Aliko Dangote is the owner of The Dangote Group, a West African conglomerate that includes the Dangote Sugar Refinery, Dangote Cement, and Dangote Flour. It has operations in Benin, Ghana, Nigeria and Togo. His success with The Dangote Group has warranted him the title of Africa’s wealthiest businessman.

He was named the Forbes Africa Person of the Year 2014. And in 2011 he was awarded Nigeria’s second highest honor, the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger by President Jonathan. In 2014 he assisted the Nigerian government in their fight against the spread of Ebola through a generous donation to support efforts.

Professor Jeffrey D. Sachs is a world-renowned professor of economics, leader in sustainable development, senior United Nations advisor, bestselling author, and syndicated columnist whose monthly newspaper columns appear in more than 80 countries. He has twice been named among Time Magazine‘s 100 most influential world leaders. Professor Sachs is the Director of the Earth Institute’s Center for Sustainable Development after serving as the Director of The Earth Institute since 1995. He is a Quetelet Professor of Sustainable Development and Health Policy and Management at Columbia University.

Professor Sachs is Special Advisor to UN Secretary-General António Guterres on the Sustainable Development Goals, having held a similar position under former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon and Kofi Annan. He is co-founder and Chief Strategist of Millennium Promise Alliance, and is director of the Millennium Villages Project.

Kerry Kennedy is a human rights activist and writer. Since 1988, she has been the President of the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights center and was the Executive Director of the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial until 1995. Since 1981 she has worked in over 60 countries serving as a champion for international human rights, with a focus on basic rights and justice for all, preservation of the rule of law, and women’s rights.

Through her work she regularly appears in the media and has been published in The Boston Globe, The Chicago Sun-Times, and The New York Times. She is the Honorary President of the Robert F. Kennedy Foundation of Europe, and is daughter of Robert F. Kennedy.

Mrs. Graça Machel is a Mozambican politician and humanitarian, most recognizable as the widow of former South African President Nelson Mandela and of Mozambican President Samor Machel. Since 1999 she has been the Chancellor of the University of Cape Town, currently serving her second term. She plays an active governance role in many organizations and has received numerous awards for her humanitarian work and international advocacy on behalf of women’s and children’s rights, such as being made a British dame in 1997.

In 2007, Mrs. Machel co-founded the formation of The Elders with Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu, an initiative that works globally on issues related to sustainable development, such as peace negotiations and human rights. And since 2013 she has been a Board Chair of The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health hosted by the World Health Organization.

Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki of the Republic of Niger is the Chief Executive Officer of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) Planning and Coordinating Agency. Between 1996 and 1997 he was successively appointed Minister in charge of African Integration and Cooperation and Minister of Foreign Affairs. From November 1997-January 2000, he served as Prime Minister. In August 2000, he set up the Analysis Center for Public Policy. From 2000 to 2004, Dr Mayaki was a guest Professor at the University of Paris XI where he led research at the Research Center on Europe and the Contemporary World.

He has also worked as a Professor of Public Administration in Niger and Venezuela. In 2004, he was appointed as the Executive Director of the Platform in support of Rural Development in West and Central Africa, the Rural Hub, based in Dakar, Senegal, from where he was recruited as Chief Executive Officer of the NEPAD Agency.

Dr. Betsee Parker is a philanthropist who has worked with Professor Jeffrey Sachs on a number of initiatives to scale efforts towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in East and West Africa. She has served on the advisory board of the One Million Community Health Workers Campaign and has contributed to programs in public health, agriculture, poverty reduction and economic development across Sub-Saharan Africa.

Dr. Parker is a patron of the arts, a conservationist, a historic preservationist, and a major sponsor of youth engagement in the United States. Additionally, she is an Episcopalian priest and is a professional equestrian at the national level.

Dr. Akinwumi Adesina is a development economist and the current President of the African Development Bank. Before joining the Bank he served as the Nigerian Agriculture Minister from 2010 to 2015. From 2008 to 2010 he was the Vice President of Policy and Partnerships for the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). And prior to this he worked as Associate Director for the Rockefeller Foundation for 10 years.

Dr. Adesina has written over 70 scholarly publications on policy, agricultural development and African development issues, and identifies as a practitioner with an “on-the-ground people focus” that is geared towards inclusive growth for Africa.

Mr. Claudio Descalzi has been Eni’s Chief Executive Officer since May 2014. He is a member of the General Board and of the Advisory Board of Confindustria and Director of Fondazione Teatro alla Scala. He is a member of the National Petroleum Council for 2016/2017. Mr. Descalzi joined Eni in 1981 as Oil & Gas field petroleum engineer and then became project manager for the development of North Sea, Libya, Nigeria and Congo. In 1990 he was appointed Head of Reservoir and operating activities for Italy.

In 1994, he was appointed Managing Director of Eni’s subsidiary in Congo and in 1998 he became Vice President & Managing Director of Naoc, a subsidiary of Eni in Nigeria. From 2000 to 2001 he held the position of Executive Vice President for Africa, Middle East and China. From 2002 to 2005 he was Executive Vice President for Italy, Africa, Middle East, covering also the role of member of the board of several Eni subsidiaries in the area. In 2005, he was appointed Deputy Chief Operating Officer of the Exploration & Production Division in Eni. From 2006 to 2014 he was President of Assomineraria and from 2008 to 2014 he was Chief Operating Officer in the Exploration & Production Division of Eni. From 2010 to 2014 he held the position of Chairman of Eni UK.