THARCHEN
FOUNDER / EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Tharchen began his career as an educator and became a school principal before leaving the civil service after more than 8 years educating children in rural Bhutan. He has a Master Degree in Education (Educational Administration and Management) from Naresuan University in Thailand.
He was elected to the National Council as a Member of Parliament representing the people of Trongsa dzongkhag from 2013-2018. Among his notable works has been his active role in initiating income and employment generating projects in very remote areas besides raising several important debates on local governance.
He served on the Public Accounts Committee. He also chaired the Good Governance Committee which made valuable input into the direction of the decentralization policy discussion as a result of a diagnostic study on local governments.
SANGAY KHANDU
CO-FOUNDER / ASSOCIATE
Sangay is a seasoned multi-sector leader driven by a passion for public service. His extensive career spans banking, human resources, international trade, policy development, and community engagement. He holds a Master’s in Business Administration and brings a proven track record in leadership, project management, and fostering positive change.
Throughout his 10 years as a Member of Parliament, Sangay championed critical initiatives like the Right to Information Bill and legal aid access programs, significantly strengthening Bhutan’s national accountability and justice systems. He has also been a vocal advocate for social responsibility, actively volunteering for youth empowerment programs, providing essential deliveries during the COVID-19 pandemic, and supporting Bhutan’s success of 100% sterilization of free-roaming unowned dogs under the national dog population management efforts. Notably, he partnered as Co-investigator with Dr Nitasha Kaul of the Centre for the Study of Democracy at the University of Westminster and organized Bhutan’s first Biodemocracy Conference, and successfully won research grants like the British Academy/Leverhulme Small Research Grant and the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) GCRF International Development Research Networking Scheme Large Grant, fostering international collaboration.
Sangay’s expertise extends beyond policy and social initiatives. He has built crucial partnerships, led research projects, and designed training programs for public hearings and legislative research. He continues to play parliamentary support services as well as CSO support services which has also included deepening engagement and inclusive decision-making in the Parliament of Bhutan.
His strong management skills are evident in his accomplishments.These include successfully developing and implementing HR systems in-house and rolling out a performance management program for the Bhutan Power Corporation, contributing to the company’s increased efficiency, resulting in distribution of bonuses to employees. He also demonstrated adaptability by thriving in a multicultural international organization like the International Trade Centre, where he served as the first National Project Coordinator in developing Bhutan’s Export Capacity (funded by the EU) that contributed to the revival of natural dye use in Bhutanese textiles and the formation of the Handicrafts Association of Bhutan amongst others.
JIGMI RINZIN (FCCA)
ASSOCIATE
Jigmi is a Managing Partner/CEO of JIGMI Audit & Financials Pvt. Ltd. and a member of Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), UK. He is also a member of Global Parliamentarians Forum on Evaluation (GPFE) and Evaluation Association of Bhutan (EAB), which are involved in the promotion of evaluation profession.
He was a civil servant for more than over 12 years with Royal Audit Authority and Anti-Corruption Commission, and was on government secondment for two years in Kuensel Corporation Ltd in 2002 and 2003. He was elected into Parliament in 2008 and re-elected for another term until 2018 as a Member of National Council. As an MP, Jigmi was on many important committees in Parliament besides chairing the Public Accounts Committee, and had lead several significant inquiries into the economy in the areas of mining and mineral development, agriculture development and public service delivery, besides attending as resource person to several national and international conferences on good governance, parliamentary studies and evaluation.
He is a Fellow Chartered Certified Accountant (FCCA) from the UK and holds a B.Com (Honours) Degree from Delhi University.
NIMA
ASSOCIATE
Nima is a former educator and mentor at the Paro Colleage of Education. He played a crucial role in shaping the future of teachers. Besides teaching various subjects, his expertise in counseling, backed by a Master’s degree, allowed him to provide valuable guidance and support to his students, enhancing their educational journey. He also
represented the people of Bumthang to the National Council for two consecutive terms, spanning over 10 years. While in parliament, he championed policy reviews in education, social issues, and cultural preservation. His strong leadership and communication skills were evident as he chaired key committees on Social and Cultural Affairs and Education. Nima is a skilled counselor, public speaker, and team player with a proven ability to work effectively in both legislative and educational settings.