Peter Burdin is the BBC’s former Africa Bureau Chief. He has thirty-five years experience as a senior editorial leader in the BBC’s International News operation and has worked extensively in Africa, the Middle East, Europe, the Indian sub-continent and Asia from where he has covered numerous major international news stories. He has won several Sony Awards for his news and documentary programmes, including the war in Bosnia, the Tiananmen Square protests, South Africa’s first democratic elections and the funeral of President Nelson Mandela. Peter is currently an Advisor to BBC Africa and is lecturing in International Journalism at universities in the UK and Africa.
Christopher Goodwin is a former army officer and has served in Cyprus, England, Germany and Northern Ireland. He later had a career in international banking at Commerzbank, in England, Germany and Hungary. He moved on to International Financial Services, London (formerly British Invisibles) and was responsible for promoting The City of London to Central and Eastern Europe, countries of the former Soviet Union and Latin America. He has worked as a Consultant for Official Monetary Financial Institutions, an economic Think-tank, and was a Board Member of the British Croatian Chamber of Commerce and Association of Economic Representatives in London. He has also been a Diplomatic Consultant at The Royal Garden Hotel and The Langham, and has developed close contacts with several West London hotels. On the diplomatic front he maintains close connections with many Embassies and High Commissions in London. He is fluent in German, a linguist in French and some colloquial Hungarian. He is a Deputy Lieutenant of Greater London.
Alan Houmann was from 2007-2023 Managing Director and Head of Government Affairs for Europe, Middle East and Africa at Citi, in London, with a focus on regulatory and legislative policy, tax, sanctions and political analysis. Previously he was an adviser in the International Strategy and Policy Department at the UK’s Financial Services Authority (FSA); and Deputy at the Committee of European Banking Supervisors, in London. He started his career at HM Treasury, within the Government Economic Service. He has also held roles in Brussels and the European Commission (EC) and with the Economic and Financial Committee (EFC), and as adviser at the European Banking Federation (EBF); He is a Council (Board) member at Chatham House (Royal Institute of International Affairs), EDI lead, and member of various committees, as well as Chair of the City of London’s Anglo-French Dialogue with Paris Europlace. He was awarded the Freedom of the City of London in 2022.
Craig Kelly is the Founder and CEO of Iconic Media Solutions, a London based media and publishing house and a Senior Communications Adviser to the partnership. Craig has 15 years experience working with some of the world’s best known international brands to create effective business and media strategies with a focus on branding and communications. Through Iconic Craig heads up several international trade and business events such as China Britain Trade Expo, MENA Britain Trade Expo and ALL Mediation Conference with such sponsors as the Guangdong Government, Barclays, Egyptian Government, FIPA, CMC, BDO, SpecialistInfo and the House of Lords. Iconic Media Solutions also publishes leading industry journals and trade publications such as Luxury of London, UK Mediation Journal and Medico-Legal Magazine.
Yuri Poluneev served as a Director of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the National Bank of Ukraine, Member of the Ukrainian Parliament, and author of 13 books and over 100 professional articles on economics and finance.
