Dr Harshana Kasseeah is currently Associate Professor in the Department of Economics and Statistics at the University of Mauritius. Prior to joining the University, she has worked as a graduate teaching assistant at the University of Nottingham (UK) and as analyst in the Monetary Policy Unit of the Bank of Mauritius. Harshana teaches regularly at the Masters level on the Public Policy and Administration and the Financial Economics programmes at the University of Mauritius. Her research areas include entrepreneurship and finance, sustainable development and internationalization of firms with particular focus on public policy aspects. She is involved in several projects and consultancies with a socio-economic dimension and has also published in several international journals.

Verena Tandrayen-Ragoobur is Associate Professor in Economics in the Department of Economics and Statistics at the University of Mauritius.  She leads the Pole of Research Excellence on Applied Socio-Economic Research and Analysis at the University. Her research areas are international trade, labour markets, gender and development.  She has more than 70 publications.  She has been involved in a number of research projects and consultancies funded by international and regional institutions like CEEPA, AERC, BIDPA, TIPS, UNCTAD, ILO and World Bank among others.  

F.B. Vincent Florens is an Associate Professor at the Department of Biosciences and Ocean Studies, University of Mauritius. His main research interest is in the conservation of biodiversity in tropical terrestrial systems with particular emphasis on the impact of invasive alien species on the biodiversity of tropical forests. Vincent also have an interest in restoration ecology, taxonomy of Mascarene flowering plants and land molluscs, and collaborate on palaeoecology and molecular ecology research projects.

Department of Biosciences and Ocean Studies, Faculty of Science, University of Mauritius, 80837, Le Réduit, Mauritius

vin.florens@uom.ac.mu

Rabin Bhujun has a two decade-long career in the media and has earned international and local recognition for his work as a journalist and opinion leader. Late 2013, he co-founded online media portal ION News after holding the position of editor in chief at l’express dimanche for 7 years. He has also been a board member of public and private sector organisations catering for the development of journalism. Over his career, Rabin has built an extensive network and a deep understanding of the dynamics among the major actors of the Mauritian economy and society. Rabin studied Law and Political Science at Panthéon-Assas (Paris 2).

Dr Myriam Blin is a Gender Economist with more than 15 years’ experience in Academia. She is the Head of the Charles Telfair Centre and Head of Faculty of Accounting, Finance and Law at Curtin Mauritius. She started her academic career in the UK, first at the University of Manchester and then the School of Oriental and African Studies, London. She moved to Mauritius in 2008 and soon after joined the management team of Middlesex Mauritius as Head of Academic Provision and later interim campus director until 2013. After a few years working for a federal university in the UAE, Myriam returned to Mauritius in 2017 as the Head of the Business School at Aberystwyth Mauritius. Myriam has also been acting as a TEC funded senior advisor to the Open University of Mauritius. Myriam holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Manchester and has researched and taught in the areas of international economics, gender economics, political economy of development, education and research methodology. 

She started her academic career in the UK, first at the University of Manchester and then the School of Oriental and African Studies, London. She moved to Mauritius in 2008 and soon after joined the management team of Middlesex Mauritius as Head of Academic Provision and later interim campus director until 2013. After a few years working for a federal university in the UAE, Myriam returned to Mauritius in 2017 as the Head of the Business School at Aberystwyth Mauritius. Myriam has also been acting as a TEC funded senior advisor to the Open University of Mauritius. Myriam holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Manchester and has researched and taught in the areas of international economics, gender economics, political economy of development, education and research methodology.

CEO, Aetheis Marc Israel is an Entrepreneur, Thought Leader, Author and Public Speaker, with more than 30 years of success across Technology industries. After 17 years at Microsoft, serving as CTO for Sub-Saharan Africa, and leveraging extensive experience in technical leadership, Marc founded Aetheis, a company aim at providing executive consultancy in the field of cognitive services, blockchain and digital transformation. Marc attained his degree in Robotics and Engineering from École Superieure D’Ingénieurs en Électrotechnique et Électronique in Paris. He has completed INSEAD and Wharton Executive Education (with distinction) programs. Marc is the recipient of many National Public Speaking Award and the author of over 20 books published in French and English on various technical and leadership topics.