RHODES, Greece, September 30, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
- Pooran Chandra Pandey named as
institute's first CEO
- Andrea von Knoop joins DOC
Supervisory Board
DOC Research Institute ("DOC", or the "Institute"), an
independent international think tank headquartered in Berlin, is pleased to announce the results of
a Supervisory Board meeting held on September 29.
Meeting ahead of the formal opening of the 14th annual Rhodes
Forum, the DOC's annual flagship public event, the Board named
Pooran Chandra Pandey as the DOC's
inaugural CEO, and welcomed Andrea von
Knoop as a new member of the Supervisory Board. Both
appointments take effect immediately.
Pooran Chandra Pandey joins the
DOC from UN Global Compact Network India, where he served from 2011
to 2016 as Executive Director. In that role he led Indian companies
and other stakeholders in promoting key principles of human rights,
anti-corruption, environmental protection and labour standards.
On his appointment, Pooran Chandra
Pandey said: "I am excited to be joining this organisation,
which has such a key role to play in reducing conflict and tensions
in the world, and developing practical solutions to some of the
world's most pressing problems through a process rooted in mutually
respectful dialogue and an understanding of our common interests
and challenges."
"Throughout my career I have sought to address some of the
greatest challenges humankind faces - from natural disasters and
resource pressure to access to education, empowering marginalised
communities, and environmental protection. In this new role I look
forward to continuing my work within a new forum. The Dialogue of
Civilizations Research Institute has formed at a time in which
global tensions are running high, and I believe it has a real role
to play in delivering practical positive change."
Andrea von Knoop said: "It is a
privilege to be joining the DOC Research Institute as the
organisation launches its mission. From my personal experience and
involvement in dialogue-based initiatives between East and West I
am deeply convinced of the need to foster mutual understanding to
tackle the many challenges our world faces today, and look forward
to contributing to this process as a member of the Supervisory
Board."
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Notes to editors:
About Pooran Chandra
Pandey:
Pooran Chandra Pandey is one of
India's leading experts on
advocacy, economic and social development work, management and the
voluntary sector. From 2011 to 2016, he served as Executive
Director for UN Global Compact Network India. Prior to taking up
that post, he was Director at the Times Foundation, one of
India's leading corporate
foundations working in the areas of health, education, environment,
women's empowerment, and disaster management. From 2004 to 2007, he
was CEO at Voluntary Action Network India, the country's largest
association of voluntary organizations, comprising 2,400 members
within India.
Credited with pioneering the notion of involving civil society,
businesses and government through a consensus-building approach for
inclusive social dividends, Pooran Chandra
Pandey has led the launch of national public service
campaigns within India such as
Lead India, Teach India and the social impact awards.
Specialising both in development and humanitarian assistance, he
has also chaired and co-chaired a number of Indian Government task
forces and committees developing national policy on the voluntary
sector, implementing the UN Handbook, non-governmental charter of
good governance, rationalisation of policies for NGOs, and the
foreign contribution regulation act.
Pooran Chandra Pandey holds holds
a BA and MA from the University of Allahabad, an M.Phil in
International Studies from Jawaharlal Nehru University in
Delhi, and was also a Chevening
Scholar in Leadership and Global Organization at the London School of Economics.
About Andrea von
Knoop:
Andrea von Knoop has more than 40
years of business experience between Germany and Russia. She currently serves as Senior Counsel
to EY Russia. Previously she was General Director for Management
Consulting at Arthur Andersen.
From 1993 through 2007, Andrea von
Knoop served as the Head of the Delegation of German
Industry and Commerce. She has been Chairwoman of the German
Business Association in the Russian
Federation since its foundation in 1995. Her professional
career also includes 13 years of working with major German banks in
international business.
Among numerous other awards in both Germany and Russia, she was awarded the Order of Merit of
the Federal Republic of Germany
(First Class) and the Order of Friendship - the highest decoration
in Russia for foreign citizens -
by the country's respective presidents.
About DOC:
Rooted in a tradition of seeking dialogue-based solutions to
humankind's most pressing issues, Dialogue of Civilizations
Research Institute builds on the work and achievements of its
predecessor organization, the World Public Forum Dialogue of
Civilizations, bringing together global thought leaders from
academia, public policy, business and civil society to debate and
develop practice-based policy advice.
The roots of the organization date back to 9 November 2001, following an initiative by
Iranian leader Mohammad Khatami,
when UNESCO Member States unanimously adopted the 'UNESCO Universal
Declaration on Cultural Diversity' and the UN General Assembly
presented its Global Agenda for Dialogue Among Civilisations,
setting out the principles of intercultural dialogue to be defended
and objectives to be achieved. The World Public Forum Dialogue of
Civilizations emerged as a practical endeavour to implement this
initiative, and has since evolved into what is today Dialogue of
Civilisations Research Institute.