2024 Rhodes Forum on Technology & Society

Fola Adeleke, PhD is the Executive Director of GCG. He is a privacy and technology lawyer and an Atlantic Senior Fellow on Socio-Economic Equity at the London School of Economics. He is also a visiting Associate Professor at Wits Law School South Africa. He holds a PhD in International Economic Law and Human Rights and conducted his post-doctoral work as a Fellow in the Human Rights Program at Harvard Law School and as a Fulbright Scholar at Columbia University. Fola serves as a Commissioner for the Human Rights Commission, Canada and produces research on human rights and corporate accountability.

Judy Boniface-Chang is a seasoned executive who’s passionate about scaling businesses and social impact. Her experiences span across the for-profit and nonprofit sectors the healthcare, manufacturing and technology industries throughout US, Asia, Europe and Africa. As the Chief Customer Officer at Birdie, she currently leads the marketing and customer success teams in transforming the way older adults receive care at home. She holds a B.Sc. in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University and an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley.

Francesca has an International Law and Human Rights background and 15+ years’ experience in working for international organizations (United Nations and World Economic Forum) on action-oriented research, capacity building and technical assistance in international justice, crime, peace and security. She has developed her expertise on countering and preventing cybercrime (from hackers profiling to protection of critical infrastructure), crime-tech convergence and misuse of technology, focusing on opportunities, systemic risks and threats created by new technologies (e.g. artificial intelligence, robotics, immersive technologies). She has a long standing expertise on leading programs to foster cybersecurity and increase cyber resilience, including cyber capacity building, and diversity and inclusion initiatives. More recently she has been working on securing digital transformation of contextually vulnerable organizations, in developing countries and in fragile contexts, to foster the achievement of the SDGs. At the Institute, she is leading the strategic engagement in programs and initiatives leveraging multistakeholder cooperation with civil society, academia, corporates, philanthropy and public institutions, to reduce the harms from cyberattack and to promote sustainable cyberpeace.

Dr. Heba Chehade is a Foresight Lead at the Dubai Future Foundation, where she leverages research and innovation to develop globally impactful visions of future growth, prosperity, and well-being. She identifies and analyses signals that shape transdisciplinary opportunities across sectors such as the economy, engineering, environment, government, social sciences, and technology, leading comprehensive research, policy recommendations, and multidisciplinary narratives. Her academic background in engineering and social sciences enables her to bridge practical engineering solutions with insightful social science perspectives, fostering innovation and driving impactful change. Her research interests include the social impact of science, technology, and innovation.

Samuel Darko has 15+ years’ experience as an entrepreneur and business leader. He leads SAND’s GBS / Outsourcing business, promoting SAND’s unique capacity to provide—at scale—high-calibre talent to deliver business process and technology services outsourcing out of Africa. Before SAND, he served as a Vice-President at Genpact in a number of sales roles across the Strategic Deals and Data-Tech-AI teams. Previously, Samuel led student recruitment at the African Leadership University (ALU), serving as chief evangelist of ALU’s mission to develop leaders for Africa and the world. He teaches entrepreneurship as an adjunct lecturer at Ashesi University and is a startup coach and angel investor. Samuel has an MBA from Saïd Business School, University of Oxford and was a member of the inaugural cohort at MEST Africa. Samuel loves audiobooks and is taking lessons for a private pilot’s license.

With 20 years’ experience at the intersection of foresight, innovation, and strategy in public, private and institutional environments, Olivier Desbiey has a strong background in economics and a passion for future trends. Currently as the Group Head of Foresight at AXA, he conducts in-depth studies on emerging societal trends (e.g: mental health, social cohesion, progress, risk perception), providing valuable insights to shape the company’s strategy, inform leaders, and educate colleagues on future thinking. Additionally, he drives AXA’s thought leadership future initiatives on societal issues by producing external publications and organizing inspiring events (i.e: 100+ reasons to love the future program). Prior to that, he spearheaded the foresight and innovation activities of the CNIL, the French data protection authority, co-founding the digital lab dedicated to anticipate privacy concerns associated with rapid technological advancements. He started his career at La Poste Group where he held various roles within the innovation department managing digital innovation and research projects. He is also an independent expert for the France 2030 Digital College, and member of the World Economic Forum Global Foresight Network.

Sabelo Dube is a Management Consultant and Environmental Generalist at a Strategy and Development firm in South Africa. He specializes in climate adaptation strategy, focusing on risk, innovative finance, and spatial technology. His diverse portfolio includes supporting South African cities with data strategies, using spatial technologies to evaluate climate risk, and crafting Nature-Based Solutions across multiple African nations. Sabelo's work highlights the crucial role of technology in advancing sustainable development agendas, as demonstrated in projects like the development of Sustainable Development Goal reports for South Africa."

Dr. Christopher Luwanga is a space engineer and physicist based in Singapore, and originally from Malawi, Africa. As founder of Galamad Aerospace, he is leading a team of designers, engineers, and builders of spacecraft for the new age of consumer applications that are built around space technologies. One of the most exciting applications is that of broadband connectivity from and via outer space. This extension into space not only creates a powerful, resilient complement to our existing terrestrial network infrastructure but in some places creates a wider-reaching network at lower operational costs than traditionally seen. GALAMAD is also specifically developing the PROSat, a programmable, reuseable, and highly maneuverable spacecraft bus that will ultimately enable smart constellations that do not unnecessarily crowd or pollute the space environment.

Chelsea E. Manning is a technologist and former U.S. intelligence analyst who significantly contributed to discussions on government transparency and the ethical implications of artificial intelligence. Beyond her technical background, she explores ways on ensuring inclusivity and privacy in an era dominated by rapid technological advancements.

Dr. Wilneida Negrón is a serial social entrepreneur, researcher-technologist, field-builder, strategist, and artist, she blends academic insight with practical strategy and passionate advocacy. Dr. Negrón's interdisciplinary work spans psychology, economics, political science, sociology, and computer science, focusing on socio-economic issues and emerging technologies. She is the author of the forthcoming book "Dear Worker, Your Future," which aims to spark a collective rethinking of technology's role in shaping workplaces and the economy. Her expertise includes behavioral economics, labor policy, responsible innovation, AI governance, and international relations. Dr. Negrón's work has been featured in The Guardian, NPR, Financial Times, and Washington Post. She co-founded the Startups & Society Initiative and leads various multimedia projects, including a video podcast and creative pursuits, making significant contributions across multiple fields.

Georgia Nicolau is a Brazilian creative professional, researcher, trained facilitator and consultant in the areas of social organizations, collective action, innovation and culture and arts. She is interested in everything that has to do with a transition to a fairer, egalitarian and cooperative world. Since 2020 she is a Fellow at the Atlantic Fellows for Social and Economic Equity programme at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). In 2016, she co-founded the Procomum Institute, a commons-oriented NGO where she is currently director of programs and partnerships and institutional development. Between 2013 and 2016, Georgia was deputy secretary of Creative Economy and Cultural Policy and director of management, entrepreneurship and innovation at the Ministry of Culture of Brazil.

Patrick Pichette is a seasoned financial and operational expert with over 30 years of experience. He has led world-class companies such as Google, Twitter, McKinsey, Sprint Canada and Bell Canada to break through the complexities of hyper-growth and digital transformations. As CFO of Google from 2008 to 2015, Patrick played a key role in driving the company's growth strategy and supported the creation of the Alphabet structure. He was part of Google's executive committee, overseeing the company's extensive corporate M&A agenda, which included nearly 150 acquisitions, such as Nest and Motorola. Patrick sat on the board of Twitter between 2017 and 2022, served as Chair of the Board in 2020-2021 and co-led the company's sale to Elon Musk for $44B in October 2022. Currently, Patrick sits on the board of Lightspeed POS Inc as Interim Chair of the Board and serves as an independent investor, advisor, and board member to many startups and innovation networks around the world, including Neo4j (Sweden), Zwift (US/UK), Hopper and Wealthsimple (Canada), and Creative Destruction Labs. A dedicated environmentalist, Patrick actively supports the Kenauk Project (Kenauk.com and institutkenauk.org). He holds an MA in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from Oxford, where he attended as a Rhodes Scholar, and a BBA from UQAM.

Sharmi Surianarain is Chief Impact Officer at Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator. She is a fierce advocate for opportunity and social justice for young people and women across the African continent. She leads research, knowledge, and insights, focusing on the impact of Harambee’s capabilities to change the system and contribute to solutions for Africa.

Dr. Erika Wagner serves as Sr. Director of Emerging Markets for Blue Origin, where she works to improve access to space for science, technology, arts, education, and entrepreneurship. Previously, Dr. Wagner worked with the XPRIZE Foundation as Senior Director of Exploration Prize Development and founding Executive Director of the XPRIZE Lab@MIT. Dr. Wagner’s interdisciplinary background includes degrees in Biomedical and Aerospace Engineering, with research spanning both human and mammalian adaptation to varying gravity levels; as well as organizational innovation and prize theory. She is a trustee of the Museum of Flight, an honoree of the Space Camp Hall of Fame, and a member of the National Academies Space Studies Board.

Dr. Marshall Bautz is the Associate Director of the MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research and a Senior Research Scientist there. He has served in leadership and advisory roles for the development of science instruments for a number of space missions flown by the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. His laboratory at MIT develops advanced technology for future X-ray astrophysics missions, and his scientific interests include observational studies of clusters of galaxies.

Dr. Vuyane Mhlomi is a pioneering leader in healthcare. He earned his medical degree with multiple distinctions and first-class honours from the University of Cape Town. He completed a DPhil and MBA at Oxford as a Rhodes and Pershing Square Scholar. He co-founded Quro Medical, a digital healthcare company that offers Africa's first 'Hospital-at-home' platform. His leadership roles extend to teaching at the Gordon Institute of Business Science, being the non-executive director at Percept Advisory, and chairman of the Emergent Healthcare Group. He is a fellow of the International Strategy Forum and is a Trustee of the Bongani Mayosi Foundation. He established the MH Foundation to support underprivileged students and has been honoured with multiple awards for his contributions to healthcare and leadership. Dr. Mhlomi's dedication to transforming healthcare and uplifting communities makes him an exemplary figure in his field.

Abhilash Mishra is a scientist, entrepreneur, and educator working on problems at the intersection of technology and global challenges. Abhilash is the Founder and Chief Science Officer of Equitech Futures, a talent network and applied research lab dedicated to technology for social impact. Abhilash also holds an appointment at the University of Chicago, where he is the founding director of the Xu Initiative on Technology and Public Policy. His current research is focused on understanding the potential of emerging technologies in solving global challenges and associated risks. Abhilash is trained as a physicist and holds a PhD from Caltech and an MPhys from the University of Oxford. He received the Rhodes Scholarship in 2008, the Clinton Global Initiative University Distinguished Alumni Award, the KVPY Fellowship from the Government of India, and the Goldman Sachs Global Leader Award.