Category: speakers

Dr. Thapa is an Associate Professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Kathmandu University, Nepal. His area of specialization is hydropower and green hydrogen. He believes that a strategic blend of these two energy sectors can change the future of the developing countries of South Asia, both economically and environmentally. His interest is in […]

Dr. Vickers is the Head of International Trade Policy at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London. He has over 20 years of experience working on international trade and economic development issues, including as the Head of Research and Policy at the South African Department of Trade and Industry, where he was a lead negotiator in the […]

Mr. Dhakal is a pioneering entrepreneur, Co-Founder, and Chairman of IME Group, a leading business conglomerate in Nepal. IME Group spans over two dozen enterprises across banking, remittance, energy, tourism, automobiles, insurance, IT, and infotainment, generating over 45,000 direct and indirect jobs. Starting his journey from a small grocery store in 1994, he established Nepal’s […]

Mr. Tshering has been serving as Director General, Department of Industry, since June, 2022  while concurrently serving as the Secretary to the Economic Development Board and Chairman of the State Trading Corporation of Bhutan Ltd. Having joined civil service in 1998, he has served in various capacity in the Planning and Policy Division of the […]

Hon. Damodar Bhandari is the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Supplies of Nepal. He is also a Member of the House of Representatives. He also made signficant contributions in formulating Nepal’s Constitution as a member of Nepal’s second Constituent Assembly. He also contributed to Nepal’s policymaking in the past as the Minister of State for […]

Ms. Shrestha is an entrepreneur, a master trainer, and a mentor for women’s entrepreneurship development in Nepal, as well as an advocate for Nepalese women’s socio-economic empowerment. Ms. Shrestha graduated from Tribhuvan University with a master’s degree in sociology. Following graduation, she worked as a sociologist, where she gained extensive knowledge of Nepalese women’s status […]

Dr. Bhattacharya, a macro-economist and public policy analyst, is currently a Distinguished Fellow at the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) in Dhaka, where he was the first Executive Director. He has been appointed by the Interim Government of Bangladesh as the Chair of the committee for the preparation of the “White Paper on the State […]

Ms.Hari is Senior Director (Programmes) at Centre for Responsible Business (CRB). She has a post graduate degree in finance and started her career with JP Morgan. She then moved into the field of sustainability through her work with renewable energy financing. She has tried her hand at entrepreneurship by setting up her own social enterprise […]

Dikshya Singh is a development researcher and policy analyst based in Kathmandu with extensive experience in international trade, sustainable development, and entrepreneurship. She currently serves as Programme Coordinator at the South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics, and Environment (SAWTEE), where she leads research, advocacy, and capacity-building initiatives. Over her tenure at SAWTEE, Ms. Singh has […]

Dr. Dilli Raj Khanal, a former Member of the Parliament and National Planning Commission has continuously engaged in research, teaching and social works after earning his PhD in 1986. He teaches International Political Economy to PhD students at the Department of International Relations and Diplomacy, TU. He is the founder Chairman of the Institute for […]