AATS 2026 convenes the political and commercial principals who can move billion-dollar decisions — under the Chatham House spirit, in one room.
Portrait: Office of the President of the Republic of Ghana · Official presidential portrait
John Dramani Mahama returned to office as President of Ghana on 7 January 2025 after winning the December 2024 general election, becoming the first Ghanaian president to be voted out of office and later re-elected to a second, non-consecutive term. He previously served as President (2012–2017) and Vice President (2009–2012). His administration is anchored by the flagship 24-Hour Economy programme — a national industrialisation and jobs strategy across agriculture, fisheries, manufacturing and the creative industries — alongside Operation Recover All Loot and a wider economic-recovery agenda.
Julius Debrah (born 24 April 1966) is the Chief of Staff in the administration of President John Dramani Mahama, a position he also held from 2015 to 2017. A senior figure in Ghana's National Democratic Congress and a native of Obomeng Kwahu in the Eastern Region, Debrah has served as Minister for Local Government and Rural Development (2014–2015), Regional Minister for the Eastern and Greater Accra Regions (2013–2014), and Executive Director of the Ghana Tourism Authority (2009–2012). Widely regarded as a loyal and strategic partner to President Mahama, he is known for bridging the grassroots and the executive level with discipline and precision. In July 2026, he was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy in Museum and Heritage Studies from the University of Ghana — a milestone he achieved alongside his duties as Chief of Staff.
Attorney and Democratic politician, Aftab Pureval was first elected in 2021 and re-elected on 4 November 2025 as the 70th Mayor of Cincinnati — the first Asian-American to hold the office. Previously Hamilton County Clerk of Courts (2017–2022), his agenda focuses on equitable economic growth and modernising city operations.
Portrait: City of Cincinnati / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
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James David Vance has served as the 50th Vice President of the United States since 20 January 2025. Previously U.S. Senator for Ohio (2023–2025), Marine Corps veteran and best-selling author, the seat at AATS 2026 is extended to the Office of the Vice President in recognition of Cincinnati's role as a strategic U.S.–Africa commercial gateway.
Portrait: Official White House Photo · Public domain (U.S. federal work)
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Republican Mike DeWine has served as Governor of Ohio since January 2019. His five-decade public career spans the U.S. House of Representatives (1983–1991), U.S. Senate (1995–2007) and Ohio Attorney General (2011–2019). His administration has prioritised economic development, workforce training and family and children's policy.
Portrait: Office of the Governor of Ohio · Public domain
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Democrat Greg Landsman represents Ohio's 1st District (Cincinnati and Warren County) in the U.S. House of Representatives since January 2023. A former public-school teacher and Cincinnati City Council member, he sits on the House Foreign Affairs and Small Business committees and is a member of the New Democrat Coalition.
Portrait: Official Congressional portrait, 118th Congress · Public domain (U.S. federal work)
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Attorney, businessman and former Ohio State Senate Minority Leader, Eric H. Kearney leads the African American Chamber of Commerce for Greater Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky. A former member of President Obama's national finance committee, he directs a 35-point plan expanding capital, procurement and Fortune 500 supply-chain access for minority-owned businesses across the tri-state region.
Official websiteThe African American CEO Roundtable convenes senior African American executives and enterprise owners across the Cincinnati region to expand access to capital, procurement and international markets. The seat is extended to the office pending confirmation of the current principal.
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Damon Jones has been P&G's Chief Communications Officer since April 2020, leading global corporate reputation and stakeholder engagement across 170+ countries. A near-30-year P&G veteran and Xavier University graduate, he has been named to PRWeek's Global Power List multiple times, including a top-ranked spot in 2025.
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Retail veteran Greg Foran was appointed Chief Executive Officer of The Kroger Co. in February 2026. Previously CEO of Walmart U.S. and CEO of Air New Zealand, he brings four decades of global retail leadership to America's largest supermarket chain, headquartered in Cincinnati and a strategic buyer of African agri-produce.
Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Official websiteMichelle Harpenau Glandorf leads the World Affairs Council of Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky, a nationally recognised non-partisan platform for global engagement. She sits on the National Board of Directors of the World Affairs Councils of America and has expanded the Council's role convening heads of state, foreign ministers and multinational executives visiting the region.
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