Neelesh Kumar Sah leads the Indian government’s work on resource efficiency and the circular economy. He has been the focal point for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Global Environment Facility (GEF), Green Climate Fund (GCF), Adaptation fund and the Minamata Convention. Neelesh has a B Tech in mining engineering and a post graduate diploma in management. He has received the highest civil service award in India, the Prime Minister's Award for Excellence in Public Administration.
Caio Dafico leads Brazil’s second-largest sugarcane ethanol producer’s portfolio diversification initiatives including biomethane, corn ethanol and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) as well as the company’s decarbonisation strategy through projects such as biochar and carbon capture. He previously worked in the private equity teams of Mubadala Capital and Patria Infrastructure funds, and as a strategy consultant at Bain & Company.
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Fany Kuiru Castro
General Coordinator
Coordinator of Indigenous Organizations of the Amazon River Basin (COICA)
Fany Kuiru Castro is an Indigenous leader of the Uitoto people, Jitomagaro clan, from the Predio Putumayo territory in Colombia’s Amazon. She is a lawyer, political advisor and the first woman to serve as general coordinator of COICA, which represents 511 Indigenous peoples across the Amazon Basin. Fany has led key initiatives in defense of Indigenous rights, land and climate justice, bridging ancestral knowledge with international advocacy. Under her leadership, the first Indigenous Economy Fund was launched in partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). Her voice amplifies the struggles, visions and dignity of Amazonian women and nations.
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Vithor Baron Geronimo
Student
Brazilian National Industrial Learning Service (SENAI-SP)
Rinaldo Mancin is an engineer with a master's in sustainable development from the University of Brasilia (UnB) and an MBA in economics, management and government relations from Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV). He has extensive experience in environment and sustainability topics, having collaborated with the federal government, international organisations and the private sector. He currently represents IBRAM at the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM), based in London, where he sits on the board of directors.
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Bernard Crabbé
Head of Sector Environment & Circular economy
European Commission
Bernard Crabbé leads the work on circular economy, environment mainstreaming and natural resources at the Directorate General for International Partnerships. A bio-engineer by training, with a specialisation in tropical agronomy and environment, Bernard has worked for more than 25 years on international cooperation, including 17 years as project manager in Mali, Laos, Madagascar, Ecuador and Uganda. He has worked successively for the United Nations, as an adviser for the Belgian secretary of state for development cooperation, as counsellor for the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and, since 2008, for the European Commission.
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Anis Nassar
Lead, Resource Circularity
World Economic Forum (WEF)
Anis is an economist with a specialisation in resource economics and behavioural economics. He leads the portfolio of activities on the circular economy of the World Economic Forum.
Chen Xiaoting brings a wealth of expertise to the UK-based foundation’s Beijing office, where she leads their plastic initiative as well as policy and climate work in China. With a PhD in sustainability economy from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Chen has over 17 years’ invaluable experience across the public and private sectors, specialising in public policy, international environmental and climate governance as well as cross-sector collaboration.
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Silvia Solano
Regional Lead Latin America, Green and Resilient Buildings Program
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Silvia is an architect with a master’s in natural resources management. With over 15 years’ experience in the construction market, she has honed her expertise across Latin America. She is a leader of the Green Building Market Transformation Program (GBMTP) in Latin America, responsible for strategy and implementation of the programme in Colombia, Mexico, Peru and Brazil. Experienced in green buildings and EDGE certification, she engages with private sector developers, industry associations, financial institutions, government and international cooperation agencies. Her focus on decarbonising the built environment and promoting the expansion of green and resilient buildings underscores her commitment to sustainable development.
