Nomi Bar-Yaacov Keynote Speaker

Nomi Bar-Yaacov is a leading international lawyer, arbitrator, and mediator with a career spanning three decades in conflict management. She is an award-winning peace negotiator and the number 1 TV commentator on Middle Eastern affairs and geopolitics in Europe.

Known for her deep commitment to justice, equality, and peace, Nomi has been instrumental in brokering complex ceasefire and peace agreements around the world. Her extensive experience includes positions with prestigious organizations such as the United Nations and Chatham House, where she serves as a Fellow in the International Security Program.

Bar-Yaacov previously worked as the Director of the Middle East Programme at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, contributing significantly to discussions and strategies on regional peace and security. She sits on the Board of Directors for the Acronym Institute for Disarmament Diplomacy and advises on the CBWNet and the Richard Beeston Bursary advisory boards. Her international legal expertise has been pivotal in some of the world’s most challenging conflicts, from the Balkans to the Middle East.

In her early career, Nomi served as a political adviser and speechwriter to the UN Secretary-General at the UN Executive Office and the Department of Political Affairs in New York. She provided legal counsel for the UN peacekeeping mission in Haiti and served as a political adviser to UN missions in Guatemala, South Africa, and Mozambique. She was also seconded to the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, supporting transitions to democracy in Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, and Montenegro. Bar-Yaacov’s background as a war crimes investigator in the Bosnian-Serb Republic and as a diplomatic correspondent for Agence France-Presse has further enriched her insights into conflict dynamics and peace processes.

A renowned keynote speaker, Bar-Yaacov has addressed audiences at the Global Pound Conference in Florence, the Geneva International Film Festival, and the PCMG2024 Annual Assembly in The Hague. She regularly comments on conflict prevention and resolution, geopolitics, and technology for peace for major outlets, including BBC Radio, BBC Newsnight, SKY News, CNBC, and Al-Jazeera.