Brazil

Daniel is a seasoned sustainability professional guiding multidisciplinary teams to deliver pioneering solutions. He currently drives collaboration among Pan-Amazonian research and innovation institutes at the Bioamazonia Network backed by IDB to coproduce science-based and traditional knowledge for advancing sustainable biodiversity practices and fostering bioeconomy opportunities across the region. Daniel has a degree in economics, and an MBA in strategic management of the environment and a master’s in knowledge management and engineering. Previously, he worked at Brazil’s Ministry of the Environment and Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, leading bioeconomy programmes and mobilising multilateral resources for climate change and biodiversity initiatives with global resonance.

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Davi Bontempo is an economist with a master's in public administration from the Brazilian School of Public and Business Administration of the Fundação Getulio Vargas (EBAPE/FGV-RJ) and specialisation in environment and sustainability (FGV). He is currently leading the agendas of ESG, energy transition, carbon market, the circular economy and bioeconomy, as well as forest conservation, among others. He is a professional in institutional and governmental relations with expertise in advocacy strategy and stakeholder engagement. He is executive secretary of the CNI's environment and sustainability thematic council and represents the industrial sector in several national and international forums.

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Graduated in chemistry from Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) and currently pursuing a master's at Universidade Federal do Paraná (UFPR), Jean has experience in environmental management and life cycle assessment (LCA). His work at the SENAI Institute for Innovation in Electrochemistry focuses on the LCA of lithium-ion batteries produced in Brazil. His goal is to strengthen the national supply chain for battery raw materials and promote Brazil’s role in the global battery industry through sustainable and circular practices.

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Melissa has over 20 years’ experience in environmental and sustainability management across industries such as chemicals, metals, oil and gas, and consumer goods. For the past two years, she has led the programme in the Santa Cruz industrial district, representing AEDIN in partnership with the State Government of Rio de Janeiro and Kalundborg Symbiosis (Denmark). She is also the head of environment, health and safety at Cladtek Brazil. Melissa holds degrees in chemical engineering, occupational safety engineering, an MBA from the Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV), and a master’s in environmental engineering from Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ).

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Claudio Providas has served in his current position since October 2023. He joined the UN as a volunteer in Mozambique in 1993 and began his career at UNDP in 1996. Previously, Claudio was resident representative in Iran and a country director in Timor-Leste. As UNDP deputy resident representative, he served in Bolivia, Ecuador and Trinidad and Tobago (including Suriname). He has an executive masters’ from EAP (France) and a bachelor’s in biological sciences and hydrobiology from La Universidad de la Republica (Uruguay). He is a dual Uruguayan and Belgium national and speaks English, French, Spanish and Portuguese.

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Daniel Motta is responsible for leveraging technology, innovation and entrepreneurship to increase industry competitiveness. He leads the implementation of the SENAI-SP Technology District, a collaborative ecosystem that aims to develop new industrial technologies, increase the innovation rates in industry and support industrial entrepreneurship. He operates strategic programmes promoting increased adoption of digital technologies, productivity, energy efficiency and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Daniel has a PhD in computer modelling and industrial technology, master’s in mechanical engineering and bachelor’s in mechanical engineering.

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Adalberto Maluf has served as national secretary for urban environment, water resources and environmental quality at the ministry since March 2023. He holds a BA and an MSc in international relations from the Institute of International Relations of the University of São Paulo (IRI/USP). He was president of ABVE (Brazilian Electric Vehicle Association) and vice-president of ABGD (Brazilian Distributed Generation Association), as well as director of communications, sustainability and corporate affairs at BYD (Build Your Dream). Previously, he worked for the São Paulo City Hall and was director of the Clinton Foundation’s Clinton Climate Initiative in partnership with the C40 Cities Network.

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Before taking his current role in late 2023, José Carlos da Fonseca Júnior was a career diplomat for 40 years, having held posts in India, the U.S., Canada, Mozambique, the UAE, Chile and the Philippines. He also served as ambassador to Myanmar and held governmental roles at both the federal level and in the state of Espírito Santo. He is chair of the FAO Advisory Committee on Sustainable Forest-based Industry and vice-chair of the International Council of Forest and Paper Associations. Fonseca also holds a role at Brazilian Tree Industry (Ibá) as executive director, leading advocacy and international efforts.

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Daniel is a diplomat and part of the team that led the G20 Initiative on Bioeconomy (GIB). He was the negotiator for Brazil at the UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA), the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture, the European Biomass Conference, and the Latin American and Caribbean Forum on Sustainable Development. He is a member of the advisory board of the World Bioeconomy Forum and an alternate board member of the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns (10YFP). Daniel has education in economics and diplomacy.

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Luis Meyer assumed his current role in 2022 and has held key positions in procurement. Luis holds a degree in production engineering and a postgraduate degree in finance, investments and banking, both from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUC-RS). He also holds an MBA from Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV) and a master’s in business administration and management, completed jointly at Universidade Positivo in Brazil and Nova School of Business and Economics (Nova SBE) in Portugal. In addition, he has earned ESG certifications from Insper and the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School in the United Kingdom.

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