ImperativeMOOCs

Short profiles for all the presenters are provided below

Program Coordinator, Global Development Assistance, ESA

Dr Christoph Aubrecht is Program Coordinator, Global Development Assistance, at the European Space Agency (ESA). He was formally the ESA Representative to the World Bank and Senior Geospatial Strategist at the World Bank.

Thomas Abell

Chief of Digital Technology for Development, Asian Development Bank

Thomas Abell is the Chief of the Asian Development Bank’s Digital Technology for Development Unit, which promotes the effective use of digital technology across ADB programs to improve development impact. Thomas has over 30 years of professional experience in digital technology, including technology policy and strategy, software development, and systems architecture.

Dr Josef Aschbacher

ESA Director General

Dr Josef Aschbacher is Director General of the European Space Agency (ESA). He previously served as ESA's Director of Earth Observation Programmes from 2016 to 2021.

Alvaro Federico Barra

Land Administration/Geospatial Specialist, World Bank

Alvaro Federico Barra is a Land Administration/Geospatial Specialist at the World Bank.

Fabrice Brito

CEO, Terradue

Fabrice Brito is the CEO and founder of Terradue. He was previously a Project Engineer in GRID Computing at ESA.

Dr Ana Bucher

Senior Climate Change Specialist, World Bank

Dr Ana Bucher is Senior Climate Change Specialist with the Environment Department of the World Bank. She provides support on understanding the impacts of climate change and adaptation measures particularly on agriculture and natural resource management (NRM), as well as on other cross-cutting sectors.

Erick Fernandes

Fromer Global Lead - Technology, Innovation, & Climate Smart Agriculture, World Bank

Erick Fernandes is the former Global Lead - Technology, Innovation, & Climate Smart Agriculture at the World Bank. He is currently a Freelance Climate Smart Agriculture & Resilient Landscapes Specialist.

Ellen Hamilton

Lead Urban Specialist, Europe and Central Asia, World Bank

Ellen Hamilton is a Lead Urban Specialist for the Europe and Central Asia Unit of the the Urban, Resilience and Land Global Practice of the World Bank. She has twenty five years experience leading analytical work and projects focusing on sustainable urban development.

H Mohamad Hidayat Lamakarate

Formally Regional Secretary of Central Sulawesi Province (2016-2020)

Dr. H. Mohammad Hidayat Lamakarate is an Indonesian bureaucrat who served as Regional Secretary of the Province of Central Sulawesi from 11 August 2017 to 4 September 2020. He currently works as the Main Commissioner of Bank Sulteng.

Ede Ijjasz-Vasquez

Former Regional Director, Africa, Sustainable Development Practice Group, World Bank

Ede Ijjasz-Vasquez was Regional Director, Africa, Sustainable Development Practice Group at the World Bank before retiring in October 2020. In his career, Mr. Ijjasz led work in a wide range of development topics including global environmental issues, sustainable development, green infrastructure, water resources, climate change, agriculture, blue economy, resilience, fragility and conflict, resettlement, PPPs, ESG, and urban development.

Hariady Indra Mantong

Water Resource Specialist, Central Sulawesi Provincial Government

Hariady Indra Mantong is a Water Resource Specialist at the Cipta Karya and Natural Resources Office of Central Sulawesi Provincial Government.

Karin Kemper

Former Global Director, Environment, Natural Resources and Blue Economy Global Practice, Environment, World Bank

Karin Kemper was the Global Director for Environment, Natural Resources and Blue Economy at the World Bank.

Dr Rokhis Khomarudin

Director of Remote Sensing Application Centre, LAPAN

Rokhis Khomarudin is Director of Remote Sensing Application Centre at the Indonesian National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (LAPAN). He has a PhD in Geography from Ludwig Maximillian University.

Dr Kanta Kumari Rigaud

Lead Environmental Specialist / Regional Climate Change Coordinator Africa, World Bank

Dr Kanta Kumari Rigaud is a Lead Environmental Specialist and Regional Climate Change Coordinator at the Africa Region, at the World Bank with more than 25 years of professional experience in natural resources management, environmental management, and climate change adaptation.

Abdul Malik Sadat Idris

Director for Irrigation and Water Resources , Ministry of National Development Planning

Abdul Malik Sadat Idris is Director for Irrigation and Water Resources, Ministry of National Development Planning (Bappenas). He manages water resources for the expansion of hydropower capacity in Indonesia.

Paolo Manunta

ESA Representative at the Asian Development Bank / Senior Infrastructure Specialist (Earth Observation)

Paolo Manunta is Senior Infrastructure Specialist (Earth Observation) and ESA Representative at the Asian Development Bank.

Dr Vincenzo Massimi

Senior Technical Specialist Rheticus®, Planetek italia

He has a Master's Degree on Environmental Engineering at the University of Perugia and a PhD in “Civil and Environmental Engineering” at the University of L’Aquila.

Bernhard Metz

Senior Operations Officer, Fragility, Conflict & Violence, World Bank

Bernhard Metz is a Senior Operations Officer in the World Bank’s Fragility, Conflict & Violence (FCV) Group. He joined the World Bank in 2012 and has been mainly working in the Social, Urban, Rural, and Resilience Global Practice.

Pandu Adi Minarno

Geodetic Engineer

Pandu Adi Minarno is a Master student of Disaster Management Planning at the Institut Teknologi Bandung. He was a Geodetic Engineer at the Geological Agency of Indonesia.

Ferianto Pawenrusi

Head of Sulawesi River Basin Agency 3, Ministry of Public Works and Housing, Indonesia

Ferianto Pawenrusi is the Head of the Sulawesi Rivere Region 3 Office, part of the Ministry of Public Works and Housing in Indonesia.

Bekzod Shamsiev

Senior Agriculture Economist, World Bank

Bekzod Shamsiev is a Senior Agriculture Economist working in the Agriculture and Food Global Practice of the World Bank.

Woochong Um

Managing Director General, Asian Development Bank

Woochong Um is the Managing Director General of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). He assumed the position on 22 February 2021.

Fahrunnisa Dian Utami

Public Relations Communications, Balai Wilayah Sungai Sulawesi III, Ministry of Public Works and Housing

Fahrunnisa Dian Utami works in Public Relations Communications at Balai Wilayah Sungai Sulawesi III Palu under the Ministry of Public Works and Housing, Directorate General of Water Resources, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Dr Juergen Voegele

Vice President for Sustainable Development, World Bank

Juergen Voegele, Ph.D., assumed the position of Vice President for Sustainable Development at the World Bank on April 1, 2020. In this role, he oversees the work of Global Practices and thematic groups that bring together the best expertise from across the World Bank Group and from partners, to help countries tackle their most complex challenges in the area of sustainable development.

Sameh Wahba

Regional Director, Sustainable Development, Europe and Central Asia Region at The World Bank

Sameh Wahba is the Regional Director, Sustainable Development, Europe & Central Asia at the World Bank. He was formally the Global Director for the World Bank’s Urban, Disaster Risk Management, Resilience and Land Global Practice.

Anna Wellenstein

Regional Director, Latin America and the Caribbean, Sustainable Development Practice Group, World Bank

Anna Wellenstein is the Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean in the World Bank’s Sustainable Development Practice Group. She is responsible for the World Bank’s agriculture, climate, disaster risk management, environment, land, social, urban, and water portfolios in the region.

Space for International Development Assistance