Jan Olav Baarøy has been the Director of the Norwegian Agency for Exchange Cooperation (Norec) since 2018. He has previously served as the Head of Programmes at Norwegian Church Aid, the Norwegian Peace Corps, and CARE International Norway. Baarøy began his professional career with UNICEF in Uganda, followed by six years with UNICEF in New York and Tanzania. He holds an MBA in Strategic Leadership and an M.Phil in Social Anthropology, having completed studies in Uganda where he was associated with Makerere University. Jan will join a Strategy Conversation Session during the IVCO 2024 Conference and deliver the presentation: “To build a bridge that unites us, and withstands the storm”.