Jean-Louis is a seasoned development and humanitarian professional with extensive expertise in Social Protection, Climate Resilience, Disability Inclusion, Research, Evaluation, and Capacity-Building. At the International Labour Organization (ILO), Jean-Louis served as Chief Technical Adviser managing large scale social protection programs in Africa and Asia, notably leading initiatives on universal health coverage, social protection floors, and climate adaptive social protection, with donors including IrishAid, the French Development Agency (AFD), and EU-backed initiatives.
Previously, Jean-Louis contributed significantly to humanitarian and advocacy efforts as a Human Security Adviser for ActionAid International, operating across the Latin America and Caribbean region. He coordinated community-based resilience activities and evidence-based advocacy programs, working extensively in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Central America and Brazil.
Jean-Louis also played a critical cross-sectoral role with LuxDev, particularly in Cape Verde and Rwanda, where he strengthened Health and Environmental governance through institutional capacity building and technical advise including by facilitating national coordination mechanisms, and leading strategic evaluations to support sector-based decision making.
Jean-Louis is fluent in French and English, has working fluency in Portuguese and in Spanish. He holds master’s degrees in Development Studies and Journalism, complemented by several professional certifications, in impact evaluation, disability inclusion, and knowledge management.
Siku is an expert with over 6 years of project management and filedwork experience in Climate Action, Nature-based Solutions, and Social Advocacy across Sub-Saharan Africa. Fluent in English, she has worked with organizations such as UNICEF and CSPR, driving impactful
change in child rights governance and climate resilience. Walusiku played a key role in Zambia’s first-ever child-led Voluntary National Review and has led initiatives focused on disaster risk financing and climate-resilient food systems. She is passionate about advancing inclusive, equitable solutions and has a deep understanding of the region’s unique challenges. Her work continues to foster innovation and collaboration in tackling climate and development issues.
Olivier holds a degree in development economics. He has worked as a project manager and scholar at the Centre for International Development and Research (CIDR), as well as at the International Labour Office (ILO). He now works as a consultant, based in Senegal, specializing in the field of social protection. In his recent endeavors, Olivier has served as a consultant for the ILO and the World Bank, providing insights into social protection mechanisms across the region.
With thirty years of experience, he brings a broad expertise in the feasibility, implementation, and evaluation of national social protection programmes and systems, both contributory and non contributory, with a particular focus on extending coverage to the informal economy and the Just Transition. Olivier has extensive geographical experience in West Africa and is a native French speaker.
Dr. Djordje (“Djo”) Gikic is a public health physician with over 20 years of experience in global health systems, strategic prioritization, and program management. He completed a medical degree at the University of Geneva Faculty of Medicine, and a Master of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University.
Throughout his career, Dr. Gikic has held leadership positions in various organizations. He has worked as a project manager at the World Bank, focusing on health reform, and at the World Health Organization (WHO), concentrating on immunization programs. Additionally, he served as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company, advising clients on health financing and health reform strategies.
Dr. Gikic’s extensive field experience includes serving as the Country Director for the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) in Rwanda, where he worked on health system strengthening. He also contributed to establishing a model health district in Madagascar with Pivot, an affiliate of Partners In Health.
In addition to his professional roles, Dr. Gikic serves on the Advisory Council of Bulamu Healthcare, an organization dedicated to improving healthcare in Uganda.
Stefan Urban is a social affairs economist with extensive experience in social protection, public finance, and labor market analysis, currently based in Viet Nam. He holds a master’s degree in economics, focusing on labor market and development economics. As a Social Protection Financing Expert at the International Labour Organization, Stefan co-authored the reference publication, “Fiscal Space for Social Protection: A Handbook for Assessing Financing Options,” released in November 2019. His expertise ncludes assessing financing gaps, developing strategies to extend social protection coverage, and evaluating the sustainability of social protection programs.
Most recently, Stefan has served as a Social Affairs Economist at the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP), where he contributed to policy development and analysis in social protection and labor markets. Stefan’s career reflects a steadfast commitment to enhancing social protection systems and promoting equitable economic development. His analytical acumen and strategic insights continue to contribute significantly to policy formulation and implementation within the UN framework.
Gricha Lepointe is a seasoned international cooperation professional with over 25 years of extensive experience leading missions and managing projects across various sectors, including health, education, social protection, rural development, and vocational training. His career includes both development and humanitarian work, with funding from major international donors such as the European Union, Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), USAID, United Nations, and Luxembourg Cooperation.
Gricha possesses specialized expertise in cross-sectoral approaches, notably resilience, the humanitarian-development-peace nexus, disaster risk reduction (DRR), climate change adaptation (CCA), social cohesion, and peacebuilding. He has spent more than a decade providing strategic counsel and technical support to strengthen political and institutional dialogues, demonstrating robust analytical capabilities and strategic planning skills.
His notable positions include Country Representative and Team Leader roles with UNICEF in Haiti, or with Lux-Development in Cape Verde and Rwanda, or in Burundi, for IBF International Consulting on a European Union-funded resilience initiative, supervising technical assistance for a €120 million program across health, rural development, nutrition, gender equality, and DRR. His consultancy work includes missions in Mauritania for LINPICO/EU, advising the development of national humanitarian strategies, and in Morocco with Ginger International, leading health crisis preparedness projects. Additionally, Gricha has authored and contributed to multiple technical and procedural manuals focusing on security management, results-based management, hospital planning, disaster risk management, and psychosocial support.
Gricha holds a Master’s degree in Management and Business Administration from Université de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour, a postgraduate diploma in Human Rights from Université d’Évry-Val d’Essonne, and a diploma from École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales in Sociology. Fluent in French (C2), Portuguese (C1), English (C1), Spanish (C1), and Haitian Creole (B2), Gricha’s geographical expertise spans West Africa, Central Africa, the Caribbean, and beyond,
Felix Mwenge is a distinguished social policy expert from Zambia, renowned for his ability to leverage diagnostics and evidence to enhance the impact of social policy programs on vulnerable populations. He holds a Master of Public Health (MPH) specializing in Health Economics from the University of Cape Town and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Zambia.
Felix has served as a Research Fellow in the Human Development Unit of the Zambia Institute for Policy Analysis and Research (ZIPAR). He has also worked as a Country Economist for the International Growth Centre (IGC) Zambia and as a Health Financing Analyst for the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) in Pretoria, focusing on health expenditure analysis and alternative health financing options. Currently, Felix coordinates the regional social protection capacity building initiative TRANSFORM at the International Labour Organization (ILO), based in Zambia. In this role, he continues to contribute significantly to the advancement of social protection and policy development in the region.