Expert Network
Beyond Borders brings together a curated network of senior practitioners with deep, hands-on experience across border security, customs, migration, command and control, risk analysis, aviation, crisis management, technology, innovation and related fields. Our members have led national agencies, shaped international policy and delivered large-scale transformation programmes. Together, they exchange experience, generate applied knowledge and help shape practical solutions for the future of borders and global mobility.
Dr Ioana Creitaru is senior advisor in climate and disaster resilience, crisis preparedness, response, and recovery with over 17 years of leadership experience across the United Nations system. Dr Creitaru brings a strong track record of advising governments on strengthening national disaster risk management systems, translating global policy into operational solutions for countries, and delivering coordinated results across complex humanitarian and development contexts. She is recognised for building high-impact partnerships across UN agencies, governments, financial institutions, and the private sector, and for effectively engaging in high-level policy dialogue.
Dr Creitaru is currently leading UNDP’s global portfolio on disaster early warning and preparedness, spearheading the UNDP Preparedness Learning Pathway, a pioneering initiative to boost countries’ preparedness and anticipatory capabilities. She serves as the UNDP global manager of a flagship public-private partnership between UNDP and DHL Group that has enhanced airport disaster readiness capabilities in 30+ countries since 2009. Dr Creitaru is passionate advocate for disability inclusion, having led UNDP’s global policy on disability-inclusive disaster risk reduction, and a Gender Equality Champion at UNDP.
Dr Creitaru is an active UNDP SURGE Advisor with a wealth of country experience spanning all geographical regions of the world, having been deployed to support UNDP’s response and recovery efforts in Afghanistan (Eastern Afghanistan earthquakes of 31 August 2025), Egypt (Gaza crisis response in 2024), Papua New Guinea (landslides of May 2024), Syria (earthquakes of February 2023), Moldova (Ukraine refugee crisis in 2022) and India (COVID-19 pandemic in 2021). Dr Creitaru holds a PhD degree awarded in 2015 for research on securitization, climate change and disaster response from the Geneva Graduate Institute, Switzerland.
Dr Ianuș Erhan is a senior public-sector leader and legal expert with more than two decades of experience in public order and security, institutional reform, border management, customs, and human rights. He brings a strong record of leading government institutions, coordinating complex reform programmes, and translating legal and policy priorities into practical solutions. Throughout his career, he has worked closely with public authorities, international organisations, academia, and civil society.
Dr Erhan served as Secretary General of Moldova’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and, previously, as Secretary of State responsible for public order and security, crime prevention, and crime control. He also chaired the Board of Directors of the Ministry’s State Enterprise “Security Services” and served as Acting Director of the Integrated Training Center for Law Enforcement. Within the General Police Inspectorate, he contributed to the implementation of Moldova’s Police Reform Programme. Earlier, as Deputy Head of the Border Police Department, he worked on integrated border management, cross-border security, and institutional modernisation. He began his public-service career in the Customs Service, progressing from inspector to department head.
His expertise has supported initiatives implemented with UNDP, USAID, and the European Union in police reform, visa liberalisation, justice, customs, legislative harmonisation, and law-enforcement training. Alongside his governmental career, Dr Ianuș has taught Customs Law and Contraventional Law at Moldova State University since 2007 and currently works there as a senior scientific researcher. He has also served as an associate professor at the University of European Political and Economic Studies “Constantin Stere” since 2018. An experienced trainer and author, he has published extensively on policing, public security, human rights, good governance, and European integration. Dr Erhan holds a Doctor of Law in Public Law and master’s degrees in Public Law and European Studies, and his professional contributions have been recognised through national and international distinctions.
Saleh Alzahrani is a senior security and digital transformation expert with over 20 years of experience leading major programmes in border security, public safety, command and control, and smart cities. His career includes senior roles with the Saudi Ministry of Interior and NEOM, where he contributed to large-scale, multi-agency initiatives spanning land and maritime security, emergency response, mobility, and AI-enabled operations.
He currently advises organizations on security transformation and operational technology, combining strategic leadership with extensive hands-on implementation experience.
Valentin Fiodorov is a senior public-sector leader and independent expert with over 20 years of experience in integrated border management, migration governance, institutional reform and international cooperation. He combines national-level leadership with practical knowledge of border and migration systems and experience applying European standards in institutional practice.
He served as Head of Moldova’s General Inspectorate for Migration and, for eight years, as Deputy Head of the Border Police. His responsibilities included organisational reform, operational capability development, digital public services, cross-border cooperation and preparations in the field of justice, freedom and security for Moldova’s EU accession. He also coordinated the Border Police’s contribution to Moldova’s EU visa liberalisation process.
He played a leading role in developing bilateral cooperation on integrated border management with Moldova’s neighbouring countries, particularly Ukraine. His responsibilities included developing bilateral frameworks and operational mechanisms, including joint control at border crossing points, and serving as Moldovan Co-Chair of the Joint Moldova–Ukraine Commission for the Demarcation of the State Border. This work required diplomatic judgement and the ability to reconcile legal, technical and operational considerations into balanced, implementable solutions.
His current work focuses on institutional and operational assessments, border and migration procedures, capability planning, and international technical and financial assistance projects. His interests include modern border security technologies, digital transformation, interoperability, data-informed decision-making, and leadership and management training.
His approach is practical and people-centred, grounded in capable teams, clear procedures, technology, sound management and integrity.
Károly Molnár is a senior customs and border security expert with over 25 years of experience in customs enforcement, international border management, and countering illicit trafficking. His expertise includes risk analysis, customs investigations and legislation, trade facilitation, dual-use goods controls, sanctions compliance, and the detection of complex cross-border smuggling and procurement networks.
He currently serves as Senior Customs and Tax Information Officer at Hungary’s National Tax and Customs Administration, advising on EU and national customs legislation. He also supports the consistent application of the Union Customs Code and cooperation with national authorities, EU institutions, customs administrations, and international organisations.
From 2021 to 2025, Mr. Molnár served as Customs Adviser with EUBAM Libya, supporting customs reform, institutional capacity, integrity, internal investigations, and compliance with international standards. Previously, as Senior Customs Policy Officer within the Hungarian customs administration, he coordinated complex enforcement activities and international customs cooperation. He also served as Hungary’s National Contact Point for the UNODC–WCO Container Control Programme, focusing on intelligence analysis and high-risk cargo targeting.
His international experience includes assignments with the OSCE Observer Mission at the Russian checkpoints Gukovo and Donetsk, EUBAM Moldova and Ukraine, and the UN Oil-for-Food Programme in Iraq, as well as cooperation with the WCO, UNODC, EUROPOL, INTERPOL, and SELEC. He holds a Master’s degree in Law Enforcement Management, a postgraduate qualification in Finance, and a Bachelor’s degree in Law Enforcement Administration. He is fluent in English, with working knowledge of German and basic Russian.
Jonathan (Jon) Holland is an international border security and institutional reform specialist with more than 40 years’ experience spanning policing, customs, immigration, coastguard, maritime and aviation security, and international capacity development across 23 countries.
He has served as Director of the OSCE Border Management Staff College, Head of Customs and Port Control for the Government of St Helena, and as a senior expert and programme leader with UNITAR, IOM, PwC and other international partners. His work has included integrated border management, inter-agency cooperation, port and supply-chain security, crisis management, organisational transformation and the development of frontline border institutions.
Jon brings extensive operational leadership together with strategic advisory, governance and international programme experience.
Jonathan Koh is an international expert in customs modernisation, digital trade, and Single Window programmes, recognised for connecting policy, technology, and implementation. He advises governments, customs administrations, and international organisations on trade digitalisation, from strategy and legal frameworks to system design, implementation, and private-sector adoption. His expertise includes national Single Windows, AI-enabled customs transformation, cross-border data interoperability, and implementation of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement.
Jonathan has led or contributed to major national and regional programmes across more than 40 countries in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and the Pacific. His portfolio includes the ASEAN Single Window and national trade platforms in Kenya, Oman, Qatar, Hong Kong SAR, and Bangladesh. As Head of Customs for NEOM in Saudi Arabia, he led the development of the legal, institutional, operational, and digital architecture for a next-generation customs administration, including legislation, clearance procedures, border infrastructure, and an integrated customs platform.
Jonathan currently serves as Managing Director of Trade Facilitation Pte Ltd, a specialist consultancy delivering customs and digital-trade transformation programmes globally. His recent work focuses on Smart Customs AI roadmaps that translate strategic priorities into practical transformation programmes. A Visiting Scholar with the International Monetary Fund, he has published extensively on digital trade and customs digitalisation and has developed influential resources for the IMF, World Customs Organization, and Asian Development Bank on AI adoption, customs readiness, and AI-powered tariff classification.
Dmitri Datco is a border management, migration, and security professional with more than 20 years in law enforcement, international security, and program implementation. A retired lieutenant-colonel of the Moldovan Border Police, his expertise spans integrated border management, migration governance, legal identity systems, document examination, counter-trafficking, and international cooperation.
As Team Leader of the IOM-operated Canada Visa Application Centre in Moldova, he leads operational management, stakeholder engagement, project implementation, and service delivery for safe and orderly migration. Across senior Border Police roles, he drove border security modernization, forensic document examination, migration management, capacity-building, and interagency cooperation — implementing one-stop-shop border crossing procedures, establishing cargo control programs at International Port, supporting Advance Passenger Information system deployment, and helping shape national migration and legal identity legislation.
From 2018 to 2020, with the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine, he served as Monitoring Officer and Acting Deputy Patrol Group Leader in Luhansk, coordinating field operations, conducting security assessments, producing analytical reports, and bridging international and national stakeholders in a complex conflict environment.
He has delivered over twenty specialized training programs to roughly 300 officials and officers in border control, document and vehicle examination, cargo inspection, migration governance, and international humanitarian law, and contributed to a forensic laboratory's ISO 17025 accreditation and to regional cooperation against illicit trafficking and cross-border crime. Dmitri holds an MAS in International and European Security (University of Geneva) and a Law degree (Moldova State University), and is a licensed judicial forensic expert. Fluent in Romanian, Russian, and English, he works extensively with governments, international organizations, donors, and law enforcement across Europe and the Eastern Partnership region.
Andrey Ustinov is a command-and-control (C2) systems architect based in Singapore, currently serving as Senior Solution Architect at Thales. He brings more than two decades of experience delivering mission-critical security, technology and operations capability for public safety organisations, critical infrastructure programmes and large-scale international events.
From 2022 to 2026 he was Manager and C2 Systems Architect at NEOM in Saudi Arabia, where he led technical operations for NEOM Public Safety Command and Control — covering the planning, implementation and sustainment of network and datacentre infrastructure, CCTV and access control services, together with their cybersecurity protection. In parallel, Andrey acted as NEOM's technical expert on border security system tenders, evaluating proposed solutions against operational and architectural requirements. He also led technology scouting for the securing of NEOM's extensive land border, assessing long-range surveillance radar, fibre-optic intrusion detection and multi-sensor fusion capabilities.
Prior to NEOM, Andrey spent nearly four years at Expo 2020 Dubai as Head of Program, Command & Control, where he delivered the site-wide Command and Control platform, centralised building management system and computer-aided facility management suite supporting the Expo's main and zonal command centres for event operations and security teams. His major-event background also includes the Sochi 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games with Atos, where he managed venue IT across the mountain cluster, and the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Ashgabat, where he led venue technology delivery across nine venues.
Andrey began his career as a software engineer and later held programme and delivery leadership roles across telecommunications, healthcare technology and enterprise software. He holds an MSc in Applied Physics and undertook doctoral research in semiconductor physics at the University of Sheffield. He speaks English and Russian.
Meshal Aljohani has been in the security industry nearly 17 years in various capacities. He is working as Lead Security Group Officer.
He holds Master degree in Business Administration He has also acquired the ASIS International Triple Crown: Certified Protection Professional (CPP), Physical Security Professional (PSP) and Professional Certified Investigator (PCI) certifications.
His contributions to the field have been recognized through several prestigious honors, including 2025 ASIS PCB Outstanding Achievement Award, 2025 ASIS Distinguished Service Award, and 2023 ASIS NextGen of the Year Award.
He serves as a member of ASIS Professional Development Community and the NextGen Community Steering Committee, an Advisory Board Member for the Security Middle East Conference (2023–2026), and contributes locally through ASIS Dhahran Chapter’s Events & Programs Committee.
Lajos Zsolt Karakas is a senior international expert with nearly three decades of experience in border security, integrated border management, law enforcement, institutional reform, security-sector governance, and international technical assistance. He combines operational law-enforcement experience with executive leadership in European Union and OSCE field missions and strategic advisory support to public institutions implementing European standards.
He began his career with the Hungarian Border Guard and Police, working in operational, investigative, and internal-security roles related to anti-corruption, professional integrity, and cross-border crime prevention. He later held senior positions with the European Union Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine, including Head of the Planning, Analysis and Coordination Office, Officer-in-Charge, and responsibilities as Deputy Head of Mission. Within the OSCE Mission to Moldova, he served as Acting Deputy Head and Acting Head of Mission, leading confidence-building, institutional development, security cooperation, and crisis-management activities. His earlier work with the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek focused on regional border cooperation, counterterrorism, organised-crime prevention, and strengthening cooperation among border, customs, and law-enforcement authorities in Central Asia.
Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Lajos supported EUBAM’s operational continuity and was the Mission’s only international staff member continuously based in Ukraine from September 2023 until its closure. He currently provides pro bono strategic and technical advice to Ukrainian public institutions, focusing on border and customs resilience, institutional reform, law-enforcement cooperation, programme management, and European integration. His contribution has been recognised through distinctions from Moldova and Ukraine, including Moldova’s Medal of Honour for Peacekeeping and the Ukrainian Order “Unity and Freedom.” Guided by integrity and cooperation, he is committed to translating operational experience into practical reforms, stronger institutions, and sustainable international partnerships.
Anthony Penwright is a senior technology leader and independent expert with over 20 years of experience in government and defence programme delivery, smart cities, digital infrastructure and emerging technology. He combines national-level public-sector leadership with hands-on delivery of large-scale digital systems, and has directed a career portfolio exceeding £1 billion in programme value across the United Kingdom, Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Gulf.
He began his career in United Kingdom central government and defence, serving as Overseas Programme Director at the Ministry of Defence on one of the largest defence business-change programmes undertaken, spanning 150,000 workstations, 300,000 users and 2,000 sites. He later served as Director of Strategic Operations at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, accountable for secure global service delivery across 242 diplomatic sites in more than 150 countries. As Programme Director for the Public Service Network at the Cabinet Office he advised ministers on technology strategy and governed a 48-supplier delivery ecosystem.
He played a leading role in establishing smart-city practice internationally. At Cisco Systems he built the Smart City Global Practice from inception, advising tier-one cities across Europe, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific. He subsequently led growth and delivery for a data and Internet-of-Things platform business, and at NEOM held director-level accountability for the technology underpinning the digital master plan of the world’s largest giga-project, leading more than 90 specialists across infrastructure, cloud, data, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.
His current work focuses on applied artificial intelligence, digital public infrastructure and verifiable data systems — governed multi-agent AI architectures, edge deployment for data-sovereign environments, and cryptographic provenance services using distributed-ledger and trusted-timestamping methods. His interests include sustainable urban systems, interoperability, data-informed decision-making and responsible artificial intelligence. His approach is practical and outcome-centred, grounded in capable teams, clear governance, appropriate technology and measurable public value.
Michael Xie is a senior technology and digital executive with over 25 years of experience spanning AI platforms, cognitive infrastructure, and large‑scale digital transformation. He brings a distinctive combination of founder‑level execution, C‑suite leadership, and complex public‑sector delivery at national and city scale.
Currently serving as NEOM Region Head of Digital & Cognitive, Michael shapes the Cognitive City operating model across data, AI, digital twins, and governance systems. As Chief Product Lead and Architect of NEOM’s cognitive city operating system, he integrates data mesh, AI services, and enterprise platforms into a unified architecture for next‑generation urban environments.
His professional background includes leadership roles across the United States, China, and the Middle East, managing portfolios exceeding SAR 500M and building multidisciplinary teams of 70‑100+ professionals. His technical expertise encompasses AI and cognitive systems, data platforms, digital twins, blockchain and distributed ledger technology, cryptography, zero‑trust architecture, and large‑scale distributed systems.
Michael holds an M.S. and B.S. in Computer Science from UCLA, with additional certifications in technical program.
Nick Murdoch is an international expert in border management, migration, digital transformation, artificial intelligence and strategic foresight, with more than two decades of experience leading policy development, institutional reform and operational transformation in the UK, Europe and internationally.
His career spans senior leadership positions in government, international organisations and advisory roles supporting national authorities, institutions and partner countries. He has worked extensively on integrated border management, migration governance, customs cooperation, digital identity, interoperability, command and control systems, and emerging technologies for public administration and security. Throughout his career, he has advised governments and international organisations on institutional modernisation, capability development and strategic planning, helping organisations translate complex policy objectives into practical operational solutions. His work combines experience in operational leadership with expertise in governance, innovation and cross-border cooperation.
In recent years, his focus has expanded to the intersection of artificial intelligence, digital transformation, risking and targeting, and the future of government. He works with public institutions and private sector partners on AI adoption, organisational change, data-driven decision-making, strategic foresight and the implications of emerging technologies for border management and public administration.
Alongside his advisory work, he is a recognised thought leader, and international speaker on border security, migration, AI, digital government and the future of public institutions. His approach combines strategic vision with practical implementation, helping organisations navigate complex transformation while strengthening institutional resilience and operational effectiveness.
Vladimir Ivanov is a senior security, intelligence, and risk management professional with over 30 years of experience in corporate security, military intelligence, counterintelligence, operational security, and international missions. He has a strong record in threat and risk assessment, intelligence analysis, crisis preparedness, physical security, surveillance systems, and the development of operational security procedures.
Previously, Vladimir held international security and analytical roles with the European Union Delegation in Afghanistan, the OSCE, NATO, the Bulgarian Ministry of Defence, and international security contractors, including deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. His responsibilities included preparing threat assessments, advising senior leaders, delivering operational briefings, developing procedures, and coordinating intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance activities. Vladimir holds master’s degrees in National and International Security Management and Military Intelligence, as well as a degree in Civil Engineering, and is a graduate of the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies.
Vladimir currently serves as a Security Specialist at Intuitive Surgical Bulgaria, where he is responsible for physical security operations, access control, incident preparedness, security awareness, contractor and visitor management, and regulatory compliance. He develops security procedures, training programmes, and practical response guidance while coordinating with management, employees, external security providers, and public authorities. His professional interests include corporate and physical security, intelligence-led decision-making, operational resilience, counterterrorism preparedness, and the development of effective security teams.
Maysho Prashad is an international strategic advisor with more than two decades of experience supporting governments, developers, investors, and executive leaders in the delivery of complex cities, destinations, and major infrastructure projects. His expertise spans development strategy, governance, urban planning, resilience, security, operational readiness, and investment planning across North America, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa.
Throughout his career, Maysho has contributed to major projects including THE LINE at NEOM in Saudi Arabia and the Van Don Special Administrative Economic Zone in Vietnam. Before joining Tenacities, he served as Senior Development Manager for THE LINE and held senior planning and urban-design roles with Arcadis/CRTKL in Shanghai, Dubai, and Hong Kong. He also advised the United Nations on strategic urban-development assignments in Myanmar, Saudi Arabia, and Timor-Leste and worked with internationally recognised firms including Gensler and 5+design in Los Angeles.
In his current leadership role at Tenacities, Maysho advises organisations on the strategic decisions that shape resilient, investable, and operationally successful developments. He helps clients identify risks, align stakeholders, strengthen investment confidence, and translate complex development challenges into clear and actionable strategies. Maysho holds a Master of Science in Architecture and Urban Design from Columbia University and a Master of Architecture from the University of Florida. He is an accredited member of the American Institute of Certified Planners and the Hong Kong Institute of Urban Design and is a LEED Accredited Professional.
João Rodrigues is a customs officer with the Portuguese Customs Administration and an international expert in Integrated Border Management, good governance, trade facilitation, border security, and customs training. He has extensive operational and advisory experience across land border crossings, seaports, and airports, with a strong focus on institutional capacity building, inter-agency cooperation, and effective customs procedures.
His international career began in Timor-Leste, where he served from 2001 to 2007 as a Border Supervisor and Customs and Borders Advisor. He played a leading role in establishing border and customs systems in the newly independent country, supporting operations at land crossings, ports, and airports. In 2013, as a customs expert, he contributed to the European Union’s Integrated Border Management Study for Latin America and the Caribbean, developing proposals to strengthen maritime and seaport controls and combat human trafficking and the smuggling of cocaine and weapons.
João has also undertaken border-management assessments in Niger and the wider Sahel region, identifying institutional gaps and operational needs related to Integrated Border Management. For the League of Arab States, he contributed to an analysis of corruption within border agencies, focusing on trade facilitation and the prevention of crime and corruption. As a Principal Training Assistant for the World Customs Organization’s Programme Global Shield, he developed capacity-building and training programmes on dual-use chemicals and explosive precursors for border agencies in Central Asia and Lebanon, supporting their implementation within integrated border-management frameworks.