Leo YIP

Head, Civil Service, PS (PMO, PMO (STRATEGY) AND NSIC), Singapore

Leo Yip joined the Singapore public service in 1982 as a police officer. He holds degrees from Cambridge University, Warwick University and Harvard University.

In 2000 he was appointed Principal Private Secretary to Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew till 2002 when he joined the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) as Deputy Secretary. He served concurrently as Chief Executive of Singapore Workforce Development Agency from 2003.

Mr Yip was appointed Permanent Secretary of MOM in July 2005. He was concurrently appointed Deputy Chairman of the EDB in 2008 and became full-time Chairman from 2009 to 2014.

Mr Yip was appointed Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in December 2014 and was concurrently appointed as Permanent Secretary (PMO and NSIC) in 2016. Mr Yip relinquished his MHA appointment on 1 September 2017 to become Head, Civil Service and PS (PMO, PMO (Strategy) and NSIC).

David Archer

Deputy Governor and Head of the Civil Service, Virgin Islands

Mr. David DaCosta Archer Jr. follows the belief that success comes to those who are not afraid to take risks and simply take on new challenges.

Mr. Archer’s love for people and business led him to attain undergraduate Bachelor’s degrees in Human Resources Management and Business Administration. His passion for people guides his life’s mantra of “positively influencing and helping to build people, businesses, governments and nations” and has seen his elevation to the Director of Human Resources role for the Government of the Virgin Islands. He has served as the Permanent Secretary to the Deputy Governor, providing policy advice and overseeing various departments under the Governor’s Group.

Upon his return to the Public Service on 15th January, 2018, he served as Senior Liaison Officer to the Governor in the Office of the Governor and currently serves as the Deputy Governor of the Virgin Islands.

Along with his undergraduate degrees, he also possesses a Master’s Degree in Human Resources Management and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA). He is also a certified Organisational Development Specialist.

Mr. Archer is married to Dr. Allison Flax-Archer and has a daughter named Alexia Archer and a son named Prince-David Archer. He is an active member of several service organisations, including Rotary, and exercises his entrepreneurial spirit in the arts, entertainment, hospitality, and real estate businesses.

HE Abdulla Al Basti

Secretary General, Executive Council of Dubai, United Arab Emirates

His Excellency Abdulla Mohammed Al Basti is the Secretary General of the Executive Council since October 2017, playing a key role in shaping Dubai’s government landscape and the emirate’s development. H.E. is responsible for supporting the Council in making and implementing decisions that support Dubai’s strategic objectives and the vision of its leadership.

His role includes overseeing the setting of policies, developing the government’s work system and continually updating the emirate’s strategic plans. His Excellency supervises the implementation of policies, laws, regulation and programmes that support excellence in public services as well as promote sustainable, economic, and social progress.

His Excellency the Secretary General plays a crucial role in facilitating communication between the Executive Council and government entities on projects and strategies. He also supports government entities in reviewing proposals and plans before they are presented to the Executive Council for consideration.

Under his role as the Secretary General, H.E. is a member of the Strategic Affairs Council within the Executive Council, where he supports the council’s vision and strategic decisions. 

H.E. Al Basti leads several key initiatives, serving as the Chairman of the Dubai Government Excellence Program (DGEP) and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Humanitarian and Charity Establishment. He is also a Board Member at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives and an independent non-executive Board Member at du.

He previously held the position of Secretary General of the UAE Cabinet and was the Director General of the Executive Office of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, where he led the launch of several strategic initiatives.

H.E. Al Basti also held the role of Executive Director of Government Development Affairs at the Prime Minister’s Office, where he played a leading role in advancing government frameworks. Prior to that, he served in prominent positions across various local government entities in Dubai from 1993 to 2007.

H.E. Al Basti holds a Master’s degree in Total Quality Management from the Australian University of Wollongong, and a Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems Programming from the University of Dubai. He is also a graduate of the prestigious Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Leadership Development Programme.

Ryan Alvin R. Acosta

Commissioner, Civil Service Commission, Philippines

Atty. Ryan Alvin R. Acosta is currently one of the Commissioners of the Philippine Civil Service Commission. His appointment was confirmed by the Commission on Appointments on 02 February 2022 and he assumed office on 09 February 2022.

Without conscious planning, Atty. Acosta’s career before his appointment to the Commission seemed to be a fitting preparation for his current responsibilities. Atty. Acosta was the Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs (DESLA) at the Office of the President (OP) from 01 July 2016 to 08 February 2022. As DESLA, he supervised the OP’s Legal Office, Legislative Office, and Investigative and Adjudicatory Divisions. He acted as the recommending authority to the President, through the Senior Deputy Executive Secretary and the Executive Secretary, on matters within the OP’s jurisdiction including the OP’s exercise of its quasi-judicial functions and formulation of national government policies. An advocate of a corruption-free bureaucracy, Atty. Acosta, as representative of the OP, had also tirelessly worked with the Office of the Ombudsman in implementing the government’s flagship anti-corruption program – the Integrity Management Program – during his entire stint at the OP.

Atty. Acosta’s foray in government service actually began much earlier. Upon the encouragement of his professor in consular and diplomatic relations, he pursued and was accepted as a Research Specialist at the Foreign Service Institute (FSI), the research and training arm of the Department of Foreign Affairs. He stayed at the FSI for six (6) years, firmly believing that government service is his modest way of paying back to the Filipino people whose sweat, blood, and tears have subsidized his education.

After leaving the FSI and before heeding once again the call of public service in 2015, Atty. Acosta honed his technical skills as a lawyer and gained extensive experience in administrative, criminal, and civil law from his stints as Corporate Counsel for an energy company and an Associate of two (2) well reputed full-service law firms for more than eight (8) years.

Heather Baggott

Deputy Public Service Commissioner, Public Service Commission, New Zealand

Heather Baggott is one of two Deputy Public Service Commissioners at Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission who works closely with the Public Service Commissioner to provide leadership and oversight of the Public Service. She was appointed to this role in October 2021 by the Governor General, on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, under the Public Service Act 2020. Subject to the direction of the Commissioner, the Deputy Public Service Commissioner has all the functions, duties and powers of the Commissioner.  In her six years at the Commission, Heather has had a particular focus on system-wide efforts to improve diversity, inclusion, leadership development, and the Māori-Crown aspects of public service reform. Heather has held a number of senior leadership roles in the public service, including in justice, courts and tribunals administration, treaty negotiations, and as Acting Chief Executive and Secretary for Culture and Heritage. 

Tan Sri Shamsul Azri bin Abu Bakar

Chief Secretary to the Government, Malaysia

TAN SRI SHAMSUL AZRI BIN ABU BAKAR is the 16th Chief Secretary to the Government, Malaysia. Born on January 27, 1969 in Pekan, Pahang, Shamsul Azri received his highest education in Business Administration from the University of Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. Before being appointed as Chief Secretary to the Government, Shamsul Azri was the Director General, Public Private Partnership Unit (UKAS), Prime Minister Department. At UKAS, Shamsul Azri is responsible for leading public and private collaboration projects to ensure the country’s economic growth. Prior to that, Shamsul Azri had served as Under-secretary, Government-Linked Companies Division, Ministry of Finance where he is responsible for ensuring the strategic coordination and direction of each GLC in Malaysia aligned with the government goals. Shamsul Azri was also appointed as the Deputy Under-secretary of the Division, and was later appointed as the Under-secretary, Management and Remuneration Policy Division, Ministry of Finance; Budget Review Officer, Ministry of Finance; Selangor State Deputy Finance Officer; Selangor State Legislative Assembly Secretary; Deputy Director of Selangor State Economic Planning Unit; and once served at various land administrative office in Selangor. Shamsul Azri received professional training from various leading institutions in the world such as World Bank (2014), Cambridge Judge Business School (2015), INSEAD and Bank Negara Malaysia. Shamsul Azri’s knowledge and expertise has attracted various corporate companies to appoint him as Chairman including Malaysia Rail Link (MRL) Sdn Bhd, Malaysia Institute of Integrity (IIM) and Judicial and Legal Training Institute (ILKAP). He is also a member of the Board of Directors for PLUS Expressway Berhad, Lembaga Tabung Haji (LTH), East Corridor Authority Council (ECERDC), IRDA and North Corridor Authority Council (NCIA). Shamsul Azri is a bookworm and loves books across various genres such as finances, geopolitics, public policy, sports and emerging technology. He is a fan of Liverpool FC, no matter how great or how poor their performance.

Dr Gordon de Brouwer

Public Service Commissioner, Australia

Gordon de Brouwer is the Australian Public Service Commissioner. Before returning to the public service, Gordon was Professor of Economics at the Australian National University, and a member of various public and not for profit boards. Gordon has over 35 years’ experience in public policy and administration in Australia, including as Secretary for Public Sector Reform, Secretary of the Department of the Environment and Energy, and senior roles in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Treasury, ANU and the Reserve Bank of Australia.

He has been part of several major reviews including the Australian Public Service, the Reserve Bank of Australia, and the Woomera Prohibited Area.

Gordon is committed to public value, high-quality policy and implementation, and effective government.

Eklavya Bhave

Head of Asia, Coursera 

Eklavya Bhave is an experienced Business and technology executive. He currently serves as Head of Asia at Coursera. He leads a team that is committed to providing equal access to the world’s best education. His responsibilities include driving Sales and GTM strategy for Coursera’s enterprise business in the APAC region. This includes working closely with enterprises & universities in the region.

Eklavya has close to two decades of experience in Sales and Business Development in the technology space. He has held leadership positions in companies such as Citrix, Oracle, Microsoft etc. Prior to Coursera, Eklavya was the Head of Channels and Alliances for South Asia for Citrix. In this role he was responsible for building and executing business strategy for the region by leading cross functional teams.

Eklavya is an Engineering graduate with masters in Management.

Chng Kai Fong

Permanent Secretary (Information & Development), Ministry of Digital Development and Information; and Permanent Secretary (Development) (Cybersecurity), Prime Minister’s Office, Singapore

Mr Chng Kai Fong is currently Permanent Secretary (Information & Development) of the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) and Permanent Secretary (Development) (Cybersecurity) in the Prime Minister’s Office.

He was previously the Managing Director of the Singapore Economic Development Board for 4 years between 2017 and 2021. Before EDB, Kai Fong served various roles in the Singapore Public Service, including as Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister from 2014 to 2017. He was also seconded to Shell from 2008 to 2010 to Shell’s Downstream Strategy unit.

Kai Fong currently serves on the boards of DBS Group Holdings and DBS Bank, and the Singapore Symphonia Company Limited.

Kai Fong has a Master’s in Engineering from the University of Cambridge, and a Master of Science in Management from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business, where he was a Sloan Fellow.

Professor Glyn Davis

Secretary, Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Australia

Prior to his appointment, Professor Davis served as Chief Executive Officer of the Paul Ramsay Foundation, Australia’s largest charitable foundation with a mission to break the cycle of disadvantage.

In his academic life, Professor Davis has served as Vice-Chancellor at the University of Melbourne and Griffith University and, until recently, as Distinguished Professor of Political Science in the Crawford School of Public Policy at the Australian National University. He remains a Visiting Professor at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford, and a Visiting Fellow at Exeter College. He also holds visiting professorial appointments at King’s College London, Manchester University and the Faculty of Arts, University of Melbourne.

Professor Davis is a public policy specialist, with experience in government and higher education, who delivered in 2010 the Boyer Lectures on the theme ‘The Republic of Learning’. His community work includes partnering with Indigenous programs in the Goulburn–Murray Valley and Cape York, and service on a range of arts boards, including the Queensland and Melbourne Theatre Companies. In late 2021 he took on the role as Chair of Opera Australia.

His most recent book is On Life’s Lottery (Hachette, 2021), an essay on our moral responsibility toward those less well off.

Gillian Dorner

Deputy Director, Public Governance Directorate, OECD

Gillian Dorner is Deputy Director in the Public Governance Directorate of the OECD. She has served at the OECD since December 2020, first as Senior Counsellor in the GOV Director’s Office and then as Deputy Director. The Directorate for Public Governance works to help governments at all levels design and implement strategic, evidence-based and innovative policies to strengthen public governance. This includes regulatory policy; open, innovative and digital government; public employment and skills; public sector integrity; budgeting and public expenditures; infrastructure and public procurement, monitoring and evaluation, risk management.

Gillian has an extensive knowledge of the work of the Public Governance Directorate, as well a strong strategic vision of its priorities, having led work to structure and enhance the Directorate’s impact over recent years, including through the design and delivery of the Public Governance Committee’s Building Trust and Reinforcing Democracy Initiative.

Prior to joining the OECD, Gillian served as a UK senior civil servant as Deputy Director Financial Services Regulation at Her Majesty’s Treasury. She also has deep international experience, having represented the UK on multiple boards and committees, including as Vice Chair of the OECD Financial Markets Committee and having held several positions focused on International and EU economic and finance policy, including as an Advisor to the OECD Secretary-General and in several positions in HM Treasury and the UK Cabinet Office, as well as a period on loan to the French Treasury.

Ms Dorner, a British national, holds a Master’s degree in French and European Studies from the University of Edinburgh (UK) and a Diploma in EU Construction from the Institut des Hautes Etudes Internationales (France).

Mircea Esanu

Director, Public Services Agency, Republic of Moldova

Mr. Mircea Eșanu has over fifteen years of experience in mid-senior and senior managerial roles across the public sector, international organizations, and civil society. For the last three years, he serves as the Director of the Public Service Agency (PSA) of the Republic of Moldova, the largest public service provider in the country, employing 2,700 staff and operating 44 one-stop-shop offices nationwide. PSA is the holder of critical state registers and information systems, including those of population, legal entities, vehicles, drivers, and civil status documents. PSA is also responsible for issuing IDs, passports, residence permits, handles citizenship, driving licenses, and vehicle registrations, as well as registration chamber of commercial and non-commercial entities, including political parties.

Previously, Mr. Eșanu notable held positions were Chief of Cabinet to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova and Executive Director of the Moldova Social Investment Fund. His experience extends to working with international organizations, like KfW, World Bank, Konrad Adenauer Foundation and UNDP. Additionally, he has served as Chairman of the Board of the Open Society Foundation Moldova and as a member of the Press Council Moldova.

Mr. Eșanu holds a BA and MA in Sociology.

Julia Fraser

Director, Singapore Office, World Bank

Julia Fraser is the World Bank Director for Singapore which is one of the largest co-located operational hubs for the World Bank, IFC and MIGA.  The focus of the World Bank Singapore Office is to strengthen partnerships with counterparts in Singapore and to bring innovations to the East Asia and Pacific and South Asia Regions, particularly in the areas of infrastructure and sustainable development.

Ms. Fraser has more than 25 years’ experience in the World Bank, including on energy, transport, private sector participation in infrastructure, public-private partnerships, and climate change finance. Prior to her current role, Ms. Fraser was the Practice Manager for Energy in the Eastern and Southern Africa Region from 2020-2023 based in Pretoria, the Practice Manager for Energy in East Asia and Pacific Region from 2014-2019 based in Bangkok/Singapore, and the Sector Manager for Sustainable Development in Southeast Asia from 2012-2014 based in Bangkok.  Prior to her move to East Asia, she spent 12 years working in South Asia, including five years leading the Bank’s efforts on the energy sector in Afghanistan where she was based in Kabul.  Ms. Fraser holds a Master of Business Administration from Vanderbilt University, USA.

Marie-Chantal Girard

President, Public Service Commission, Canada

Marie-Chantal Girard was appointed President of the Public Service Commission of Canada on January 2, 2024, the organisation dedicated to building tomorrow’s public service that is based on excellence and is representative of Canada’s diversity. It safeguards non-partisanship, promotes and protects merit in all staffing and recruitment-related decisions.

She had previously served as Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, responsible for the negotiations and legislations pertaining to Employee Relations and Total Compensation at the Treasury Board Secretariat of Canada.

Ms. Girard also held several senior leadership positions in the public service to support key policy priorities, program development, and communications in departments centered around economic and labour market development as well as income security support.

Over the course of her career, Ms. Girard has developed a regional, national and international perspective, including as Canada’s representative at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Regional Development Policy Committee as well as a member of several commercial missions.

Ajman bin Haji Meludin

Permanent Secretary (Civil Service Governance), Prime Minister’s Office, Brunei Darussalam

Mr. Ajman bin Haji Meludin is the Permanent Secretary (Civil Service Governance) at the Prime Minister’s Office, a position he has held since 17th August 2022.

Prior to this appointment, he served as Deputy Permanent Secretary (Vision, Finance and Cabinet) at the Prime Minister’s Office from May 2020 to August 2022. He also held key positions as Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs (November 2017 to May 2020), Commissioner of Labour at the Department of Labour (November 2016 to November 2017), and Senior Administrative Officer at the PENGGERAK Unit, Prime Minister’s Office (2014 to October 2016).

Mr. Ajman bin Haji Meludin holds a Bachelor’s Degree (Honours) in Economics and Mathematics from Universiti Brunei Darussalam in 1999 and a Master’s Degree in Economics from Macquarie University, New South Wales, Australia (2012).

Kathy Hall

Chief Operating Officer, Blavatnik School of Government

Kathy Hall is Chief Operating Officer. Kathy works closely with the Dean and senior faculty to set the School’s strategic direction. She leads the School’s professional staff in implementing the strategy and in supporting the teaching, research, and policy engagement activities of the School.

Prior to joining the School in 2023, Kathy was a senior UK civil servant with experience working in the Department of Health and Social Care, Cabinet Office, the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, and HM Treasury. She has also held roles in the National Health Service, including at Oxford University Hospitals. She began her career at the National Audit Office undertaking value-for-money studies for Parliament.

Kathy holds a BA in Politics and an MA in International Relations from the University of Nottingham.

Purva Khera

Resident Representative in Singapore, International Monetary Fund (IMF)

Purva Khera is the IMF Resident Representative in Singapore covering macro-financial developments in ASEAN. Purva has wide-ranging country experience in IMF’s Asia and Pacific Department having worked as an economist on Japan, Indonesia, India, Bhutan and Timor-Leste. Previously, she was in the IMF’s Monetary and Capital Markets Department and worked on the IMF Financial Sector Assessment of China, Brazil and Italy. Her research interests and publications have mainly focused on monetary policy, macro-financial linkages, financial inclusion, fintech, labor markets, informality, and gender economics. She holds a Ph.D. and MPhil in Economics from the University of Cambridge.

KONG Sophy

Secretary of State, Ministry of Civil Service, Cambodia

Mr. KONG was appointed as Secretary of State in September 2022. Prior to this position, he was Under-Secretary of State in the Ministry of Civil Service, the Kingdom of Cambodia. Since starting his career in 2000, he has held numerous positions in the Office of the Council of Ministers and the Ministry of Civil Service including Head of Secretariat of Public Administrative Reform Committee, Director General of Civil Service Policy, Deputy Secretary General, and Director of various departments in the Council for Administrative Reform Committee.

He is currently a PhD student in the Southwest University of Political Science and Law, Chongqing, the People Republic of China. He holds a Master Degree in Public Management from Potsdam University in Germany, a Diploma of High-Ranking Official in Public Administration from Cambodia’s Royal School of Administration, and two Bachelor’s degrees—one in Law from Faculty of Law and Economic Sciences and the other in Management from National Institute of Management in Phnom Penh.

Janine Lloyd-Jones

Director of Communication, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, United Kingdom

Janine Lloyd-Jones was appointed Director of Communication at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) in June 2023. Janine served as Interim Director of Communication from March 2023 until June 2023.

Janine was formerly Deputy Director of Communication at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) from 2017 to 2020.  She has a background in journalism and has a communication career spanning nearly 20 years in government. Janine has worked in 5 different government departments, including at the Prime Minister’s Office, where she covered foreign, development and defence issues. 

Janine has worked in Scottish Parliament as well as in the UK regions. Most recently, Janine spent 2 years as Director of Communication and Marketing for an artificial intelligence company.

Joseph Leong

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Digital Development and Information; and Permanent Secretary (Cybersecurity), Prime Minister’s Office, Singapore

Mr Leong joined the Singapore Armed Forces in 1990 and served in the Republic of Singapore Navy for 24 years. Mr Leong held several senior positions before taking on his current appointments, including Fleet Commander, Director Military Intelligence and Chief C4I and Director, Security & Intelligence Division. 

Mr Leong is currently the Chairman of the Government Technology Agency of Singapore (GovTech) Board.

Mr Leong was previously Permanent Secretary for Defence Development at the Ministry of Defence and concurrently Second Permanent Secretary for Communications and Information. He was Chairman of Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA), Defence Science Organisation National Laboratories (DSO-NL) and his past board appointments include Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd, Housing and Development Board (HDB) and the Civil Service College.

Mr Leong graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (First Class Honours) in Engineering from the University of Cambridge, a Master of Arts from the University of Cambridge as well as a Master of Business Administration from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is also a Fulbrighter and Eisenhower Fellow.

Mr Leong is married to Linda and they have been blessed with four children.

Eleana Liew

Managing Director, Health & Public Service, Accenture

Eleana Liew is a Managing Director at Accenture, where she leads transformative digital initiatives for government and commercial clients. Her work focuses on enhancing citizen and customer experiences, leveraging Data & AI, and developing Digital Twin solutions to drive smarter urban environments. As the Singapore Smart Cities Lead and head of the Singapore Innovation Hub, Eleana plays a key role in advancing Singapore’s digital transformation agenda. 

Since 2022, Eleana’s team of digital advisors has supported over 1,000 companies in Singapore, helping them adopt sustainable, tech-driven solutions.

Denise Lin

Managing Director, Health & Public Service, Accenture

Denise is a Client Account Lead in Accenture’s health practice in Southeast Asia. With a diverse background, Denise has extensive experience working across various industries and now specialises in the delivery of digital platforms for the public health sector. She has a proven track record of successfully delivering technology solutions to clients in the health, financial services, oil and gas, and telecommunications industries. Her passion lies in helping clients prepare for the future by implementing innovative digital solutions that enable more effective, efficient, and affordable healthcare. In her role, Denise collaborates closely with Accenture’s leadership to build strong client relationships. She also takes charge of orchestrating a diverse team of technologists, engineers, and industry specialists, leveraging their expertise to solve client problems through tangible, practical, and innovative solutions.

Catherine Little CB

Chief Operating Officer for the Civil Service and Permanent Secretary to the Cabinet Office, United Kingdom

Cat started her career at the accountancy firm PwC, dedicated to Government and Public Sector finances, mainly working in assurance roles. Over more than a decade, Cat worked with clients across Health, Local Government, Higher Education and Central Government sectors.

Cat joined the Civil Service in 2013 first at the Legal Aid Agency where she worked on the digitisation of civil legal aid, and removing the long standing financial accounts qualification as the Director of Finance and Digital.

Cat went on to become the Group Finance Director at the Ministry of Justice overseeing all aspects of financial management and supporting prison reform, courts reform and transformation programmes. In 2017, Cat joined the Board of the Ministry of Defence as Director General Finance. In this role she was the primary financial advisor to ministers, the Defence Board and Accounting Officer and led the finance, commercial and analytical functions across Defence. During this time, Cat led the reform of Defence Acquisition and Procurement as part of the Modernising Defence Programme and instigated the Financial Improvement Programme. Cat led the oversight of the Defence portfolio, and was the Race Champion for the Department.

Cat joined HM Treasury in 2020 as Director General Public Spending. She took on the role of Acting Permanent Secretary in September 2022, and in October 2022 was appointed to Second Permanent Secretary. In this role Cat oversees public spending, international and national security policy. She combines this with her positions as head of the Government Finance Function and Chair of the Finance Leadership Group for Government. Cat is a chartered public finance accountant and represents the UK as a member of IFAC, PAIB and is also a co-opted member of CIPFA Council. Outside of work Cat lives in the Kent North Downs, enjoys running, cycling and walking the dog with her wife Ruth.

Tsedevsuren Lkhagva

Chairwoman, Civil Service Council, Mongolia

Ms.TSEDEVSUREN Lkhagva graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Law and Master’s degree in Public Administration. She also holds a Master’s degree in Law.

Her expertise lies in Public administration, particularly in Public service management. She has completed further professional training in Public administration, legal regulation, and Human resource management in the UK, Germany (2005), the Netherlands (2007), and South Korea (2016).

Her career started as a construction decorator from 1985 to 1987. She began her legal career in 1994 as an assistant to the Minister of Culture and later worked as a legal advisor at the Ministry of Enlightenment and the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science. In 2004, she became the Director of the Public Administration Department and later served as Director of the Legal Department from 2017 to 2020. She also held the position of State Secretary then Minister at the Ministry of Education and Science from 2020 to 2021. Since January 2024, she has been leading the Civil Service Council of Mongolia.

Harri Martikainen

Director General, Government Strategy Department, Prime Minister’s Office, Finland

The Government Strategy Department is responsible for social policy foresight and planning and the Government’s analysis, assessment and research activities. It also coordinates the national implementation of sustainable development, supports the Government’s strategy work, reports on Government policy, and supports the Government in cross-administrative tasks requiring an understanding of the overall situation. The Director General manages the Department’s operations and is responsible for ensuring the effective discharge of its tasks and for the medium-term sustainability assessment of social policy.

Before Prime Minister´s Office Martikainen has worked more than 25 years in the service of the Ministry of the Interior and other public organizations. The most recent task in the Ministry of Interior was a Director of the Strategic Steering and Development Unit. The most important task of the Unit was to support the Ministry’s political decision-making and senior public officials’ management in the strategic planning, steering and decision-making of the Ministry and its branch of government, and to strengthen the political and strategic approach to performance management and decision-making.

Dr. Ijaz Munir

Rector, National School of Public Policy, Pakistan

Throughout my career, I have been actively involved in the development and execution of policies and programs, ensuring their alignment with strategic objectives. A key aspect of my role has been effective problem resolution, where I leverage research and data analysis to inform decision-making and enhance program or project performance. This approach has enabled me to contribute significantly to the development of frameworks that promote sustainable development and good governance.

Cyril Nsiah

Clerk, Parliament, Ghana

Mr Cyril Kwabena Oteng Nsiah is the Clerk to the Parliament of Ghana. He holds a Bachelor of Arts Honours Degree in Geography and Economics as well as a Master of Arts Degree in International Affairs from the University of Ghana, Legon. A lawyer by profession, Mr. Nsiah holds a Qualifying Certificate in Law from the Ghana School of Law, Makola, Accra and a Certificate of Enrolment on the Roll of Lawyers in the Republic of Ghana. He was called to the Ghana Bar in October, 1999.

Prior to being appointed Clerk in January,2020, Mr. Nsiah served the Parliament of Ghana, since his first appointment in January 1996, in various capacities including Deputy Clerk in charge of the Legislative Management Division as well as the Finance, Administration, Human Resources and General Services Division; Head of Speaker’s Secretariat and Secretary to the Parliamentary Service Board; Principal Assistant Clerk and Special Assistant to the Speaker of Parliament; Senior Assistant Clerk and Head of the Secretariat of the Clerk to Parliament; Secretary to the Parliamentary Service Management Committee; and Clerk to a number of parliamentary Committees including Committee on Appointments, Subsidiary Legislation, Lands and Forestry, Mines and Energy, Judiciary and Education.

He has served as the Parliament of Ghana’s Desk Officer to various international parliamentary organisations/associations including the African Caribbean Pacific-European Union Parliamentary Assembly and the National Conference of State Legislatures (USA). 

Mr Nsiah has attended a number of training and internship programmes as well as high profile international conferences, and presented a number of papers on parliamentary practice and procedure as well as parliamentary administration.

Lord Gus O’Donnell

Former Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service, United Kingdom

Gus O’Donnell served Prime Ministers Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and David Cameron as Cabinet Secretary and Head of Civil Service from 2005 to 2011. He stood down from this position at the end of 2011 and was appointed to the House of Lords in January 2012. He played a leading role in the preparations for the 2010 election, which eventually resulted in the formation of the UK’s first coalition government since the Second World War. He was awarded the CB, KCB and GCB for his services to government.

Prior to his role as Cabinet Secretary, Lord O’Donnell served as Permanent Secretary of the UK Treasury from 2002 -2005 and as Press Secretary to Prime Minister John Major from 1990-1994 .

From 1997-98, he was the UK Executive Director on the boards of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

Lord O’Donnell spent most of his career with HM Treasury. In 1999 he was appointed Managing Director of Macroeconomic Policy and International Finance and was responsible for fiscal policy, international development, and European Union Economic and Monetary Union. During this period, he oversaw the production of the ‘five tests’ analysis for whether the UK should join the Euro.

He studied Economics at Warwick University and then Nuffield College, Oxford, before lecturing in political economy at the University of Glasgow. He has honorary doctorates from Warwick and Glasgow Universities.

Peter ONG Boon Kwee

Chairman, Pontiac Land Group, and Board Member, Monetary Authority of Singapore

Before joining Pontiac Land Group as its non-executive Chairman, Mr. Ong served in the Public Service with distinction for close to four decades. He served as Head of Civil Service and Permanent Secretary of Ministries, such as the Ministry of Finance and Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). As Head of Civil Service from 2010 to 2017, he spearheaded a citizen-centric and digital transformation of the public sector. He also founded the PMO Strategy Group in 2015 to tackle complex government-wide issues. As Founding Chairman of Enterprise Singapore from 2018 to 2024, he guided its evolution into a leading economic agency, driving flagship programs like Scale-Up and fostering innovation, digitalization, and internationalization for Singapore enterprises. He was recently awarded the Distinguished Service Order, one of Singapore’s top national honours at the National Day Awards 2024.

Mr. Ong’s leadership extended to various government boards, including the Monetary Authority of Singapore, and chairing organisations such as the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore, Maritime & Port Authority, Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority, and Defence Science and Technology Agency. Mr Ong currently sits on the board of the Monetary Authority of Singapore as well, and is also Special Global Advisor to Antler Innovation and Senior Advisor to Boston Consulting Group.

Tarun Pardal

Managing Director, Health & Public Service, Accenture

Tarun Pardal is a Managing Director at Accenture Singapore. He has more than 18 years of work experience out of which more than 10 years have been with Singapore’s Public Service Agencies in Social Services, Business Registry, Learning & Employability, Taxation, Defense & Public Safety and Education space.  

In the past decade, he has delivered and led several large scale digital transformation initiatives across multiple government agencies driving them all the way from ideas to implementation. In his current role, he looks after several key government accounts dealing directly with the C-suite and addressing their most critical problems.

He is most passionate about defining citizen experiences in the digital era, the future of work for public service and sustainability for Small & Medium Enterprises. He has also been actively involved in advising several Social Service Agencies and Philanthropic organisations on their digital transformation initiatives.

Mrs. Tashi Pem

Chairperson, Royal Civil Service Commission, Bhutan

An experienced public administration leader with 28 years of distinguished service in Bhutan’s civil service. Currently serving as the Chairperson of the Royal Civil Service Commission (RCSC), with a career spanning key leadership roles in civil service reform, environmental stewardship, and fiscal policy. Demonstrated expertise in strategic planning, human resource management, taxation, and climate action, contributing to Bhutan’s development goals, including carbon neutrality and zero waste. Passionate about mentoring young civil servants and supporting women’s NGOs.

Taimar Peterkop

Secretary of State, Government Office, Estonia

Mr. Taimar Peterkop was appointed Secretary of State in December 2018. Secretary of State is the Head of the Government Office (central government institution to support the Government and the Prime Minister in policy making and implementation).

Prior to being appointed Secretary of State, Taimar was Director General of the Estonian Information System Authority (government agency responsible for core e-government systems and cyber security of Estonia). Before that, he was the Deputy Secretary General for Legal and Administrative Affairs of the Ministry of Defence.

During the period 2000–2001, Peterkop worked as a lawyer at the Government Office and from 2001–2008, at the Ministry of Defence, the first four years of which was spent in the Legal Department as Head of the Office of International Law, and the last three years as Head of the Operations and Crisis Management Department. During the period 2008–2010, Peterkop served as Defence Counsellor at the Estonian Embassy in Washington, D.C.

Taimar Peterkop is a graduate of the University of Tartu School of Law and the United States Army War College, and holds a Master’s level degree in Strategic Management.

Geoffrey Pong

Managing Director, Health & Public Service, Accenture

Geoff is a proven leader with twenty six years of consulting experience in Transformational Delivery across a number of industries, including Utilities, Energy, Metals and Mining, Automotive, Financial Services, Healthcare and Public Services. Geoff has worked extensively across Asia Pacific – spanning South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, India, Singapore, Malaysia. His interest lies in roles that focus on driving successful customer digital transformation, using technology to leapfrog their business, as well as undergo cultural mindset change. In particular, he thrives in assembling and leading international high performing teams to delivery business outcomes within budget and schedule.

Sokha Prum

Former Minister of Civil Service, Cambodia

Mr. Sokha PRUM started his career in the Cambodian public services in 1979. In 1985, he became the Director of General Policy Department. And just before the Paris Peace Agreement in 1991, he was promoted to the rank of Deputy Minister.

After the UN-organised election in 1993, Mr. Sokha PRUM was appointed Under-Secretary of State for the Parliament Relations Secretariat, and he later became Director General of General Department of Administration and Secretary of State for Ministry of Interior. During his 25-year tenure in this ministry, he was involved in many projects related to the public administration reform such as decentralisation and deconcentration, criminal justice system, law enforcement against human trafficking, etc.

In 2001, he managed to continue his education and received his Master’s Degree in Public Management at National University of Singapore (NUS) in collaboration with HARVARD Kennedy School (HKS) of Government. He then returned back to apply his newfound knowledge in support of the administrative reform for the democratic development at the sub-national level in Cambodia. In 2004, Mr. Sokha PRUM became a member of the Bar Association of Cambodia though he still worked in the government as a lawyer while not practicing law.

In 2018, he became Permanent Secretary of State for the Ministry of Civil Service. Later in 2020, Mr. Sokha PRUM was appointed Minister of Civil Service and Chairperson of the Public Administration Reform Committee. He used his knowledge and work experience of more than 40 years in public administration to lead and manage the civil service institution with a realistic and innovative vision. Despite facing new issues and challenges, including the Covid-19 crisis, Mr. Sokha PRUM, along with all his colleagues and civil servants, overcame the hardship to complete the assigned tasks with great results.

In 2023, he was appointed Senior Minister in Charge of Special Mission, Royal Government of Cambodia, in the 7th legislature of the National Assembly.

TAN Gee Keow

Permanent Secretary, Public Service Division, Prime Minister’s Office, Singapore

Ms Tan Gee Keow is the Permanent Secretary of the Public Service Division, Prime Minister’s Office.

Prior to this, Ms Tan was the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth. She has also served as Deputy Secretary of Strategy Group in the Prime Minister’s Office, and the Deputy Secretary (Policy) at the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources. In her public service career, she has also been in various government agencies such as the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Defence, the Central Singapore Community Development Council, Public Service Commission Secretariat, and the Ministry of Finance.

Ms Tan graduated from the London School of Economics and Political Science with a Bachelor of Science in Economics. She obtained her Master of Philosophy in Economics from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, and a Master of Science in Management at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business. #

Ms Tan is also Chairman of the Civil Service College (CSC).

Kate Taylor Tett

Director, GREAT Britain & Northern Ireland Campaign, United Kingdom

Kate is Director of the GREAT Britain & Northern Ireland Campaign, the UK government’s flagship marketing campaign, designed to encourage an international audience to visit, study, trade and invest in the UK. In FY22/23, GREAT returned over £15 to the UK economy for every £1 spent. Kate joined Government in 2020 to lead a refresh of the GREAT brand which has since been rolled out to over 150 markets, promoting everything from UK science and technology to the arts and values.

Prior to joining Government Kate held a variety of marketing and leadership roles in the private sector including Marketing Director at House of Fraser and Snatch Inc., a San Francisco based tech start-up. Kate spent the first 10 years of her career at AMV BBDO, making her way from Graduate Trainee to Head of Account Management and working with brilliant brands including Sainsbury’s, Heinz, Mars, Curry’s and The Metropolitan Police Service.

Ms Teoh Zsin Woon

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, Singapore

Ms Teoh Zsin Woon is the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth in Singapore.

Prior to her current role, she was Permanent Secretary (Development) in Public Service Division (PSD) and Permanent Secretary (Development) in the Ministry of National Development.

In PSD, Zsin Woon drives public sector transformation, workforce development and HR policies and systems across the Public Service. She also drives the integration of public services to serve citizens better, through an omni-channel system.

During her stint in the Ministry of National Development, Zsin Woon oversees efforts to promote housing accessibility and affordability, the rejuvenation and upgrading of public housing estates, delivery of municipal issues and international cooperation.

Zsin Woon has also done previous postings in the Ministry of the Environment, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Manpower, Workforce Development Agency, People’s Association, Ministry of Health and Ministry of National Development.

Jon Tunney

Director of Communications, Department for Business and Trade, United Kingdom

Jon is the Director of Communications and Marketing at the Department for Business and Trade. He started his Whitehall career in 2009 at the Home Office and subsequently went on to become home affairs spokesman for both Prime Minister David Cameron and Prime Minister Theresa May and then head of news at the Department for Transport. Jon joined the then-Department for International Trade in 2021 before the merger with the business department created his current role.   
 
As Director of Comms, Jon is responsible for the leveraging of communications to support businesses to invest, grow and export, creating jobs and opportunities across the country. His team is spread across four hubs in the UK and one in Hong Kong and he acts as professional head to comms colleagues based across the nine trade commissioner regions around the world.  
 
Jon transferred to Manchester in 2023, making him the first director of comms in a ministerial department ever to be based outside London.

Hugo Vitalis

Deputy Chief Executive of Strategy, Policy and Integrity Group. Public Service Commission, New Zealand

Hugo is Deputy Chief Executive of the Strategy, Policy and Integrity group at Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission, driving the strategic direction and design of the New Zealand Public Service. Hugo has over twenty years’ experience in policy and strategy roles in both central and local government in New Zealand. He led the policy work for New Zealand’s recent state sector reform, including the Public Service Act 2020. As part of Hugo’s role he leads the provision of guidance on ethical matters and when needed, conducting investigations into integrity and conduct issues. He also leads the Integrity Champion network for the New Zealand public sector, driving improvements and supporting institutional integrity of agencies.

Didi Esther Walson-Jack

Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Nigeria

Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, who was appointed the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation of Nigeria in August 2024 after 33 years of public service, began her career in the Civil Service as a State Counsel in the Rivers State Ministry of Justice, Nigeria.

In a career that has seen her traverse the Public Service of two States, two arms of government, and ultimately, two tiers of government, Mrs Didi Walson-Jack stands out as the only person in Nigeria to have served a State Government in the Offices of Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice; Deputy Chief of Staff; Hon. Commissioner of Science and Technology, and Manpower Development; and Chief of Staff, all in the service of the people and Government of Bayelsa State. Mrs Didi Walson-Jack joined the Nigerian Federal Civil Service in 2009 and rose through the directorate ranks before being appointed a Permanent Secretary in 2017. She served as Permanent Secretary of the Service Welfare Office in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), the Ministries of Niger Delta Affairs, Power; Water Resources and Sanitation, Education; and the Special Duties Office in the OHCSF.

Mrs Walson-Jack holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Lagos and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1987. Her expertise in Legislative Drafting and her certification as a Mediator, Conflict Resolution and Peace-building practitioner has been brought to bear on her work in the Civil Service.

She is a Member of Nigeria’s prestigious National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (mni). In 2023, she was awarded Nigeria’s National honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON).

Mrs Walson-Jack is the author of one of the best-selling books, “Roses in the Thorns”, an autobiography and a true story of resilience and the triumph of faith over adversity.

Grace Yip

Managing director, Health and Public services, Accenture

Grace works with organisations seeking growth through digital transformation and sustainability. She leads the business development for the education market in Singapore and  expansion of business in SEA Health and Public Services business in markets such as Thailand, Philippines and Indonesia. Her focus in these markets is on building new business capabilities with clients sustainably, while helping them pivot their organization successfully to embrace new narratives around Digital and Future of Work.

Grace has also written and published a number of research and articles across a variety of human capital topics which have been picked up by a number of newspapers, business and HR magazines across Asia, including a recent research on Green Skills in Singapore. She is an active contributor to Singapore’s HR ecosystem and has been a member of Institute for Human Resource Professionals (IHRP) Professional Practices committee since 2018. She sits on the HR Committee for National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre.

Darkhan Zhazykbay

Chairman, Agency for Civil Service Affairs, Republic of Kazakhstan

Darkhan Zhazykbay has started his career as a teacher at Almaty Law Institute. He is a Candidate of Sciences in Philosophy.

He has held various positions within the Ministry of Internal Affairs – from being teacher to becoming the Head of the Personnel Department of the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Within the civil service field, Darkhan Zhazykbay was appointed to various posts, he became the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Deputy Head of the Department of Internal Policy of the Executive Office of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

In 2019 appointed as the Deputy Chairman of the Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan for Civil Service Affairs.

In 2022 by Decree of the Head of State he was appointed Chairman of the Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan for Civil Service Affairs.

Siobhan Benita

Facilitator, Global Government Forum

Siobhan was a senior civil servant in the UK with more than 15 years’ Whitehall experience. She worked in many of major delivery departments, including Transport, Environment, Health and Local Government. She also had senior roles at the heart of government in the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury, including supporting the then Cabinet Secretary, Lord O’Donnell, to lead work on civil service reform and strategy. Siobhan left to run as an independent candidate in the Mayor of London election. She subsequently joined her alma mater, Warwick University, as Chief Strategy Officer of Warwick in London and Co-Director of the Warwick Policy Lab.