the President of the Association of Geospatial Industries (AGI). He is a dynamic, results-driven leader with experience of over 35 years in building and growing multi- million-dollar businesses. As the President of Hexagon India, he has swiftly expanded the organisation’s footprint in the country and established the brand as a leader in providing innovative digital reality solutions. Mr. Kaushik holds a master’s degree in Electronics and Communication from the Delhi College of Engineering, Delhi University and a MBA degree, from the same university.

Dr. Amrita Sharma has over 20 years of progressive professional experience, including at senior management positions at international organisations. She is interested in skills development and employability. She has led two recent studies, Unleashing IT: Advancing Nepal’s digital economy (IIDS and World Bank); and Unlocking private capital investment for tech and tech-enabled firms in Nepal (USAID).

Dr. Biswash Gauchan is the Executive Director at the Institute for Integrated Development Studies (IIDS). He served in UNDP both in Nepal and Africa for 10 years in different capacities and went on to become a Chief Executive Officer of a Commercial Bank in South Sudan where he served for two years. He is the founder chairman of Shangri-la Development Bank and co-founder of Quest International College and Omega International School. He writes extensively on economic policy and geo-strategic issues relating to Nepal and South Asia. He is a Fellow Chartered Accountant and holds a Ph.D. degree in economics.

Mr. Tenzin Sonam Gonsar is the Founder and CEO of Team Ventures, an alternative investment firm based in Nepal. He earned his master’s degree from Columbia University, New York, specialising in organisational and leadership development.

Mr. Gonsar holds board level positions in several companies where Team Ventures has invested. These companies operate in renewable energy (hydro and solar power), food technology, health technology, agriculture, and electric vehicles. He is also a founding board member of the Nepal Private Equity Association, as is member of start-up committees of both the FNCCI and CNI.

Prior to founding Team Ventures, Mr. Gunsar worked at Bridgewater Associates, the world’s largest hedge fund located in Connecticut, U.S.A.

Mr. Hemraj Rijal is Managing Director of Dads Pride a hospitality service provided. Alongside, the role at Dads Pride, he is the Founder of The Salon in Birendranagar, Surkhet, a unisex salon, which embodies his commitment to inclusive spaces where everyone is welcome and valued. Mr. Rijal also works remotely as Senior Software Engineer and Team Lead at Cedar Gate Technologies. He obtained his bachelor’s degree (B.Sc.) in computing from Islington College affiliated with London Metropolitan University, and a MBA degree in marketing from Midwest University School of Management.

Ms. Sujata Koirala is the General Secretary at Centre for Research and Sustainable Development (CREASION) Nepal, a not-for-profit organization that works in the field of environment, disaster, youth, and climate smart entrepreneurship. She has helped establish a plastic waste recycling ecosystem, which helps CREASION to collect and recycle around 500 tons of waste plastics every day. She works with over 5,000 grassroots-level waste workers to increase their business capacity. She has successfully handled partnerships with European Union (EU), World Bank, WIEGO, UNOPS and Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW). Further, through EU-funded initiatives, she has facilitated the establishment of 12 Climate Smart entrepreneurs in Madhesh and Karnali provinces.

Suman Rayamajhi is Managing Director of Upaya, a technology-enabled logistics company. He has worked in the corporate, telecom, startup, equity, and financial sectors in Nepal. Upaya’s vision is to become the logistics backbone of Digital Nepal. As Chief Financial Officer at Smart Telecom, he was responsible for launching 4G connectivity in major cities of Nepal and raise funds for network expansion. Suman has a Chartered Accountancy degree and was trained at Price Waterhouse Coopers, India. He has attended negotiation courses in Deal Making at the Harvard Negotiation Institute.

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Mr. Raj Gyawali has over two decades of experience in responsible tourism. His company, Social tours, is the first tour company in Asia to be sustainability-certified. Mr. Gwawali is an expert in responsible (eco, sustainable, conscious, ethical, mindful, etc.) tourism and destination development with a green economy ethic.

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Nikita Rajbhandari, a tech entrepreneur and humanitarian innovator, co-founded Zite, a cutting-edge project management platform that revolutionizes real-time decision-making with data. With over 8 years of experience in development agencies like UN OCHA, UNOPS, and IFRC, she brings extensive expertise in leveraging technology for impactful solutions. Previously, as a Product Manager at UNOPS, Nikita led the implementation of global remote monitoring tools across multiple country offices. Passionate about the transformative power of data and the role of women in tech, she champions the intersection of technology and social progress. Through Zite and beyond, Nikita advocates for inclusivity and innovation, driving positive change in the tech landscape and beyond.

Dr. Aruna Palikhe is an Agricultural Economist with more than 15 years of experience in Nepal’s agriculture. She works as project team leader at IIDS on projects being undertaken in collaboration with IFPRI. She has a Ph.D. degree from Tokyo University of Agriculture focusing on farm management and agriculture economics. She has held a number of significant roles in agricultural development projects as an economist, agri-business expert and national agriculture expert.

Neuraj Karki is the Co-Founder and Operations Director at DV Excellus Pvt. Ltd./ KHETI, where he has been instrumental in advancing Nepal’s agri-fin-tech industry since 2019. With a strong passion for entrepreneurship, Neuraj is dedicated to making significant contributions to his beloved country, Nepal. His goal is to be recognized as a leading entrepreneur in the agro-fin-tech sector within Nepal and internationally. Creating job opportunities and promoting economic growth in Nepal are among Neuraj’s proudest achievements. He prioritizes collaboration and believes in the transformative power of technology to revolutionize agriculture and beyond. Neuraj’s journey is fueled by the desire to continuously contribute, achieve, and innovate for the betterment of Nepal’s agricultural ecosystem and beyond.

Ms. Poonam Shukla is the co-founder of Sattva Nepal, a social enterprise committed to promoting Nepali flavours globally while empowering women and farmer communities. Earlier Ms. Shukla had set up and successfully run a non-profit incubator, EduMentum, which provided support to early-stage social entrepreneurs. She has also worked with various development organisations in India and has been a Teach for India fellow.

Mr. Kushal Gurung is a clean tech professional, with more than 15 years of work experience in Asia and Europe. He is the CEO of WindPower Nepal, a renewable energy and engineering company. He is also a co-founder and Director of Gandaki Urja, a company that converts organic waste into bottled biomethane gas (bioCNG) and organic fertilizer. He is also a Director at Solar Farm Pvt. Ltd. that owns a 5MW on-grid solar PV project. He has a M.Sc. degree in Carbon Management from the University of Edinburgh, U.K., and a M.Sc. in Environmental Science from the Tribhuvan University.

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Mr. Harkirat Singh Bedi, Business Head – Dabur (Nepal & Myanmar) is a seasoned FMCG industry professional who with 22 years of experience with the Dabur Group in India, South Asia & Southeast Asia. He has held key roles in sales, marketing, business development & international business. Since 2016, Mr Bedi has been the Business Head – SAARC for the Dabur Group overseeing operations in Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos & Thailand.

Mr. Rajan Simkhada is a visionary tourism entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience in the industry. He has proven to be capable enough to manage tourism ventures amidst his career in tourism sector. Being a registered travel agent and member in many tourism related associations of Nepal, he has a good network of people in the industry.

Moreover, the enterprises directed by him are recognized and recommended by many travel advisory websites and magazines like Trip Advisor, Lonely Planet, Weekend Weekly, The New York Times, and many more. Meanwhile, some of his ventures have won travel and excellency awards and one of the firm (Earthbound Expeditions) was the second largest company to bring in the maximum number of trekkers in the country in 2013.

Mr. Sunil Babu Pant (Anaagarik Kassyapa) is a film maker. He was an ordained Buddhist monk for two years (2020-21). Mr. Pant became the first openly gay Member of Parliament in Asia from 2008-2012. He is also a founder of Blue Diamond Society (BDS), a NGO that works on human rights, sexual health and HIV/AIDS for sexual/gender minorities. He teaches Tantra (energy) healing meditation and is a voluntary Tantra Heritage Tour Guide. In January 2024 the Nepal Tourism Board appointed Mr. Pant as a cultural emissary for Inclusive (Pink/Rainbow/LGBT+) tourism.

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Ms. Shradha Shrestha is a seasoned traveler, blogger, and tourism brand expert with nearly two decades of experience in tourism marketing and promotion in Nepal. Currently, she heads the Digital Marketing Department at NTB and serves as the National Program Coordinator for the Sustainable Tourism Livelihood Recovery Project (STLRP), UNDP. Ms. Shrestha is renowned for her active participation in international and national forums, advocating for youth participation and women entrepreneurship in tourism. As a core member of the COVID-19 Nepal Tourism Crisis Response Team, she tirelessly works towards the rescue, recovery, and revival of Nepal’s tourism industry.

Mr. Tenzing David Sherpa is a hospitality entrepreneur and a physiotherapist. He is the Managing Director of The Terraces Resort, on a hill in the south-eastern rim of Kathmandu Valley. He is also an Executive Director of the Astrek Group of Companies, a group with ventures in tourism, hospitality, health, trading and adventure sports. Under Mr. Sherpa’s leadership, The Terraces Resort has established itself as a leading luxury property and an aspirational destination for both Nepali and tourists. He has a Master of Sciences in Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy (specialization: musculoskeletal afflictions) degree from Ghent University, Belgium.

Mr. Pradyot Rana manages a sustainable luxury resort – Shinta Mani Mustang, which is a part of the Bensley Collection. Mr. Rana has a bachelor’s degree in international business from the Management Development Institute, Singapore. He began his career in luxury hospitality as a Senior Naturalist and Camp Manager for Pugdundee Safari M.P., a leading responsible safari company in India, and other properties in India before Shinta Mani Mustang. Shinta Mani Mustang embodies sustainable tourism, the tourism of the future.

Mr. Suraj Vaidya is an entrepreneur, business leader and an advocate of economic growth and reform in Nepal. An MBA graduate from George Mason University, Mr. Vaidya has runs businesses in agriculture, construction, education, and trading. He is the President of Vaidya’s Organization of Industries and Trading Houses (VOITH). His major ventures in agriculture are tea, poultry, feed, etc. He is a former president of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI).

With over 25 years of experience in the Government of Nepal, I have served as Joint Secretary in various capacities within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, focusing on Government Affairs, Diplomacy, International Relations, and Gender Issues. Holding an MPhil in Social Change from NTNU and an MPA from Tribhuvan University, I have chaired the UN Commission for Social Development and served as Vice-President of the UN General Assembly. As Ambassador to Pakistan and DPR/Minister Plenipotentiary at Nepal’s UN Mission, I’ve represented Nepal in bilateral and multilateral forums. Currently, I’m the Senior Joint-Secretary and Spokesperson at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nepal.

Damodar Bhandari (दामोदर भण्डारी) is a nepalese politician and current Minister of Industry, Commerce and Supplies of Nepal. He is also Member of the House of Representatives. He was also member of 2nd Nepalese Constituent Assembly. He won Baitadi–1 seat in CA assembly, 2013 and House of Representatives from Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist). He was also Minister of State for Finance, 2016.