Rika Jean-Francois holds a premium Master Degree in Social Anthropology and Iranian Studies with an expertise on ethnic identities, sustainable development and diversity issues from the Free University of Berlin.
While conducting cultural studies at the University of Crete/Greece she started working in tourism as a historic tour guide, and continued as an incoming agent in Athens.
In Germany she became counselor at the University’s International Academic Exchange Office and travelled as a researcher to Iran, Malawi and Haiti.
Ms Jean-François obtained an additional qualification in Quality Management, working on the evaluation of development aid workers’ education for the German Development Service. Since 2004 she has been with Messe Berlin and vitally helped developing ITB’s Corporate Social Responsibility. As ITB’s Commissioner of CSR she is a passionate speaker at sustainable tourism events internationally. She has also spearheaded ITB’s implementation of the LGBT travel segment and became board member of the IGLTA (International Gay&Lesbian Travel Association) as well as of the IGLTA Foundation. She is a jury member of international responsible tourism contests and works in several international committees dedicated to sustainable tourism and human rights. She is a member of the PATA Board of Directors as well as The Code International (Child protection). At ITB, she is also heading relationships with India, and is chief coordinator of ITB’s Partner Country program.
She speaks five languages including English, French, Farsi and Greek and is a mother of three grown-up daughters.
She is member of the TO DO Jury since 2009.