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GIM Members

Members of the Geneva Innovation Movement (GIM) benefit are part of a network of innovators from the public sector, academia and International Organizations. Members benefit from privy access to our cross-sectoral knowledge sharing platform, our network building and knowledge translating events, our actionable research insights and curated publications, and our training programs.

GIM members are innovators in their field and inspire new ideas and collaborations, support each other, share insights and can join forces to promote further innovation. It is the network of like-minded individuals who are looking to enact change and facilitate the cross-organizational and cross-sectoral collaborations and learning. They are the people who establish innovation as a force for good in society.

Everyone who is interested in innovation as a force for good can become a member.

 

How to become a member

If you want to be part of this network, join the Movement! The membership fee for individuals is CHF200 per year and is available for everyone who is interested in innovation as a force for good.

To become a member of the Geneva Innovation Movement, please send us a short message. We will contact you as soon as possible to finalize the process.

Board Members

Nan Buzard

Head of Innovation at International Committee of the Red Cross – ICRC

Visionary and expert in innovation in the humanitarian sector. Innovating to do things better and achieve greater impact while anticipating and preparing for unknown futures in a changing world. She has extensive experience in humanitarian action both in the field and at headquarters, and was recognised as a Champions of Change under the Obama administration.

“Innovation is special – it’s a wonderful mix of evidence-based methodologies, thoughtful engagement with multiple stakeholeders, and wild curiosity”

Susanna Swann

Chief Human Resources Officer at Genève Aéroport

Thought leader and seasoned manager of international public and not-for-profit organisations. Extensive experience in strategic HR management and in leading humanitarian programmes and projects in conflict and post-conflict situations. Believer in strengthening organisational effectiveness and efficiency through investing in people and systems. Managing transformations as an aspiring and conscious leader.

“In a fast changing, complex world, innovation is essential for organizations, to ensure their relevance and effectiveness in carrying out their mission. I am keen to explore how we can support organisations on their learning journey as they seek to foster and embrace innovative approaches.’’

Thomas Neufing

Chief of the Centre for Learning and Multilingualism at the United Nations Office at Geneva

Leader in learning and talent development focusing particularly on leadership and management development programmes. Chief Learning Officer in different international organizations globally after various UN humanitarian and peacekeeping assignments.

“I am fascinated by the energy and innovative spirit created in international organizations when more autonomy and flexibility is possible. Helping leaders and managers to create the right environment is my contribution for innovation.”

Founding Members

Vic Van Vuuren

Director HolaVic Consulting, formerly Director of the Enterprises Department at International Labour Organization

Chair of the Partnership for Action in the Green Economy and the United Nations Task Force of the Social and Solidarity Economy (UNTFSSE) and a board member of the Business Coalition on Social and Human Capital. Promotes Decent Work by supporting sustainable enterprises and strengthening the institutions and governance systems which nurture enterprises. Currently Director at HolaVic, consulting Government, NGO and Business globally.

“With the complex nature of the challenges we face the only way we can remain ahead of the game is to be continually creative and innovative in both process and content”.

Stephan Mergenthaler (Dr.)

Head of Strategic Intelligence, Member of the Executive Committee and at the World Economic Forum

Oversees the Forum’s global expert and innovator networks as well as its strategic analysis capacity on global trends. Prior to joining the Forum, he worked as Research Associate and Non-Resident Fellow at the Global Public Policy Institute (GPPi) in Berlin and as researcher at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in London.

Sebastian Buckup (Dr.)

Head of the Executive Committee of the World Economic Forum and Head of the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Global Network

Senior executive with 15+ years’ experience of leading high performing interdisciplinary teams across offices in Geneva, New York, Beijing, and San Francisco; currently heading Network and Partnerships in the World Economic Forum Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Prior to that, leading the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meetings in Davos and China, as well as its global expert communities; certified facilitator, public speaker, regular commentator on issues at the intersection of technology, society, and the economy; Professor of Practice at the University of Geneva and the Technical University of Munich, amongst others.

“Most societal challenges transcend the boundaries of sectors and nation states and require leaders to foster new partnerships and alliances”

Ramya Krishnaswamy

Head of Institutional Communities, Member of the Executive Committee at World Economic Forum

Seasoned thought leader on connecting private sector to social goals; Orchestrator of global public-private movements on Environmental, Social and Governance solutions and sustainability across the Sustainable Development Goals

 

“There is a significant potential for new and market based solutions to deliver across the SDGs, especially in sustaining life on our planet. I am particularly interested in catalyzing innovation in the nexus of nature and technology. Its so hard for people to put a value on nature and without innovation and new solutions, we are going to lose the variety and complexity of species on the planet, and there will be no turning back.”

Pradeep Kakkattil

Co-Founder of Health Innovation Exchange (HIEx), former Direction of Office of Innovation at UNAIDS.

Global health and innovations leader. Social Innovator and intrapreneur. Co-founder of “Health Innovation Exchange” (HIEx) – a platform connecting political leadership with innovators and investors for healthcare access. Co-creator of the “Solar for Health” initiative to bring solar solutions for health sector; Co-founder of the Technical Support Facility (TSF), the largest TA mechanism of the UN in HIV.

Michèle Joanisse

Director at Fondation CHUV, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois | Lausanne university hospital

Certified Fundraising Executive, she aims to build a vibrant foundation to support clinical research projects, teaching and patient care at the hospital. With more than 25 years of experience in the not for profit sector, she shares her knowledge with various organizations to strengthen their philanthropic programs.

“Creating meaningful and lasting partnerships by bringing people with a common vision to advance the field of health for all”

Katherine Milligan

Director at the Collective Change Lab

Supporter of leading social entrepreneurs and student start-up teams, sought-after speaker and coach. Adjunct Faculty at the Graduate Institute and University of Geneva, awarded as a “Top 100 Women in Social Entrepreneurship” awarded by the Euclid Network, an elea Fellow at IMD Business School, an Accelerate2030 Advisory Council Member, an Unreasonable Mentor, and a board member of Social Impact Award.

“I am passionate about helping social entrepreneurs and social innovation leaders achieve the full potential of their ideas.”

Julian Fleet (Dr.)

Permanent Observer at International Development Law Organization (ret.) (formerly UNHCR, UNAIDS, UNDP, WHO)

Led IDLO’s engagement in Geneva, working closely with UN agencies, governments and civil society, representing the only global intergovernmental organization exclusively devoted to promoting the rule of law in the service of peace, human rights and sustainable development.

“Many international organizations resist change. Yet the status quo – whether in internal processes or external programming – is limiting their impact. Innovation is key for these publicly funded institutions to operate efficiently and ultimately to advance towards their vision of a more peaceful, fairer world and a healthier, more diverse planet. Innovation – and sometimes giant steps, not just incremental measures – is essential.”

Elina Viitaniemi

Director at ESCA CancerSupport; former Global Health and Innovation Expert at UNAIDS; Co-Founder and manager of the Health Innovation Exchange (HIEx).

Experienced international professional, directing a Swiss cancer supper organization. Connecting governments and health response implementers to relevant new technologies and innovations, and supporting the sustainable scale-up and financing of new technologies for health. Skilled at creating connections and facilitating partnerships, passionate about creating transformation at a human level through through kindness, respect and a profound inner change.

“I believe in the power of connection and collaboration in sparking innovation. The more we reach across different sectors and stakeholders, the more creative and richer our approach to the SDGs will be, allowing us to better propel the change we want to see in the world”

Advisory Board

Michael Møller

Former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, Former Director-General of the United Nations Office in Geneva and Secretary-General of the Conference of Disarmament, with over 40 years of experience as an international civil servant.

He served as the Executive Director of the Kofi Annan Foundation from 2008 to 2011, and is now member of the Board of the Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator Foundation, Senior Adviser to Macro Advisory Partners, Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Geneva Graduate Institute in Geneva, Member of the Executive Board of the Kofi Annan Foundation, Member of the Board of One Young World, Honorary President of Art for the World, Honorary Chairman of Greycells and member of the Advisory Boards of a number of other Foundations.`

Born in 1952 in Copenhagen, Denmark, Michael earned a Master’s degree in International Relations from Johns Hopkins University, and a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the University of Sussex.

Tina Ambos (Prof. Dr.)

Professor of International Management at the Geneva School of Economics and Management (GSEM); Director of the Center for Innovation & Partnership, University of Geneva

Tina C. Ambos is Professor of International Management at the Geneva School of Economics and Management (GSEM), University of Geneva and Academic Director of the International Organisations MBA (www.iomba.ch). She is also the Director of the Center for Innovation and Partnerships (UNIGE).

Tina’s research and teaching interests include knowledge management, innovation and strategic management of internationally dispersed organizations. During her career she has worked with several multinational corporations, entrepreneurial technology firms, and international organizations on research and consulting projects.

“We have an opportunity to emerge from the global crisis as a stronger, more resilient International Geneva – through increased cross-sectoral collaboration and critical skills for innovation”

Corinne Momal – Vanian

Executive Director at the Kofi Annan Foundation

Experienced diplomat with a demonstrated history of leading teams, managing change, encouraging innovation and promoting gender equality, diversity and inclusion. Fully bilingual professional skilled in communication, external relations, partnership building, diplomacy, political analysis, strategic planning and conference and event management.

“The pace of technological -as well as social- change is accelerating. We can no longer rely on yesterday’s solutions to solve tomorrow’s problems, and we can no longer ignore young people’s ideas and skills. Working on innovation is about breaking down hierarchies and silos so that everybody can contribute to developing the projects and policies we need to overcome our local and global challenges”.

Management

Katherine Tatarinov (Dr.)

Founding member and Managing Director of the Geneva Innovation Movement, Research Director at the Center for Innovation & Partnerships at the University of Geneva, and a lecturer at Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL).

Expert in Intrapreneurship and Social Innovation in International Organizations with experience in improving tech productivity in SMEs. Passionate about social innovation, digital transformation, and solving grand challenges through innovative thinking.

“I see a world of possibilities to bring together change agents from the Geneva Ecosystem – to build on each other’s failures and successes and learn continuously. Our shared vision and drive can enact unprecedented change.”

Iris Dieleman

Chief Operations & Finance Officer at Geneva Innovation Movement

Energetic and versatile personality with extensive experience in Financial Operations and Project Management. Determined and creative, with strong analytical capabilities. Used to managing multiple schedules and putting plans into action.

“I believe that the energy of the Geneva Innovation Movement and its drive to continuously innovate will help us to reach the SDGs and manage our planet better”
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