Agenda

A distinguished legal professional with an LLM and over 35 years of international experience across Europe, the Middle East, and the U.S. As the SI Director of Advocacy (2026-2027), she leads global efforts to ensure all women and girls’ voices are represented in high-level policy arenas, including the United Nations. She also serves as the SI centre contact to the UN in Geneva, and is the Vice-President of NGO CSW Geneva. Her expertise lies in navigating complex international frameworks to advocate for equal access to justice and a sustainable future.

Ambassador Alexander Kmentt is the Permanent Representative of Austria to the United Nations in Geneva. Over a thirty-year diplomatic career, he has built global recognition as a leading strategist in international security, disarmament, and multilateral cooperation.

Ambassador Kmentt is celebrated as a primary architect of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), having steered the historic "Humanitarian Initiative" and chaired its First Meeting of States Parties in 2022. He previously represented Austria on the European Union’s Political and Security Committee.

At the intersection of global security and emerging technology, Ambassador Kmentt plays a critical role in Geneva's multilateral ecosystem. He actively spearheads international diplomatic efforts and panels focused on the ethical, human rights, and humanitarian implications of Artificial Intelligence in the military domain. He holds the 2014 Arms Control Person of the Year award and the 2022 Seán MacBride Peace Prize.

Her Royal Majesty Queen Angelique-Monét Gureje-Thompson is the Queen Consort of Eti-Oni, Nigeria, and a pioneering multi-media artist specializing in cultural diplomacy and inclusive development. As President of the Eti-Oni Development Group, Her Majesty drives rural digital transformation, food security, and socio-economic empowerment across one of Africa’s oldest agricultural regions, directly advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

An acclaimed filmmaker and master ventriloquist, she has made history using storytelling and creative media to combat digital exclusion, bridge cultural divides, and promote youth education. As Founder of the AFI World Peace Initiative—which holds Special Consultative Status with the United Nations ECOSOC, she utilizes modern media channels and technology to foster global tolerance and equitable information ecosystems.

Recognized globally for her impactful work, Her Majesty became the first woman in history awarded the Gran Collare by the Associazione Cavalieri di San Silvestro Papa for her tireless advocacy in global humanitarian service and cultural diplomacy. At the WSIS Forum 2026 in Geneva, she champions the integration of cultural diversity and local content with emerging technologies, shaping a people-centered, inclusive digital future.

Tristan Van Thielen is CTO of Devoteam’s Google Cloud Business Unit in the Benelux and leads its EMEA AI Practice. A Google Cloud-certified Professional ML Engineer and AI Champion, he holds an M.S. in Computer Science (AI) from KU Leuven. Tristan advises organizations on AI strategy, leads high-performing ML teams, establishes best practices, and brings extensive expertise in MLOps, model development, data strategy, and responsible AI. As a prominent voice in AI innovation and governance, he recently moderated a United Nations workshop on AI’s influence on gender equality and sustainable development.

Karolien Vanhuffel is a global cybersecurity leader and digital risk expert with over 15 years of experience securing complex enterprise landscapes. Currently she serves as a Global Director Digital Risk Management at Becton Dickinson.

As a Board Director for ISACA Belgium, she spearheads the SheLeadsTech initiative to bridge the gender gap and empower women in technology leadership. A prominent industry advocate, she volunteers on international forums to drive inclusive innovation.

Full professor of Design at the Department of Design at the Politecnico di Milano. Teaching UX Design at the MSc on Digital and Interaction Design. Member of the Scientific Committee of the Design Department of Politecnico di Milano, also coordinator of the department section on Services, Products, Strategies.

Her main interests are user-centred design methodologies for interaction and service design; design research for innovation, and AI. She also conducts research in systemic design and gender studies. A published author with over 110 papers in international scientific journals and conference proceedings, and six books.