WHO WE ARE
Andrés Chiriboga
General Coordinator
Andrés Chiriboga, is an Ecuadorian economic sociologist. He previously worked as an advisor to the Office of the President of Ecuador, as well as the Ministry of Planning and the Ministry of Economy. His experience includes serving on the boards of the Central Bank, the Monetary and Financial Regulation Committee, the Securities Market Commission, the Foreign Trade Committee, and overseeing the operations of the Railway, Cement, and Pharmaceutical Public Companies. Furthermore, he held the position of governor of Ecuador to the IMF and the World Bank and led the GT1-UNASUR group, responsible for the coordinated management of international reserves. Currently, he is a research fellow at the Observatory of Market Polarization (AxPo) and the Research Center on Social Inequalities (CRIS) at Sciences Po, Paris and a lecturer in the Department of Sociology and the Paris School of International Affairs (PSIA).
Maria Luisa Ortega
Head of project
Maria Luisa Ortega is an Ecuadorian social scientist and former diplomat who has played diverse roles in public service. She has provided advisory services on international relations and foreign policy to various Ecuadorian ministries, including Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility, Culture and Heritage, Knowledge and Human Talent, as well as the Intelligence Secretariat and the Command of the Armed Forces. Notably, she was a key member of the executive team responsible for establishing the Amazon Regional University, which focuses on biodiversity preservation. Furthermore, she has shared her knowledge by lecturing on international relations at the Universidad de las Américas and the Instituto de Altos Estudios Nacionales. In the past, she held the position of Head of International Cooperation for Pichincha Province.
Adrian Muriel
Research assistant
Adrian Muriel, is a recent masters graduate at Sorbonne University in the fields of Globalization and Sustainable Development. Prior to that he pursued a bachelor's degree in law and political science at Toulouse Capitole University. Adrian's primary academic interest is focused around dissecting the multifaceted implications of neoliberalism on socio-political landscapes. This passion materialized in both his bachelor’s and his master's theses, where he conducted research on the influence of the neoliberal paradigm on public policies. His academic path reflects a dedicated exploration of the interplay between these disciplines and their societal impact.
Ernesto Long
Project assistant
Ernesto Long, a graduate of the French School in Quito, is currently an undergraduate law student at the San Francisco University of Quito. He completed an internship at Banco Produbanco - Grupo Promerica, where he gained experience in the legal department, primarily focusing on labor law. Ernesto's academic interests are wide-ranging, spanning constitutional law, civil law, and international arbitration. His dedication lies in comprehending the intricate aspects of legal systems and dispute resolution. Furthermore, he maintains a keen interest in public administration, decision-making processes, and international relations, where he delves into the complex web of global interactions and diplomacy.
experts
Andrés Arauz
Andrés Arauz, is an Ecuadorian economist, who served as the first General Coordinator of the project. He has served as the Minister of Knowledge and Human Talent of Ecuador, the Vice Minister of Development Planning, and the Chief Operating Officer of the Central Bank of Ecuador. His extensive experience includes involvement on various important boards, such as Ecuador's Tax Committee, Foreign Trade Committee, and Public Debt Committee. Andrés Arauz has represented Ecuador on the international stage, participating in World Trade Organization negotiations on financial services and overseeing negotiations for bilateral trade agreements. Notably, he led the audit of Ecuador's investor-state arbitration system. In the political arena, he was the runner-up in the 2021 Ecuadorian presidential elections. Currently, he holds the position of a Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Economic and Policy Research and is also a founding council member of the Progressive International.
Fadhel Kaboub
Fadhel Kaboub holds a Ph.D. in Economics & Social Science Consortium, which he obtained in 2006 from the University of Missouri - Kansas City. He is an Associate Professor of economics at Denison University and serves as the President of the Global Institute for Sustainable Prosperity. Prior to joining Denison in 2008, he taught at Simon's Rock College of Bard (MA) and Drew University (NJ). In addition, he has held research affiliations with several institutions, including the Levy Economics Institute (NY), the Economic Research Forum (Egypt), the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University (MA), and the Center for Full Employment and Price Stability (MO). He is part of the Independent Expert Group on Just Transition and Development that prepared and published the Just Transition report for Africa: https://justtransitionafrica.org/
Veronica Gallardo Aguirre
Veronica Gallardo Aguirre, holds two master's degrees in Public Policy and Economics with a specialization in Local Development and Management Skills and Leadership, and boasts a multifaceted professional background. In Ecuador, she has held pivotal public roles, including General Manager of the Development Bank of Ecuador, BDE, membership on the Monetary and Financial Regulation Board, Deputy Minister of Finance, and Undersecretary of Innovation of Public Finance. Her expertise extends internationally as she has served as an external advisor and consultant for esteemed organizations like the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the German Technical Cooperation Agency (GIZ), and the Dutch Development Cooperation Service (SNV). Veronica Gallardo Aguirre is not only a founding member of the Ecuadorian Association of Public Finance but also a member of the Ibero-American Association of Local Finance (AIFL).
Varsha Gandikota-Nellutla
Varsha Gandikota-Nellutla is a left-wing policy advisor hailing from Hyderabad, India. She currently holds the role of co-general coordinator at Progressive International, where her work concentrates around advancing public policies that promote internationalism. Prior to her current role, Varsha Gandikota played an active part in a reproductive justice campaign for Women Deliver in New York, advocating for women's health and rights. She also served as a policy officer for the Economic Development Board of the Government of Andhra Pradesh in India, where she contributed to economic development initiatives. In addition to her experiences in the United States and India, she worked as a strategy consultant in Hong Kong, gaining diverse international exposure. Varsha's academic background is grounded in her studies at Princeton University, where she delved into comparative political economy, critical theory, and feminist politics. She graduated with a degree in international development, further enriching her perspective and knowledge base.
Ekaitz Cancela
Ekaitz Cancela holds a degree in Journalism, Creativity, and Theories of Public Relations from the University of the Basque Country (UPV / EHU). He also earned a Master's degree in Philosophy of History from the Autonomous University of Madrid and a Ph.D. in Philosophy of Technology from the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya at The Internet Interdisciplinary Institute. Currently, he serves as an editor at The Syllabus, a knowledge curation platform in collaboration with Evgeny Morozov, and is a member of the board of directors for The Center for the Advancement of Infrastructural Imagination (CAII) foundation. Additionally, he has authored the books "El TTIP y sus efectos colaterales" (Planeta, 2015) and "Despertar del sueño tecnológico" (Akal, 2019).
Sebastián Espinosa Velasco
Sebastián Espinosa Velasco, is an Ecuadorian lawyer specialized in Investor-State Arbitration Debt. He has previously served as a lead counsel at the Presidency of the Republic and has gained experience at several prominent law firms. He actively participates in research groups and international legal forums and played a pivotal role as a researcher at CAITISA. Currently, he is a lecturer in Public International Law and International Trade Law at the Universidad de las Américas (UDLA) and is an invited professor at the Instituto de Altos Estudios Nacionales (IAEN) and the Universidad de Especialidades Espíritu Santo (UEES). He holds a PhD in Law and an LL.M. in International Economic Law from Maastricht University.
Christian Pino Garrido
Christian Pino Garrido, is an Ecuadorian lawyer with a special focus in public law and former Executive Secretary of the Citizen Commission for the Audit of Bilateral Investment Protection Treaties and the International Arbitration System, commissioned by the Government of Ecuador. He has conducted comprehensive reports on various countries' positions and experiences within the Investor-State International Dispute Settlement System and the International Arbitration System.
Juan Alberto Fuentes
Juan Alberto Fuentes is an accomplished economist with a diverse educational and professional background. He holds a B.A. Honours in Economics from McGill University, an M.A. in Economics from the University of Toronto, and a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Sussex.Throughout his career, he has undertaken various significant roles, including serving as the Minister of Finance of Guatemala from 2008 to 2010. His contributions extend beyond his ministerial role, as he has also been the Director of the Economic Development Division of CEPAL in Santiago, Chile, the Founder and Director of the Central American Institute of Fiscal Studies, the Coordinator of the Human Development Report in Guatemala, and a member of the research team of the Historical Clarification Commission of Guatemala. Additionally, he has lent his expertise as a private consultant.
Álvaro Troya
Álvaro Troya is an accomplished professional with extensive experience in various financial and regulatory roles, including the administration, management, and growth of Funds and Trust Administration. His expertise also extends to the structuring of trust businesses and coordinating with clients for financial, accounting, and operational management. He specializes in designing products for non-traditional financing, particularly in Corporate Finance. Alvaro has held significant positions, such as National Risk Superintendent, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Economic Policy Coordination, and Technical Secretary of the Monetary and Financial Policy and Regulation Board.