About the event
This public event features Dorji Dhradul, Director General of the Department of Tourism, and key members of the team working with him, Lisa Botos and Julien Beaupre Ste Marie, who will talk about the work that led to the Kingdom's new Nation Brand - a call to believe in the nation’s future - believe in its vision, its capabilities, its values, its global contribution and its responsibilities and how this nation brand will nurture sustainable future-focused tourism.
This event is organised at CSD in partnership with The Bhutan Society of the UK. The Bhutan Society of the United Kingdom was founded in 1992, inspired by the growing connections between the two countries. It is a thriving community of members who value the links connecting Bhutan and the UK.
The Society welcomes and brings together people who wish to know and understand of the Kingdom of Bhutan. The Centre for the Study of Democracy (CSD), established in 1989, is based in the School of Social Sciences at the University of Westminster. CSD has a longstanding international reputation for excellence through a programme of publications, events and collaborations with academics, practitioners, policymakers, and activists. Research in Politics and International Studies at CSD was ranked fourth highest in the UK for impact in the Research Excellence Framework 2021.
Professor Nitasha Kaul's work within CSD focuses on various aspects of the history, geo/politics, policy of the small Himalayan state of Bhutan. Bhutan has pioneered innovative forms of governance, environmental policies, sustainability, and politics, and is well known for the concept of Gross National Happiness (GNH).
Event schedule
- 18.00-18.30: Door Opens
- 18.30-18.45: Welcome by Professor Nitasha Kaul, Director, Centre for the Study of Democracy (CSD) and Andrew Sutton, The Bhutan Society of the UK
- 18.45-19.15: Talk by Dorji Dhradhul, Director General, Tourism Council of Bhutan
- 19.15-20.00: Panel Discussion (with Dorji Dhradhul, Lisa Botos and Julien Beaupre Ste Marie, chaired by Nitasha Kaul) and Audience Q&A
- 20.00-21.00: Networking Reception (with drinks and nibbles)
Location
Fyvie Hall, University of Westminster, 309 Regent Street W1B 2HW
About the speakers
Dorji Dhradhul
Dorji Dhradhul is the Director General of the Department of Tourism for the Royal Government of Bhutan. Passionate about his country's distinctive tourism policy, guided by the principle of "High-Value Low-Volume" and the development philosophy of Gross National Happiness, he actively shaped the new national brand "Bhutan Believe", unveiled in September 2023 as the nation warmly welcomed visitors back the Kingdom.
As Director General since 2019, Dorji has provided leadership through important periods of government reforms and transformation and guiding through the challenges of the recent global health crisis. Prior, Dorji played pivotal roles as the founding Director of the Department of Agricultural Marketing and Cooperatives and as the founding Registrar of Cooperatives in Bhutan.
He has made varying and significant contributions to his nation within the fields of agriculture research, extension, policy, and development. Dorji served as the Dzongda (Governor) of Gasa district, the highest and one of the most culturally significant regions in Bhutan. He thoughtfully administered this special mountainous constituency for nearly four years.
Beyond his professional roles, Dorji is a committed Desuup - a Guardian of Peace - volunteer. Additionally, he has showcased his literary talents by publishing two books. The first, a novel titled "Escapades – Awakenings", was published in 2013. Followed by a non-fiction book, published in 2023, titled "Hercules of Tongchudrak – Learnings to unlearn and relearn to build a great nation” which explores the journey towards the Kingdom's unique vision.
Lisa Botos
Lisa Botos is a Founding Partner at Private Partners & Co. She has built a global career delivering culture - extending across art, media, technology, luxury and international relations. Botos led award-winning visual teams in Asia, including TIME magazine’s pan-Asia editions where she was a senior editor.
She co-founded and directed the pioneering contemporary art gallery Ooi Botos in Hong Kong, and established the bespoke art advisory BotosProject., working with private clients to accomplish their cultural ambitions, including Art Unchained and Beyond Fashion for Swire Properties, and as the founding advisor for the WYNG Foundation’s cultural awards and platform in Hong Kong, leading on developing its infrastructure, systems and international networks.
She was International Curator of the 2013 Vladivostok Biennale, and is a nominator for the Sovereign Asian Art Prize. Botos has delivered lectures and participated in panels for Yale NUS University, Sotheby’s Institute of Art, and the Art World Database, and contributes to publications - most recently Harrods Magazine. Botos is a Fellow of the University of Hong Kong’s Advanced Cultural Leadership Academy and Bangalore’s BeFantastic Together: ArtTech for Climate. She is currently based in Singapore, with vast experience in Hong Kong and broad knowledge of the Asia region.
Julien Beaupré Ste-Marie
Julien Beaupré Ste-Marie is a Founding Partner at Private Partners & Co., to which he brings a wealth of knowledge and experience at the intersection of the cultural, media, and luxury industries.
Prior to advising private individuals and families on building their cultural capital, he has consulted for private, commercial, and institutional clients ranging from celebrities and artists to conglomerates, foundations and countries. He has led award-winning teams in North America, Europe, and Asia for fashion, cultural, entertainment and hospitality businesses.
Beaupré Ste-Marie served as Head of Creative Production and Art Buying at Winkreative, where he oversaw all commissioning across the agency’s European, Asian and North American offices. Until recently, as well as being an occasional visiting lecturer and writer, he was Co-founder and Managing Director at MMBP & Associates, a full-service creative office that reshapes worldviews by connecting local culture with a global audience. In this role, he led the company’s largest accounts, including the Kingdom of Bhutan, Korean entertainment giant CJ ENM and British legacy retailer Fenwick.
About the chair
Nitasha Kaul
Nitasha Kaul is the Director of the Centre for the Study of Democracy and a Professor of Politics, International Relations, and Critical Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of Westminster.
She is on Twitter @NitashaKaul, and you can find her published, spoken, and media work here.
