Michael Köhler is the Ambassador and co-leader of Grand Bargain agreement between some of the largest donors and humanitarian organisations who have committed to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the humanitarian action. 

Previously, Michael served as the Deputy Director-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations in the European Commission’s DG ECHO, coordinating the worldwide EU humanitarian aid activities. He also held roles of the Acting Director-General at DG ECHO, Director for EU-Neighbourhood Policy at the Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR), and Director for the Eastern and Southern Neighbourhood in the Directorate-General for Development and International Cooperation (DG DEVCO).

Michael has 36 years of professional experience in international cooperation, aid and foreign policy. He holds a Dr. phil. in History and Middle Eastern Studies from Hamburg University (1987). He authored a number of publications in international Islamic studies and foreign policy reviews on aspects of the political, economic and cultural development of the Muslim World, on the Arab League and on regional integration in the Maghreb, co-operation in the Mediterranean and development co-operation.

Since 1997, he is Professor for Europe and the Mediterranean at the College of Europe in Bruges. He also teaches at Université Paris1 – Panthéon-Sorbonne and LUISS Guido Carlì in Rome. He has offered courses in peacebuilding at PSIA/Sciences Po, Paris, and served as a senior Fellow of the Center for European Integration Studies at the University of Bonn.

Michael is an Associate Senor Fellow or Board Member of various well-renowned EU, German, Belgian, Spanish and UK-based foundations and think tanks specialising in international relations, peace and mediation, and development studies.

Michelle Pace is Professor in Global Studies at Roskilde University, Denmark. A political scientist by training, she focuses on the intersection between European Studies, Middle East Studies, Democratization Studies and Conflict Studies.

As the Danish Lead partner of the Horizon Europe project SHAPEDEM-EU (2022–2025), Michelle is responsible for the conceptual framework of this project which focuses on visions on the practice of democracy, democracy learning loops and communities of practice.

Also Associate Fellow at Chatham House’s Europe Programme, Michelle has published widely on the EU and Palestine/Israel. Her latest publication in qantara.de (12 Sept 2024) focuses on the EU’s moral responsibility in ending the ongoing and perpetual cycle of violence and in stopping Israel as well its own member states from trampling on international law.

Michelle is member of the editorial board of Mediterranean Politics as well as incoming board member of the Euro-Mediterranean Foundation of Support to Human Rights Defenders (2024–2029).