Liam Foran is PDI’s inaugural CEO.

He was previously a Special Advisor on Peace and Economics at the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, and led the Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific desk at the World Economic Forum. His previous experience also includes working in diplomatic roles in West Africa, Asia and the Pacific; prior to that, he worked as a banker at JP Morgan and ING.

Liam holds a Master’s degree in Development Studies from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva.

Liam co-founded PDI based on the idea that if people have inclusive and sustainable employment they are much less likely to engage in conflict. PDI aims to achieve this by bridging the gap between peace makers and the private sector.

Dr. Ian Wadley is PDI’s Executive Advisor.

Ian works as an independent consultant helping organisations in the government, non-profit, and business sectors to clarify strategy and align portfolios, accelerate learning and adaptation, measure impact. He previously led strategy, evaluation and learning at the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue in Geneva. He is a former Delegate with the International Committee of the Red Cross. Ian is also member of the Board of MSF Switzerland.

He is a qualified Australian lawyer and an accredited mediator with degrees from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva, Murdoch University, and UC Berkeley’s Boalt Hall School of Law, including Fellowships with the Harvard Program on Negotiation, the Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial / Peace Scholar programmes, and the MacJannett Foundation.

Berta Argenté is PDI’s Venture Admissions, Gender and Acadamey Coordinator.

Berta joined PDI in 2018 as a consultant and is now the Venture Admissions, Gender and Acadamey Coordinator. Berta is focused on leading the admissions for the incubation program, developing and implementing a gender strategy and designing the PDI Academy.

Berta is also the founder of Blum Foundation, an impact-driven company builder that builds social businesses to create opportunities for disadvantaged women and youth.

Her previous experience includes business design and investment roles at leading Company Builders and social impact funds in Colombia, India and Spain.

She holds a BBA from ESADE Business School, a BSc in International Development from University of London & London School of Economics and is a Georgetown University GCL fellow.

Berta is passionate about women’s empowerment and leveraging business as a force for change.

Gabriel Gomes Couto is PDI’s Programme Coordinator for Climate and Conflict. Specialised in peace mediation, climate security, and environmental peacebuilding, Gabriel leads the development and operationalisation of the Climate-Resilient Entrepreneurship (CRE) programme, which develops sustainable sources of livelihood for hard-to-reach communities at the frontlines of both climate change and conflicts.

Gabriel holds a Master’s degree in Development Studies from the Geneva Graduate Institute and a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil. He has experience conducting applied research on Climate Security in the Brazilian Amazon, as well as on the application of private diplomacy for the removal of obstacles to urgent climate action.

Oriol joined PDI in 2024 as a Finance Advisor. He holds a degree in Economics and a Master’s degree in Non-Profit Direction and Management, with over 10 years of experience in financial management within the non-profit sector. He has worked with organizations such as Oxfam, Save the Children, and the Spanish Red Cross.

Oriol has extensive experience as a Finance and Business Manager in complex operational environments, including the Central African Republic, Haiti, and Mauritania. He also has broad experience supporting international operations from both regional and headquarters offices.

As a finance specialist, he is committed to managing resources transparently while ensuring compliance with internal corporate procedures, donor requirements and legal obligations. He is also passionate about optimizing resource efficiency, anticipating and mitigating financial risks, and supporting program managers in achieving organizational and project outcomes.

Paul Dziatkowiec advises PDI on its peace operations and strategy. He is a seasoned conflict mediator and diplomat.

Paul has been the Director of Mediation and Peace Support at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP) since 2021, following a decade at the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD), an organisation that mediates in armed conflicts. He has led and participated in dialogue processes in diverse conflict settings including Ukraine, the Middle East, Nigeria, Myanmar, and the Caucasus, and for several years managed the Oslo Forum. Paul has also supported Track I mediation efforts.

Earlier, Paul was an Australian diplomat for over a decade, including in Africa as an acting Ambassador; the Middle East; and the Asia-Pacific as a peace monitor in Bougainville. He engaged in multilateral negotiations at the UN in Geneva, New York, and Nairobi, and he holds three Masters degrees.

Jonathan Harlander is PDI’s Director of Operations. Jonathan has twelve years of experience in the field of private diplomacy and mediation. Among other positions, he has held senior roles at the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD), the CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation, and the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP). Jonathan has facilitated dialogues, managed large and geographically diverse teams, successfully fundraised and overseen the timely implementation of complex projects, regularly engaged senior officials, and contributed to the strategic development of all the organisations he has worked for. He has worked on a wide variety of contexts, including the Arctic, Benin, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Myanmar, Senegal, Syria, Thailand and Yemen.

Carolina joined PDI in 2025 as a Field Project Developer in Colombia, where she is responsible for the effective implementation of the Incubation Program. She maintains a hands-on approach with incubated projects while strengthening PDI’s presence in the country.

Carolina holds a degree in Social Communication and Journalism from La Sabana University (Bogotá, Colombia), with master’s studies in Organizational Communication from Austral University (Buenos Aires, Argentina). With over a decade of experience in impact communication strategies, marketing, and advertising, she has specialized in directing, executing, and managing both business and social impact projects. Her strategic data analysis and team leadership skills have enabled organizations to optimize their decision-making processes and resource allocation.

Her business development experience led her to co-create a gender-focused audiovisual production company, where she has deepened her experience in community engagement and women’s empowerment, contributing to a more just and equitable society. Her strong commitment to human rights is reflected in her use of strategic communication as a tool for social transformation.

Faith Samson is PDI’s Field Venture Developer in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, managing the day-to-day of project operations in the region and working directly with project leads and peace partners. Faith has a Bachelor of Science in Food Technology from the Papua New Guinea University of Technology, and previous experience at the Bougainville Agricultural Commodity Regulatory Authority (BACRA, Department of Primary Industries), and with private sector companies in Papua New Guinea.