Advisors
Dr. Peer GN Suhail
is a visionary educationist, policy analyst, and former bureaucrat whose extensive contributions have left an indelible mark on the realms of education, policy development, and skill and entrepreneurship enhancement in India. A fellow of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, USA, and the International Poverty Reduction Centre, China, Dr. Peer is currently serving as the Group CEO of the GNK Group of Institutions, India.
Dr. Peer’s extensive career encompasses impactful roles, including serving as a Mission Director and CEO in the Government of Jammu and Kashmir, India. Notably, he founded J&K’s first policy think tank, the Center for Research and Development Policy, and played a pivotal role in establishing the Borderless World Foundation and regional offices for esteemed organizations like Mercy Corps and Indo Global Social Service Society.
His tenure as a senior government official was marked by visionary initiatives, including the establishment of the J&K Skill Development Mission and 22 district nodal skill centres. Under his leadership, significant skill and entrepreneurship development schemes, such as PMKVY, Udaan, SANKALP, NAPS, India Skills and the 1000-Leader Program were launched and successfully implemented, impacting the lives of over 3 lakh trained youth, with over 64 thousand provided placements.
Dr. Peer’s academic pursuits reflect his commitment to knowledge dissemination. He has taught at various academic institutions in India and China, authored three impactful books, numerous academic papers, and reports, and organized over a hundred conferences and workshops on diverse socio-economic and geopolitical issues. His latest book, delving into the complexities of land and water politics, was published by Oxford University Press.
In the realm of corporate advising, Peer has played a pivotal role in establishing new businesses, forging partnerships and mentoring young entrepreneurs. His impact as a development practitioner is evident
through the conceptualization and implementation of diverse projects in youth development, innovation, entrepreneurship, EdTech, negotiation and conflict resolution, mental health, women’s
empowerment, civil society development, health and disaster management.
Peer has an illustrious academic background with a PhD in Management Science, a MPP in International Development, a MA in History, and a Diploma in Negotiation and Conflict Management. With experience in establishing and leading both government and non-governmental organizations, as well as teaching, research and corporate sector experience, he represents the rare embodiment of interfacing academics
and development practice with policy planning and program execution.
Widely recognized for his expertise, Dr. Peer has been featured in various news channels and radio programs, and his insights have been cited and quoted by prestigious news outlets such as The Guardian, BBC, Al Jazeera, The Indian Express, Hindustan Times and many more.
NiCK ROBBINS
is the Professor in Practice for Sustainable Finance at Grantham Research Institute. He leads the finance platform for the Place -Based Climate Action Network and is the co-chair of the International Network for Sustainable Finance Policy Insights, Research and Exchange (INSPIRE). He is also the co-founder of Financing the Just Transition Alliance. Prior to joining Grantham University, he was the head of the Climate Change Centre of Excellence at HSBC in London. Nick has co-authored Road to Net Zero Finance for the UK’s Climate Change Committee (December 2020).
ATUL KAUSHIK
is a retired Additional Secretary, Government of India. He steers the Global Development Centre at the Research and Information System for Developing countries (RIS) and is the Vice- President of the Committee for Advanced Trade Research (CATR) of the Trade Promotion Council of India (TPCI). He was India’s negotiator for international trade and climate change, and India’s lawyer to the World Trade Organisation in the Permanent Mission of India in Geneva.
Atul has delivered trade capacity building projects in Africa and an Indo-U.S. Triangular Development Partnership program in New Delhi. His co-edited books include “Reflections from the Frontline: Developing Country Negotiators in the WTO” published by the Academic Foundation, and “Transforming India – Governance for Aatmanirbhar Bharat” by the Government of India, and has contributed chapters in several books and articles in various journals on trade, environment, IPRs, development cooperation and e-governance.
Atul advises BRIEF on international trade and climate change.
Dennis Pamlin
is an entrepreneur and founder of 21st Century Frontiers. He works with companies, governments and NGOs as a strategic economic, technology and innovation advisor. His background is in engineering, industrial economy and marketing. Pamlin worked as Global Policy Advisor for WWF from 1999 to 2009. During his tenure, Pamlin initiated WWFs Trade and Investment Programme work in the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) and the link to key emerging regions such as the GCC. He also led the work with ICT companies as solution providers. Pamlin is currently an independent consultant as well as Director for the Low Carbon Leaders Project under the UN Global Compact, is a Senior Associate at Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and a visiting research fellow at the Research Center of Journalism and Social Development at Renmin University.
SHAWAHIQ SIDDIQUI
works on policy and regulatory issues on environment, energy and climate change. He worked as a principle researcher for drafting the Renewable Energy Law for the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India and is widely quoted in national and international literature for his critical appraisal of the National Solar Mission.
He is currently engaged in developing a model national institutional framework for setting up a National Bureau of Water Use Efficiency in the Ministry of Water Resources.
Shawahiq is an advisor and consultant with BRIEF India Pvt. Limited.
TRIDIVESH SINGH MAINI
is a New Delhi based Policy Analyst. He is an Assistant Professor with The Jindal School of International Affairs, OP Jindal Global University, Sonepat, Haryana. He is a former SAV Visiting Fellow (Winter 2016) with the Stimson Center, Washington DC. Maini was also an Asia Society India-Pakistan Regional Young Leaders Initiative (IPRYLI) Fellow (2013-2014), and a Public Policy Scholar with The Hindu Centre for Politics and Public Policy, Chennai (November 2013-March 2014). His research interests include; The role of state governments in Indian Foreign Policy, The India-Pakistan-China triangle (specifically in the context of CPEC), India’s Act East Policy and Changing nature of Indian Federalism. Maini is a regular contributor for a number of publications including The Diplomat, South Asia Monitor, IPP Review and Global Times.
Arun Goyal
is the Director of Academy of Business Studies, a think tank on trade and investment based in New Delhi. With BA (Hons) in Economics, he did his MBA from IIM- Ahmedabad. Some of his key achievements include:
- Established the first and only database on Safeguard, Anti-dumping and Anti-subsidy Case Law in India. The database is updated every day.
- Edited the title “Safeguards, Countervailing & Anti-dumping Measures against Imports & Exports: Commentary, Cases & Text”.
- Edited the state of art compilation WTO in the New Millennium: Commentary, Case Law, Legal Texts over five editions. Personally monitored all six WTO Ministerial starting from Singapore (1996) Geneva (1998), Seattle (1999), Doha (2001), Cancun (2003) and Hong Kong (2005).
Dr. Bilal Ahmad Pandow
is a finance and education professional with over 19 years of experience spanning academia, finance, banking, and the development sector. Currently an Assistant Professor at Bahrain Polytechnic, he serves as Course Coordinator for International Finance and Internships, contributing to research initiatives in FinTech and Sustainable Finance. His academic contributions have been recognized with Best Researcher of the Year (2024) and Best Emerging Researcher (2023) awards.
A certified Microfinance Trainer by the Asian Development Bank Institute and the World Bank, Dr. Pandow has held key academic and advisory roles at the University of Kashmir and Middle East College, Oman. His research expertise includes publications in reputable journals and co-editing books on blockchain and finance in the age of AI.
Dr. Pandow has been awarded multiple prestigious fellowships and research grants. He has been a Professional Development Fellow (2022) at the East-West Center, Honolulu, Hawaii, focusing on cross-border issues. He has also been a fellow at Thomson Reuters Foundation (2022) on Human Trafficking and Labour Exploitation, the Joke Waller Hunter Initiative (2012) for young environmental professional, and the Asian Development Bank Institute & World Bank (2009) for Microfinance Training of Trainers to name a few.