December 2017
Boris Martinović (YLP ’15), Head of Mergers Section, Hungarian Competition Authority
Boris Martinović received his Master Degree in Finance from Corvinus University of Budapest in 2008, and started his career at the Treasury Department of MOL Plc., a Hungarian energy conglomerate. In 2009 Boris switched from private to public and assumed office at the Hungarian Competition Authority where he has served in several positions until his appointment as Head of the Mergers Section in March 2017. Apart from his work at the competition authority, Boris is the founder and president of a charity organisation named kodoMOZI. The charity focuses on providing cultural and educational experience to orphaned children through cinema, where mostly Japanese Studio Ghibli animation is being screened. Boris is also a literary author, whose short prose was published in various Hungarian print and online magazines. His first novel, titled “Tokyo Purpleness” came out in November 2017.
…Read an interview with Boris Martinović
November 2017
Hisanori Nakayama (PP ’83), Professor, Kobe Gakuin University, Faculty of Contemporary Social Studies, Department of Social Studies of Disaster Management
After obtaining his master’s degree in civil engineering from Osaka University, Nakayama started working for the Kobe City Government in 1975. In his early years, he was mainly involved in infrastructure planning and urban development projects but when the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake struck in 1995 his focus shifted to promoting resident participation in earthquake reconstruction projects. After the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, Nakayama was appointed as a supervisor to oversee surveys and reconstruction projects in the Tohoku region. He also conducted surveys in Kumamoto after the earthquakes in 2016. Eager to share his valuable knowledge, Nakayama is currently a professor in disaster management at Kobe Gakuin University and has published 3 books on his experience with reconstruction projects in the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake.
…Read an interview with Hisanori Nakayama
October 2017
Almaz Sazbakov (TE ’10), Deputy Minister of Economy, Kyrgyz Republic
Almaz Sazbakov has been serving as Deputy Minister of Economy of the Kyrgyz Republic since April 2016. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration (Cum Laude) from the American University in Kyrgyzstan, Almaz started his career in the National Statistics Committee in 2004. Eager to further develop his knowledge and skills, Almaz has taken every opportunity to get further educated and went to study abroad three times, at Hitotsubashi University (’05-’07), GRIPS (’09-’10) and George Mason University (’12-’13). With brief stints in the Ministry of Finance and the Administration of the President, Almaz spent most of his career in the Ministry of Economy where he has gradually worked his way up to hold senior positions until being appointed Deputy Minister in April last year.
…Read more about Almaz Sazbakov
September 2017
Linda Ward (PP ’03), Principal Advisor, Macroeconomic Group, Australian Treasury
Linda Ward is a senior executive in the International Policy and Engagement Division of Macroeconomic Group, having held this position since May 2016. Linda joined the Treasury in 2006 from the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. During her time at Treasury she has held numerous roles in Revenue Group, Fiscal Group and Macroeconomic Group. She also worked for two years as an economic adviser to the then Minister for Infrastructure. Prior to her current role, Linda spent a year working in BHP Billiton’s Marketing office in Singapore as part of a secondment arrangement.
…Read an interview with Linda Ward
August 2017
Hiroyuki Takada (PP ’97), Chief Representative, JICA Rwanda Office
Hiroyuki Takada has been involved in African development activities for more than 25 years. His first experience, as a member of a JICA team engaged in agricultural community development in Zambia just after graduating from university, made him realise he needed more specialist knowledge and thus enrolled in GRIPS’ predecessor GSPS to study international development. Since his graduation from GSPS, Mr. Takada has been working with JICA in many overseas postings. He has been Chief Representative of the JICA Rwanda Office since April 2016.
…Read an interview with Hiroyuki Takada
June 2017
Husin Bagis (PP ’92), Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
H.E. Husin Bagis has been serving as Indonesian Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates since March 2016. His career as a diplomat started with his posting as Commercial Attaché at the Indonesian Embassy in Cairo in 1995, where he stayed until 2001. His next posting was to Tokyo, where he served as Commercial Attaché from 2003 to 2007, after which he was appointed as Chairman of the Indonesian Trade Promotion Centre in Dubai, until 2010. Husin Bagis obtained a bachelor’s degree in economics from Mataram University and graduated with a Master of Policy Science from GRIPS’ predecessor the Graduate School for Policy Science (GSPS) in 1992.
…Read an interview with Husin Bagis
May 2017
Sammer Ahmad (PP ’12), Additional Accountant General Punjab, Department of the Auditor General of Pakistan
Having a background in chemical engineering, Sammer Ahmad started his career in 2001 as a Process Engineer at Century Paper & Board Mills Limited. He joined the Civil Services of Pakistan in January 2005 after qualifying the Central Superior Service Examination and was allocated to the Pakistan Audit & Accounts Service. Sammer gained experience and qualifications in auditing and accounting during his various postings in the department over the past 12 years. He is currently serving as Additional Accountant General Punjab in Lahore, Pakistan. Sammer recently received a Letter of Appreciation from the highest administrative officer in his department for his revolutionary idea on how to get rid of tax evasion.
…Read an interview with Sammer Ahmad
April 2017
Gobinda Bahadur Karkee (IDS ’03), Consul General, Consulate General of Nepal in Lhasa, China
Mr. Gobinda Bahadur Karkee assumed the position of Consul General of Nepal in Lhasa, China in May 2016. He joined Nepalese Civil Service in December 1996. In the 20+ years of his career, he has held a variety of positions in the Government of Nepal, at both central and local government level. Prior to his appointment to the post of Consul General of Nepal in Lhasa, Mr. Karkee was working in the capacity of Director General of the Department of Tourism. Mr. Karkee obtained a Master of Business Administration (’94) and a Master of Public Administration (’99) from Tribhuvan University, Nepal, and a Master of International Development Studies from GRIPS in 2003.
…Read an interview with Gobinda Bahadur Karkee
March 2017
Haniwa Natori (PP ’80), President, National Federation of Business and Professional Women’s Clubs of Japan (BPW), Former Director General of the Cabinet Office Gender Equality Bureau
Haniwa Natori joined the Ministry of Justice in 1973, after graduating from the School of Law, the University of Tokyo. In 1995 she was appointed Director and Counselor of the Prime Minister’s Office for Gender Equality. Ms. Natori held several positions until her appointment as Director General of the Cabinet Office Gender Equality Bureau in 2003. Several ground-breaking gender equality policies, such as the Basic Law for a Gender-equal Society (1999) and the second Basic Plan for a Gender-equal Society (2005) were drafted and decided by the cabinet during her term. After retiring in 2013, Ms. Natori is now President of the National Federation of Business and Professional Women’s Clubs of Japan (BPW) as well as head of gender equality advisory boards at several local governments. From 2016, she has been engaged as Auditor of the University of Electro-Communication.
…Read an interview with Haniwa Natori
February 2017
Hayrullo Malikov (TE ’01), Social Policy Specialist, UNICEF Gambia Office
Hayrullo started his career in the Ministry of Finance of the newly established Republic of Uzbekistan in 1997. He worked for several years in economist positions and was selected for the Transition Economy Program at GRIPS in 2000. Upon his graduation he returned to the Ministry where he was made responsible for financial decisions of strategic investment projects focusing on enhancing the social and infrastructure projects. Eager to pursue further studies, in 2006 Hayrullo enrolled at the Muskie School of Public Service, University of Southern Maine in Portland, USA from which he graduated with a Master of Public Policy and Financial Management in 2008. Ready for a career change, Hayrullo joined UNICEF Uzbekistan as Social Policy Officer in 2010. In October 2014, Hayrullo and his family moved to Gambia where he is currently serving as Social Policy Specialist at the UNICEF, Gambia Office.
…Read an interview with Hayrullo Malikov
January 2017
Chantha Onxayvieng (YLP ’05), Director General, Public Administration Research and Training Institute (PARTI), Ministry of Home Affairs, Lao PDR
Chantha served in several positions in the Cabinet of the Public Administration and Civil Service Authority (PACSA) under the Lao Prime Minister’s Office. In 2011, PACSA was upgraded to become the Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA) and Chantha was appointed Deputy Director General of the Department of Planning and Cooperation shortly thereafter. In the Fall of 2012 Chantha was accepted as a doctoral student at the College of Public Administration of Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST) in Wuhan, China from which she received her Ph.D. in June 2015. Upon her return to Laos, Chantha was appointed as Director General of MOHA’s Public Administration Research and Training Institute (PARTI).
…Read more about Chantha Onxayvieng
