Plenary Topics:

Perspectives on the Global Pandemic Response and What’s Next

• Mark Suzman, CEO, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
• Raj Kumar, President and Editor-in-Chief, Devex

The Future of Development Finance and Trade in the COVID-19 Era

• Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Former Nigerian Minister of Finance and Gavi Board Member
• Raj Kumar, President and Editor-in-Chief, Devex

How Tech and Philanthropy are Transforming Development

• Alexandria Lafci, Co-Founder and COO, New Story
• Dr. Precious Moloi Motsepe, Co-Founder, Deputy Chairperson and CEO, Motsepe Foundation
• Neil Buddy Shah, Managing Director, GiveWell
• Moderator: Catherine Cheney, Senior Reporter and West Coast Correspondent, Devex

Coronavirus and the Economy: Preparing for the Next Pandemic

• David Malpass, President of the World Bank
• Raj Kumar, President and Editor-in-Chief, Devex

Deep Dive themes:

• 10:00 - 11:15 a.m ET Business Transforming Development
• 11:15 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. ET From Storytelling to Movement Building
• 12:30 - 1:45 p.m. ET Future of Development Finance
• 1:45 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET Innovation at Scale: From Pilots to Progress
• 3:00 - 4:15 p.m. ET Data Revolution

Workshops [Exclusive to Devex World attendees]:

• 9:30 - 10:45 a.m. ET Overcoming Barriers: Implementing Innovative Solutions for Maternal Health at Scale — Co-hosted by MSD for Mothers
• 9:30 - 10:45 a.m. ET Innovating to Strengthen Resilience — Co-hosted by RTI International
• 10:45 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. ET Scaling Disability-inclusive Tech Solutions — Co-hosted by CBM International
• 1:15 - 2:30 p.m. ET Dismantling Systemic Inequity in Development Through Racially-conscious Collaboration — Co-hosted by GHR Foundation

ASU Hackathon:

• 10:42 - 10:45 a.m. ET Business Transforming Development Winner Announcement
• 11:38 - 11:41 a.m. ET Communicating for Impact Winner Announcement
• 1:07 - 1:10 p.m. ET Future of Development Finance Winner Announcement
• 2:10 - 2:13 p.m. ET Innovation at Scale Winner Announcement
• 3:27 - 3:30 p.m. ET Data Revolution Winner Announcement

Sessions include:

How Businesses Can Build a Resilient, Sustainable Food System

• Dr. David Nabarro, Co-Director, Imperial College Institute of Global Health Innovation; Strategic Director, 4SD; and Special Envoy to the World Health Organization Director-General on COVID-19
• Alejandra Schrader, The Chef's Manifesto
• Eric Soubeiran, CSO/CEO, Danone Ecosystem Fund
• Cherrie De Erit Atilano, Founding Farmer/President & CEO, AGREA Agricultural System International, Inc.
• Moderator: Teresa Welsh, Reporter, Devex

MDBs and the Private Sector: Partners for Growth

• Mauricio Claver-Carone, President, Inter-American Development Bank
• Moderator: Teresa Wesh, Reporter, Devex

Low-tech, High Impact: Increasing Resilience of Small-Scale Poultry Producers in India

• Dr. Sushmita Parai, Sr. Program Manager, Animal Wellbeing, Heifer International
• Jason Shelton, Core Nutrition Director, Cargill
• Moderator: Alan Robbins, Executive Vice President and Co-Founder, Devex

Getting Moonshots Ready for the Real World

• Obi Felten, Head of Getting Moonshots Ready for Contact with the Real World, X
• Moderator: Catherine Cheney, Senior Reporter and West Coast Correspondent, Devex

Sessions include:

From Black Lives Matter to #EndSARS

• Rinu Oduala, Brand Strategist and Advocate for Humanity
• DeRay McKesson, Activist and Organizer

Revolution or Evolution? Achieving Diversity in Development.

• Janti Soeripto, President and CEO, Save the Children US
• Yvonne Arunga, Regional Programs and Operations Director for East and Central Africa, Save the Children
• Moderator: Kate Warren, Executive Vice President, Devex

The Other Side of Crisis: Building Movements for Transformational Change

• Paul O’Brien, Vice President, Oxfam America
• Nazanin Ash, Vice President, International Rescue Committee
• Loyce Pace, President and Executive Director, Global Health Council
• Moderator: Michael Igoe, Senior Reporter, Devex

Sessions include:

COVID-19, the SDGs, and the Development Finance Agenda

• Vera Songwe, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
• Eric LeCompte, Executive Director, Jubilee USA Network
• Geoffrey Okamoto, First Deputy Managing Director, International Monetary Fund
• Florian Kemmerich, Managing Partner, Bamboo Capital Partners
• Moderator: Adva Saldinger, Senior Reporter and Associate Editor, Devex

The Global COVID-19 Financial Response

• Peter Sands, Executive Director, The Global Fund
• Moderator: Adva Saldinger, Senior Reporter and Associate Editor, Devex

Leaving No-one Behind: Ensuring Financial Services for Women and Youth

• Papa Amadou Sarr, Minister and General Delegate for Entrepreneurship, Government of Senegal
• Moderator: Rumbi Chakamba, Associate Editor, Devex

Sessions include:

Applying the "Science of Where" to the SDG Agenda

• Jack Dangermond, Founder and President, Esri

The COVID Catalyst: Innovating Across Sectors for Improved Access to Vaccines

• Delese Mimi Darko, Chief Executive Officer, Ghana Food and Drugs Authority
• Ronald T. Piervincenzi, CEO, USP
• Stavros Nicolaou, Group Senior Executive, Strategic Trade, Aspen Pharmacare Holding Ltd.
• Moderator: Rebecca Root, Reporter and Editorial Associate, Devex

Innovation at Scale: Why We Are Failing and How to Turn it Around

• Rahul Chandran, CEO, Care Impact Partners
• Kevin Starr, Managing Director, Mulago Foundation
• Alexis Bonnell, Senior Business Executive and Emerging Technology Evangelist, Google Cloud
• Iyinoluwa "E" Aboyeji, General Partner & Co-Founder, Future Africa
• Moderator: Catherine Cheney, Senior Reporter and West Coast Correspondent, Devex

Why NGOs are Turning to Messaging Platforms to Meet People Where They Are

• Nmachi Jidenma, Global Strategy and Business Development, WhatsApp Inc.
• Moderator: Catherine Cheney, Senior Reporter and West Coast Correspondent, Devex

Sessions include:

Data-Driven in Development: What it Takes

• Harpinder Collacott, Executive Director, Development Initiatives
• Maria Ruth Jones, Coordinator DIME, World Bank
• Laura McGorman, Policy Lead, Data for Good, Facebook
• Moderator: Lisa Cornish, Senior Reporter, Devex

Lessons from Global Surgery: Promoting Local Empowerment Through Partnerships

• Susannah Schaefer, Executive Vice Chair, President & Chief Executive Officer, Smile Train
• Raj Kumar, President and Editor-in-Chief, Devex

Data Sharing in Development: Can it be Achieved Without Challenging Privacy and Human Rights?

• Shaida Badiee, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Open Data Watch
• Agnieszka Rawa, Managing Director, Data Collaboratives for Local Impact, Millennium Challenge Corporation
• Joe Cannataci, U.N. Special Rapporteur on the right to privacy
• Moderator: Lisa Cornish, Senior Reporter, Devex

Sessions include:

Climate Action: The Next Chapter

• Christiana Figueres, Costa Rican Diplomat and Former Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC


• Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, Environmental activist and President of the Association for Indigenous Women and Peoples of Chad
• Moderator: Deborah Charles, Managing Editor, Devex

Contemporary Politics in Crisis

• Rory Stewart, Senior Fellow, Jackson Institute, Yale University
• Raj Kumar, President and Editor-in-Chief, Devex

Innovation at Scale: Rethinking the Design of Higher Education

• Prof. Address Malata, Vice-Chancellor, Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST)


• Dr. Sanjeev Khagram, Director General and Dean of Thunderbird School of Global Management, and ASU Foundation Professor of Global Leadership
• Raj Kumar, President and Editor-in-Chief, Devex

What the U.S. Elections Mean for Development

• Mark Green, Executive Director, The McCain Institute at Arizona State University
• Raj Kumar, President and Editor-in-Chief, Devex

Feast or Famine? The Future of Pandemic Preparedness and Response

• Dr. Syra Madad, Senior Director, System-wide Special Pathogens Program, Emergency Management, Health & Safety Lead, Enhanced Investigations Unit, NYC Health + Hospitals
• Dr. Dennis Carroll, Senior Advisor for Global Health Security, URC and Chair, Global Virome Project
• Moderator: Jenny Lei Ravelo, Senior Reporter, Devex

Hashtag Our Stories: 5 Ways To Keep The Hope Alive

• Yusuf Omar, Co-Founder, Hashtag Our Stories

Demanding Democracy: At the Frontlines of Activism

• Nadya Tolokonnikova, Conceptual Artist, Political Activist, Founding Member of Pussy Riot
• Moderator: Natalie Donback, Reporter and Editorial Associate, Devex

The Middle Act: SDGs As a Roadmap for Change

• Richard Curtis, Screenwriter, Producer and Film Director
• Michael Igoe, Senior Reporter, Devex

Closing remarks:

• Raj Kumar, President and Editor-in-Chief, Devex

Entertainment [Exclusive to Devex World attendees]:

• Ladipoe, Rapper and Recording Artist