Short bio:

Amir Farmanesh, born in 1979, is a scholar with the World Bank and Georgetown University, Prince Alwaleed BinTalal Center working on governance transformations related to knowledge society and knowledge-driven development. He has received a Bachelor of Engineering from Iran University of Science and Technology (2002), Master of Public Administration (MPA) and Master of Arts in International Relations from Syracuse University both sponsored by a World Bank full scholarship (2006) and is working with economics Nobel laureate Thomas Schelling on his dissertation toward a Ph.D. in Policy Studies and Development Economics at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Among the highlights of his experience are serving as the advisor to the Iran Minister of Youth Affairs (2003-2004), Mayor of Tehran (2002-2003) and the Deputy-Speaker of the Iranian Parliament (2002-2003), working for several units of the World Bank and the United Nations, and acting as a national Focal Point for the United Nations IYV (2001).

 During his involvement with the Iranian civil society, he cofounded Iran Civil Society House – an umbrella organization like a chamber of commerce for the coalitions of NGOs – and the Iran Youth NGOs Network. Mr. Farmanesh also has been involved in the United Nations (UNEP - UN-Habitat) Governing Councils and was a member of the United Nations Environment Program Advisory Council. He also worked in an advisory role for the Managing Board of the Conference of NGOs with Consultative Status with the UN and has published several papers including a report published by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs on the Millennium Development Goals and several papers on the impact of scale economies on spatial allocation of economic activities by the World Bank Social and Economic Development Group.