Events
Consulting Without Borders LIVE - Perspectives, Episode 8: Consulting in Kazakhstan: One Consultant’s Story
Tune in to the replay of the 8th episode of the Gabriel Al-Salem Foundation's series "Consulting Without Borders LIVE - Perspectives," in which we feature prominent international consultants and experts promoting professional excellence and building a sustainable future.
On October 1, 2022 at 13:00 GMT, we were delighted to welcome Valentina Grigoryeva (Kazakhstan), Certified Management Consultant specializing in organizational development, corporate strategy, and management and personnel growth. Valentina is also a highly acclaimed business trainer with a focus on leadership and management skills; specifically, she is an accredited trainer of the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and International Council for Management Consulting Institutes (ICMCI).
Valentina has worked as a management consultant since 2003 and implemented over 60 consulting projects and hundreds of business trainings in Central Asia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Romania, Macedonia and Russia.
Since 2010, Valentina has been the Chairman of the Professional Development Committee in the Kazakhstan Chamber of Management Consultants (CMC Kazakhstan). She has also served as an expert assessor for CMC Certification. CMC Kazakhstan won the Gabriel Al-Salem International Award for Excellence in Consulting in 2013.
Valentina will share her personal story of becoming a consultant in Kazakhstan and how she grew to be one of the founders and leaders of CMC Kazakhstan.
You will learn:
- How the consulting industry in Kazakhstan progressed from a small group of scattered consultants (who didn’t even fully realize they were consultants), to a professional nationwide organization with deep international connections;
- How partnerships played an important role in CMC Kazakhstan’s ultimate success;;
- How challenges shaped CMC Kazakhstan into a highly valued consultants’ hub, which promotes professional excellence and provides outstanding support to its members and the Central Asia consulting community
Watch the replay here:
Consulting Without Borders LIVE - Perspectives, Episode 7: Kyrgyzstan’s Green Economy Model: From One Consultant’s Idea to a National Program
Welcome to the Gabriel Al-Salem Foundation's live series "Consulting Without Borders - Perspectives," in which we feature prominent international consultants and experts engaging in work related to global challenges.
On September 1, 2022, we were delighted to welcome Dr. Azamat Temirkulov, developer of the Green Economy Model of Kyrgyzstan. He is also Department Head at the President’s Administration, where he leads the development and implementation of the Model. In the past, Azamat worked as an analytical expert at the Security Council of the Kyrgyz Republic and as an Associate Professor at the American University of Central Asia. Azamat earned his PhD in Political Science from the Institute for Peace and Security Research (IFSH) at Hamburg University.
Azamat is a winner of the Gabriel Al-Salem International Award for Excellence in Consulting (2019) in the category "Green Economy."
Azamat shared the story of the Green Economy Model of Kyrgyzstan, specifically:
- How the Green Economy Model was created and its importance for the development of Kyrgyzstan;
- How the Green Economy Model was successfully promoted in the Kyrgyzstan government, the Parliament, mass media and the public, making it a national program;
- Current achievements in the Model’s implementation.
Watch the replay here:
Consulting Without Borders LIVE - Perspectives, Episode 6: Resilience: From an Individual to a Society
Welcome to the 6th episode of the Gabriel Al-Salem Foundation's live series "Consulting Without Borders - Perspectives," in which we feature prominent international consultants and experts engaging in work related to global challenges.
On August 1, 2022, we were delighted to talk to Sanjay Saxena, Managing Director of Total Synergy Consulting based out of New Delhi India and providing consulting services for development sector projects worldwide.
Sanjay has worked on more than 150 development projects in 35 countries with ADB, World Bank, African Development Bank, UNDP, UNOPS, UNICEF, DFID, DFAT, JBIC, etc. He is a Fellow Cost and Management Accountant (ICWA), holds an international Post Graduate Diploma in Urban Management and Planning, and advanced Diplomas in Computer Software Applications. Sanjay has worked extensively in four areas – Governance, e-Governance, Public Financial Management (PFM) and Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E). He has published over 170 books on e-governance, MIS and ICT, which are used by over 700 colleges and universities in India as course material for graduate and post graduate levels.During the broadcast on August 1, Sanjay will share insights into his 30-year consulting career managing multi-disciplinary international teams and engaging with a range of public, private, community and non-governmental stakeholders for the successful design and implementation of various projects and programs.
During the show Sanjay specifically addressed the issue of Resilience and why it matters in consulting practice and individual and societal life. The conversation focused on:
- How sudden shocks, intense events and calamities in our world disrupt the balance of life, both for individuals and for societies;
- How to plan for mitigating the risks and developing the ability to deal with adverse events for survival and well-being of all those who are impacted; and
- How to find ways to cope and accept what has happened, adapt, and move forward constructively.
Watch the replay here:
Consulting Without Borders Live - Perspectives Episode 5: Consulting in Ukraine: War and Peace
Welcome to the Gabriel Al-Salem Foundation's live series "Consulting Without Borders - Perspectives," in which we feature prominent international consultants and experts engaging in work related to global challenges.
On July 1, 2022 we were delighted to welcome Elena Yuzkova, who joined us from Kyiv, Ukraine in a conversation on consulting, leadership, business, and volunteering in Ukraine during the war.
Elena is a Certified Management Consultant (CMC) and Vice-President of the Institute of Management Consultants of Ukraine. She is also a business coach, facilitator, and mediator with over 20 years of experience. Elena teaches at MIM-Kyiv Business School and is the founder and CEO of “The Epoch of International Education.”
Under Nurzat’s leadership, the UNISON Group has implemented over 40 successful projects in Central Asia. In 2020, it won the Gabriel Al-Salem International Award for Excellence in Consulting in the category "Green Economy and Environmental Protection" for the project “Stimulating energy conservation and resource efficiency in the private residential and business sector in the Kyrgyz Republic by building national green finance capacities.”
During the broadcast on July 1, Elena talked about her consulting career, as well as:
- Insights into 100+ days of the 8-year war in Ukraine;
- Management consulting in Ukraine: challenges and unique opportunities;
- Volunteering and charitable initiatives by Ukrainian local businesses.
Watch the replay here:
Please donate to support the Ukrainian charity Благодійний фонд "Омріяна Країна here:
https://secure.wayforpay.com/donate/d000b09085439
Euro:
Банки кореспонденти/Correspondent banks
Рахунок у банку-кореспонденті/Account in the correspondent bank
400886700401
SWIFT Code банку-кореспондента/SWIFT Code of the correspondent bank
COBADEFF
Банк-кореспондент/Correspondent bank
Commerzbank AG, FRANKFURT am Main, Germany
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Рахунок у банку-кореспонденті/Account in the correspondent bank
6231605145
SWIFT Code банку-кореспондента/SWIFT Code of the correspondent bank
CHASDEFX
Банк-кореспондент/Correspondent bank
J.P.MORGAN AG, FRANKFURT AM MAIN, GERMANY
USD:
Реквізити підприємства/Company details
Назва підприємства/company Name
ОК ФОНД БО
IBAN Code
UA713052990000026002036226224
Назва банку/Name of the bank
JSC CB «PRIVATBANK», 1D HRUSHEVSKOHO STR., KYIV, 01001, UKRAINE
SWIFT code банку/Bank SWIFT code
PBANUA2X
Адреса підприємства/Company address
UA 01010 м.Київ, вул.Московська, б.23
Банки кореспонденти/Correspondent banks
Рахунок у банку-кореспонденті/Account in the correspondent bank
001-1-000080
SWIFT Code банку-кореспондента/SWIFT Code of the correspondent bank
CHASUS33
Банк-кореспондент/Correspondent bank
JP Morgan Chase Bank, New York, USA
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Рахунок у банку-кореспонденті/Account in the correspondent bank
890-0085-754
SWIFT Code банку-кореспондента/SWIFT Code of the correspondent bank
IRVT US 3N
Банк-кореспондент/Correspondent bank
The bank of New York Mellon, New York, USA
Consulting Without Borders - Perspectives, Episode 4: Green Consulting in Central Asia.
Welcome to the Gabriel Al-Salem Foundation's live series "Consulting Without Borders - Perspectives," in which we feature prominent international consultants and experts engaged in work related to global challenges.
On June 1, 2022 we were delighted to welcome Ms. Nurzat Abdyrasulova from the Kyrgyz Republic as our guest in a conversation on renewable energy systems, energy efficiency, climate change, environmental sustainability, and good governance in Central Asia.
Nurzat is the Founder and President of the UNISON Group, a professional think tank and civil society organization specializing in providing sustainable solutions in the areas of energy governance, sustainable and renewable energy supply, energy efficiency, green technology, green finance, climate change mitigation, and water and environment. The UNISON Group was founded in 2002 in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan and is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.
Under Nurzat’s leadership, the UNISON Group has implemented over 40 successful projects in Central Asia. In 2020, it won the Gabriel Al-Salem International Award for Excellence in Consulting in the category "Green Economy and Environmental Protection" for the project “Stimulating energy conservation and resource efficiency in the private residential and business sector in the Kyrgyz Republic by building national green finance capacities.”
During the broadcast on June 1, Nurzat talked about her consulting experience as well as:
- 20 years of green economy achievements and challenges in Central Asia;
- Sustainable energy financing and energy saving activities in Kyrgyzstan;
- “The Green Alliance of Kyrgyzstan” and its role in connecting NGOs, the academic sector, and the business community.
Watch the replay here:
Consulting Without Borders - Perspectives, Episode 3: Green Energy Research and Consulting
On May 1, 2022 we aired the 3rd episode of the Gabriel Al-Salem Foundation's live series "Consulting Without Borders - Perspectives," in which we feature prominent international consultants and experts doing work related to global challenges.
We were delighted to have Roman Vakulchuk (Norway), Head of Center for Energy Research at Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI), as our guest for a conversation on green energy research, climate change and consulting.
Roman is a researcher and consultant specializing in emerging markets, energy, and climate change. He has extensive experience in project management, fundraising, market foresight, investment consulting, and establishing business networks in Central Asia. Roman is leading the climate team at NUPI and is responsible for developing an internal climate and environmental policy at the institute. He has led various projects funded by international organizations, including the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank, German Development Cooperation, and Global Development Network.
Roman holds a PhD degree in Economics from Jacobs University Bremen, Germany. He is a member of the Kazakhstan Chamber of Management Consultants (CMC Kazakhstan) and the Central Eurasia Leadership Academy (CELA). Roman is a Co-Founder at Central Asian Development Institute (CADI).
In 2013, Roman won the Gabriel-Al Salem International Award for Excellence in Consulting for his study of the consulting sector in Kazakhstan, which led to the establishment of the first consulting association of Kazakhstan.
In this live episode Roman talked about:
- What makes consulting in Central Asia unique;
- Transitioning from working at Shell to climate change research at a think tank;
- Clean energy and electromobility in Norway and the rise of green consulting.
Watch the replay here:
Consulting Without Borders - Perspectives, Episode 2: International Development Consulting
On April 1, 2022 our viewers enjoyed the 2nd episode of the Gabriel Al-Salem Foundation's live series "Consulting Without Borders - Perspectives," which featured prominent international consultants and experts doing work related to global challenges.
We were delighted to have Stephen Tupper (UK) as our guest for a conversation on international development consulting. Stephen joined us live from Ukraine, where he has been living and working for many years, and where he has been raising funds for food for evacuees and helping them find new homes.
Stephen has been working in both commercial and international development projects since 1986. The projects are those funded by the European Union, USAID, UKAID (formerly DFID), Asian Development Bank, United Nations Development Programme, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the World Bank, and others. He has led teams working on issues of poverty reduction, regional development and governance involving a broad mix of stakeholders from government, the private sector, NGOs/civil society and working groups of the local population. To produce a positive result, Stephen has always placed inclusion as a key factor, together with the need for creative and innovative partnerships.
Stephen has worked and lived in most countries in Europe, Asia, North Africa/Middle East and in parts of the Pacific. Since 2017 he has been serving on the Gabriel Al-Salem Foundation’s Board of Directors supporting all of Foundation’s events.
In addition to having insights into Stephen's current humanitarian volunteer work in Ukraine, we also learned from him about:
- Challenges and opportunities in consulting for major international donors and financial institutions such as World Bank, EBRD, ADB, EU and USAID;
- Importance of cultural sensitivity in consulting;
- Working bottom up rather than top down to deliver greater results for wider stakeholders and the general population.
Watch the replay here:
On March 1, 2022 we streamed our 1st live episode of the series "Consulting Without Borders - Perspectives," which feature prominent international consultants and experts doing work related to global challenges.
We were delighted to have Ron Finch (Canada) as our guest for a conversation about environmental consulting.
Ron has worked as an environmental engineer and consultant for over 18 years on industrial, commercial, residential and local authority projects, contaminated sites, marine and foreshore construction and restoration and many other projects.
Since 2018, Ron has been working in Kazakhstan supporting a major capital project with the environment, labour and community management and compliance assurance in alignment with the IFC lender obligations.
In addition to sharing insights about his own career, Ron also talked about:
- Opportunities for environmental professionals;
- Consulting to governments and other clients;
- How to evolve to adapt to clients' needs;
- The need for continued professional development.
Watch the replay here:
Consulting Without Borders Live: Degrowth
One of the goals of the Gabriel Al-Salem Foundation is to promote sustainability, which we see as a balance between the environment, social justice, and the economy. This year we decided to discuss alternative concepts for sustainability, which dig deeper into ways to optimize human and planetary wellbeing by minimizing inequality, poverty, and environmental harm.
The keynote presentation on Degrowth will answer the following questions:
- What is degrowth and why is it important for sustainability?
- What is the history and the main principles of degrowth thinking?
- What are some examples of degrowth policies and actions in the global North and South alike?
Keynote Speaker:
Martin Calisto Esquetini-Friant (the Netherlands)
PhD Researcher, Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University
Martin has an interdisciplinary academic background in international development studies, political ecology and urban planning from McGill University, the University of Melbourne, and University College London. He has over seven years of experience as a sustainability researcher and practitioner working on several projects in Africa, Europe, Oceania and North and South America. His current research focuses on circular economy, environmental governance, post-development, and degrowth.
International Conference Consulting Without Borders: Working Together for a Better Future
The 10th Anniversary conference “Consulting Without Borders” was delivered as a digital event, which was live streamed to all Gabriel Al-Salem Foundation’s social media networks and watched in over 20 countries. The Conference featured four main dialogues: One World (on Environmental Sustainability), Happiness - The Ultimate Goal, Diversity, and Partnerships and Cooperation for Success. Speakers from 11 countries joined us live to provide expertise, share experiences and respond to questions and comments from the viewers.
According to our participants, we succeeded in creating the same valuable and engaging experience that we have been known for. The audience could participate in the discussions by asking questions and receiving real time answers from the speakers. We also held our traditional ceremony for the winners of the International Award for Excellence in Consulting 2020.
"This was a wonderful event and truly international! It was amazing to have an opportunity to witness world-class consultants discussing the most urgent and fundamental global issues. While effective international partnerships, education on climate change and global happiness might not be on consultants’ daily agenda, events like this remind us what our efforts should be focused on. I will be following closely all of Gabriel Al-Salem Foundation’s upcoming events, and I invite everyone to join this growing community in their contribution to sustainable development.
As an Award winner this year, I am very grateful that social problems we tried to highlight and resolve in our project were noticed and appreciated by the Committee. It gives us a strong motivation and drive to continue growing as a socially responsible consultant."
/Dinara Yessenova, Kazakhstan, Best Consulting Project 2020 in the “Social Reform” category/