Geopolitical Impact

Michelle Bachelet: Early Life and Education Born in Santiago, Chile, Michelle Bachelet is the daughter of Air Force Brigadier General Alberto Bachelet and Ángela Jeria, an archaeologist and activist. Her early years were shaped by a strong sense of public service and resilience, particularly after her father was imprisoned and tortured for opposing the 1973 military coup led by Augusto Pinochet. She pursued medical studies at the University of Chile, where she also became active in the Socialist Youth movement, reflecting her early commitment to social justice and political activism. Political Imprisonment and Exile The 1973 military coup profoundly altered Michelle Bachelet’s life. Her father, Brigadier General Alberto Bachelet, was detained by the Pinochet regime for opposing the coup and died in custody in 1974 due to torture. In 1975, Michelle and her mother, Ángela Jeria, were arrested and detained at Villa Grimaldi and Cuatro Álamos, where they were interrogated and tortured. After their release, they fled Chile, first seeking refuge in Australia before settling in East Germany (German Democratic Republic), where Bachelet continued her medical studies at Humboldt University in Berlin. Return to Chile and Medical Career Bachelet returned to Chile in 1979 and resumed her medical studies at the University of Chile, earning her medical degree in 1982. Although she did not complete a formal medical specialty, she trained in pediatrics and public health before shifting her focus to health policy. She worked with NGOs supporting children affected by political repression, particularly at PIDE (an organization assisting children of detained and disappeared individuals). This demonstrated her deep commitment to human rights, social welfare, and public health. Entry into Politics With the restoration of democracy in 1990, Bachelet took on various public health roles, including positions at the Ministry of Health and as a consultant for the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Her growing interest in civil-military relations led her to study military strategy at Chile’s National Academy of Political and Strategic Studies and later at the Inter-American Defense College in Washington, D.C. In 2000, she was appointed Minister of Health, where she worked to reduce wait times in the public health system and improve healthcare access. In 2002, she became Minister of Defense, making history as the first woman in Latin America to hold that position. Presidency In 2006, Bachelet made history as Chile’s first female president and the first woman in Latin America to be elected without a husband’s political backing. Her administration focused on social protection, gender equality, and economic stability, introducing programs such as the “Chile Crece Contigo” initiative, which expanded early childhood development and social security measures. Re-elected in 2013, her second term emphasized major structural reforms, including: Educational reform, making university education tuition-free for low-income students. Tax reform, increasing corporate taxes to fund social programs and reduce inequality. Constitutional change, initiating a process to replace Chile’s dictatorship-era constitution with a more democratic framework. International Roles After her presidency, Bachelet continued her advocacy on the global stage. In 2010, she became the inaugural Executive Director of UN Women, where she led efforts to advance gender equality, strengthen women’s political participation, and combat gender-based violence worldwide. From 2018 to 2022, she served as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, addressing major global human rights challenges, including China’s treatment of Uyghurs, the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar, and abuses in Venezuela and Afghanistan. Current Engagements After completing her second presidential term, Bachelet resumed her global advocacy work and was appointed United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Her foundation, Horizonte Ciudadano, established in 2018, continues to promote citizen engagement in public policy, focusing on climate resilience, children’s rights, decentralization, and social equity. Speaking Engagements Michelle Bachelet is a highly sought-after speaker, known for her insights on leadership, democracy, human rights, and social equity. Drawing from her historic presidency, global advocacy, and policy expertise, she engages diverse audiences with compelling narratives and a compassionate approach.

About Sarah Hewson Sarah Hewson is a journalist and broadcaster with more than 20 years’ experience covering some of the biggest national and international news stories. Sarah has been Royal Editor at Talk TV for two years. She has also co-presented Washington Post’s coverage of the death of HM The Queen and the Coronation of King Charles. She also frequently comments of royal news on Times Radio. Sarah has spent most of her career at Sky News where she presented every programme from Breakfast through to the flagship News At Ten and hosted her own weekly programme Sky News with Sarah Hewson. For many years, Sarah was the channel’s Royal Correspondent and anchored Sky’s coverage of two royal weddings, royal births and the funeral of the Duke of Edinburgh. She has interviewed six senior members of the royal family, the last five UK prime ministers and high-profile figures from the worlds of business, sport and entertainment. She has reported from Westminster to the White House, the Amazon, Africa and Australia. Sarah has covered major breaking stories including the 7/7 bombings, the London Bridge terror attack, the death of Osama Bin Laden as well as Britain’s Brexit negotiations and the coronavirus pandemic. She is mother to three children and Patron of OSCAR’s Paediatric Brain Tumour charity.

About Juliet Mann Juliet Mann is an experienced TV anchor, specialising in business news, currently host of The Agenda, the weekly current affairs talk show on CGTN Europe. Juliet has worked in fast-paced newsrooms across the world – in London, Paris, New York and Frankfurt – for CNBC, CNN, Sky News, TRT World and Reuters. She also appeared on BBC’s Pointless Celebrities, starred in Danny Boyle’s TV pilot Babylon and presents podcast: A Week in my Flexible Working Life. On the road as anchor and correspondent for CNN’s weekly business features show Marketplace Europe, she interviewed CEOs like Sir James Dyson, political heavyweights and influencers including EU policymakers, and bosses of global brands like Nestle, L’Oreal, Geox & Lafarge. Highlights at Sky News include having a seat on the very last transatlantic Concorde flight and interviewing sporting legends like David Beckham when London won the 2012 Olympic Games bid in Singapore. Juliet has interviewed Archbishop Desmond Tutu for the BBC, presented for corporate channels including EY TV and HSBC TV, and written occasional travel & features pieces for the Daily Telegraph and Economia magazine. She also comperes events and awards ceremonies and moderates discussion forums across Europe and the United States, on a vast range of topics from entrepreneurship to sustainability. Juliet is British, read Politics at Bristol University and speaks good French.

Meet Clare McDonnell Clare McDonnell is an award-winning journalist and Broadcaster who can be heard daily across the UK on the news programme BBC Radio 5Live Drive, she’s also a regular Presenter on BBC Radio Four’s Woman’s Hour, has reported for BBC 1’s The One Show and anchored the BBC’s most listened to news programme around the world “Newsday” on the BBC World Service and its most listened to news podcast “Global News podcast”. Clare has been at the forefront of many major historic news events, announcing the death of Her Majesty the Queen live on national radio, and then broadcasting from Buckingham Palace in the week leading up to the Monarch’s funeral and on the day itself. Clare has been the voice that has informed the nation of major political developments too. She anchored a rolling news outside-broadcast from Westminster’s Central Lobby when Prime Minister Boris Johnson was facing a no confidence vote, then presented live from Downing Street when he resigned. She was there too for Liz Truss’s short-lived premiership and her subsequent resignation. Clare is a sure footed, experienced pair of hands when it comes to handling complex and fast-moving news events but is also noted for her wit and warmth on air. She is passionate about sport and is now a regular voice on the Wimbledon Championships presenting from Centre Court and around the grounds. She also covered the Women’s European Football Championships and was side stage interviewing the Lionesses during their Trafalgar Square victory celebration attended by thousands. Clare is also an awards host and is regularly asked to chair panel discussions and audience Q and A’s, anything from large events in the Excel Arena in London’s Docklands, to more intimate events with special interest groups and charities. Clare has a passion for music and the arts too. She was one of the launch Presenters of cutting edge music station BBC 6Music and a reporter on BBC3 TV’s Nightly Entertainment Show “Liquid News” which saw her broadcasting live from, amongst other places, Elvis’s Graceland home and Abbey Road studios in London following George Harrison’s death. Clare is a broadcaster, event host and panel chair of immense experience who never loses sight of the fact that the most important aspects of her job are holding the powerful to account and allowing those without a voice to be heard.

About Mike Bushell Mike is a sport presenter for the BBC primarily working on flagship morning show BBC Breakfast. He is the longest serving sport presenter in the programme’s history. Mike has also appeared on BBC World, BBC One’s Six and Ten ‘o’ Clock news, BBC Radio 5 live, and Radio 2 alongside Chris Evans and Sara Cox. Mike commentated on Radio 2 as Vernon Kay completed his Children in Need 2023 challenge. He’s also guest presented on Blue Peter and Saturday Mash up on CBBC. Mike is known for holding the world record for his immersive reports, trying out different sports from around the country and the world, to try and inspire the Breakfast audience to get more active and try a sport, regardless of their ability. His tally stands at over 55 and the different sports have included everything from wing walking, backwards running to Kinball, Quidditch, worm charming and shin-kicking. In 2019 he ran in a 60 metres Grand Prix against top sprinters for a BBC breakfast and UK athletics experiment. He came last with a time of 9.27 seconds. He also sailed with Sir Ben Ainslie, played tennis again Novak Djokovic and had a round of golf with Luke Donald, just to name a few. Mike has been to and covered Olympics, football and rugby and cricket World Cups. At the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022 he helped save the iconic giant mechanical bull. Mike is also famous for accidentally falling over in a swimming pool while live on air, broadcasting from Australia’s Gold Coast and interviewing swimmers like Adam Peaty. The clip became an internet sensation and made the news all over the world and is one of the most watched sport bloopers of all time. Lesser know is that he fell from a show jumping horse when training with the Olympic gold medallist Ben Maher. Mike took part in the 2019 series of Strictly Come Dancing partnering Katya Jones finishing 7th out of 15 and defying all expectations. He then went on to dance on the Strictly Live tour. Mike has won Celebrity Mastermind; his specialist subject was Alan Partridge. He’s also won Celebrity Catchpoint, Weakest Link, and Pointless and has appeared on Richard Osman’s House of Games all on BBC and the Chase Celebrity Special on ITV. He also sang on BBC One’s “Hear My Voice for Children in Need”. Mike graduated in drama and spent four years with the National Youth Theatre before moving to newspapers and then BBC local radio presenting the news and BBC TV South Today where he also hosted a 40-part history programme, “South 2000” and an entertainment slot called What’s On. He regularly plays in celebrity charity football and cricket matches for the Lord Taverners and also basketball’s Hoops Aid. He’s also been part of celebrity cycling teams for Sport Relief at the London and Manchester velodromes. Longer distance running is his specialty and has run the London marathon twice. In 1981 aged just 15 he ran 175 miles in 6 days as part of a challenge to raise money for the international year of disabled people. Mike has hosted on cruises and at dozens of award nights and is known for his boundless energy and his entertaining, professional, and unique, accessible style and always includes his game of ‘Sport or Spoof’ which warms any crowd up as they try to guess whether what Mike says is a real sport he’s tried or one he’s made up. Mike is known for his down to earth, style with a great sense of self depreciation and humour. He still runs a lot and plays padel tennis and pickleball and football and cricket. He’s been in a couple of rock bands and still tries to sing.

About Kait Borsay Kait Borsay has been bringing her conversational style to Times Radio for over two years, and currently presents The Evening Edition, from 8-10pm every Monday to Thursday. She has built a loyal audience of listeners as she delves into the stories of the day covering news, politics, education, health and social affairs. Insightful, sparky and always with a smile, Kait has a passion for bringing diverse stories and fresh voices to the airwaves. Whilst at Times Radio, Kait has championed particular causes, developing an engaged following as she returns to issues like Long Covid, rights for care home residents, children’s mental health, the rights and advocacy of young people, and neurodiversity in women. A broadcast journalist for over two decades, in the last five years, Kait has expanded her portfolio into news and current affairs. A keen self-starter, often pitching her own stories, Kait has been commissioned by the Audio Content Fund and was runner up at the IRN Commercial Radio Awards for a documentary on loneliness. She has recently started writing for The Times and The Sunday Times across health, lifestyle and social affairs. Clear, authoritative and comfortable on screen, Kait has presented television news programming for Sky News, Reuters and ITN. She has also developed audio projects for The Telegraph and hosted podcasts for large corporate brands, like P&G and EY. She covered news and politics as an in-vision reporter for talkRADIO, and presented the station’s Drivetime show alongside Eamonn Holmes. Kait started her career in sports journalism at Sky Sports. She has covered several major sporting tournaments from the beaches of Brazil to the Highlands of Scotland. She is co-founder of The Offside Rule, an awarding-winning, female-fronted football podcast and website. It has featured in the Guardian’s top five sport podcasts and was listed as Vogue’s best football podcast of 2018. In 2022, The Offside Rule was part-acquired by the New York Times.

About Marverine Cole Marverine Cole is a multi-award-winning journalist and broadcaster from Birmingham. She can often be seen as newsreader on ITV1’s Good Morning Britain. She has been a regularspeakin media commentator on Channel 4’s BAFTA-nominated daytime show, Steph’s Packed Lunch and ITV1’s This Morning, bringing her sharp journalistic knowledge and fantastic sense of humour to the table at every appearance. Celebrating more than twenty years as a live news and current affairs broadcaster, Marverine’s media career spans more than three decades. She has worked as Reporter, Producer, TV & Radio Presenter and News Anchor for many of the UK’s most watched and listened to broadcasters, including ITV1, Sky News, 5 News, BBC 5 Live, the BBC & ITV in the Midlands and BBC Radio 4. RADIO PRESENTER As an ardent lover of classical music, Marverine has hosted afternoon shows for Classic FM, fronted speech and phone-in programmes for BBC Radio WM, Up All Night on BBC 5 Live and has co-presented BBC Radio 4’s Saturday Live with Reverend Richard Coles. She has presented her own podcast, The Trouble With Politics and other podcasts for BBC Storyworks, Vintage Books, Faber & Faber, FANE Productions and BBC Good Food magazine. DOCUMENTARY MAKER When it comes to Radio Documentaries, Marverine conceived and presented Luck Be A Lady Tonight about female gambling addicts for BBC Radio 4, Ladies with Lyrics – The Rise of the Female MC for BBC 1Xtra, executive-produced Where are All the Black Girls in Grime for BBC Radio 4. However, she is best known for Black Girls Don’t Cry, a BBC Radio 4 documentary which she produced and presented, and which earned her the accolade of ‘Journalist of the Year’ at the Mind Media Awards. Sir Lenny Henry asked her to contribute a personal essay about mental health to his 2021 book (co-edited with Professor Marcus Rydder), Black British Lives Matter. AWARD-WINNING BEER WRITER & SOMMELIER Marverine is the resident Beer Columnist for BBC Good Food magazine and online, where she exercises her credentials as one of the first women in the UK to become an accredited beer sommelier. As one Britain’s leading female beer experts, she has appeared hosting TV beer tastings on shows like ITV1’s ‘Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh’ and talked all things beer on Channel 4’s Countdown. LIFESTYLE PRESENTER The consummate broadcaster, Marverine has also presented lifestyle, food, technology, beauty and fashion shows live from London, for Britain’s most successful and profitable shopping channel, QVC. She was the channel’s first Black female main presenter in over 20 years. AWARDS & CONFERENCE HOST Her warm, natural and engaging presenting style means she is often booked to host conferences and award ceremonies. Clients include PRCA, Black Talent Awards, The Voice of Black Opera Awards, Birmingham Royal Ballet: An Evening of Music & Dance, Inspire Construction & Housing Awards, Everywoman Awards, Capital Letters conference.

About Jon Kay Jon Kay is a Chief Presenter on BBC Breakfast, the UK’s most-watched morning show. He co-hosts the live programme Monday-Wednesday every week – providing more than five million viewers with their daily fix of breaking news, political interviews, features, finance and fun. Since joining the famous red sofa as a full-time host in 2022, Jon has played a key role in the BBC One team anchoring live coverage of major national events including the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II and the Coronation of King Charles III. A true all-rounder who is interested in everything and everyone, Jon has fronted a wide range of live programmes including BBC One’s Crimewatch, Radio 4’s Saturday Live, 5Live Drive – and a mid-Atlantic edition of The One Show marking the centenary of the Titanic disaster. Jon has been a journalist for more than thirty years. You name it, he’s covered it – from crime scenes to courtrooms, riots to red carpets. He has worked as a correspondent in Los Angeles and Washington, as well as reporting from South Africa, Australia, Central America, Iraq – and every part of the UK. With a first-class degree in Politics from Exeter University, Jon has interviewed the Prime Minister inside 10 Downing Street and criss-crossed the United States presenting a series of road-trip reports for the US Presidential election. Straight-talking and unstuffy, Jon is highly experienced at interpreting and explaining complex and challenging subjects for global and national audiences. During the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, Jon co-presented a series of prime-time BBC One special programmes explaining the lockdown rules to an anxious nation. He has also fronted live outside broadcasts dealing with the cost-of-living crisis – chairing debates which include economists, politicians, business leaders and members of the public. His style is reassuring, relatable, human and, when appropriate, cheeky. He famously discovered “Brenda from Bristol” while conducting vox-pops in the street during the 2019 General Election (“Not ANOTHER one!”) People are always at the heart of Jon’s work. A trusted and empathetic broadcaster, in recent years he has led the BBC’s news coverage of the Madeleine McCann case and won a Royal Television Society documentary award for his BBC Panorama investigation which reunited a young man from Baghdad with the family who he thought had been killed in the Iraq War. Jon’s award-winning true-crime series Fairy Meadow – about the mysterious disappearance of Cheryl Grimmer from an Australian beach – is one of the BBC’s most popular podcasts, with millions of global downloads. Judges at the British Podcast Awards praised Jon’s compassion and sensitivity. His online articles about this story and many others regularly appear in the most-read section of the BBC website. Jon also regularly presents Radio 4’s Saturday Live programme. Jon is passionate about children’s literacy and is currently the face of the UK’s biggest writing competition, 500 Words. In that role, he has promoted the contest across the media, in schools across the UK and is chairing the final judging panel at Buckingham Palace. Born in Hull and brought up near Manchester, Jon has lived and worked all over the UK. He now splits his time between Salford and Bristol, where he lives with his wife, three children and elderly cocker spaniel.

About Lucrezia Millarini Lucrezia Millarini is journalist and anchor for ITV News, presenting across all main programmes including ITV Lunchtime News, ITV Evening News and News At Ten. Lucrezia also presents ITV London’s flagship show and is a regular reporter for ITV’s documentary series On Assignment. With more than 15 years live broadcast experience, Lucrezia has reported on RTS award-winning coverage of the Grenfell Tower Fire, anchored ITV’s breaking news of the Duke of Edinburgh’s death and was part of ITV team covering Harry and Meghan’s Windsor wedding. Other prime-time credits include co-hosting a Mortgage Crisis Special and Mental Health Special for ITV’s The Martin Lewis Money Show: Live, appearing as a guest commentator on This Morning and fronting a documentary for current affairs programme Tonight: Botched? Inside the Beauty Business. Not afraid of a challenge, Lucrezia has been a contestant on ITV’s Dancing on Ice, competed in the multi-discipline athletics challenge The Games and C4’s hugely popular Celebrity Hunted for Stand Up To Cancer. She is also a Celebrity Mastermind champion. As former Entertainment Correspondent for ITV London, Lucrezia is as comfortable on the red carpet as she in the studio. From politicians to National Treasures, she has interviewed everyone from Blondie to Beyonce, Dame Joan Collins to Sr Elton John, Stephen Spielberg to Meryl Streep. She remains one of the few journalists to quiz Tom Cruise about Scientology and even presented Rihanna with her first Oyster card! Lucrezia studied law at Bristol and trained as a barrister before becoming a journalist. She was born in London and lives there with her husband and highly demanding dog, Milo. Aside from the day job, she has chaired conferences, hosted a number of corporate events and award ceremonies, with clients always noting her warmth and natural presence. A keen supporter of animal rights, Lucrezia is Patron to the charities Dogs on the Street and Support Dogs. She’s also backed campaigns for Alzheimer’s Society.

Nicholas Hopton – Veteran Diplomat and Middle East Specialist Drawing upon his 35 years as a Diplomat and British Ambassador in the Middle East, Nicholas Hopton’s vast career has made him a highly sought after voice as a broadcaster and speaker, providing a uniquely insightful and strategic overview of the opportunities for business and governments as we navigate an unusually uncertain period. Nicholas Hopton is the Director General of the Middle East Association and is the former British Ambassador to Libya (2019-21), Iran (2015-18), Qatar (2013-15), and Yemen (2012-13), also serving in Paris, Rome Morocco and Mauritania. On home turf, Nicholas worked in the Foreign Office, Cabinet Office and No. 10, including: leading the team that drafted the UK’s first National Security Strategy (2008); senior UK official at the Perth Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting (2011); and Private Secretary to four UK Government Ministers for Europe (1998-2000). Throughout his career, Nicholas has focused on advancing UK interests and building partnerships, including in some of the world’s most challenging environments. He brought his leadership and diplomatic expertise to bear in addressing international challenges and promoting global security, stability and prosperity. In his talks, Nicolas will dissect what the risks and positives are for businesses under the new Labour government, and how to utilise and mitigate them. He will illuminate the geo-political landscape in the context of the Middle East and its relationships, building on his work as a diplomat, giving the inside track as a practitioner and how the ever changing landscape might play out in 2025 and beyond.  

About Josep Borrell Josep Borrell is an aeronautical engineer from the Polytechnic University of Madrid and Professor of Foundations of Economic Analysis at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. He is one of the most experienced Spanish politicians in positions of high economic and fiscal responsibility with a major European experience and influence. His political career began in 1982 when he became Secretary of Budget and Public Expenditure of the Ministry of Finance in Spain. Between 1984 and 1991 he was Secretary of the Treasury, urging the creation of a modern tax administration to combat tax fraud and adjust the revenue system and government expenditure for Spain’s entry into the European Union, regional decentralization and the development of the system of social protection. “The crisis of the Euro is something that was quite likely to happen as the first major recession hit Europe. The Economic and Monetary Union is an incomplete union and therefore fragile.” Between 1991 and 1996 he was appointed twice the Minister of Public Works, Transport & Environment at the time of the highest increase in investment in infrastructure in the history of Spain. Borrell also has experience in the private sector after working in the Spanish energy sector company Cepsa. His career in European affairs began in 1999 as President of the Congressional Joint Committee on European Affairs Senate. He was one of the representatives of the Spanish Parliament in the Convention that drafted the European Constitution. Borrell also participated in essential working groups on the EU: economic government, social Europe, foreign policy and defense. Borrell headed his party ticket in the European elections in 2004 and was elected President of the European Parliament. He also chaired the Euro Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly and fostered the creation of the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly of which he was its first co-chair. Between 2007 and 2009, Borrell chaired the Development Assistance Committee of the European Parliament. In 2010, he was selected for the Presidency of the European University Institute in Florence. This institution is a center for doctoral studies specializing in European integration and the role of Europe in globalization with the largest European program of doctoral studies in social sciences. “The German unification ended the sad legacy of Hitler and Stalin but we still have much work to do to make it effective. It will test our solidarity and it will demand respect for diverse points of view.” The EUI Florence is also home of the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, which develops applied research on issues such as immigration, energy, financial regulation, monetary policy and political representation, among other topics of EU policy. Borrell has also chaired the Global Progressive Forum and conducted seminars for European Studies at the Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo in Santander and Málaga.

Prof. Henrik von Scheel Best known as the originator of the 4th Industrial Revolution and digital themes of today. With over 20 years of expertise as a project manager in executive roles, he has shaped corporate strategies, manage profit & loss and empowered teams to deliver results. Managing Director at the Institute of Strategic Intelligence, that provides the trends, report and content for the World Economic Forum. Professor of Strategy Management with 20 years dedicated to strategy and futures research. His work is applied to over 24 national economies, influencing GDP growth, triggering global themes, set industry standards that has shaped the performance of 23% of the fastest-growing companies on the Fortune 500 list. He is a sought-after speaker and advisor on the toughest issues in business today. Impact Genesis of the Digital theme In 2009, Prof Henrik von Scheel and Prof August Wilhelm Scheer ignited the global digital theme of today. As part of the Advisory Council at the Federal Minister of Economy & Technology, they played a significant role in defining Germany’s future digital strategy. The “Digital Agenda” was adopted by the European Commission in 2010, as the Europe Digital Agenda 2020 and evolved into the European Digital Revolution. “Digital Agenda” is one of Europe’s seven flagship – responsible for 5% of GDP, with a market value of €660 billion annually. The “Digital Agenda” evolved into the global digital theme of today. Godfather of the 4th Industrial Revolution In 2011, Prof von Scheel coined the term 4th Industrial Revolution, as one of the masterminds and driving forces behind its inception. As member of the Advisory Group for the Federal Ministry Education & Research, Prof. Henrik von Scheel, Prof August Wilhelm Scheer and Prof Henning Kagermann where tasked to defining the high-tech strategy for Germany. The final concept of “Industry 4.0” was announced April 2013 as an inter-ministerial innovation policy initiative. Prof von Scheel announced that the Industry 4.0 will emerge in 8 evolutionary stages, propelled by 77 megatrends. Board Experience June 09 – present Chairman of the 4th Industrial Revolution – World Economic Forum May 22 – Feb 24 Advisory Council Member – European Union Artificial Intelligence Act Feb 18 – Mar 24 Advisory Board Member – European Union Climate Change Council Mar 11 – Dec 17 Advisory Board Member for Google EMEA – Alphabet Inc Jan 11 – April 13 Advisory Group Member (Industry 4.0 originator) – Federal Ministry of Education & Research, Germany Mar 08 – Mar 10 Advisory Council Member (Digital Initiator) – Federal Ministry of Economics & Technology, Germany Awards “Nobel laureates of the Knowledge Award for intellectual achievement and knowledge sharing” – The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Award “Honorary Professor Doctorate for the evolution of mainstream Strategy Management thinking” – Arthur Lok Jack Global School of Business