Cholpon Aitakhunova

Cholpon leads Central Asian Youth for Water (CAY4W) in her role of regional co-coordinator for Central Asia and Afghanistan. Currently, as an International Climate Protection fellow of Alexander von Humboldt Foundation she is carrying out her research on the interface of water, climate, and security in Central Asia with a special focus on collective leadership, supported by her host institution - CLI.

Isabela Espindola

Dr Espindola is a Brazilian young water professional based in London and working at the International Water Association (IWA) as the Membership Engagement Officer responsible for the young water professionals community within IWA.

Isabela holds a PhD in Human geography from the University of Sao Paulo (Brazil), focusing on South America's transboundary water governance and management. She also has an MSc. in Environmental Sciences and a BA in International Relations and Economics.

Farshad Ibrahimi

Farshad has 20+ years of public and private sector Asset Management (AM), globally, across Water, Transport and Energy. He is a thought leader, and a high profile and well recognised AM specialist, with track record in utility business transformation, benchmarking, digital transformation, systems integrations and strategic AM. He has held Global Service Line Leadership roles in AM with international consultancies, as well as significant utility AM experience.

Kunal Walia

Kunal Walia is a Partner in New Delhi and works across essential issues related to financial inclusion, investing for development, and technology for good. Kunal has over 15 years of experience advising commercial and impact investors, philanthropies, the private sector, and NGOs across these issues. He has been working closely with ADB over the last 5 years to identify opportunities within India's WASH sector.

Prof. Taikan Oki

Prof. Oki is a Special Advisor to the President, and a Professor at Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo. His previous academic positions include Associate Professor with the Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo and Associate Professor with the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature. He was also affiliated as the Senior Vice-Rector, United Nations University, Japan, and an Assistant Secretary-General, United Nations for 2016-2021.