Bio

The Honourable Bill Blair is a distinguished public servant whose career spans more than four decades in policing, federal public office, and diplomacy. In 2026, he was appointed High Commissioner for Canada in the United Kingdom, after stepping down as a long-serving Member of Parliament. Before that, he served as Chief of the Toronto Police Service.

Mr. Blair was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Scarborough Southwest in 2015, and re-elected three times. During his time on the Hill, he has held a number of senior Cabinet positions, including Minister of National Defence, President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, and Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction. He was also previously Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and to the Minister of Health.

Bio

Mr. Francis Kabera Gatare is the President of the African School of Governance. He previously served as Chief Executive Officer of the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), where he spearheaded Rwanda's investment promotion, export development, and private sector growth agenda. He brings deep expertise in governance, economic policy, and institutional leadership to ASG.

Bio

Bio

At Times Higher Education, the data, insights and events partner to universities and governments worldwide, Phil leads on government partnerships, external engagement, product development and commercial strategy. He is also Director General of the Education World Forum, the largest gathering of education and skills ministers in the world.