ANH THU DUONG
Co-Director, Policy and Partnerships
Before joining the Global Cities Hub, Anh Thu has worked 15 years at the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), where she contributed to the multilateral engagement of Switzerland with the United Nations and other International Organizations.
She has extensive diplomatic multilateral expertise and robust negotiation skills in human rights and humanitarian affairs. During her tenure at the Swiss FDFA, she was seconded to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and to the Presidency of the Human Rights Council.
Anh Thu holds an Executive Master in International Law in Armed Conflict from the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, a Master degree in International Relations from the Graduate Institute of International Studies and a Master of Arts in Politics and International Relations from the University of New South Wales, Australia.
KAMELIA KEMILEVA
Co-Director, Programmes and Administration
Kamelia, holding an MBA, has in-depth experience in executive administration of non-profit organisations. She is also a lawyer, specialized in Swiss law relevant to international organisations and international public law, including expertise on the United Nations.
She has also a direct experience of intergovernmental multilateral negotiation and diplomacy.
Before joining the Global Cities Hub, Kamelia was Executive Manager at the Geneva Academy. Before this she worked as Special Assistant to the President of the UN Human Rights Council for three years. She was also a Visiting Programme Director at Wilton Park, a forum which challenges existing ideas, generates new ones, and is expertly facilitated. Previously to that, she worked at the Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the United Nations Office in Geneva.
Before moving to the public sector, Kamelia worked for two years in the private sector in a Geneva-based private bank as a compliance officer. She’s a part-time Senior Consultant in axlr.ch. AxLR supports companies, international organizations and governments, both local and national in their professional projects through consultancy, coaching and skills training.
PAULINE LEROY
Communication Officer
Holding a Master degree in Journalism and Communication from the University of Geneva, Pauline gained first work experience in International Organizations in Geneva at the United Nations Office at Geneva and the World Health Organization. She also worked at the Republic and State of Geneva, where she served as Communications and Administration Assistant for the Office of International Geneva.
Pauline also worked in the private sector in a Swiss German based merchandising company as Sales Support and Customer Service Manager.
As Communication Officer at the Global Cities Hub, she keeps the website updated, animates the social media and supports the team with online events and the visual identity.
ANDRÀS SZORÉNYI PH.D.
Senior Policy Advisor
András joined the Global Cities Hub after 20 years of distinguished diplomatic career. He worked in different capacities in Brussels, covering EU affairs, Washington D.C. dealing with bilateral relations and in Geneva, working with the United Nations and other International Organizations. He has first-hand experience of negotiating in the European Union and the UN system as well as conceptualizing and implementing diplomatic initiatives on a wide variety of issues.
With a deep knowledge of international relations, he always focuses on new global developments and emerging challenges. He has a broad understanding of the engagement of non-state actors on multi-stakeholder platforms. He has been particularly interested in the increasing influence of non-state actors on the development of international relations since his Ph.D. research.
András holds a Ph.D. in International Economics from Corvinus University, a DEA in Comparative Political Sciences from Sciences Po Paris and a Master degree in International Relations from the University of Economics in Budapest.