Rama Sithanen’s professional career of almost 40 years is split among public sector, private sector and international consultancy and advisory work. He has held senior positions in the private sector as an economist, a partner in a consulting firm and a group strategist in a large conglomerate in Mauritius.

He was Minister of Finance between 1991 and 1995 and was instrumental in shaping policies to diversify the economy and laid the foundation for the emergence of Mauritius as an international financial centre.

He has acted as an international consultant and an adviser, working in Africa and the Indian Ocean, advising Governments and public sector bodies on public policies.

He was Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance between 2005 and 2010. He introduced bold institutional, policy and fiscal reforms that turned around the economy and moved Mauritius from dependence on trade preferences to global competitiveness.

He worked as Director of Strategy at the African Development Bank in Tunis, Tunisia in 2011.

Since 2011, he is Chairman and Director of International Financial Services, one of the largest management companies in Mauritius, engaged in providing fund administration services for capital market and private equity/venture capital funds to global corporates and institutions.

He was Chairman of the Rwanda Development Board between 2013 and 2017.

He was adviser to the Government of Rwanda and tax, competitiveness and financial services issues between 2013 and 2015.

He is Chairperson of 4 Sights, a fourth industrial revolution technology company that is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and operates in many countries.

He also chairs Thomas Cook (Mauritius), a company engaged in foreign exchange transactions and tourism –related activities.

He also sits on other corporate boards.

He was chosen by the Switzerland-based World Economic Forum in 1994, as one of the 100 Global Leaders for Tomorrow for contribution in both the public and the private sectors at the age of 40.

He was bestowed with the highest mark of distinction of Grand Commander of the Star and Key (GCSK) in 2009 for contribution in the economic and political fields.

He speaks, reads, writes and understands English and French.

Dr Sithanen holds a BSc Economics (with First Class Honours), an MSc Economics (with a Mark of Distinction) from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a PhD in Political Science from Brunel University, UK.

Former Chairman, World Travel and Tourism Council. Now Ambassador for the WTTC.
Non-executive Director Dubai Expo2020 Advisory Board.
Non-executive Director Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority advisory board.
Non-executive Director Temes Hotels and Resorts, Greece.
Non-executive Director, Adnec, Abu Dhabi.
Former President and CEO Jumeirah Group.
Director International Tourism Investment Corporation

Gerald Lawless started his career with Forte Hotels which culminated in him setting up and growing Forte’s operations in the Middle East.

After a 23-year career with Forte Hotels, he joined Jumeirah in 1997 and helped establish it as one of the premier luxury hotel brands in the world. Taking on the challenge of launching Burj Al Arab, the world’s most luxurious hotel, after the successful introduction of Jumeirah Beach Hotel to an eager travelling public, Mr. Lawless went on to become President and Group Chief Executive Officer of the Jumeirah Group. He then lead the development of the group for the next twenty years.

• At the beginning of 2016, having served at the helm of the Jumeirah Group, Mr. Lawless assumed a new leadership position responsible for tourism and hospitality in Dubai Holding, the Group’s parent company. During this period he served as Chairman of the World Travel and Tourism Council.He has now retired from these roles and continues to reside in Dubai.

Mr. Lawless is a Graduate of Shannon College of Hotel Management in Ireland and holds the following Honorary Degrees:

• Doctor of Business Administration in Hospitality Management at the Johnson & Wales University, State of Rhode Island, USA;
• Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws at the National University of Ireland, Galway;
• Honorary Doctorate at the Middlesex University Dubai.

He served as a member of the Global Agenda Council on the Future of Mobility with the World Economic Forum. He is fellow member of the Institute of Hospitality; and a member of the International Advisory Board of the Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne.

Recipient of the 2017 Presidential Distinguished Service Award for the Irish Abroad.

During his 45 year career he has worked in the following locations: Galway, Geneva, Southampton, Swindon, Glasgow, Dubai 1978 to 1982, Durban, London, Bahrain, Dublin, and Dubai again since 1991.

He has been responsible for the development of hotels in various regions and has visited many cities within these countries and regions including North Africa, virtually all countries of the Middle East, the CIS and Asian countries such as Indonesia, India, Pakistan, Thailand, Cambodia.He has participated in UAE trade delegations to China where he has negotiated management agreements for over 8 hotels.

He has also been responsible for the Caribbean division of Forte hotels in Bermuda, Jamaica, Bahamas, Barbados and Guyana.

In his capacity as Chairman of the World Travel and Tourism Council 2016 to 2018 he has addressed conferences throughout the world.

He has also attended the Annual World Economic Forum in Davos on nine occasions.

He has been a member of the Farmleigh Forum and the advisory Board of the Global Irish Network.

Nisha is a management consultant, corporate trainer and academic with more than 25 years of extensive management experience in the Tourism, Hospitality and Events industry. As the Founder of Elevated Consultancy and Training, Nisha provides regional and international consultancy work in the area of tourism and hospitality development in destinations. She extends marketing and management consul to destination marketing teams to develop long term strategic plans and capacity planning and development.

Nisha is a co-founder of World Women Tourism, a network intelligence platform that provides opportunities to women in tourism to connect, grow and flourish. The organization visions to impact the trajectory of women in the tourism industry through promoting diversity, knowledge sharing, building networks, capacity building and opening up business opportunities. Nisha also initiated SheInTourism, a collaborative platform that paves the pathways for Asian women in tourism to flourish and realize their potentials. She is an invited keynote speaker, thought leader and panelist for conferences and seminars in internationally.

Nisha is also a qualified corporate trainer and professional coach and has been bestowed with several awards, including the Outstanding Tourism Trainer 2010 accolade by Workforce Development Authority (WDA) of Singapore. She is a passionate academic and lecturers at several higher education as well as a curriculum developer for academic and professional skills-based programs. She has completed her Ph.D. in the area of tourism education and her research interests are in the areas of women in tourism, tourism branding and marketing, tourism education, halal tourism and sustainable tourism.

World-renowned Communications Guru & Seasoned Hospitality & Tourism Professional

François Baird is a founder and chairman of Baird’s CMC Ltd, Baird’s US LLC and Calbridge (Pty) Ltd. Baird’s CMC is an international communications management consultancy with 34 partners in 17 countries who employ about 500 people. He is also the founder of the FairPlay anti-dumping trade movement.

François consults internationally on issues, communication and strategy to clients across the world in the USA, Africa, India, Europe and the Middle East. His specialties are market entry strategies, public affairs, corporate reputation risk assessment and management, communication strategy and crisis management. He consults to governments, international institutions and companies.

He has a special interest in developing countries and institutions and has advised the Rectors of Stellenbosch University (Brink and Botman) and the Chancellor of Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (Botha). François is a Board member of the University of Pretoria Centre for Communication and Reputation Management and the Child Witness Foundation. He serves on the Board of the Presidential Precinct and is an advisor to its Young Africa Leaders Initiative (YALI) program.

He has a long track record in advising boards and top management, advising state owned enterprises, financial institutions and technology companies, among many others.

He has worked in Africa outside South Africa since 1988. Over the years he has managed election campaigns for President Chiluba of Zambia, for President Chissano in Mozambique and advised on election campaigns invarious other African countries.

François is an American citizen who was born in South Africa, grew up on a farm in its Northwest province, started his career on the gold mines, attained a degree in international politics and political science at the University of Pretoria, served as a commissioned officer in the SA Air Force and founded his own business in 1987, following various corporate management positions at Gold Fields of SA, Small Business Development Corporation and Sappi, the South African multi-national forestry products company. He is also emeritus Chairman, Africa of Daniel J Edelman Inc.”

Jeremy is a serial entrepreneur, investor and social media expert having spent over 10 years in the digital advertising industries.

He is the Founder & CEO of Beautiful Destinations. Voted by Fast Company as one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies in 2017, Beautiful Destinations is the award-winning creative agency behind the world’s largest tourism community on social media. Every day over 20million people in 180 countries turn to Beautiful Destinations on Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, Youtube & Weibo to be inspired about travel & tourism. He has a background in elite sport, having represented Scotland at rugby whilst at school and has served on the Board of the Entrepreneurs Organization (EO), as a dealmaker for UK Trade & Investment’s Global Entrepreneur Program, is a fellow of the British American Project and ambassador for the World Wildlife Foundation.

After a brief career as a teacher Derek Moore worked for some 13 years as a Tour Leader leading group tours for various overland and safari companies before co-founding Explore Worldwide, one of the earliest adventure travel companies. He was Operations Director at Explore for some 20 years, developing itineraries and programmes in most parts of the world and seeing changes in the group tour sector over those years.

After selling Explore he became Chairman of AITO, and additionally now presents seminars and training sessions for tourist boards and DMCs on aspects of marketing and promoting niche tourism products. In his spare time he plays golf and music, although accuracy is a feature of neither.

Thebe Ikalafeng has been named one of the 100 Most Influential Africans by New African Magazine and worked with over 100 diverse brands in the public and private sector across every region in Africa. He is the founder of Brand Leadership, an award-winning brand and reputation advisory firm, Brand Africa 100: Africa’s Best Brands, the most referenced research and ranking of brands in Africa and Public Sector Excellence, an initiative to research and recognise excellence in the public sector.

A Fellow of the Institute of Directors, he is deputy chairman of South African Tourism and non-executive director of Mercantile Bank Holdings, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and JSE listed Cartrack Group. In a distinguished corporate and consulting career which started in brand management at Colgate Palmolive in New York and concluded as marketing director for Nike for the Africa region, he has won over 75 industry awards globally. He has served on all notable industry bodies, including as the founding deputy chairman of the Brand Council of Southern Africa (2011-2013) and chairman of the Loeries advertising awards (2001-2003), judged major industry awards globally, including the prestigious Red Dot design awards in Germany (2014-2017) and St. Gallen Wings of Excellence in Switzerland (2015-2017).

Widely recognized across Africa, he has co-hosted the CNBC Africa Marketing, Media and Money Show, and has been featured or quoted in respected media such as CNN, BBC, CNBCAfrica, FT, African Business and New African. He writes, speaks and counsels leaders and organizations globally on branding, reputation management and related matters across Africa.

Ikalafeng holds BSc and MBA degrees from Marquette University (USA), completed executive education at Wits Business School and Harvard Business School, and is a Chartered Marketer (SA). A well-travelled adventurer, he has been to over 70 countries globally, summited the highest mountains in Africa (Mt. Kilimanjaro) and Europe (Mt. Elbrus), jumped off the world’s highest bungy (216m) at Bloukrans Bridge (South Africa), travelled to the furthest south point in Africa where the Atlantic and Indian oceans meet, in between paragliding, skydiving and other daring adventures around the world.

Recognized for his wide-ranging expertise and accomplishments in the political arena, Honourable Edmund Bartlett has given over thirty-five years of service to Jamaica, working both in the Senate and in the House of Representatives.

Mr. Bartlett was first appointed Minister of Tourism in 2007, serving until December 2011. Prior to this appointment, he already had a solid track record of service as an outstanding legislator in central government in both Chambers of Parliament. While serving in the shadow Cabinet following his first stint as Tourism Minister, Mr. Bartlett traveled the world forging alliances with strategic partners for global initiatives. He returned to the helm of the Ministry of Tourism following his party’s victory in Jamaica’s February 2016 general election.

As one of the world’s leading Tourism Ministers, Mr. Bartlett has represented Jamaica regionally and internationally and currently chairs the Board of Affiliate Members of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). During his first tenure as tourism minister he served as Vice Chairman of the Executive Council of the UNWTO, representing the Americas. He is the first to serve on the executive of both the public and private sector arms of this prestigious organization. Mr. Bartlett has also served on the Council of Ministers for the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) and as Vice Chairman of CTO. This wealth of experience has made him a much sought-after speaker at tourism-related fora.

Mr. Bartlett is an ardent proponent of public private partnerships (PPPS), which he considers essential to the sustainable development of the tourism industry. These alliances span the various sectors, locally and internationally, that make up tourism, including transportation, agriculture and manufacturing. Some of these partnerships have taken the form of foreign direct investment, particularly in the area of accommodation.

Tourism has been positioned by Mr. Bartlett as a catalyst for economic growth and the transformation of communities. He has established five networks (Gastronomy, Shopping, Health and Wellness, Sports and Entertainment, and Knowledge) to fuel growth and initiated the Tourism Linkages Network within the Ministry to strengthen sustainable linkages between tourism and other sectors of the economy.

The region has also benefited from Mr. Bartlett’s innovative thinking, as he views other Caribbean and Latin American destinations not as Jamaica’s competitors but as partners that can use their combined tourism offerings to attract more visitors to experience multi-destination tourism. He has taken bold steps to have this facilitated under a special Memoranda of Understanding between nations in the region.

Mr. Bartlett has copped numerous awards. He was the recipient of the 2016 Caribbean Tourism Minister of Distinction award at the recent African Diaspora World Tourism Awards. He was also awarded Caribbean’s Leading Personality for Outstanding Services to Tourism at the 23rd World Travel Awards in 2016. In 2012, Mr. Bartlett was conferred with the Order of Distinction in the rank of Commander (CD) for outstanding and important services to Jamaica and in 2010, was conferred with the Commander of Number of the Order of Civil Merit of Spain on the order of the King of Spain.