Max Kelly  is the Associate Director of Research and Learning at the Centre for Humanitarian Leadership, and Course Director of Postgraduate Programs in Humanitarianism and Development at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Deakin University, Australia. Her research focuses on three main areas, critical focus on global political economy and development, Local leadership of humanitarian and crisis response, and community resilience in emergency and disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. She researches on sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and the Australian context of domestic emergency response. Her most recent book is a co-authored monograph exploring 'Foreign Aid in a World in Crisis' (Routledge, 2024), with previous work covering COVID-19 and Foreign Aid; Multilateralism, and shifting discourses and practices of foreign aid in the age of populism.

Viktor Jakupec  is an Honorary Professor in Development Studies at Deakin University, Australia, and the Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences at Potsdam University, Germany. He held academic positions at universities in Asia and Africa. His research focuses on political economy analysis, development studies, and foreign aid. As a consultant, he advised governments and multi-lateral aid agencies such as the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, International Finance Corporation, European Commission, and numerous bilateral aid agencies in over 14 Asian, MENA, South Pacific, and European countries. Jakupec holds a Dr. phil. from FU Hagen, Germany, and a Dr. Habil. from Giessen University, Germany. His recent publications include Jakupec, V. (2024) Dynamics of the Ukraine War: Diplomatic Challenges and Geopolitical Uncertainties. Cham: Springer and Jakupec, V., Kelly, M. and McKay, J. (2024). Foreign Aid in a World in Crisis: Shifting Geopolitics in the Neoliberal Era, London / New York: Routledge.

John McKay is a Partner with Analysis International, and an Honorary Professor in Development Studies at Deakin University, Australia. He was the Foundation Director of the Development Studies Centre, the Monash Asia Institute, and the Australian APEC Study Centre all at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. He has served as the President of the Australian Institute of International Affairs, Victoria, and the Melbourne Chapter of the Society for International Development. He has undertaken research studies in Africa and Asia, including work on the growing interaction between the two continents. He has also acted as a consultant to governments in both regions over many years.  McKay has recently completed a new book, Contemporary Asia, published by Bloomsbury.