Alastair Marke is Head of Blockchain Innovations (Climate Change) at Abt Associates and Secretary-General of the Blockchain Climate Institute. He is also Climate Change Policy Lead for the British Blockchain Association. He is a seasoned sustainability policy researcher with publications covering a wide range of policy issues, including food and energy security, climate finance, low-carbon investment planning, emissions trading, and associated green growth issues in many regions. Recently, Alastair has been appointed a member of the ISO climate finance standards committee.

Seeing the dire need to accelerate global efforts to fill the current climate finance gap, Alastair has recently co-founded Blockchain for Climate Network, converted from his International Core Group on Blockchain Climate Finance, composed of nearly 60 experts across the world, to study the potential of blockchain technology to upscale sustainable, environmental and climate finance for developing countries, encompassing energy finance, carbon trading, and new cryptocurrency-based multi-level climate finance transfer mechanisms. The first output of the Group is a ground-breaking book – “Transforming Climate Finance & Green Investment with Blockchains” to be released in early 2018. He is also a founding member of the Climate Chain Coalition with the UNFCCC Secretariat. At the Global Solution Networks – a first-of-its-kind research programme looking at how the world’s problems can be solved differently with digital revolution, Alastair was the project leader of climate-resilient agriculture and global food security.

Prior to joining the Global Solution Networks, he was a senior research officer of the Private Sector & Markets programme at the Overseas Development Institute and a research associate at The ResPublica Trust in the UK. He was also a civil service fast streamer (trade stream) in Hong Kong.

Alicja Kuczera, CEO of Polish Green Building Council and Vice-chair of Europe Regional Network at World Green Building Council.

Graduate of International Relations faculty at Warsaw University and Executive MBA at Coventry University.

Previously responsible for high-value international projects, dealing with suppliers and customers from different continents, Alicja was working as a trade director in Fortress S.A. company and a project manager in Erican Group in Malaysia.

Sustainability was always in the field of her interest. She was a leader of a translation project of Jonathan T. Scott’s book The Sustainable Business.

As a CEO of Polish Green Building Council, Alicja promotes the business case of green building and is especially interested in two areas: circular buildings and how buildings influence health, wellbeing and productivity of their occupants.

Author of numerous reports and publications on green building and speaker at various conferences and events organized in Poland and abroad.

In private life a happy mum, keen on travelling (has visited 74 out of 196 yet-to see countries), adores a healthy and eco lifestyle.

Anders Jacobson is President and Chief Strategy Officer of Bluewater, a global leader in water purification technology and solutions. He is also co-founder and CEO of Blue, a Stockholm-based investment company that both invests in and operates Nordic and international companies such as Bluewater that applyies human ingenuity to deliver solutions benefiting planetary and human health. A 32-year old former investment banker with a lifelong passion for sport, Anders is passionate about the environment and sustainability. With a strong investment and management background, Anders describes his top qualities as enthusiastic leadership and commitment and translating them into opportunities based on a clear-cut vision and agenda.

Andreas Klugescheid is Head of Steering Government, External Affairs and Sustainability Communications at the Munich based Head Quarters of BMW Group. Till June 2015, he was responsible for communications of the global production network. Previously, he was heading the BMW Group Representative Office in Sacramento, California. In this function, he managed the companies’ activities in the fields of environmental, mobility and sustainability policies. The geographical areas of his responsibilities included the Western Region of the United States, Mexico and South America. He held numerous positions within BMW Group, including Spokesman for Governmental Affairs at the companies Munich based headquarters and Western Region Corporate Communications Manager for BMW of North America. He started his career with BMW Group as Head of Clean Energy Communication. Among other activities, he was responsible for BMW Group’s participation in UN conferences like the Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development and the UN Climate Conferences COP 14 – 16.

Andreas holds a Master degree in History, International Law and German Literature from the Georg-August-University Goettingen, Germany.

Andreas Kuhlmann sees the energy transition as one of the most fascinating change processes of the present day, which, in addition to challenges, above all also brings with it opportunities.

Andreas Kuhlmann was appointed dena’s Chief Executive in July 2015. In this position he has increased dena’s profile as a driver and pioneer of the energy transition. Exemplary projects include the international innovation initiative “Start Up Energy Transition”, which now brings together around a thousand start-ups from all over the world, as well as the “Integrated Energy Transition” pilot study, whereby dena, together with more than 60 partners from business and science, is developing strategies for the future.

Andreas Kuhlmann sees the energy transition as one of the most fascinating change processes of the present day, which, in addition to challenges, above all also brings with it opportunities. In this sense, he injects his knowledge of the diverse national and international projects acquired at the interface of business and politics to the energy and climate policy debate. He also promotes more courage and determination in shaping the regulatory frameworks necessary for the success of the energy transition.

Andreas Kuhlmann (born in Recklinghausen in 1967, catholic, married, one daughter) majored in physics and minored in economics at the universities of Bonn, Heidelberg and Corvallis (USA). He started his career in 1995 at the Institute of Environmental Physics at Ruprecht-Karls University in Heidelberg, where he primarily focused on the carbon cycle. This was followed by various political posts, including at the European Parliament, with the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), at the Bundestag, within the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and at the German Embassy in Stockholm.

In 2010, Andreas Kuhlmann joined the German Association of Energy and Water Industries(BDEW), where he managed the Politics and Economics departments as the Director of Strategy and Politics. In this position, he was responsible for the strategic and political development of the BDEW as well as its communications with politics, business and the public.

Andreas Kuhlmann is also:

• Spokesman of the “Allianz für Gebäude-Energie-Effizienz” (geea) – “Alliance for Building Energy Efficiency”
• Member of the Secretariat of the World Energy Council (Germany)
• Member of the Global Future Council of the World Economic Forum for the Future of Energy (term 2016-2018)
• Member of the Standing Committee of the Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK) “Economic and Social Affairs”
• Member of the board of the Energy Academy
• Founder of the Meetup group “The Energy Market Revolution. Be part of it!”
• Member of the Atlantic Bridge
• Advisor to Project Drawdown
• Member of the Advisory Council of the Society of Benefactors of the Institute of Energy Economics at the University of Cologne e. V.

Andy Eastlake was appointed as the LowCVP’s Managing Director in April 2012, after serving both on the board and as chair of the Members Council for many years.

As MD Andy has been integrally involved in the design and implementation of the latest accreditation schemes for both buses and HGVs, supporting DfT and OLEV in stimulating the uptake of low carbon technologies. He has a strong background in vehicle engineering, specialising in powertrain developments, fuel economy and emissions. He was formerly Group Head of Commercial and Projects at Millbrook Proving Ground where he led the work on powertrain test and development programmes and alternative fuels for a variety of global OEM customers. As Head of Laboratories Andy was responsible for all technical aspects of the Millbrook business and for government and European legislative relations. He joined Millbrook after a year’s training with Vauxhall Motors by whom he was sponsored to study for a degree in mechanical engineering at Southampton University.

He is a Fellow of the Institution of the Mechanical Engineers and was formerly a Board member of CENEX the Centre of Excellence for Low Carbon & Fuel Cell Technologies

Anna is a strategic and innovation expert with a focus on the impact business, Sustainable Development, blockchain and green finance. Founder of Smart4tech – the key focus of the project to address water efficiency and security through the merge of the circular economy, innovation, and finance. The project is closely interconnected with Waste, Energy, & Carbon sectors. Author of the Water Trade Finance chapter in the book Transforming Climate Finance and Green Investment with Blockchains. Contributor to the Bloomberg Environment, Global Water Intelligence, The Water Report UK and EBRD publications and discussions.

Anne Marieke Eveleens is co-founder and Chief Operations Officer of The Great Bubble Barrier, a smart solution to plastic pollution. As sailing friends, the founders have a big passion for water, where they encounter plastic pollution of lakes and seas. The Great Bubble Barrier aims to reduce plastic pollution that harms our flora, fauna and human health. This is a bubble curtain that captures plastic on the full width and depth of a river, without blocking ship traffic or hindering fish migration, before this debris flows into the ocean. Anne Marieke holds a Master of Science in Neurobiology and has experience in consultancy and Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability in a global organisation. As she likes to combine science, sustainability and society, she focuses mostly on company strategy and fundamental/experimental research within The Great Bubble Barrier.

Asger is responsible for linking the international negotiations on climate finance to operational implementation through international channels and bilateral cooperation. From his background as an economist, Asger focuses on climate finance and climate change mitigation, in particular mobilizing private investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency through innovative instruments.

Over time, he has covered several areas of international collaboration from positions in government, financial institution, consultancy, and civil society as a practitioner developing and promoting instruments and policies that redirect investments toward a low-carbon economy, in international processes and forums that focus on finance mobilization and greening of investments by public and private financial and development institutions and in policy processes and negotiations related to climate change and finance.

Barak Yekutiely is a serial entrepreneur and executive with over 25 years of diverse experience and knowledge in cleantech, finance, semiconductors, ICT, and robotics automation. Passionate about high impact technologies with sustainability and economic benefits, Barak co-founded REEP Technologies in 2014 with aim to transform workplace processes to become digitalized and circular in partnership with a growing ecosystem of world leading organizations and industries. Barak previously initiated and lead Aquate, a company that developed the world’s first bankable floating solar cover infrastructure as a practical means to address the water-energy-food nexus and initiated the ISO MRP standard for resource economics.

Barak holds an MBA in entrepreneurship and a dual Electrical Engineering and Computer Science degree from UC Berkeley, CA.

Mr. Denis hat been since 2017 in charge of the Polish branch of the BMW Group. He has been working with the company since 1991. His career started in BMW Group France, then he held various managerial positions in Munich, the Philippines and Belgium. From 2009 he served as Marketing Director in BMW Group France and in 2013 moved to Hungary assuming responsibility of General Manager.

Ben R. Jordan works as Senior Director of Environmental Policy for The Coca-Cola Company. In over 20 years at Coca-Cola, Ben has worked in both its North American and global organizations, traveling in over 35 countries. Ben has held roles focused on both internal operational issues and relationship-building with key stakeholders. In his current role, he has responsibilities for driving sustainability programs in Climate and Packaging.

Ben has participated actively in Coca-Cola’s involvement with a number of leading environmental organizations, including the Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies (CERES), World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and The Nature Conservancy. Currently, Ben sits on the Board of Trustees of The Nature Conservancy in Georgia, Steering Committee for The Ocean Conservancy Trash Free Seas Alliance and World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Plastics Action Partnership. He is an active participant in the Consumer Goods Forum’s Environmental Committee.

Ben has Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and serves as an Educational Counselor for MIT, interviewing prospective undergraduate students from the Atlanta area. He has a Ph.D. in Public Policy (Environmental Policy specialty) from Georgia Tech, where he participates on an Arts Advisory Board. Ben is an adjunct instructor at Emory University.

Ben lives in Decatur, Georgia, with his wife, Mary Beth, and sons, Jack (12) and Parker (11), where in the past he served as a founding member of the City of Decatur Environmental Sustainability Board, helping drive efforts in one of metro Atlanta’s most progressive municipalities.

Ben’s childhood on a peach farm in rural Georgia led to his interest in conservation and his career in the environmental field.

California State Senator Bob Wieckowski chairs the Environmental Quality Committee and Budget Subcommittee 2 on Resources, Environmental Protection, Energy and Transportation.  He was appointed by the Senate President Pro Tem to serve on the Energy and Environment Committee of the Council of State Governments West and in 2017 became the first Californian to chair the committee. He is a state leader in advocating for climate adaptation programs and has participated on many international, state and regional panels examining green infrastructure investments.His 10th Senate District includes several clean energy companies that are helping California improve both its economy and its environment.

Bobbi Plecas was appointed Deputy Minister, Climate Change in the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy in July 2017. In this role, Bobbi is leading the development of an all-of-government clean growth strategy. The strategy will integrate the province’s goals for climate action, clean energy and sustainable prosperity, recognizing that the same innovations that reduce our emissions and improve our quality of life can help capture a larger share of the global market for clean energy solutions, technologies and expertise.

Bobbi has been a member of the provincial public service for more than 25 years and has held a variety of executive roles across government. She lives in the province’s capital city, Victoria, with her partner and two daughters.

TOMRA’s ambition is to be among the leaders of the resource revolution which aims to replace our present system based on consumption with one focussed on recovery of non-renewables. Providing smart solutions that optimise our available resources enables TOMRA to make a key contribution to shifting society’s default perspective on the concept of sustainable resources.

For 28 years, 18 of them with TOMRA, Chuck has worked in both the public and private sectors of the recycling industry. Through work as a senior leadership team member leading TOMRA’s governmental affairs strategy for the Americas, and volunteer director positions for ENGOs like GreenBlue, Chuck promotes innovative recycling practices and policies which strive to increase collection and quality.

Prior to TOMRA, Chuck started his career working for the City of Norwalk, Connecticut as its Recycling & Solid Waste director.

He earned his B.A. in History and Psychology from Vanderbilt University, and an M.S. in Environmental Studies from Southern Connecticut State University and participated in the Prince of Wales’ Business & Environment Programme.

Chuck has dedicated time working with various non-profit, government and industry initiatives including: Greenwich Audubon Society, Greenwich Conservation Commission, Connecticut Recyclers Coalition and Albemarle County’s Recycling Advisory Committee.

Chuck lives in Charlottesville, Virginia with his family.

Charlotta is a seasoned tech entrepreneur who built several companies within energy, mobility and IoT. In her current role as Chairman and Co-Founder of Blixt she is responsible for business development, strategic partnerships and funding. With a MBA from Stockholm School of Economics Charlotta started her career as Chief Analyst at Salomon Smith Barney and was later recruited to IBM before started her 20 year long entrepreneurial career.

With two decades of experience in international and domestic executive policy making Connie Hedegaard is today assuming several key positions in support of a low-carbon and green economy. Ms. Hedegaard is the chair of the Board for the KR Foundation, a large Danish climate and sustainability foundation operating globally. She is also the current chair of OECD’s Round Table for Sustainable Development and chair of the Board for the green think tank, CONCITO. Ms. Hedegaard is furthermore chair of the Danish Government’s Committee on Public Service; chair of the Board of Aarhus University; member of the European Climate Foundation; member of the Nordex Supervisory Board; member of the Danfoss A/S Board; and member of the Sustainability Council of Volkswagen.

Ms. Hedegaard was the European Commissioner for Climate Action from 2010 to 2014, during which she led the negotiations towards the adoption of the EU 2030 Climate and Energy Framework. As EU Commissioner, she was also responsible for the 2050 Roadmap for moving to a low carbon economy and represented the EU
in the international climate negotiations.

Prior to the appointment as EU Commissioner, Ms. Hedegaard served as Minister for Climate and Energy in 2007-2009 and as Minister for Environment in 2004-2007. She was elected Member of the Danish Parliament from 1984 to 1990 and again in 2005-2009.

She is educated in literature and history and has a professional background as a journalist at the Danish National Broadcasting Corporation (DR) and at a number of Danish national newspapers. She has also authored and contributed to several publications and columns.

Cyrille Brisson is Sales, Service and Marketing Vice President for the Electrical Sector in the EMEA region at Eaton Corporation. Beyond the traditional sales and marketing scope, this role includes responsibility for looking into the way market and customer requirements are changing as a result of digitization, the energy transition or societal pressures and the consequences of these changes both for Eaton’s business and for the way markets operate. This involves working closely with channel and integration partners on the evolution of the company’s offerings and working practices through this period of rapid change.

With a diverse experience in technology and economics, Cyrille invests time to look into how technical, process and business model innovation can be applied to improve people’s quality of life, access to clean energy, productivity or personal safety, while striving to anticipate and mitigate the impact that technology and market changes have on communities and partner networks.

Prior to his current position, Cyrille was VP, Marketing, and previously VP, Power Quality Division EMEA at Eaton Corporation. During that time, he organized research consortia looking into the future of power generation, energy storage, microgrids or the future of data centres and HPC, working with diverse research partners such as Bloomberg New Energy Finance, Nissan or École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne.

He has more than 20 years of experience in the industry and began his career at Schneider Electric in 1995. Before joining Eaton in 2011, he had held several positions in Schneider Electric in headquarters and industrial and commercial subsidiaries in France, Japan, Singapore, Israel and Colombia.

He started his career in Finance, IT and Logistics before transitioning to general management roles. Cyrille graduated from HEC Paris, with a major in Tax and Law.

David co founded Halo Coffee Ltd in 2016 and has been instrumental in developing the manufacturing and operational processes used by Halo to produce the worlds first home compostable capsules and packaging.

David has a background in luxury sales and hospitality and in a previous life was a professional musical theatre actor.

Winnow develops digital tools to help chefs run more profitable, sustainable kitchens by cutting food waste in half. Trusted by thousands of chefs in almost 40 countries, Winnow is helping businesses like IKEA, Compass Group and Hilton save 18m meals a year from the trash. David is a marketing professional of over 15 years working with brands like The Guardian, American Express and NGOs like Shelter and WaterAid.

Dennis Pamlin is an entrepreneur and founder of 21st Century Frontiers. His main skill is work with companies, governments and other organisations as a strategic economic, technology and innovation advisor in the area of sustainability. His background is in engineering, industrial economy and marketing.

Mr Pamlin worked as Global Policy Advisor for WWF from 1999 to 2009. During his tenure, Pamlin initiated WWFs Trade and Investment Programme work in the BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) and led the work with companies (especially high-tech companies such as ICT) as solution providers.

From 2010 to 2013 he was the Director for the Low Carbon Leaders Project under the UN Global Compact.

He is currently a Senior Associate at Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Senior Advisor at RISE, a visiting research fellow at the Research Center of Journalism and Social Development at Renmin university, and advisor to Centre for Sustainable Development at Confederation of Indian Industries (CII).

Current work includes work to establish a framework that can identify winners in a sustainable future, build a platform for global trend assessment, promote clusters capable of delivering transformative solutions, exploring the impact of our “digital twins” and develop tools that allow public procurement to support sustainable solutions. Pamlin is also leading work to develop tools for companies, organisations and cities to measure and report their positive impacts, focus on climate, water, health and poverty.

Originating from a family of explorers, Bertrand Piccard is the initiator and visionary behind Solar Impulse, the very first airplane capable of flying perpetually without fuel. In 2016 he and André Borschberg, taking turns piloting the single-seater aircraft, succeeded in flying around the world powered only by the sun, showing how clean technologies can do more than we ever thought possible. His ambition is to leverage a pioneering spirit for a useful contribution to the cause of renewable energies, the next stage of which includes the establishment of the World Alliance for Efficient Solutions. As Chairman of the Alliance, he has committed to identify 1,000 profitable and efficient solutions to help companies and government at national and local levels to reach their environmental targets and adopt more ambitious policies. These will be brought to COP 24 in 2018 to contribute to solving climate change.

Dr. Vollkommer is responsible for the Siemens “CO2 neutral operations” program and for Siemens’ Environmental Portfolio, which includes highly energy efficient products & solutions, renewable energies and environmental technologies. In fiscal 2017, the Environmental Portfolio accounted for €39bn in revenues and helped customers save about 570 Million metric tons of CO2. Dr. Vollkommer is also leading strategic developments and operationally supports sustainability-related business opportunities globally. With more than fifteen years in energy- and IT-industry, as well as in the public sector, Dr. Vollkommer has gained broad knowledge and experience in developing strategies and implementing complex projects.

A recognized specialist in institutional law, international administrative law, complex institutional and financial policy matters and corporate governance issues, with more than 30 years of experience in working for international organizations, Dr. Droesse now helps in facilitating the transition of the World Green Economy Organization to a new type of intergovernmental organization with treaty foundation.

Previously, he contributed to setting up the legal and institutional framework of the Green Climate Fund where he served as the Legal Counsel of the Interim Secretariat, Acting General Counsel and Senior Advisor of the GCF. With the Asian Development Bank (ADB) he worked as Lead Specialist, Institution and Coordination (Director) in the Office of The Secretary, as the Legal Adviser of the Asian Development Bank Institute, and as Head of the Special Practice Group: Institutional and Administrative in the Office of the General Counsel.

With extensive experience in resource mobilization issues, funding mechanisms and innovative modalities of financing and ability to conduct comprehensive reviews of Human Resources policies he also contributed to the work of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations as legal adviser to the Director of Personnel.

Dr. Droesse is qualified as a lawyer in Germany. He studied law and history at the universities of Würzburg (Germany) and Lausanne (Switzerland) and international relations at the Johns Hopkins SAIS Bologna Center in Italy and holds a Doctor of Law degree (summa cum laude) of Hamburg University. Dr. Droesse is the editor and main contributor of the book “Funds for Development: Multilateral Channels of Concessional Financing” which was launched in 2011 at the National University of Singapore and has contributed chapters to five (5) books. He is teaching “Law of International Organizations” at the Paris School of International Affairs (SciencesPo). His new book titled “Membership in International Organizations: Paradigms of Membership Structures, Legal Implications of Membership and the Concept of International Organization” is forthcoming by T.M.C. Asser Press in 2019.

Improving the world through sport is more than an Olympic Movement philosophy; it’s a way of life for Nicoletta Piccolrovazzi. As Global Technology & Sustainability Director for Dow Olympic & Sports Solutions, Nicoletta helps organizing committees, bid cities, large-scale events, business partners and other key stakeholders to address technology and sustainability-related needs with Dow solutions. Among her greatest triumphs is Dow’s carbon mitigation platform, implemented by Dow on behalf of the Sochi 2014 and Rio 2016 Organizing Committees and now expanded globally as the “Official Carbon Partner of the International Olympic Committee”. The programs led by Nicoletta combine sports and technology to create solutions with a positive impact on society, business and the environment.

Nicoletta joined Dow in 1989 as a Technical Service engineer in Switzerland. She previously led the Technical Service organizations for multiple Dow businesses, responsible for customer support and technology implementation throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Since then, she has held positions in Research & Development and Marketing & Sales. Her expertise covers a range of topics from Sustainability, R&D to end-use markets for advance materials.

Nicoletta holds a Ph.D. from the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, Switzerland (1989) and a master’s degree in chemistry from Padua University in Italy (1985). She is a certified Six Sigma Black Belt.

Dr. Yousef is a UAE national, holding a PhD in  educational and Training Techniques from Ohio State University (USA) in 2000 and an MBA from Ohio State University in 1997. He is a Certified Master Lead Assessor from the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM), and a member of the American Society for Training and Development

As Executive Vice President – Business Support & HR in DEWA, he is responsible for leading and directing all Business Support and Human Resources Division functions in line with the set Strategic and Operational Targets/Activities, by ensuring efficient execution of these targets/activities in order that corporate requirements of the Authority are met.

In 2000, Dr. Yousef has joined DEWA as Assistant manager – Training. Confidently driven by his academic qualification, and true leadership, he led his teamwork to several achievements and initiatives for DEWA. He is an Award Winner of (DGEP) Dubai Group of Excellence Program, Distinguished Employee Category for the year 2004. His career has developed successfully within DEWA, and thereafter assigned and developed to various positions.

Aside from his role in DEWA, Dr. Yousef is also Chairman of Dubai Quality Group since 2013, member of Trustee Board of Applied Technology Institute since 2008, Board member of Abu Dhabi Vocational Education and Training Institute (ADVETI), Board member of “Mai Dubai”, member of Health and Safety Committee in Executive Council, Vice Chairman WETEX organizing Committee, Vice Chairman Dubai Global Energy Forum, Chairman World Green Economy Summit (Event & Logistics), member of the Council Board of the British University in Dubai and a member of the Program Advisory Board of the MBA program offered by the College of Business Studies at Al Ghurair University.

Eng. Waleed Ali Ahmed Salman has been the EVP Strategy & Business Development with Dubai Water & Electricity Authority (DEWA) since 2007 to mid-2017 as well as EVP of New Business Development & Excellence He serves also as member of Dubai Supreme Council of Energy,

Vice Chairman – Dubai Nuclear Energy Committee, Director – Emirates National Grid Project (UAE) and the Chairman of Dubai Carbon Center of Excellence.

H.E. Saeed Mohammed Ahmed Al Tayer has an overall experience of more than 34 years in the field of telecommunications, energy, water, infrastructure, oil, gas and industry. Under his leadership since 1992, DEWA achieved unprecedented successes and has become one of the very best distinguished utilities in all aspects world-wide. As an initiative of his own, several successful companies were established, including Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation(EMPOWER), Etihad Energy Services Company(Etihad ESCO), Mai Dubai and many other companies.

His Excellency is a member of Dubai Executive Council and Strategic Affairs Council, Vice Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy (DSCE), Chairman of Dubai Smart City Office, Vice Chairman of Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), Vice Chairman of Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC), Vice Chairman of Dragon Oil Company, Chairman of UAE Water Aid (SUQIA) Board Of Trustees, and Chairman of World Green Economy Organization (WGEO). He was Chairman of the Infrastructure and Environment Committee- Dubai Executive Council – during the period from 2006 up to 2017. In addition, His Excellency is a member, vice chairman, or chairman of various high-level committees and higher leading councils in the Emirate of Dubai.

His Excellency received a number of prestigious awards such as the “Middle East Champion of Energy” award received at the World Green Economy Summit 2015 from the United Nations Development Programme(UNDP). On 18 May 2016, the UNDP appointed His Excellency as “UNDP National Goodwill Ambassador for Sustainable Development Goals”. In addition, the Swiss Business Council, Dubai & Northern Emirates awarded His Excellency the prestigious “Lord of Matterhorn Award”. Moreover, His Excellency received an honorary doctorate from Amity University in Dubai in appreciation of his continuing innovative efforts to achieve excellence and enhance scientific knowledge and sustainability.

H.E. Eng. Fatima Al Foora Al Shamsi is the Assistant Undersecretary for Electricity in the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Energy with a rich background ranging from electrical engineering, renewables, Business Development and project management to different Managerial roles. Eng. Fatima worked as the Vice President of the Privatization and Business Development in Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) and as an Executive Director for Electricity in the Federal Electricity & Water Authority (FEWA). Her climb to the corporate leadership position was a result of her high work ethics.

Before joining the Ministry She was leading the Mohammed Bin Rashid Solar Park Project, IP(W)P program in Dubai, DEWA private investment portfolio development, DEWA corporate strategy team and R&Ds related to the Business development of DEWA. She is now leading the Electricity, clean energy, Climate change and Water desalination related activities in the Ministry of Energy. She graduated from the United Arab Emirates University with an honors degree of BS in electronics engineering. Add to that she holds an MBA in Financial Management.

Hannele Pokka has had an extensive career in the Finnish government.

She started her career at the Ministry of Education and went on to work as a legal counsellor at the Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners (MTK). She was a Member of the Parliament for many years and Minister of Justice for a few years. Hannele also held the position of Governor of the Country of Lapland for over a decade. She has held numerous political, academic and societal positions of trust, some also in the field of business in Finland and in international organisations.

In his role as Circle Economy’s CEO, Harald brings extensive international experience running both for-profit and non-profit businesses with a focus on scaling impact. Before joining Circle Economy in 2017, Harald spent 5 years in Myanmar, during which he co-founded Impact Hub Myanmar, headed the market development for the world market leader of electromechanical hydropower projects in the country and co-founded Myanmar’s first pre-incubation programme for social enterprises. Prior to moving to Myanmar, he lived in New York where he worked as the Head of Office for the Assistant Secretary General and acted as the spokesperson for the Deputy Prime Minister of Finance in Austria. He has also spent time as a journalist and TV presenter for economic focused news. Harald enjoys connecting with people who are striving to make the world a better place for future generations. In his spare time, he loves exploring the great outdoors with his wife and kids.

Henk is Board Member of the Johan Cruijff ArenA and specializes in facility and project management. In his position he is responsible for a variety of aspects such as real estate development, grass management, the Amsterdam Innovation Arena and sustainability.

Before joining the Johan Cruijff ArenA in 1996, Henk was Facility Manager at the ‘Stopera’, City Hall and Opera House in the City of Amsterdam. Henk received his degree in Business Science Electrical Engineering in 1981.

On behalf of the Johan Cruijff ArenA, Henk has been responsible to define the ambition for the Johan Cruijff ArenA to become climate neutral by the year 2015. A goal we’ve accomplished and has been warmly embraced by the City of Amsterdam, who have assigned the Johan Cruijff ArenA as a sustainability icon for the city.

As an executive consultant on facilities, innovation and infrastructure for Johan Cruijff ArenA International, Henk is involved in various international consultancy assignments, such as: FIFA World Cup stadiums 2014 in Brazil, Qatar, FIFA World Cup 2022, Stadium FC Shaktar, Donetsk in Ukraine, Stadium Spartak Moscow, Moscow in Russia, Olympic Stadium, Berlin in Germany and multi-purpose Hall and Olympic Stadium, Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

The Amsterdam Innovation Arena is our most recent and very successful new development. Together with our strategic partners the City of Amsterdam, Microsoft, Huawei, Philips Lighting, KPMG, KPN, TNO, BAM, Honeywell, Nissan, Eaton and Heineken, we develop and implement new innovations for our stadium and its area. The upcoming 2020 European Championship, for which we will be one of the hosting stadiums, is a unique platform to showcase all these innovations. This tournament also made Johan Cruijff ArenA decide to make several revolutionary stadium adjustments and renovations towards 2020.

Guðmundur Ingi Guðbrandsson took office as Minister for the Environment and Natural Resources on November 30 2017 for the Left-Green Party. Guðmundur Ingi was born on March 28 1977.

He holds a BSc degree in Biology from the University of Iceland and a masters degree in Environmental Management from Yale University.

He was the CEO at Landvernd – Icelandic Environment Association from 2011 – 2017. He also worked for the University of Iceland carrying out research in ecology and environmental sciences, and for the Soil Conservation Service of Iceland in the fields of global studies and research. Since 2006, Guðmundur Ingi has been a guest lecturer at the University of Iceland, the Agricultural University of Iceland and the University Centre of the Westfjords. He has also worked as a park ranger almost every summer for the last few years.

Guðmundur Ingi was one of the founders of the Icelandic Society for Environmental Scientists. He was the society´s first president, in 2007-2010. Currently, Guðmundur Ingi serves as the Chair of the Fulbright Alumni Association in Iceland.

Janusz Reiter studied German literature and language at the University of Warsaw and started working as a journalist in 1977.

He served as Polish Ambassador to Germany 1990-95, where he played a major role in reshaping the Polish-German relationship.

In 1996, Ambassador Reiter established the Center for International Relations, an independent think tank on foreign and security policy in Poland.
In 2005 he was appointed Poland’s Ambassador to the United States. After he returned to Poland in late 2007, he took the position of Poland’s Special Envoy for Climate Change.

Janusz Reiter was awarded by the Federal President of Germany the Federal Cross with Star and Ribbon and received several honorary degrees and awards. He is a fellow of Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars and Richard-von-Weizsaecker fellow of the Robert Bosch Stiftung. He is author and co-author of a number of books, policy papers, and articles.
Janusz Reiter served on the board of several Polish and international companies, including Presspublica, DaimlerChrysler, SwissRe Europe, Hypovereinsbank. Janusz Reiter is a member of the Supervisory-Board of Solaris Bus&Coach, Erbud, ERGO Hestia and Siemens Polska.

Joel Makower is chairman and executive editor of GreenBiz Group, Inc., creator of GreenBiz.com along with research and events on sustainable business and clean technology. He hosts GreenBiz.com’s annual GreenBiz forums as well as the VERGE conferences produced around the world by his company, and is principal author of the annual “State of Green Business” report.

For more than 25 years, Joel has been a well-respected voice on business, sustainability and clean technology. As a writer, speaker, and entrepreneur on corporate sustainability practices, he has helped a wide range of companies align environmental goals with business strategy.

A former nationally syndicated columnist, Joel is author or co-author of more than a dozen books, including The New Grand Strategy: Restoring America’s Prosperity, Security and Sustainability in the 21st Century, (St. Martin’s Press, 2016), about a business plan for America, born at the Pentagon, that embeds sustainability as a strategic national imperative.

Previous books include Strategies for the Green Economy (2008), Beyond the Bottom Line (1994) and The E-Factor (1992), two of the earliest framing books on corporate environmental responsibility and corporate social responsibility, respectively.

The Associated Press has called Joel “The guru of green business practices.” In 2012, he was awarded the Hutchens Medal by the American Society for Quality, which cited “his ability to tell compelling stories that both inform and inspire business leaders toward profitable action.” In 2014 he was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the International Institute of Sustainability Professionals.

Joel frequently keynotes corporate events, business associations, and regional business and economic development events, is a sought-after moderator and host of sustainability events, and is frequently quoted in major news media, including Fortune, Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, USA Today, Time, and public radio’s “Marketplace.”

Joel advises several startups and sits on the board of the nonprofits Climate Counts and United Roots.

Jose Lindo Solis, CEO and CO-Founder of Climate Blockchain Initiatives, is a visionare, pioneer and social entrepreneur that, through the years, has been developing knowledge, sensibility and expertise in fundraising and corporate social responsibility strategies.

He has attained various academic titles, including a Master Degree in Natural Resources Management and Social Marketing, developing a unique and balanced profile that combines knowledge of environmental problematics with a profound understanding of politics and corporate dynamics.

Moreover, his innate curiosity and his pioneristic mindset has pushed him to experiment with emerging technologies like augmented and virtual reality and blockchain, so to develop innovative and disruptive solutions aimed to help communication, visibility and driving of financial resources towards environmental and social oriented projects.

Through his career, he worked as fundraiser and advisor for the United Nations, NGOs and various governments, managing a wide range of campaigns and institutional actions aimed to the preservation and enhancement of natural resources. As highlight, he performed as key actor and stakeholder in the UNEP “Plant for the Planet” campaign, where he was inspired by and worked alongside Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai, raising funds to plant 47 Million trees throughout the Spanish territory and creating one the largest green areas in Europe.

He was also advisor for the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, which analysed the impact of climate change and he is one of the key references for the B-Corp movement, advocating green, social innovation and impact oriented projects worldwide.

A 2019 Canada’s Clean50 award winner and fascinated by the promise of Blockchain, Joseph Pallant has been active in the carbon market since 2004, providing project development expertise and strategic direction across private, public and NGO endeavour. He has developed first-of projects in forestry, fuel switching and transportation, co-founded the Carbon Cocktails society, and founded CPS Carbon Project Solutions Inc., a pioneering offset development firm. Pallant’s work, insight and advocacy continues to shape the growth of Canada’s low-carbon economy.

Pallant holds an MBA degree from INSEEC, Paris, France, a post graduate diploma in Latin American Management from the McRae Institute of International Management (Capilano College) and a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and Environmental Studies from the University of Victoria. He is an avid networker and has been a featured speaker in academic and business environments. His contributions as a member of International Emissions Trading Association, and attendee at the Montreal, Copenhagen and Paris UN Climate conferences add both context and vision to his work for climate solutions.

Pallant loves to explore BC’s old-growth forests, cycle the Interior’s dry hills and paddle beautiful coastal inlets with his wife. The experience of living amidst the people, cultures and ideas of this fine province fosters insight and enthusiasm for his work. He currently runs Brinkman Climate, developing emissions reductions projects and helping smart climate policy succeed.

Deputy Commissioner, Department of Environmental Protection, TaipeiCity Government（01/2014~Present）Deputy Director General, Department of Environmental Sanitation andToxic Substance, Environmental Protection Administration, ExecutiveYuan（2013~01/2014）Deputy Director General, Department of Planning, EnvironmentalProtection Administration, Executive Yuan （2010~2013）Senior Specialist, Department of Planning, Environmental ProtectionAdministration, Executive Yuan (2007~2010)Section Chief, Department of Planning, Environmental ProtectionAdministration, Executive Yuan (2002~2007)

Lorraine Francourt is a member of the Dow’s Global Corporate Sustainability Leadership team. She leads Dow’s corporate 2025 Sustainability Goal “Advancing a Circular Economy”. With a global strategic view of chemicals management policy and circular economy, Lorraine facilitates Dow’s business collaborations and partnerships that seek to optimize the use of resources, reduce waste and advance circular solutions. With more than 25 years of international experience in Sustainability, Supply Chain, Customer Service and Technical Service, Lorraine has held assignments in Germany, the USA and Saudi Arabia. She is a member of the European Chemical Industry Program Council on Product Stewardship (CEFIC). She is in on the Board of the European Center for Eco-toxicology and Toxicology of Chemicals (ECETOC) and is Dow’s corporate liaison with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Lorraine has a Bachelor of Science degree in Polymer Engineering and a Master’s degree in Environmental Management.

Manuel Pulgar-Vidal is leader of the Climate and Energy Practice of WWF International. He was formerly minister of state for environment in Peru and president of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Twentieth Conference of Parties (COP20).

Pulgar-Vidal is a lawyer with over 27 years of experience in the fields of environmental law and policy. In 1986, he founded the Peruvian Society for Environmental Law, one of the most recognized organizations of environmental law in the region, where he served as executive director for 20 years. In his role as minister of state for environment in Peru he was responsible for proposing and defining Peru’s environmental policies, including those covering biodiversity and climate change. He was also in charge of implementing the countries’ environmental legislation and its enforcement policies.

Throughout his career, Manuel Pulgar-Vidal has participated in the development of environmental policy frameworks in many countries in the region, as an advisor to decision makers and many project initiatives. He has also managed various organizations and is a recognized leader in environmental management issues. He has authored many papers and articles and is a professor and lecturer in environmental law, environmental management, and natural resources.

As Ambassador-at-large for Climate, Marcel Beukeboom is the dedicated representative of the Netherlands at international gatherings dealing with climate change. At home he is the figurehead of national climate policy. He connects the global to the local, policy to practice, problem to solution. In short: he connects the dots.

Marcel is an experienced, all-round diplomat. He has worked on a wide range of topics such as food security, finance, trade, multilateral affairs and development cooperation. He did so in many countries, and was posted in South Africa and the United States. Recurring themes in his work are sustainability, governance and multi-stakeholder partnerships, with a special emphasis on youth.

Marcel Beukeboom holds a Masters title in International Relations (University of Groningen). He followed the Practice of Trade Policy Program at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and completed an intra-governmental leadership program at the Netherlands School for Public Policy.

Marcel is married with two children. He rides his bike wherever he can.

Martin Hiller, Director General of REEEP, has over 30 years of experience working in sustainability issues, climate change and clean energy policy, and environmental campaigns and communications.

Prior to joining REEEP, Martin had a distinguished career with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF): from 2002 to 2011, he led campaigns and communications in WWF´s global climate and energy programme, culminating in the WWF campaign for COP15 in Copenhagen, which mobilised 6.5 million sign-ups, the highest number of any NGO. From 1994, he pioneered the first European Union focused campaign operation for any environmental NGO in Brussels. He developed WWF’s Europe-wide communications operations, creating the organisation´s first EU-specific policy campaigns on regional development funds, forest management, and fisheries. Before 1994, Martin lectured in campaigning and communications in cooperation with the University of Klagenfurt in Austria, and with WWF drove Austria’s first nature conservation strategy. From 2005 to 2014, Martin was founding President of the Board of the Gold Standard Foundation, the world’s prime quality carbon offset provider.

Marzia Zafar is currently Director of Innovation and Issues Monitor for the World Energy Council.  Prior to joining the Council Marzia worked for over 20 years in the California energy sector, first, in the private sector with Sempra Energy and then was appointed by former California Governor Schwarzenegger as a chief energy policy advisor at the California Public Utilities Commission.  Some of her work in the energy space includes leading the regulatory reform efforts to create standards for smart grid technologies such as smart meters.  Most recently she co-chaired the California Customer Choice policy efforts before leaving for London to join the Council.  Marzia is also known in the transportation sector for creating the rules and regulations for Transportation Network Companies (e.g. Uber, Lyft, etc.).  Currently, she is leading the Council’s partnership with PwC to publish the Innovation Insights Brief on Blockchain – how and to what extend can blockchain optimize the existing electric grid and what are its realistic potential for transforming the grid in years to come.

A Costa Rican citizen, Mr. Chacón holds an academic degree in Business Administration from the Latin American University (ULACIT), and a Master’s degree from the International Center for Economic Policy of the National University of Costa Rica (UNA).

He currently serves as Country Manager-Costa Rica for the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI). CABEI is the regional bank that provides support to their member countries with the goal of achieving social and economic development, regional integration, and competitiveness of Central American countries.

Prior to joining the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI), he worked for more than 20 years for local and regional financial institutions such as Citibank in positions related to the financial structuring of projects in areas such as energy, telecommunications, health, and infrastructure both for public and private sector in the Central American region.

Graduated from the prestigious Ecole Polytechnique in Paris and received a scholarship in quantum optics from the National Institute of Standards and Technologies in Washington (DC), where he worked under the lead of William D. Phillips, Nobel Prize Laureate in Physics. During his studies, he also specialised in economics, with particular emphasis on market organisation under the lead of Professor Jean Tirole, Nobel Prize Laureate in Economics in 2014. He also studied international economics at the University of Louvain La Neuve and was awarded a Master’s degree at the Warsaw School of Economics. He defended his PhD dissertation at the University of Warsaw. In the past, he worked as a professor, teaching change management, economics, market organisation and industrial strategy at the University of Warsaw, Collegium Civitas, Oxford Programme on Modern Poland. He co-authored the concept of effective change management in an enterprise, described in the book Zarządzanie zmianą. Od strategii do działania, he also wrote Od restrukturyzacji do modernizacji. Opóźniona transformacja polskiego sektora elektroenergetycznego w latach 1990-2009.

He began his professional career in the Office of the Committee of European Integration, in the team of Minister Jan Kułakowski, responsible for conducting accession negotiations with the European Union, where he led an analytical team and was directly responsible for the area of energy and transport. Later on, he carried out the modernisation processes in numerous Polish companies, where he supported adaptation to the challenges of the European and global market. He promoted European cooperation in the field of industrial changes and adaptation of European industry to the challenges of globalisation within the framework of the European University of Labour and the Dublin Foundation.

He created the governmental programme for the development of electro-mobility in Poland,

described for the first time as a concept in New Electricity and New Cars, a book written in

2013-2015, together with Prof. Leszek Jesień. He also serves as Chairman of the Steering Committee of the Electro-mobility Programme.

Since 1 January 2016, he has been working as the Secretary of State at the Ministry of Energy, where he has been directly responsible for technological development and innovation in the energy sector, implementation of climate and energy policy in the fuel and gas sector, international relations with countries and international organisations. His duties also included supervising the participation of the state in the largest Polish energy companies in the oil and gas sector, such as Orlen, Lotos and PGNiG. He was the initiator of the “Electro-mobility Development Plan” and then piloted the creation of a law on electro-mobility and alternative fuels, thanks to which these forms of transport will be able to develop dynamically.

On the 27th of April 2018, he was appointed as the Plenipotentiary for the Presidency of the COP 24 Summit.

Michelle Lemaître is Head of Sustainability of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). In this position Michelle has overseen the recent development of the IOC Sustainability Strategy and is responsible for its future implementation across the IOC administration, the Olympic Games, and the Olympic Movement.
Michelle has extensive expertise in event management and operations with more than 20 years of professional experience in the area. Her background combines recognised educational knowledge with a successful hands-on experience of implementing event management procedures across an extensive range of sporting and non-sporting events, both large and small.
Before joining the IOC, she worked as the International and Protocol Director for the Local Organising Committee of the Paris 2003 World Athletics Championships, and previously as Venue Operations Manager at the Organising Committee for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
Michelle has given numerous public presentations, chaired several expert groups and mediated numerous workshops on topics ranging from sustainable infrastructure, natural sites, sourcing and resource management, mobility to workforce and climate.

Mr. AlShamsi is the Acting Executive Director of the UAE Water Aid Foundation (Suqia UAE), a non profit organization which has provided clean drinking water to 9 million beneficiaries in 34 countries to date. He is also the Chief Officer of the Climate Change & Sustainability Department in Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA).

Lord Stern is IG Patel Professor of Economics and Government at the London School of Economics and Chair of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment. He is a member of the G20 Eminent Persons Group on Financial Systems and is President of the Royal Economic Society (2018-2019). He was President of the British Academy (July 2013 – July 2017) and elected Fellow of the Royal Society (2014). He was Chief Economist at both the World Bank, 2000-2003, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (1994-1999) and was Head of the UK Government Economic Service (2003-2007). He produced the landmark Stern Review (2006) on the economics of climate change. His most recent books are “Why are We Waiting? The Logic, Urgency and Promise of Tackling Climate Change” MIT Press, 2015. ) and “How Lives Change: Palanpur, India and Development Economics” (with Himanshu and Peter Lanjouw), published in August 2018 (OUP). He was knighted in 2004, made a cross-bench life peer in 2007 and appointed Companion of Honour in 2017 for services to economics, international relations and tackling climate change.

Nick Beglinger is a Swiss economist (LSE). In 2008 he co-founded and currently runs the Cleantech21 foundation (C21). His focus area is sustainable development at the crossroads of finance, innovation, and regulation. From 2009 to 2016, Nick acted as president of Switzerland’s first green business association, swisscleantech, and thereby shaped the country’s climate, energy, and mobility policy. Following COP22 in Marrakesh (2016), Nick co-founded the government-financed Climate Ledger Initiative (CLI), bringing distributed ledger technologies (DLT, ‘blockchain’) to UNFCCC. In 2017, Nick initiated the first DLT/energy lighthouse project by the Swiss Ministry of Energy, and the first five DLT/climate use cases financed by the EU’s Climate-KIC. At COP23, C21 organised #Hack4Climate, the first hackathon linked to a climate conference (5 days, 100 developers from 33 countries, 40 experts). Based on #Hack4Climate’s success, and its growing community of IoT, DLT and AI developers, C21 started the Hack4Climate innovation program in 2018.

Nick is a board member of the Global Infrastructure Basel Foundation, and member of WWF’s Leaders for Nature. He started his career with McKinsey in Hamburg, and then founded and run the first software JV in Saigon/Vietnam. He worked in China, Korea, Singapore, Iran, Iraq, and United Arab Emirates for Maxmakers – where he headed a 3-year engagement with the Government of Abu Dhabi in the first development period of the Masdar Project, before returning to Zurich to set up C21.

Nick bikes and urban-farms, plays the piano and soccer with friends, jogs, swims, and occasionally gets to kitesurf.

Patrick CHILD is Deputy Director General in DG RTD Research and Innovation at the European Commission. He leads the policy for management and the implementation of the EU’s €77bn research and innovation programme by the Commission services, executive agencies and other implementing bodies including legal aspects, IT systems, audit and business processes. He has specific responsibility for research and innovation into climate action and clean energy technologies, and is the Commission representative of Mission Innovation (a coalition of 23 countries and the European Union, committed to doubling research in clean energy by 2020).

Until April 2016, Patrick Child was Managing Director of the European External Service with responsibility for administration and finance, covering human resources policy, security and the budget.  Before he took up this post in 2011, he was director in the External Relations Directorate General in the European Commission responsible for the management of the network of Commission delegations.  He has previously served as head of cabinet for External Relations Commissioners Benita Ferrero-Waldner and before that Chris Patten from 1999-2004.

With a background in the UK Finance Ministry, he joined the European Commission in 1994, where he started in the Economic and Monetary affairs Directorate General before becoming Commission press spokesman for economic and monetary union from 1995-2004.  Mr Child studied mathematics at Cambridge University.  He is married with two children.

He graduated as an electronic engineer, and at the early career he handled the aircraft engineering and maintenance. He is managing the PT Indo Biofuels Energy which was one of the Palm Oil based Biodiesel producer pioneers in Indonesia since 2005 till 2012. At the end of the 2006, he was also one of the formation initiator of Indonesia Biofuels Producer Association and be the Secretary General then one of the Chairperson. Teamed up with other sectors, the Associations carried out an active role to promote Biofuel including Palm Oil based Biodiesel.

Piotr studied earth sciences and biology. He graduated from the University of Warsaw and soon joined projects in the field of environmental protection in Poland and France. In his pursuit of knowledge, he reached the Sorbonne in Paris, Columbia University NY, Mohammed V University in Rabat and the University of Lisbon.

He created promotional projects based on non-invasive, low-emission tourism. Coordinated research and popularisation of knowledge in terms of environmental safety of karst areas, with particular emphasis on the protection of groundwater.

For a decade, he has been a participant in pioneer research in the non-incineration processes of thermal treatment of waste disposal, using innovative advanced technology with the simultaneous possibility of obtaining thermal and electric energy.

Rachel Kyte is Chief Executive Officer of Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All.

A leading advocate for sustainable development, Ms. Kyte is focused on affordable, reliable and sustainable energy as the key to combating both poverty and climate change. Ms. Kyte drives SEforALL’s work to mobilize action towards its 2030 goals of ensuring universal access to modern energy services; doubling the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency; and doubling the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix. As Special Representative for the Secretary General she is the point person in the UN for action towards the recently agreed global goal on sustainable energy.

Ms Kyte served until December 2015 as World Bank Group Vice President and Special Envoy for Climate Change, leading the Bank Group’s efforts to campaign for an ambitious agreement at the 21st Convention of the Parties of the UNFCCC (COP 21). She was previously World Bank Vice President for Sustainable Development and was the International Finance Corporation Vice President for Business Advisory Services.

Recipient of numerous awards for women’s leadership, climate action and sustainable development, she is a Professor of practice in sustainable development at Tuft’s Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. She holds a master’s degree in international relations from Fletcher, and a bachelor’s degree in history and politics from the University of London.

I’ve always been fascinated by natural ecosystems. From cause and effect to natural processes and living organisms, that’s where I’ve been finding inspiration & motivation.

With an academic background in Sustainable Development and International Communications and a dedication towards facilitating change and improving life quality, I am sure that action is louder than words.

As the co-founder and CEO of iNERGY AGTECH I am currently spearheading the development of an innovation based startup in a heritage and traditionalist domain: food and agriculture technology. As a sociology and technology scholar, passionate about ecology, sustainable development & heritage, I strive to create value for integrity, always focused on building long lasting bridges and pathways for innovation to create positive impact. That’s why my philosophy is based on open networks, transparency and responsible, value creating action across disciplines and stakeholder interests.

Rik Stamhuis is the Co-founder and Managing Director of Jiro-Ve.
Jiro-Ve is a social enterprise that, through a network of franchisees, rents out rechargeable solar lights to the people in Madagascar, with the aim of eradicating expensive and dangerous candles and kerosene lights. To date over 50.000 people have benefitted from this service and more than 100 new jobs were created covering 5 different areas in Madagascar.

It was after having worked in East-Africa for two years that Rik realized that despite the fact that a lot of great solar products had been developed for the BOP, many remained inaccessible to this group due to; limited purchasing power, insufficient training or products not being available at the right time. It was for this reason that Rik co-founded Jiro-Ve with an inclusive franchise business model aiming to eliminate all those barriers.

The efforts of Jiro-Ve have been internationally recognized by Bid network, EY, SOCAP, GSBI and more recently Jiro-Ve became part of the Start-up Energy Transition top 100.
Most importantly though Jiro-Ve has created a positive impact on some of the financially least fortunate providing evidence of what can be achieved but also serving as a humble reminder of what is yet to be done.

Since 2009, Roseanna has been a Minister in the Scottish Government, covering four varied and interesting portfolios. In 2009 she was appointed Minister for the Environment. This role took her on many fascinating visits throughout Scotland and she was able to become involved in many environmental projects that are close to her heart. In 2010, Climate Change was added to her portfolio. As Minister, Roseanna led the Crofting Bill and the Wildlife and Natural Environment Bill through Parliament.

In 2011, Roseanna took on a new role in the Scottish Government as Minister for Community Safety and Legal Affairs. This is a role which she equally enjoyed, given her legal background and commitment to social justice. Her remit covered sectarianism, fire service reform and community integration.

Following Nicola Sturgeon’s appointment as First Minister in November 2014, Ms Sturgeon promoted Roseanna to the new post of Cabinet Secretary for Fair Work, Skills and Training. This exciting portfolio promoted the Living Wage and tackled the obstacles that can often prevent women from playing their full part in the world of work. It was a key role in driving forward the Scottish Government’s policies of fair work, equal pay and gender balance.

After the Parliamentary elections of May 2016, Roseanna was appointed Cabinet Secretary for the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform. In this role she introduced the Scottish Government’s Climate Change Plan. Her remit includes taking forward further land reform and reforming wild fisheries.

Philip Lowe was born in Leeds in 1947. He read Politics, Philosophy and Economics at St John’s College, Oxford and has an M.Sc. from London Business School. Following a period in manufacturing industry, he joined the European Commission in 1973, and held a range of senior posts as Chef de Cabinet and Director in the fields of regional development, agriculture, transport and administration, before becoming Director-General of the Development DG in 1997. From September 2002 he was Director-General of the European Commission’ Competition DG until he became Director-General of the Energy DG in February 2010. He retired from the European Commission from 1st January 2014. From 2013 to 2016, he was a non-executive director of the UK Competition and Markets Authority and since 2016, Executive Chair of the World Energy Council’s Energy Trilemma Flagship Study Programme. From 2010, he has been Chair of the Florence University Institute Competition Law Workshop. Philip Lowe was knighted KCMG in 2014.

Sorin is an accomplished IT professional with over 17 years’ experience. He is working with public authorities, in finance and logistic industry, his focus being improvement of business and creating value through digitalization and use of innovative technologies. He has a proven record of delivering results in challenging environments, creating benefits through his transition and transformation programs, achieving improvement in performance and quality of business process by using the blockchain technology.
Appling his industry experience and working together his team at dCentra, Sorin has designed ClimateCoop, a platform providing a new way for funding, governance and collaboration between independent parties, working towards SD goals and scaling the SDG movement to the society, developing engaging and proactive communities.
Sorin holds an MS and BS in Computer Science and lives in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

Sue is vice president of climate and energy at Ceres, overseeing the organization’s climate and energy team including electric power, transportation, oil and gas and insurance. She also coordinates across the organization to advance the Ceres Clean Trillion campaign. The campaign promotes a clean energy investment target intended to avoid the worst effects of climate change, requiring more than $1 trillion additional investment in clean energy globally each year while ratcheting down investment in fossil fuels.

In her role at Ceres, Sue led the development of ground-breaking analysis by Ceres, Bloomberg New Energy Finance and investor Ken Locklin — Mapping The Gap — illuminating the global renewable electric power investment and sources of capital needed through 2040 to limit temperature rise to no more than 2 degrees Celsius. Sue also has contributed columns to Forbes.com and has been featured in Bloomberg, BBC, CBS.com, NPR, and The Boston Globe, among other news outlets. She often is invited to speak at climate and energy conferences around the U.S. and globally.

Sue has more than two decades of experience as an attorney and specialist in climate and energy policies, practices and investments. Prior to joining Ceres in 2014, she served as Vice President and Massachusetts Advocacy Centre Director at the Conservation Law Foundation, where she successfully spearheaded efforts to secure some of the strongest climate and clean energy policies in the U.S. She also has served on several Boards of Directors and advisory boards, including the Massachusetts Global Warming Solutions Act Implementation Advisory Committee, Toxics Action Centre Advisory Board, Earth Island Institute Board of Directors, and Senators Elizabeth Warren and Edward Markey’s Advisory Committee on Massachusetts Judicial Nominees.

She also previously worked as an intellectual property litigation attorney at law firms in Silicon Valley and Boston, where she represented a broad range of high tech clients. She earned her law degree with honours from Boston University School of Law

Dr Thérèse Coffey was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 17 July 2016. She was elected the Conservative MP for Suffolk Coastal in May 2010. Thérèse graduated from University College London (UCL) with a PhD in chemistry. Thérèse Coffey served as Deputy Leader of the House of Commons from May 2015 until July 2016. Thérèse served on the Culture, Media and Sport Committee until she was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary to Michael Fallon, Minister for Business and Energy. Thérèse has campaigned on stopping the A14 toll, improving NHS experience for patients and better broadband.

Sekisui House is a pioneer of industrialized housing in Japan and is the largest home builder in the country, having built over 2.4 million homes.

Mr. Abe has more than 40 years experience in the housing industry, and from an early stage has had a focus on finding ways to prevent global warming. In 2009, he initiated the “Green First” strategy to halve CO2 emissions from the company’s houses, based on the realization that housing related CO2 emissions had a significant impact on our ability to ensure a green Earth free of extreme weather events. In 2013, he led the introduction of zero energy houses, and Sekisui House has manufactured more zero energy houses than any company in the world.

Mr. Abe puts the environment at the core of his corporate strategy. The company is working to decarbonize all of its operations, and was the first in the Japanese construction industry to join the RE100 initiative. As chairman of the Japan Federation of Housing Organizations, he is also leading the entire industry in its carbon reduction activities, and has begun the challenge to bring the company’s environmental technologies to the rest of the world.

Valentino Sevino is a Mobility Planning Area Director at AMAT – Mobility Enviroment, and Territory Agency.
After ten years of experience in the field of mobility and environment at the European Commission, Metropolitana Milanese and AMAT too, since 2008 Head of Mobility Planning Area at AMAT (Environmental Mobility and Territory Agency), City of Milan. Expert in Sustainable Mobility (Electric Mobility, Car Sharing), Public Transport Planning and Public Transport Regulation, Pedestrian Areas, bicycle mobility and parking regulations, he has participated in several European project related to Smart City, Smart Mobility, Smart Parking, Urban Mobility and City Logistics (TIDE, City Mobil 2, FR-EVUE, Sharing Cities)

Victor Cheng currently serves at Delta Electronics, Inc. as senior vice-president, and general manager for its Information and Communications Technology Business Group, responsible for datacenter, telecom power and networking businesses. Under his leadership, Delta has become a leading provider of energy-saving telecom power and data center solutions, which feature technologies with energy efficiency up to 98%. Moreover, Delta built the world’s 1st LEED v4 green data center in Wujiang, China. Mr. Cheng serves in the board of the Delta Environmental & Educational Foundation.He holds B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in Electrical Engineering from Santa Clara University, California, USA.

Wayne is the Chief Executive Officer of the London Waste and Recycling Board, where he oversees the day to day running of the organisation. He has been heavily involved in LWARB since its establishment and has substantial local government and waste industry experience. Prior to LWARB, Wayne worked as Head of Waste Policy at the Greater London Authority and has also held roles at the London Borough of Haringey and East Sussex County Council. Wayne has over 20 years’ experience in the waste industry.

An accomplished policy professional working for former UN climate chief Christiana Figueres on Mission 2020— a global campaign to bend the curve of greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. Currently based in San Francisco working directly with the Office of Governor Jerry Brown on the development and delivery of the Global Climate Action Summit. A proven ability to develop and deliver high-level international events, multi-stakeholder partnerships, and global advocacy campaigns.

Previously, served as the Director of the Climate Action 2016 Summit in Washington D.C., and prior to that as the youngest member of the climate team that advised United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and helped to deliver the historic Paris Agreement. Founded the Ansari Fellowship Program to empower young Iranian-Americans to pursue public service careers. Fluent in Farsi and advanced in Arabic.

At Stanford, served as the Vice Chair of the American Middle Eastern Network for Dialogue, interned for Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, and led an international campaign to educate college students about the global refugee crisis through Syria Deeply. At Cambridge, research focused on the nexus of climate change and international security.

Recipient of the John Gardner Public Service Fellowship, Democratic National Committee Hope Institute Fellowship, U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship, and the Fulbright Scholarship (declined), among others.

Yvo de Boer was recently appointed as President of the Gold Standard Foundation, which works though certification to ensure maximum corporate impact on climate action and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Yvo is also a Partner at SRI Executive where his focus is on working with development agencies to ensure that their strategy and organizational structure are aligned with the challenges of the day. SRI’s approach is to assess where organizations stand in their competitive landscape and work with them to shape a vision and strategy, define products and services, design organizational structures and create appropriate capabilities.

From 2014 to 2016 he served as Director-General of the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), a treaty-based International Organization with 28 member countries, currently working in 25 countries to develop and implement green growth strategies. During his tenure he revitalized GGGI’s long term strategy, expanded the number of country programs, brought financial stability to the Institute and significantly expanded its operational partnerships.

Before this, Mr. de Boer served as KPMG’s Global Chairman of Climate Change & Sustainability Services (CC&S). In this role, he led KPMG’s international network of climate change and sustainability consulting businesses, which comprise several hundred sustainability professionals in over 60 countries. His focus was mainly on helping companies to develop a broad definition of value which recognizes social, human, environmental, intellectual capitals in addition to financial capital.

As well as leading KPMG’s CC&S agenda,  Mr. de Boer advised corporate leaders on the impacts of rapid environmental, social and political change and how their businesses should respond in order to grasp opportunities and manage risks.

Before joining KPMG in 2010, Mr. de Boer led the international process to respond to climate change in the role of Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) from 2006 to 2010. During his tenure he raised the issue of climate change to the highest levels of political and media attention and introduced a strong focus on the need to understand the role of international financial flows.  He brought over 100 world leaders to Copenhagen for the international climate negotiations in December 2009 and secured commitments from over 90 countries to reduce greenhouse emissions.

Previously Mr. de Boer has served as Deputy Director-General of the Dutch Environment Ministry, led Dutch and EU delegations during numerous international negotiations and held  leadership positions on a variety of international bodies including the Environment Policy Committee of the OECD , the UN Commission on Sustainable Development, the World Economic Forum Agenda Council on Climate and the Energy Group of the world Business Council for Sustainable Development. He has served as a member of  the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development and acted as an advisor to the World Bank.

In his early career Mr. de Boer was Chief of the Information Office for North America and the Caribbean of the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat).

Throughout his career, he has focused on the economics of sustainability to help policy makers and the business community understand the consequences of acting, or failing to act, in economic, social and environmental terms.

Additional Information:

• Yvo de Boer is a qualified mediator.
• He received a knighthood from her Majesty the Queen of the Netherlands in 2009 and the Dutch Climate Award in 2010.

In 2018 Yvo received the European Practitioner Achievement Award in Applying Environmental Economics