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Professor Adebayo Adedeji is the founding Executive Director of the African Centre for Development and Strategic Studies, a non-profit think tank based in Nigeria, which he established in 1991 after retiring from the United Nations. He served as the Chairperson of the African Peer Review Mechanism, an initiative on good governance of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD). Prior to these functions, Professor Adedeji had a distinguished academic, diplomatic and political career, serving his native country, Nigeria, and the international community for over four decades.

Mrs. Sadako Ogata is the former President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Honorary Chair of the Advisory Board on Human Security (ABHS), having served as Chair of the ABHS from its establishment in 2004 until 2010. Mrs. Ogata co-chaired the Commission on Human Security (June 2001 to April 2003) and was Scholar-in-Residence at the Ford Foundation. While at the Commission, she was also appointed the Special Representative of the Prime Minister of Japan on Afghanistan Assistance and co-chaired the International Conference on Reconstruction Assistance to Afghanistan in January 2002 in Tokyo, Japan.

Mr. Knut Vollebaek is a former Norwegian Ambassador to the United States of America (2001-2007) and former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway (1997-2000). During his diplomatic and political career, he has also served as Assistant Secretary General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1994-1997); Director General, Department of Bilateral Co-operation (1994-1994); Norwegian Ambassador to the Central American States, based in Costa Rica (1991-1993); Deputy Minister (State Secretary) of Foreign Affairs (1989-1990); Director of UN Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1986-1989); Norwegian Delegate to the UN General Assembly (1982-1983 and 1986-1988); and held diplomatic assignments in India, Spain and Zimbabwe.