Presidency Bios

Björn Ulvaeus is a Swedish songwriter, musician, singer, guitarist, producer and a member of the Swedish musical group ABBA.  Björn’s songs, co-written with his ABBA partner and close friend Benny Andersson, became some of the most famous hits of all times, selling more than 400 million records all over the world. Björn was co-composer of the musicals Chess, Kristina från Duvemåla, and Mamma Mia!, and he co-produced the films Mamma Mia! and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again with  Benny Andersson.  Björn has also been a longstanding tireless advocate for authors’ rights. Together with Max Martin, he launched “Music Rights Awareness” to help creators around the globe better understand their rights.   Björn also operates many successful businesses.

Youssou N'Dour is one of Africa's most influential and internationally recognised music creators. A singer-songwriter, composer and performer from Senegal, he has spent more than four decades shaping the global perception of African music through his pioneering fusion of traditional Senegalese mbalax with pop, jazz and other international influences. His work has consistently celebrated cultural identity while engaging in creative dialogue across borders A Grammy Award winner for his album Egypt, he has received numerous international honours throughout his career. In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked him number 69 on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.

Beyond his recording career, N'Dour has played a significant role in strengthening the cultural and creative industries in West Africa. Through the establishment of recording studios, production facilities and media platforms in Dakar, he has helped create professional opportunities for artists and contributed to the development of the region's music ecosystem. He also served as Senegal's Minister of Culture and Tourism. Throughout his career, N'Dour has combined artistic excellence with a longstanding commitment to cultural advocacy, public service and the advancement of creators and their rights.

Ángeles González-Sinde is a Spanish screenwriter and film director. González-Sinde Reig is a former student of Classical Philology from the Complutense University of Madrid and holds a master’s degree in film screenwriting from the Autonomous University of Madrid. She studied cinematography at the American Film Institute in Los Angeles.

González-Sinde holds screenwriting credits for numerous television series, including Truhanes and La casa de los líos, and 12 films. Her most awarded work was her directorial debut La suerte dormida, which starred Adriana Ozores. She is the President of the Royal Board of Trustees of the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía and has overseen the presidency of the Academy of Arts and Cinematographic Sciences of Spain (AACCE) since 2006. From 2009 to 2011, she served as the Minister of Culture of Spain and was President of the Film Academy between 2006 and 2009.

Kazuhiko Fukuoji is an internationally renowned Japanese Modern and Contemporary visual artist. He has been active within the CISAC community and has participated in lobbying for the visual artist’s Resale Right, including in Japan and at WIPO. Fukuoji is a director for the Japan Art Academy and representative director and chairman of JASPAR.

Fukuoji has been awarded several honours, including the Nihon Bijutsuin Award, the Seison Maeda Award, the 1996 Institute Exhibition Minister's Award, the 1998 Institute Exhibition Prime Minister's Award, the 2001 Japan Art Academy Award, and the 2010 Art Academy member. Fukuoji received the Medal with Dark Blue Ribbon in 2012.

Teresa Parodi is one of Argentina's most respected singer-songwriters and among the leading figures of Latin American popular music. Over a career spanning more than four decades, she has established herself as a powerful voice in Argentine culture, earning numerous distinctions, including the Consagración Award at the Cosquín National Folklore Festival, the Platinum Konex Award and the Gardel Lifetime Achievement Award.

Beyond her artistic achievements, Parodi has played an important role in cultural leadership and public service. In 2014, she became Argentina's first Minister of Culture, bringing her experience as a creator to the highest levels of cultural policymaking. She has also served on the boards of SADAIC (Argentine Society of Authors and Composers of Music) and AADI (Argentine Association of Performers), contributing to the advancement of creators' rights and collective management in Argentina.