The Bell Group welcomes
Mr. Ricardo Mena
Global Advisor – Risk, Crisis & Emergency Management
We are honored to welcome Mr. Ricardo Mena, former Director of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), to the Bell Immersive team in the capacity of Global Advisor – Risk, Crisis and Emergency Management. With a distinguished career that spans over three decades, Mr. Mena is widely regarded as one of the leading global voices in disaster risk governance, multi-agency coordination, and public sector resilience planning.
The engagement with Mr. Ricardo Mena began in April 2025 in Abu Dhabi, UAE, when The Bell Group Directors, Mr. Ashish Kulkarni and Mrs. Ashwina Kulkarni, held in-depth discussions with him regarding the ALERTSim platform. ALERTSim, Bell Immersive's flagship AI platform for simulation-based emergency preparedness and response, was presented as a solution to help organizations enhance planning, training, and operational readiness across complex, high-risk environments.
The discussions focused on how ALERTSim could be effectively adopted by government agencies, intergovernmental bodies,humanitarian organizations and corporations to enhance planning, preparedness, and coordinated response. Mr. Mena's global perspective on disaster risk governance and institutional readiness provided valuable insight into the practical needs and strategic priorities of public sector and private entities.
This exchange laid the groundwork for Mr. Mena's engagement as Global Advisor – Risk, Crisis & Emergency Management, where he will support TBG's mission of enabling more resilient and better-prepared institutions through ALERTSim's AI solutions.
During his time at the UNDRR, he provided high-level policy and operational guidance to governments, humanitarian agencies,regional bodies, and stakeholder groups, helping shape national strategies that align with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and broader Sustainable Development Goals. His efforts were instrumental in translating global commitments into actionable programs across Latin America, the Caribbean, and beyond, bridging the gap between policy and practice in disaster risk reduction.
A New Chapter at The Bell Group
In his role at TBG, Mr. Mena will offer strategic guidance to help public and private sector organizations adopt ALERTSim.
Mr. Mena's role will help organizations enhance preparedness systems, improve decision-making frameworks, and align simulation-based training with international resilience standards through AI and digital solutions. His deep understanding of stakeholder engagement, risk-informed development, and institutional capacity-building will be especially valuable as Bell expands its footprint in the energy, humanitarian, and government sectors.
"Risk reduction and disaster preparedness are indispensable for building resilient communities and organizations. What Bell is building with ALERTSim—especially its ability to localize scenarios and strengthen interagency coordination—can have real-world impact where it matters most."– Ricardo Mena
Through this engagement, The Bell Group continues to advance its mission to transform how the world prepares and responds to crisis—with tools that are practical, scalable, and driven by real-world needs.
Featured Work by Mr. Ricardo Mena at UNDRR
To explore Mr. Mena's thought leadership and global contributions to disaster risk reduction, here are selected articles, speeches, and publications: