The Honorable James W. Symington
Formerly: Assistant to Attorney-General Robert Kennedy; Member of United States Congress from Missouri; and Chief of Protocol under President Lyndon Johnson. Currently: Partner of the Law Firm of Nossaman; Head of numerous Corporate Boards; and Chairman of the American-Russian Cultural Foundation.
Adeel Shah
Adeel Shah is CEO of Venture Force Global, (VFG) headquartered in Maryland, USA, and regional offices in Karachi and Dubai. He has a long, distinguished career in which he has designed and successfully executed strategic plans for international and domestic commercial firms. With an education in Business Administration and International Public Policy from the University of Johns Hopkins, he serves on various corporate boards including NGOs. He was also a Vice Chairman of the US-Pakistan Business Council and is an affiliate member of the US Chamber of Commerce in Washington, DC.
Amie Devero
Has been a strategy consultant and executive coach for over 25 years. The focus of her strategy work has been on the use of strategy mapping and balanced scorecards, a methodology invented by Robert Kaplan and David Norton at Harvard Business School. The unique approach that Amie developed (with her former business partner Francis Wade) incorporates core values and organizational culture into strategy, allowing for wholesale transformation of organizations bringing the entire organization, including every employee, into the strategy and the values that govern the culture. Amie is the author of Powered By Principle: Using Core Values to Build World-Class Organizations, which outlines the approach. This book is now incorporating new distinctions and the changes in business and technology that have taken place since its publication in 2007. Amie was educated at Bennington College and Harvard University, and holds two graduate degrees–one of which is from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Her current work focuses on the emerging technology sector with special focus on post-revenue start-ups.
M.G. Sri Ram Aiyer
Possesses extensive experience in economic development and emerging market economies during a career of over 31 years at the World Bank–holding several director-level positions in the Country and Technical departments covering East Asia and Latin America. Lately, his consulting assignments have included advising the governments of OECS countries, Afghanistan, India, China, Netherlands Antilles, and several others in the Caucuses and Africa on reforming corporate governance. He is fluent in Spanish, French, and Russian. Mr. Aiyer attained Masters degrees from Manchester University (Production Technology and Management) and holds a Ph.D. from Cornell University. He was also a participant in the Senior Executive Development Program at the Harvard Business School.
Jose B. Sokol
Has worked on macroeconomic, debt, fiscal policy, poverty, governance, trade and customs administration, quality assurance, and capacity building issues for about 35 years at the World Bank, first as a staff member and then as a consultant. Served as the World Bank’s Lead Economist for Latin America’s Southern Cone and Caribbean countries, as well as for West African ones. Led economic missions that advised country governments and authored numerous country and regional reports, and also co-authored two customs administration books. Led a major review on the Bank’s analytical work that included most developing country members. Was a consultant at the Inter-American Development Bank on Development Effectiveness. Began his professional career as an economist at the Planning Directorate of Panama where he became Director of Planning, Deputy Director General, Deputy Minister, and also Acting Minister of Planning and Economic Policy. When in government was a Board member of the National Banking Commission, Power Company, Telephone Company, and Civil Aeronautics Board, and also member of Cabinet. Mr. Sokol holds a B.A. from the University of Panama, an M.A. in Economics from the University of Chicago, and undertook PhD studies at the University of Chicago.
Evelyn Suarez
Evelyn Suarez advises companies engaged in international trade on customs, anti-corruption and trade policy matters. She has represented clients in all aspects of the supply chain including importers, customs brokers and transportation companies. She represents clients before all trade agencies, in litigation before the U.S. Court of International Trade, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and the U.S. Supreme Court and on legislative matters. She has led representation in high profile investigations, including the U.N. Volcker Committee and various U.S. Congressional investigations.
Ms. Suarez spent her early professional career at the U.S. International Trade Commission where she worked on antidumping and countervailing duty as well as Section 337 investigations and U.S. Customs, where she worked in both legal offices.
Ms. Suarez is a frequent speaker on customs and international trade topics, including supply chain issues, tariff and trade policy and U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA). She is a past President of the Association of Women in International Trade (WIIT) and serves on the Advisory Councils to George Washington University Center for International Business Education & Research and Georgetown University Law Center International Trade Update. She serves on the DC/ Virginia District Export Council.
She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Douglass College, Rutgers University and her Juris Doctorate from Georgetown University Law Center. She is a member of the DC Bar. She is proud to have received the Martindale-Hubbell Judicial AV Preeminent rating and is consistently listed in The Best Lawyers in America for International Trade and as a “Super Lawyer” in International Trade law in Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers magazine.