Ghalia El Kerouani

Political Risk, Credit & Bond Analyst, AXA XL

Ghalia joined AXA XL as a risk analyst within the Political Risk, Credit and Bonds team in April 2022. Based in Paris, she accompanies underwriters across all hubs (APAC, Continental Europe, UK, and Americas) in their risk assessment and underwriting process, covering multiple transaction types and risks. In addition to her role as risk analyst, Ghalia is involved in several transversal projects for the risk team, such as developing rating and risk assessment tools.

Ghalia graduated from Toulouse Business School in June 2020, holding a masters in Banking and Financial Markets. In parallel, Ghalia was an apprentice during two years at BNP Paribas (Paris office), working as a credit analyst covering EMEA financial institutions. After her graduation, Ghalia continued her career at the bank for an additional two years, covering in total 6 different banking portfolios.

Charles Busch

Business Manager, Political Risk and Credit Insurance VANTAGE

Charles is the Business Manager for Vantage’s Political Risk and Credit insurance business. He is responsible for helping to build and develop the infrastructure of the product related to governance, finance, marketing, and operations.

He previously was the Global Underwriting Manager for Political Risk, Credit, and Bond (“PRCB”) at AXA XL (formerly XL Catlin). There he served as a member of PRCB’s leadership team and assisted in the implementation of the product strategy. Before joining AXA XL, Charles served as an intern at the Center for International Trade and Economics of the Heritage Foundation. There he conducted country risk analysis and helped draft the think tank’s leading, annual publication, The Index of Economic Freedom.

Prior to Heritage, he also had an internship in the US House of Representatives for a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs. Part of this committee's mandate involves oversight of export and trade related appropriations including appropriations to the US Export-Import Bank (“US EXIM”), the US International Development Finance Corporation (“DFC”), and the US Trade and Development Agency (“USTDA”).

Charles holds Postgraduate Certificate in Finance, Risk, and Insurance from the Offenburg University of Applied Sciences and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics, with a minor in Philosophy, from the Busch School of Business and Economics at the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. As an undergraduate, Charles was a member of the University Honors Program and studied abroad in Rome and at Oxford. Since graduating, he has served on the Young Alumni Leadership Council for Catholic University’s Department of Economics.

Nicole Cherry

Senior Associate - In-House Counsel, PwC

Lara joined PwC Germany in April 2022 as an in-house counsel for German Investment Guarantees on behalf of the federal government - a key instrument of political risk insurance. Her work focuses on claims handling and crisis management, leveraging a strong foundation in international law and extensive cross-border experience.

She holds an LL.M. in Human Rights Law from Queen Mary University of London and completed both the First and Second State Examinations in Law in Hamburg. Prior to joining PwC, Lara gained experience in international business law as well as in public international law, human rights, and corporate finance. She also completed an internship at the German Embassy in Lima.

A native German speaker, Lara is fluent in English and brings a global perspective to her work.

Azzam Alzahrani

Associate, Risk Management, ICIEC

Nicole Cherry

Membership Relations Manager, BERNE UNION SECRETARIAT

Nicole Cherry joined the Berne Union Secretariat in 2016. She originally joined as a Team Assistant to help support the secretariat during the period the Prague Club integrated with the Berne Union. After a short while Nicole was promoted to Event Logistics and Office Manager. For 7 years, Nicole was integral in organising Berne Union general and specialist meetings, alongside each BU member host. In 2025 Nicole was promoted to Membership Relations Manager.

In 2020 Nicole took on the role of Young Professionals Manager for the YP Initiative whilst it was still in its infancy. She has built up the YP community to 230 individuals spanning from 56 of the BU members, expanding their agenda to cover 8 events per year, including the annual 2-day YP Forum.

Nicole holds a BA from Roehampton University and spent 6 years living and working for charitable organisations in Tanzania until 2015.