The International Road Federation (IRF) is pleased to announce the appointment of a new leadership cohort for the IRF Young Professionals Programme for the 2026–2028 term. Selected through a highly competitive process, the new cohort brings together three outstanding emerging leaders whose professional backgrounds reflect the diversity, innovation and global perspective that define the programme. With expertise spanning road safety, sustainable mobility, transport planning and innovation, as well as demonstrated experience in youth engagement and international collaboration, these leaders will help shape the next chapter of the IRF Young Professionals Programme.

Adwait Limaye is a Transport policy and data specialist with 8+ years across 50+ Asia-Pacific countries. His depth in transport is built on a cross-sectoral foundation spanning urban design, infrastructure delivery, and local government operations across India and Asia-Pacific.

He specialises in evidence-based diagnostics and developing policy storylines for governments, MDBs, and UN agencies. He brings systems thinking and upstream project preparation to translate technical evidence into actionable policies.

An experienced facilitator and trainer, he has supported multi-country workshops and consultations across 25+ delegations, designing structured learning programmes for government officials and junior professionals alike. He has co-authored flagship reports, working across multilateral development banks, UN agencies, and bilateral donors. Outside work, Adwait explores cities on foot — drawn to how transit systems and urban form shape the rhythms, cultures, and daily lives of the people within them.

Valeria Carrion Moreno is a civil engineer and youth mobility advocate from Peru committed to advancing safer, more inclusive and sustainable transport systems. As a Youth Leadership Board member of the Global Youth Coalition for Road Safety, she works to elevate youth perspectives in global road safety advocacy, with a particular focus on expanding engagement across Latin America and empowering young leaders to contribute to safer mobility systems.

Valeria has built her career around promoting safer streets, equitable access, and people-centred urban design. In her role as a civil engineer at the Ministry of Transport and Communications of Peru, she contributes to transport policies and technical guidelines that shape road planning and evaluation across the country. She has also developed technical inputs for emergency declarations to accelerate road condition improvements and reduce risks on critical corridors, strengthening national road safety efforts through evidence-based policy and institutional coordination.

Steffel Ludivin Feudjio Tezong is a Civil Engineer and Transport Consultant with over six years of experience designing and delivering sustainable infrastructure and transport projects across Sub-Saharan Africa and Europe.

He holds a PhD in Infrastructure and Transport from Sapienza University of Rome and Master’s degrees in Civil Engineering from ENSTP Yaoundé and the University of Padova.

His work focuses on sustainable transport, road safety, transport decarbonization, climate-resilient transport systems, and integrated urban and corridor planning. He also engages with cross-cutting issues like health, education, gender, inequality, and climate, through think tank collaborations, advancing SDGs via evidence-based transport policies and projects.

He has co-authored over 15 peer-reviewed publications on sustainable transport and has led the design and delivery of several local transport initiatives in Cameroon, such as DataMobilize.

Over the next two years, the new leadership cohort will play a central role in advancing the objectives of the programme by guiding initiatives designed to strengthen professional development, expand global collaboration and foster greater youth participation across the transport sector. Their work will include leading online gatherings, contributing thought leadership, coordinating collaborative initiatives and supporting stronger youth engagement across IRF programmes and activities.

The IRF Young Professionals Programme was created to empower the next generation of transport leaders by providing young professionals with opportunities to connect, contribute and grow within the global road and mobility community. By fostering knowledge exchange and encouraging active participation in IRF initiatives, the programme supports the development of future leaders who are equipped to address the challenges of safer, smarter and more sustainable mobility systems.

The appointment of this new leadership cohort marks an important step in the continued growth of the programme. As the transport sector evolves in response to emerging challenges in safety, sustainability and innovation, the role of young professionals becomes increasingly important. Their perspectives, technical expertise and commitment to collaboration are essential to driving meaningful progress and advancing mobility solutions that respond to the needs of communities worldwide.

Through their leadership, the 2026–2028 cohort will help strengthen the programme’s impact by creating more opportunities for engagement, expanding the reach of the young professionals network and encouraging the exchange of ideas among peers and industry leaders.

IRF looks forward to working with this new cohort as they help inspire and engage the next generation of road and transport professionals.