Partisipante

A senior Timor-Leste economic and investment professional. He previously served as Executive Director of TradeInvest Timor-Leste and as Vice Minister of Development. His professional work has focused on investment promotion, economic development and private-sector development.

Dr. Phanxay Ingxay is the Deputy Director General of the Department of Agricultural Extension and Cooperatives, Ministry of Agriculture and Environment of Lao PDR. He has extensive experience in agricultural policy, cooperative development, rural development, and agricultural research.

He currently leads the implementation of Contract Farming and the Cooperative Law in Lao PDR and contributes to the country’s Responsible Agricultural Investment (RAI) Taskforce. Previously, he held senior positions in agricultural policy and research within the Ministry, including at the National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute (NAFRI). Dr. Ingxay holds a Ph.D. in Geography from Nagoya University, Japan, and a Master of Science in Agriculture and Economics from Khon Kaen University.

A communication and development professional with more than a decade of experience. At ICA-AP, she works on strategic communications, advocacy, stakeholder management, digital communications and membership development across the Asia-Pacific region, supporting greater visibility and participation in the cooperative movement.

Lihuwana Orlando Petrusz is a senior cooperative and credit union specialist in Timor-Leste with decades of experience in cooperative development, microfinance, agribusiness, training, auditing, and community development.

He currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Timor-Leste Faith-Based Tourism and President of the Board of Management of the Cooperative Tourism Religion of Timor-Leste. He previously served as an Adviser to the Secretary of State for Cooperatives and has held key roles in the development and strengthening of credit unions across Timor-Leste, including as General Manager of the East Timor Credit Union Center and as a Credit Union Specialist.

Celestra Fátima is a Timorese community and cooperative leader from Aileu, Timor-Leste, and currently serves as President of Credit Union HRER. She has been a strong advocate for women’s participation in community leadership and local development, having previously emerged as a candidate for village chief in Aileu. As one of the women contributing to the leadership of Timor-Leste’s cooperative movement, particularly within rural and agricultural communities, she promotes women’s economic empowerment, community participation, and inclusive development.

Dr. Brígida Antónia Correia, MP, IPM, Ph.D. is a Timorese academic, researcher, cooperative leader, and higher education professional with extensive experience in university management and academic development. She has been actively engaged in advancing academic excellence, scientific research, institutional governance, inclusion, and international cooperation in Timor-Leste.

As an academic at the Universidade Nacional Timor-Lorosa’e (UNTL), she advocates for strengthening higher education through innovation, research, digital transformation, and stronger links between universities and national development. She also serves as President of KOFETIL, contributing to the development of the cooperative sector and promoting women’s participation and leadership in cooperatives. Her work reflects a strong commitment to education, women’s empowerment, social inclusion, and sustainable community development in Timor-Leste.

A former Minister of Tourism of Timor-Leste (2017–2018), former Rector of the Dili Institute of Technology and lecturer. He has continued work in education and social development and holds advanced academic qualifications in public administration and tourism studies.

Deputy Governor of Banco Central de Timor-Leste overseeing Banking and Payment Systems since November 2023. She previously served as Vice Minister of Finance and Acting Minister of Finance, Director of Treasury, and previously as Deputy Governor of BCTL. Her career covers public finance, treasury management, banking and financial-sector development.

A Cambodian development and cooperative-sector professional whose work focuses on agricultural and cooperative development, agribusiness, investment opportunities and market linkages. He also has extensive experience in community development, livelihoods, social enterprise and economic opportunities for vulnerable communities.

President of CU LANAMONA, an established credit union cooperative headquartered in Maliana, Bobonaro. She has led efforts to expand financial services, strengthen savings and credit activities, and support household and community economic development, while also promoting regional cooperative partnerships.

A Timor-Leste entrepreneur and business leader serving as CCI-TL Vice President with responsibility for Agriculture, Livestock and MSMEs. His experience includes private-sector development, entrepreneurship, investment, access to finance, local production and market opportunities.

Mr. Tendy Gunawan is a Rural Development TVET Officer with the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Timor-Leste, where he supports an EU-funded programme promoting rural employment, entrepreneurship, skills development, and agroforestry value chains. He also contributes to ILO’s country engagement through donor coordination, ASEAN cooperation, and strategic partnerships.

With more than 15 years of experience in international development, he has worked extensively on employment, enterprise development, financial inclusion, skills development, disability inclusion, and private-sector engagement. Prior to his current role, he served with the ILO in Indonesia and previously worked at the ASEAN Secretariat on SME development and private-sector engagement, as well as with the Embassy of Switzerland in Jakarta on trade and business development.