Dr. Hend Abdalrahman Al-Muftah, is the Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva. Appointed in July 2022, she brings over two decades of experience in academia, public service, and diplomacy. Prior to her appointment, Dr. Al-Muftah held senior roles including Vice President for Administration and Finance at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies and Associate Professor of Management at Qatar University. 

She also served as Executive Director at the Childhood Cultural Centre of Qatar Foundation and Director of Human Resources at Qatar University. In 2017, she made history as one of the first four women appointed to Qatar’s Shura Council. Dr. Al-Muftah holds a Ph.D. in Human Resources Management from the University of Exeter, a Master’s in Management Science from SOAS University of London, and a Bachelor’s in Public Administration from Qatar University. She is widely published and active in regional policy dialogue.

Ms. Michelle Gyles-McDonnough, is the Executive Director of UNITAR and an Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations, bringing over 30 years of experience in sustainable development, international trade, policy advocacy, and organizational change management. A seasoned UN leader, she most recently served as Director of the Sustainable Development Unit in the Executive Office of the Secretary-General, where she supported the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

A national of Jamaica, Ms. Gyles-McDonnough has led UN country teams in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, as well as in Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei Darussalam, championing the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Her career includes legal advisory roles and contributions to international trade law. She holds a law degree from Columbia Law School, a Master’s in Public Administration from Harvard University’s Kennedy School, and an executive education diploma from the Wharton School. She is fluent in English, with working knowledge of French and Spanish.

Mr. Ahmed Essa Al-Sulaiti, serves as Director of the Office of the State of Qatar to the World Trade Organization (WTO), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). He is a specialist in international law and diplomacy, with expertise in trade, intellectual property, and national security. 

Mr. Al-Sulaiti has held several leadership roles, including President of the Berne Union, Chair of the WTO Committee on Anti-Dumping Practices, Vice-Chair of the WIPO General Assembly, and President of the International Law Association (ILA) GCC Branch. He recently served on the drafting committee for the Design Law Treaty at the WIPO Diplomatic Conference. Known for his work in alternative dispute resolution (ADR), he represents Qatar at the WTO Dispute Settlement Body and in engagements with the European Union. He holds a J.D. in Comparative Law from Hamad Bin Khalifa University and a certificate in Public International Law from The Hague Academy.

Professor Damilola S. Olawuyi, SAN, is UNESCO Chair on Environmental Law and Sustainable Development at Hamad Bin Khalifa University College of Law in Qatar and Director of the Institute for Oil, Gas, Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development at Afe Babalola University, Nigeria. A leading scholar in environmental and energy law, he holds a doctorate from the University of Oxford, and LL.M. degrees from Harvard University and the University of Calgary.

He serves as an Independent Expert on the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights and holds leadership positions in the International Law Association, International Bar Association, and ASSELLMU. He is a former Independent Expert to the African Union on extractive industries and human rights. Professor Olawuyi is widely published, including his award-winning book Environmental Law in Arab States (OUP, 2022). He is admitted to practice in Nigeria and in multiple Canadian provinces, and is a frequent media commentator on sustainability and energy law.

Dr. Nilüfer Oral, is Director of the Centre for International Law at the National University of Singapore and a member of the United Nations International Law Commission (ILC), where she served as Chairperson of its 74th session. She currently co-chairs the ILC Study Group on sea-level rise in relation to international law. Dr. Oral is a Member of the Curatorium of The Hague Academy of International Law and an Associate Member of the Institut de Droit International. 

From 2009 to 2016, she was a legal advisor and climate change negotiator for the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She also serves on the Committee of Legal Experts of the Commission of Small Island States on Climate Change and International Law (COSIS). Dr. Oral previously served on the Council of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and co-chaired the Oceans Specialist Group of its World Commission on Environmental Law. She is widely published in international law.

Dr. Anna Sabrina Wollmann  joined the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) in October 2017 and has been leading the International Law Programme for UNITAR’s Division for Multilateral Diplomacy since 2018. She is based in Geneva and her main areas of expertise include tailor-made international law trainings for UN Member States, as well as capacity development trainings created in cooperation with other UN entities and NGOs. 

She holds a doctorate in International Law from Maastricht University in which she specialised in migration law and citizenship. Sabrina has more than 15 years of research experience, working previously for the Top Institute for Evidence-Based Education Research (TIER), Maastricht University Law Faculty and the European Commission DG - Internal Market.

Dr. Elodie Tranchez, is an international law expert with over 15 years of experience advancing the strategic use of global legal mechanisms. She has served as a Senior Lecturer for UNITAR, designing and delivering training on international law, the UN system, human rights, and multilateral diplomacy to diplomats, government officials, and civil society leaders worldwide. 

Dr. Tranchez has held academic roles at institutions including the United Nations University for Peace and the University of Stirling, underscoring her strong commitment to legal education and capacity building. She previously worked as a Human Rights Officer at the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), where she supported the work of treaty bodies. Dr. Tranchez is also the co-founder and partner at Comitas Gentium, a consultancy that advises governments and other stakeholders on innovative engagement with international legal institutions to promote transformative solutions. She is recognized for her work at the intersection of law, diplomacy, and innovation.