Erna Solberg was born and educated in Bergen: Norway’s ancient maritime capital and gateway to the Atlantic Ocean. Erna Solberg has combined numerous national positions as Minister, Parlamentarian and regional politician with a strong commitment to global solutions for development, growth and conflict resolution. As Prime Minister, and former Chair of the Norwegian delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, she has championed transatlantic values and security.

In 2018 she assembled a global High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy and introduced the topic at the G7 Summit. Her Government supports the World Bank’s PROblue initiative to prevent marine damage.

From 2016 the Prime Minister has co-chaired the UN Secretary General’s Advocacy group for the Sustainable Development goals. Among the goals, she takes a particular interest in access to quality education for all, in particular girls and children in conflict areas. This was also central in her work as MDG Advocate from 2013 to 2016. Solberg has secured significant financial support for the Global Partnership for Education and hosted the Global Finance Facility for women’s and children’s health pledging Conference in Oslo in November 2018. Her firm belief is that investment in education will accelerate progress on all other SDG goals.

She was awarded the inaugural Global Citizen World Leader Award in 2018 for her international engagement.

Solberg has been leader of the Conservative Party of Norway (EPP, IDU) since 2004 and has held the position as Prime Minister since the General Election in 2013. She was re-elected in September 2017.

Kersti Kaljulaid graduated from the University of Tartu in 1992 in the field of genetics in the Faculty of Natural Sciences and completed master's studies in the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration in 2001. From 1994 to 1999, she worked in various Estonian companies: first, as the sales manager of telephone switchboards in Eesti Telefon, later in Hoiupank Markets and Hansapank Markets as an associate in investment banking.

From 1999 to 2002, Kersti Kaljulaid was Prime Minister Mart Laar's Economic Advisor. Her duties included the organisation of cooperation of the Office of the Prime Minister with Estonian central bank, the Ministry of Finance and ministries that had larger budgets, as well as coordination of relations with the International Monetary Fund and other financial institutions (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Nordic Investment Bank and World Bank). From 2002 to 2004, Kersti Kaljulaid was the CFO and CEO of the Iru Power Plant of state-owned energy company Eesti Energia.

From 2004 to 2016 she was a Member of the European Court of Auditors. From 2004 to 2006 Kersti Kaljulaid organised the financial audit of the research and development funds of the budget of the European Union and from 2007 to 2010 she was responsible for the audit of the Structural Policies. From 2004 to 2007, she was the auditor of the Galileo project of the European Union. From 2010 to 2016 she coordinated the preparation of the Annual Report and State of Assurance of the European Court of Auditors. From 2005 to 2007, she was a member of the Europol Audit Committee and chaired the committee in 2007. From 2006 to 2008, she was the chair of the Administrative Affairs Committee of the Court of Auditors. From 2010 to 2014, she was responsible for the methodology and preparation of the Annual Report of the Court of Auditors. In 2016, she worked in the field of the agriculture audit.

In addition, Kersti Kaljulaid was a member of the Supervisory Board of the Estonian Genome Center from 2001 to 2004. She was also a member of the Advisory Board of the University of Tartu from 2009 to 2011 and the Council Chair of the University of Tartu from 2012 to 2016. Kersti Kaljulaid has been a co-author of the social-political radio talk show Keskpäevatund (Midday Hour) in radio station Kuku from 2002 to 2004 and the editor of the Eurominutid (Euro-minutes) radio show from 2007 to 2016 in the same station.

Ms. Amina J. Mohammed is the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations and Chair of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group.

Prior to her appointment, Ms. Mohammed served as Minister of Environment of the Federal Republic of Nigeria where she steered the country’s efforts on climate action and efforts to protect the natural environment.

Ms. Mohammed first joined the United Nations in 2012 as Special Adviser to former Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon with the responsibility for post-2015 development planning. She led the process that resulted in global agreement around the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the creation of the Sustainable Development Goals. 

Ms. Mohammed began her career working on the design of schools and clinics in Nigeria. She served as an advocate focused on increasing access to education and other social services, before moving into the public sector, where she rose to the position of adviser to three successive Presidents on poverty, public sector reform, and sustainable development.

Ms. Mohammed has been conferred several honorary doctorates and has served as an adjunct professor, lecturing on international development. The recipient of various global awards, Ms Mohammed has served on numerous international advisory boards and panels. She is the mother of six children and has two grandchildren.

Omar Abdi is the Deputy Executive Director for programmes at UNICEF.

In this capacity, Mr. Abdi oversees UNICEF’s global humanitarian and development programmes. With over 30 years of experience, in international development, Mr Abdi has held several leadership positions in UNICEF - including as Country Representative in Pakistan, Ghana and Liberia; Regional Director in the Middle-East and North Africa; Comptroller and CFO; and Deputy Executive Director for Management, and Field Results.  Mr. Abdi has a PhD in Development Economics.

Inger Ashing is Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Save the Children International. A respected child rights activist, Inger has been associated with Save the Children for more than 25 years, first serving as a youth advocate and later on the Boards of Save the Children Sweden and Save the Children International.

Prior to her appointment in September 2019, Inger was Director General at the Swedish Agency against Segregation, a Swedish government agency, where she worked to reduce segregation and social inequality, with a special focus on improving the situation in socio-economically disadvantaged areas.  

She has also served as the National Coordinator for Youth Not in Education or Employment for the Swedish Government, Deputy Director General of the Swedish Agency for Youth and Civil Society and the CEO of the Global Child Forum. Inger is also a member of the Ethics Council at The Swedish Migration Agency. She has been an expert to and board member of several authorities and committees such as the Delegation for Human Rights, the Swedish National Knowledge Centre on Violence against Children, the Delegation for the Employment of Young People and Newly Arrived Migrants, the Swedish Enforcement Authority, the National Board of Institutional Care, and the Monitoring Committee for The European Social Fund. 

Ayanda Makayi is a trained actor having attained an Honours Degree in live performance from AFDA, The South African School of Motion Picture Medium and Live Performance. Most would recognise him from one of his most recent and biggest roles as “Sol” on the multi-award winning international educational drama series MTV’s Shuga 5 - Down South, working alongside some of the greats that Africa has to offer.

In addition to acting, Ayanda has in turn gained experience working as a junior casting director for a prominent casting director in Johannesburg and is also a member of an innovative band that has taken the entertainment in the corporate world by storm – EcogrooveSA, where he plays music on wine glasses.

As Ayanda grows in the industry, he is also becoming more and more involved in numerous social initiatives ranging from MC’ing of live events, guest appearances, motivational talks at schools and universities and has been involved in a mentorship programme focusing on mentoring and empowering young boys.

After more than two decades as an international journalist in print and broadcast media in Africa and Europe, Sarah Crowe worked as a writer, communications expert for the UN and UNICEF in various parts of Africa, South Asia and as spokesperson for UNICEF Executive Director in New York.

Most recently, Sarah Crowe lead on communications European migration crisis, Ebola and polio emergencies. She is now based in Florence, Italy at the UNICEF Office of Research Innocenti as moderator of the Leading Minds series and other high level events.