Amanda Ellis

Amanda Ellis is a Professor of Practice at Thunderbird School of Global Management, Arizona State University (ASU), and holds roles as Senior Director of Global Partnerships and Networks at the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory. She is an Adjunct Senior Fellow at the East-West Center and a member of multiple global advisory boards. Her career includes roles as New Zealand’s UN Ambassador, Head of Mission to Geneva, and Prime Minister’s Special Envoy to Francophone Africa.

• Education: BA (First Class Honors, French & Economics) from University of Otago; MA (University of Hawaii at Mānoa); LTCL (Trinity College London); Executive Education at Harvard, Stanford, INSEAD, and others.

Her research focuses on gender equality, economic empowerment, and global governance. She authored Women’s Business, Women’s Wealth and Woman 2 Woman, led World Bank research on gender and growth, and co-created the Women’s Economic Opportunity Index. Her work bridges academia, policy, and private sector collaboration.

• Awards: TIAW Lifetime Achievement, East-West Center Alumni Award, NZ Business Hall of Fame.

Ms. Ellis advises organizations like UN Target Gender Equality, Blue Planet Alliance, and the Global Governance Forum. She is a founding member of the Global Banking Alliance for Women and drives initiatives promoting women entrepreneurs globally.