Speakers

Dr Divya Nambiar is Principal Consultant and Hub Lead at OPM and leads OPM's global work in the area of Skills, Livelihoods and Education Systems. She has over 18 years of experience in the development sector, having previously worked with the Government of India, private companies, multilaterals, and think tanks on a range of topics which includes: poverty reduction, skills development and youth livelihoods (with a strong focus on gender and green jobs), non-state actors in education and private sector development. She holds an MPhil and DPhil in Development Studies from Oxford University.

Phalasha is the Sustainable Livelihoods and Social Inclusion Lead within the Skills, Livelihoods and Education Systems Hub at Oxford Policy Management. She has a decade of experience in international development: qualitative research, management of large-scale projects (including results-based financing initiatives such as the Skill Impact Bond), and work on skills, livelihoods, gender, and climate change. She also has a wide body of published work. She has previously worked with the Government of India and the private sector. She holds a Master of Science in Economics and Finance from the University of Durham, UK.

Steering the GIRL Capital initiative at CIFF, Vandana's focus is on addressing barriers to education, skilling and economic participation for girls and young women. This dedication is grounded in a strategic approach that has catalyzed over $800 million in government and philanthropic funding, impacting approximately 8 million lives. Vandana's role encompasses evidence-based design and collaborative problem solving, ensuring that our investments yield tangible, large-scale results.

Vandana's tenure at the National Skill Development Corporation was marked by the introduction of innovative financial instruments, such as the Skill Impact Bond , which unlocked substantial capital for skilling initiatives. These contributions were made possible through strategic planning and a firm grasp of sustainable, market-based solutions. Vandana's team's efforts facilitated the advancement of 50 skill-tech startups, underscoring her commitment to lifelong learning and skill development for youth.

Anushree leads BAT’s social finance work in India. A leading researcher and practitioner in social impact space, Anushree has set up and run research, advisory and implementation services for some of the largest donors in India, worked in public policy research in the UK and co-authored several articles and reports over the last 14 years. She is passionate about facilitating symbiotic relationships between society, government, and markets to achieve sustainable development. She holds an MSc. in Development Studies from School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS).

Archana has extensive experience of conceptualizing, operationalizing and leading policy and practice-oriented assignments across different verticals such as Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation, urban health issues, applied environmental economics and economics of energy sector. She has worked with global institutions such as the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, UNEP-DTU Partnership, Oxford Policy Management and Asia Pacific Network for Global Change Research as well as private sector organizations in India. Archana is regularly invited to national/international fora for contributing to the knowledge building and policy dialogues to bring about cross-border and comparative dimensions into the Policy/Practice arena for Global Climate Change and local/regional responses. She holds PhD in Economics from Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB) and has also taught Economics for more than a decade.