Mayor, Thimphu, Bhutan
Regional Executive Committee
Prior to being elected Mayor of Thimphu in 2021, Ugyen Dorji worked for the City for 11 years, most recently as deputy chief urban planner. He has a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Australia and a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering from the College of Science and Technology in Phuentsholing. Mayor Dorji is committed to improving municipal services, in particular drinking water, waste management, sanitation, pollution and road conditions.
Mayor, Kochi Municipal Corporation, India
Regional Executive Committee
Adv. M Anilkumar is the present Mayor of Kochi Municipal Corporation. He leads a very active political life and has also been elected previously as a councilor. He is an advocate. Working for the cause of the city and the citizens has been his motto in life. He takes keen interest in activities related to biodiversity conservation, addressing climate change and upliftment of the livelihood conditions of the urban poor.
Mayor, Rajkot Municipal Corporation, India
Regional Executive Committee
Mrs. Naynaben Pedhadiya was elected as councillor in March 2021 and became member of standing committee of Rajkot Municipal Corporation till September 2023. She is presently serving as the 34th Mayor of Rajkot city. She holds a Master of Arts and B,Ed. She has also served as a president of female wing of political party ‘BJP’ in the Rajkot city, before getting elected as councillor.
President, Municipal National Association of Nepal (MuAN), Nepal
Regional Executive Committee
Mr. Bhim Prasad Dhungana, President of the Municipal National Association of Nepal (MuAN) and Mayor of Neelakantha Municipality since 2017, leads efforts in local governance, sustainable urban development, and enhancing municipal capacities across Nepal’s 293 municipalities. His initiatives emphasise decentralisation, advocacy for local governments, and collaboration on policy development, promoting sustainable urban practices and climate resilience.
Director General, Local Government Authority, Maldives
Regional Executive Committee
Mr. Shammoon Adam, with over ten years of expertise in local governance and decentralisation in the Maldives, holds a master’s degree from Lincoln University, New Zealand. He is the Director General at the Local Government Authority (LGA), where he has enhanced governance capacity and administrative mechanisms for local councils. He also leads the Maldives Institute of Local Governance, dedicated to capacity building and research to further decentralised governance in the Maldives.
CEO, Federation of Sri Lankan Local Government Authorities, Sri Lanka
Regional Executive Committee
Ms. Hemanthi Goonasekera is the Chief Executive of Sri Lanka’s National Association of Local Governments overseeing guidance and policy direction for local councils, including 24 Municipalities, 41 Urban Councils, and 275 Pradeshiya Sabhas. Her work focuses on building resilient and sustainable institutions to combat climate change impacts. With over 15 years in local governance, she supports climate adaptation, gender-focused development initiatives and, translating national policies into local action.