Speakers

Richard Ellis, Monash University (Australia)

Richard has 25 years experience working in technology, commercial and procurement. After starting in the technical area of Australia's largest telecommunications company, Richard then moved into technology procurement, managing teams that procure some of Australia's largest and most complex networks and IT systems. Richard is currently working at Monash University Australia overseeing the Strategic Procurement Strategy and Governance function - which includes managing the university's modern slavery program.

Nadia de Leon, Institute for Occupational Health & Safety Development (Philippines)

Nadia is the current Director of the Institute for Occupational Health and Safety Development (IOHSAD), a pioneer workplace safety group in the Philippines established in the late 1980s. She has two decades of experience in labor rights advocacy and organising, with a strong focus on occupational safety and health (OSH) rights and movement building since 2012. As part of her work in IOHSAD, Nadia has worked among electronics workers, assisting them in building and consolidating OSH committees and OSH victims' groups in workplaces. She also serves as the Coordinator of the Asian Network for the Rights of Occupational and Environmental Victims (ANROEV), a network of grassroots organisations in more than 20 countries and territories across Asia.

Olga Martin-Ortega, University of Greenwich (UK)

Olga is Professor of International Law at the School of Law, University of Greenwich, where she leads the Business, Human Rights and the Environment Research Group (BHRE). She has been researching business and human rights for over ten years and is an expert on public procurement and human rights, human rights in global supply chains and due diligence. She is a founding member and currently coordinates the International Learning Lab on Procurement and Human Rights. Olga works with the Modern Slavery Prevention Unit of the UK Home Office, and has advised the EU Parliament on mandatory human rights due diligence regulation and worked with the ILO on Fair Labour Recruitment and Human Rights.

Deepika Rao, Cividep (India)

Deepika Rao is Executive Director at Cividep India. Cividep is a Bangalore based organisation which works for workers' rights and corporate accountability. It attempts to empower workers and communities and to ensure that businesses comply with human and labour rights and environmental standards. With this objective, it educates workers, studies effects of corporate conduct, initiates dialogue with various stakeholders and advocates for policy change. Deepika has been working with Cividep for the past 8 years, and has held various positions supporting projects and organisational development. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Marine engineering and a Masters in Social Entrepreneurship. Her previous work experience has been that of working on merchant oil tankers as a maintenance engineer.