The International Virtual Forum: Resilient Leadership in Practice8, 9, 11 June 2021
Phiset Sa-ardyen close
Dr. Phiset Sa-ardyen currently serves as the Executive Director of the Thailand Institute of Justice (TIJ). He was previously the Director of the Information Technology and Communication Center at the Ministry of Justice, Thailand. For the period between 2014-2018 Dr. Sa-ardyen served as the Director of the Office of External Relations and Policy Coordination at the TIJ and was actively involved in the successful efforts by TIJ to become affiliated with the United Nations Crime Programme. Moreover, he oversaw the implementation of key policy directives on digital transformation and cyber security across the Ministry of Justice, including MOJ’s flagship project on big data analytics for recidivism prediction and offender rehabilitation. Dr. Sa-ardyen’s research interests cover a wide range of topics including treatment of offenders, access to justice, and linkage between sustainable development and the operation of the criminal justice system.
Anuwan Vongichet close
Dr. Anuwan Vongpichet is Deputy Executive Director, and Acting Director of Office of Justice Innovation, Thailand Institute of Justice (TIJ), where she has conceptualised and managed many justice sector initiatives. She developed the Rule of Law and Development (RoLD) Program, under which, in collaboration with Harvard Law School’s Institute for Global Law and Policy, TIJ conducts workshops for Asian policy leaders. She also pioneered the first justice innovation platform in Thailand – which incubates and scales solutions for the justice sector, using multi-disciplinary tools like design- and systems-thinking. Additionally, for TIJ’s leadership team, Dr. Vongpichet manages external stakeholders, including the World Bank, the Hague Institute for Innovation of Law, Harvard University and Stanford University. She was previously Policy and Plan Analyst, Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council, Prime Minister’s Office of Thailand.
Renaud Meyer close
Renaud Meyer started his assignment as UNDP Resident Representative to Thailand on 26 March 2019, coming from Nepal where he was the UNDP Country Director since January 2015. Prior to that, Renaud served as Senior Deputy Country Director for UNDP Afghanistan from November 2012 to December 2014. UNDP Country Director in the Philippines from August 2008 to October 2012 and Deputy Country Director of UNDP China from August 2004 till August 2008.
Before serving UNDP in Asia, Renaud served four years in Headquarters as the Special Assistant to the UNDP Associate Administrator in the Executive Office in New York from 2002 to 2004 and as Special Assistant to the Director of the Bureau for Development Policy starting in 2000.
Renaud started his UNDP career as a Programme Officer (JPO) in Lebanon in 1998. Before joining the United Nations, Renaud Meyer worked in Tunisia for the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
A French citizen, Renaud Meyer holds a Master’s in International Relations and Development Studies from the University of Strasbourg and graduated from the Institut D’Etudes Politiques of Strasbourg. He also completed a one-year programme of studies at the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University in Washington D.C., U.S.A.
Anuk Serechetapongse close
Ms. Anuk Serechetapongse is a development economist for UNDP, with key roles of providing recommendations on overall economic landscape and important trends affecting development work. She is also leading UNDP’s work on an Integrated National Financing Framework (INFF) which aims to foster financing for sustainable development. She took part in conducting a socioeconomic impact assessment of COVID-19 on Thailand, a study commissioned by the UN. Prior to joining UNDP, she was a senior economist at Bangkok Bank as well as an economist for the IMF and the Bank of Thailand. She received her PhD in macroeconomics and international economics from Cornell University.
Narongsak Osottanakorn close
Narongsak Osottanakorn is an official at the Ministry of Interior. He received his bachelor’s degrees in four disciplines: Civil Engineering, Law, Business Information Technology, and Public Administration and a Master of Science in Geodetic Science and Surveying from Ohio State University.
At present he is the Governor, Chair of the Provincial Thai Forward Together Committee, and Chair of the Provincial Communicable Disease Committee of Lampang Province. Prior to his present position, he served as the Governor of Phayao Province and Chiang Rai Province and was highly recognized for his role as the Chief of the Rescue Mission to save children and their football coach trapped in the Tham Luang Cave during June 23 to July 10, 2018.
Julie Rieger close
Julie Rieger is Chief Counsel for East Asia & Pacific (EAP) in the Legal Vice Presidency of the World Bank. As Chief Counsel for East Asia & Pacific, she manages a team of highly dedicated development lawyers, analysts, and assistants who provide legal support to World Bank operations in the East Asia & Pacific Region. Until the autumn of 2020, she also covered the South Asia Region (SAR) as Chief Counsel for EAP and SAR. Prior to her role as Chief Counsel (EAP and SAR), she worked as Senior Counsel on legal aspects of World Bank operations in various regions at various times (Africa; Europe & Central Asia; Latin America & Caribbean; and Middle East & North Africa). Prior to joining the Bank in 2007, Julie had worked as an Associate at international law firm Allen & Overy LLP in London and Dubai. She holds an LL.M in Islamic Law (School of African and Oriental Studies (SOAS), University of London), and an LL.B in English Law and German Law (King’s College, London and Universität Passau, Germany).
Kittipong Kittayarak close
Kittipong Kittayarak has long been involved in judicial and criminal justice reform in Thailand. He has made substantial contributions to the improvement of the Thai judicial system through his roles in a number of national bodies. He has been known as one of the champions for the reform of the Thai criminal justice system towards due process and the rule of law, and for pioneering the implementation of the restorative justice and community justice programs in Thailand. In the area of peace and reconciliation, Kittipong was actively engaged in the National Reconciliation Committee, which focused its work on conflicts in the deep south of Thailand as well as the Truth for Reconciliation Commission of Thailand (TRCT). After completing his six-year term as the Permanent Secretary for Justice, in February 2015, he assumed a new role as the Executive Director of the Thailand Institute of Justice, a public organization working in the promotion, research and capacity-building activities in accordance with the justice-relates UN standards and norms. Currently, he is a special advisor to Thailand Institute of Justice. He holds J.S.D. from Stanford Law School, LL.M. from Harvard Law School, barrister-at-law from The Thai Bar Association, LL.M. from Cornell Law School, and LL.B. from Chulalongkorn University, Thailand.
Ada Chirapaisarnkul close
Ada Chirapaisarnkul is a social entrepreneurship/investment pioneer in Thailand, and the founder and managing director of Thai Young Philanthropist Network (TYPN). She is currently the CEO and co-founder of TaejaiDotcom, the first and largest crowd giving platform in Thailand, and serves as the Board Director and Advisor of several foundations in Asia.
Ada is interested in designing innovative financing mechanism and building platforms to engage active citizens and mobilize private capital (both financial and non-financial) in order to achieve sustainable and inclusive development. She was previously a University Lecturer and co-founding executive director of G-Lab, a social innovation lab at Thammasat University. She was also a project manager at the Office of the Prime Minister, leading a multi-sectoral team to develop the first masterplan for social enterprise promotion in Thailand.
Ada holds an MSc in environment and sustainable development from University College London and an MA in international finance and economic policy from Columbia University. She is a British Chevening scholar, Rockefeller Foundation Global Fellow on Social Innovation, Asia 21 Young Leader of the Asia Society, One Young World Ambassador and formerly a Global Shaper with the World Economic Forum.
Santitarn Sathirathai close
Dr. Santitarn Sathirathai is Group Chief Economist and a member of senior management at Sea, the leading internet company in Southeast Asia and Taiwan. Sea’s businesses include Shopee, the region’s largest and most popular e-commerce platform, Garena, a global leader in games publishing and development, and SeaMoney, one of the pioneers of Southeast Asia’s digital financial services sector.
At Sea, he heads the company’s Research and Public Policy Unit and leads Sea’s engagement with policymakers and thiught leaders around the region, with a particular focus on promoting digital skills and literacy for young people, SMEs, and other industry stakeholders. He is also part of the Singapore’s Digital Readiness Council.
Santitarn was the first representative from Southeast Asia invited to join the World Economic Forum’s Community of Chief Economists tasked to reimagine the Global Economic system post Covid-19.
A passionate advocate for the power of technology to drive transformation and inclusion, he has published his first book, Futuration, in Thailand in 2019. The book addresses Santitarn’s views on how Thailand can prepare for the challenges and opportunities of the future economy, and has become an instant best-seller and one of the country’s most talked-about books of the year.
Prior to joining Sea, Santitarn was the Head of Emerging Asia Economics Research at Credit Suisse where he advised public and private investors, covering 10 economies. He was the only economist in Asia to have won the prestigious best economic forecaster award by Consensus Economics for three consecutive years. He has also worked at Thailand’s Ministry of Finance and at the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, as well as the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation.
In addition to his work with Sea, he is also an independent board of director at Ngern Tid Lor, Advisor to Taejai.com the largest online crowd donation platform in Thailand, a visiting lecturer at Chulalongkorn University.
Santitarn holds a doctorate degree in Public Policy and a master’s degree in Public Administration in International Development from Harvard University, as well as a bachelor’s degree in Economics and a master’s degree from the London School of Economics.
Siriporn Pomwong close
Siriporn Pomwong graduated from Ramathibodi School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Mahidol University. She is a registered nurse at Ramathibodi Hospital and has also been actively involved in several voluntary activities, including helping those affected by natural disasters and joining a voluntary musical group.
At present, Siriporn leads several community service projects, such as:
– Khlongtoey Dee Jung Project: This project provides many opportunities for children in Khlong Toey community; such as, free music lessons, art and creative activities for child development, and scholarships. In addition, there are activities to generate extra income for residents in the community. A learning center for children outside the formal school system is also underway.
– Music Sharing Projects: These are projects to provide space to use music for child development. With funding from the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth), about 22 music sharing projects have been set up nationwide.
– Educational Development for Sustainability for Boys Project: This is a project established at the RaiSom Witaya Learning Center for children of migrant workers in Fang District, Chiang Mai Province. The project was funded by the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth). There is a work exchange program with similar projects in Koh Sireh, Phuket Province, Ta Mui Village in Khong Chiam District, Ubon Ratchathani Province, and Khlong Toey Community in Bangkok.
Siriporn was one of the speakers at the TEDx Khlong Toey Event in Bangkok on 15 December 2019.
David Kennedy close
David Kennedy is Manley O. Hudson Professor of Law and Faculty Director of the Institute for Global Law and Policy at Harvard Law School where he teaches international law, international economic policy, legal theory, law and development and European law since 1981. He holds a Ph.D. from the Fletcher School at Tufts University and a J.D. from Harvard. He is the author of numerous articles on international law and global governance. As a practicing lawyer and consultant, Professor Kennedy has worked on numerous international projects, both commercial and public, including work with various international organizations. He is past Chair and Member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Advisory Council on Global Governance. In 2011, he was appointed Foreign Advisor to Thailand’s Truth for Reconciliation Commission and now serves as a member of the Asian Peace and Reconciliation Commission.
Arm Tungnirun close
Arm Tungnirun was a 2017-2018 Residential Fellow at the IGLP, recently received his PhD from Stanford Law School, and is a Vice Dean of the Faculty of Law at Chulalongkorn University, Thailand. He uses qualitative methods and interdisciplinary materials to examine issues of comparative legal cultures, business legal practices in emerging economies, and the relationship between law and economic development. He received his LL.B. from Peking University, Beijing, China, LL.M. in International Economic Law from Harvard Law School, and J.S.M. in Law and Society from Stanford Law School. He is fluent in three languages, and enjoys thinking across the borders of countries, legal traditions, and academic disciplines. For his research, he conducts fieldwork and in-depth interviews to critically explore the emergence of transnational corporate lawyers and their practices in Myanmar, while taking into account comparative perspectives from past scholarship on the globalization of law and the development of the corporate legal sector in other emerging economies such as China and India.
Kirida Bhaopichitr close
Dr. Kirida joined the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI), a leading independent think tank in Thailand, in 2015. She is currently the Director of TDRI Economic Intelligence Service (EIS) which is TDRI’s corporate membership program. Dr. Kirida leads the preparation of content for the monthly seminars for corporate members on issues that are of high relevance and interest for business. Her specialization spans monitoring and analyzing developments of the global and Thai economies which includes the business environment, impacts of COVID-19 pandemic, demographic changes, and technological development issues.
Prior to this, Dr. Kirida had been a Senior Economist at the Macroeconomics and Fiscal Policy Management Global Practice and the Country Economist for Thailand of the World Bank Group from 1999 to 2015. Dr. Kirida’s work on Thailand includes monitoring and assessing Thailand’s economic developments, investment climate, competitiveness, impact of the 2011 floods, and the reforms in the public sector. Dr. Kirida was the main author of the World Bank’s bi-annual Thailand Economic Monitor (2003-2015), the most downloaded and widely cited World Bank publication on Thailand.
Dr. Kirida has significant regional experience, having worked on Lao PDR., Cambodia, and South Asia. She regularly contributed to the World Bank’s bi-annual report on economic development, the East Asia and the Pacific Update. In 2010, Dr. Kirida spent a year at the World Bank Headquarters in Washington DC, where she worked on regional issues in East Asia and authored a paper on estimating remittance trends in South Asia.
A recognized fixture in economic and business circles in Thailand, she appears regularly in the media and speaks at public and private high-level forums and executive courses in Thailand and overseas. She also gave a TED talk at a TEDx event in Thailand in 2018.
Dr. Kirida holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Cornell University (USA).
Nattha Komolvadhin close
Nattha Komolvadhin graduated Ph.D. in gender studies from the London School of Economics (LSE), United Kingdom in 2006. Currently, she experiences more than sixteen years in the media with multi-platform experience as a television, radio, and newspaper reporter. She also uses social media extensively to enhance reporting especially twitter, facebook and youtube.
Nattha has an opportunity to conduct exclusive interviews with international leaders and in-depth reports on political economy in the region and global issues. In recent year, she reported on Thailand, ASEAN and international affairs, producing a series of reports on geopolitics and democracy in various country. Recent coverage included UK Election 2015, and a series on 800 years of Magna Carta and Thai Democracy, Singapore Election 2015, Myammar Election 2015.
Ronald Heifetz close
Ronald Heifetz is among the world’s foremost authorities on the practice and teaching of leadership. He speaks extensively and advises heads of governments, businesses, and nonprofit organizations across the globe. In 2016, President Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia highlighted Heifetz’s advice in his Nobel Peace Prize Lecture.
Heifetz founded the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard Kennedy School where he has taught for nearly four decades. He is the King Hussein bin Talal Senior Lecturer in Public Leadership. Heifetz played a pioneering role in establishing leadership as an area of study and education in the United States and at Harvard. His research addresses two challenges: developing a conceptual foundation for the analysis and practice of leadership; and developing transformative methods for leadership education, training, and consultation.
Heifetz co-developed the adaptive leadership framework with Riley Sinder and Marty Linsky to provide a basis for leadership research and practice. His first book, Leadership Without Easy Answers (1994), is a classic in the field and one of the ten most assigned course books at Harvard and Duke Universities. Heifetz co-authored the best-selling Leadership on the Line: Staying Alive through the Dangers of Change with Marty Linsky, which serves as one of the primary go-to books for practitioners across sectors (2002, revised 2017). He then co-authored the field book, The Practice of Adaptive Leadership: Tools and Tactics for Changing your Organization and the World with Alexander Grashow and Marty Linsky (2009).
Heifetz began his focus on transformative methods of leadership education and development in 1983. Drawing students from throughout Harvard’s graduate schools and neighboring universities, his courses on leadership are legendary; his core course is considered the most influential in their career by Kennedy School alumni. His teaching methods have been studied extensively in doctoral dissertations and in Leadership Can Be Taught, by Sharon Daloz Parks (2005).
A graduate of Columbia University, Harvard Medical School, and the Kennedy School, Heifetz is both a physician and cellist. He trained initially in surgery before deciding to devote himself to the study of leadership in public affairs, business, and nonprofits. Heifetz completed his medical training in psychiatry, which provided a foundation to develop more powerful teaching methods and gave him a distinct perspective on the conceptual tools of political psychology and organizational behavior. As a cellist, he was privileged to study with the great Russian virtuoso, Gregor Piatigorsky.