(Director, School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi, India)
Prof. Dr. P.S.N. Rao is an eminent personality in the fields of architecture, town planning and urban development in India. Currently, he is the Director (equivalent to Vice Chancellor) of the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi (an ‘Institution of National Importance’ under an Act of the Parliament) under the Ministry of HRD, Government of India. Since 2014, Prof. Rao has been the Chairman, Delhi Urban Art Commission (DUAC). He has been appointed as Member of the Task Force on Rental Housing, Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, Government of India. He was also a Member of the Global Housing Technology Challenge (GHTC) under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India set up last year. Prof. Rao was the Chairman of the Jury for the new Parliament Building and Central Vista Redevelopment Plan of the MoHUA, Government of India in 2019.
(Director, National Institute of Urban Affairs, New Delhi, India)
Mr. Hitesh Vaidya has more than 20 years of broad-based urban development policy, project formulation, implementation and program management experience on mainly UN, World Bank, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) assignments. The areas he has been associated are urban development, urban governance and urban Infrastructure management. Poverty Alleviation has been an integral component in all the projects. Prior to joining National Institute of Urban Affairs, He was Country Representative of UN-Habitat India. He was intensely involved in supporting an eco-system to design and roll-out of urban flagship missions in India such as Smart Cities Mission of India. His strength lies in developing institutional arrangements and project implementation strategies through facilitating effective liaison and coordination with various stakeholders.
(Founder and Executive Producer, Cimpatico Studios, San Francisco, USA)
Mr. Ken Marshall is the Executive Producer of Cimpatico Television, a professional television network of creators that host conversations with industry leaders. Ken has 20 years of cross-industry experience in enterprise and consumer software, both as an entrepreneur and management consultant at global firms including PricewaterhouseCoopers, Accenture, and Deloitte Consulting.
(President, Gurgaon Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Gurugram, India)
Mr. Vikas Jain is a second generation family member having a Degree of Bachelors in Pharmacy, with business interests in Malting, Nutritional Products, Agricultural and Food Sector. The various companies owned by the Jain family enjoy a respectable position and status in the industrial circles. Mr. Vikas Jain, is the Joint Managing Director of PMV Maltings Pvt. Ltd. Which is one of the oldest and largest Malting company in India. Apart from that he is Currently the President of nearly four decade old Gurgaon Chamber of Commerce & Industry which represents over 350 industries of National Capital Region, he is also an active member on various managing committees of Chambers of Commerce and Government Departments in India such as ASSOCHAM and PHD, Consumer Protection etc, so as to bring forward the various issues which may affect the progress and harmony of the Industry in the short and long term.
(Partner and Urban Sector Leader, Ernst & Young, Gurugram, India)
Mr. Shrinivas Kowligi is Partner & Urban Sector Leader, Strategy & Transactions, at Ernst & Young LLP, India. As the Urban Sector leader for EY in India, he provides oversight and strategic guidance for EY’s work in municipal services and urban infrastructure. EY’s works with leading municipal governments, State and National Government on range of urban management issues covering - policy formulation, institutional reforms, performance management, governance transformation, infrastructure and service delivery and technology-led sector transformation. He is also currently providing strategic inputs on GoI’s leading initiatives such as Maturity model for Integrated Command and Control Centres, Data Smart Strategy for Cities, Smart Innovation Hub, etc. In his prior engagements, Mr. Kowligi has worked closely with GOI on many policy matters, and support of flagship programs like JNNURM.
(Director, Participatory Research in Asia (PRIA), New Delhi, India)
Dr Kaustuv Kanti Bandyopadhyay is the Director of Society for Participatory Research in Asia (PRIA) and head of PRIA International Academy (PIA) – the academic vertical of PRIA. Kaustuv has more than 25 years of professional experience with university, research institution and CSOs. He has extensive experience in citizen participation, social accountability and democratic governance in urban and rural contexts, capacity building of CSOs with particular emphasis on organisation development, participatory monitoring and evaluation, participatory training methodologies and participatory research. He serves on the Steering Committees of Asia Democracy Research Networks (ADRN) and Asia Democracy Network (ADN). He has extensively travelled and worked in a number of countries. He has authored number of articles, manuals, books and publications, which contributed to knowledge building on participatory urban governance and civil society in Asia. He was awarded Ph.D. in Anthropology.
(Director, World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) India)
Mr. Joe Phelan is India Director of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development , a global, CEO-led organization of over 200 leading businesses working together to accelerate the transition to a sustainable world. Joe is responsible for raising the profile and engagement of Indian businesses internationally, and for scaling up joint action by business in support of India’s development. He currently oversees programs engaging more than 60 companies in action in India in areas such as energy, water, electric mobility and more resilient agriculture. Prior to joining WBCSD, Joe held senior roles with the Prince of Wales Business Leaders Forum. Highlights included a series of special reports with the Financial Times on business and sustainable development, the development of the World Business & Development awards with the United Nations and International Chambers of Commerce, and programs in skills, inclusive business, and anti-corruption.
