Roberto Muniz coordinates the activities of the superintendencies of legislative affairs, relations with the executive power, labour relations, infrastructure and sustainability. He has a bachelor's in civil engineering, with a specialisation in economic engineering, and is currently completing a master's in management for competitiveness in the field of sustainability at the Getúlio Vargas Foundation (FGV). He served as a senator of the republic and executive secretary of the Ministry of Cities. He was elected state deputy for two terms by Bahia and led departments such as agriculture, irrigation and agrarian reform, as well as labour and social action. He was also mayor and deputy mayor of Lauro de Freitas in Bahia. In the private sector, Roberto worked in the construction and infrastructure segment, including Goes Cohabita, Queiroz Galvão and Coesa.
Patricia Malnati is a public accountant and leads a family-owned SME dedicated to the industrialisation of rubber. She has served as director of the sustainability committee of the Latin American Society of Rubber Technology (SLTC) and vice-president of the environment and sustainability department of the Industrial Union of the Province of Buenos Aires (UIPBA). She is founder of the Women and Rubber Network, member of Red de Mujeres de la Industria Argentina (MIA), advisory member of G100 Resources and Talent Development, and vice-president of Red Pacto Global Argentina. She was elected as Best Company Director at the Recircle Awards 2022, a global event that recognises excellence and contribution to the tyre recycling sector, and Best Businesswoman 2024 at the WEF Women Economic Forum Argentina.
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Kari Herlevi
Programme Director, Circular Economy
Sitra, the Finnish Innovation Fund
Kari leads a team of circular economy experts responsible for Sitra’s internationally funded projects such as EU CERC, PSLifestyles and WCEF. His team aims to launch new impactful international initiatives in the circular economy also in the future. Prior to joining Sitra in 2015, Kari led Business Finland’s green growth programme related to the circular economy, with a funding volume of over 100 million euros. He has also worked on cleantech in Silicon Valley, California, and his long experience on sustainability issues also covers topics related to business strategies and internationalisation. Kari is keen to hear more about new collaboration opportunities internationally.
Sonia Dias has a PhD in political science and a specialisation in solid waste management (JICA fellow). In addition to her current position, she is also engaged in national and local work in Brazil. Her past work includes policy officer for the cleaning agency of Belo Horizonte city and consultant for several international agencies. She sits on advisory boards for organisations such as Pimp my Carroça NGO, End Plastic Pollution International Collaborative (EPPIC) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). She is an Eisenhower Fellow and the coordinator of the Circular Economy Thematic Chamber of the Brazilian Climate Change Forum.
Prior to her election as president of Finland, Tarja Halonen served as Minister of Social Affairs and Health, Minister of Justice and Minister for Foreign Affairs. During her career, she has paid close attention to issues of human rights, democracy, civil society, gender equality and sustainable development. Among other duties, she is currently a member of the UN’s Secretary-General’s High-Level Advisory Board on Mediation and UNCCD Land Ambassador, as well asa member of the Board of Directors of the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra.
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Afke van Rijn
Directorate-General for the Environment and International Affairs
Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, The Netherlands
Since February 2023, Afke van Rijn is responsible for the circular economy, waste management, environmental protection, air quality and climate adaptation policy, as well as bilateral, director-general for COVID-19 at the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport. Prior to this she was director of the Media and Creative Industries Department, and deputy director-general and coordinating director for Equal Opportunities in Education at the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. Van Rijn studied computer engineering at Delft University of Technology. She is married and has two children.
Luisa joined the foundation in 2015 to establish the Latin American office. She has been advancing the circular economy and sustainability transitions for over 15 years, specialising in regenerative systems, circular design and nature-positive solutions, with a particular focus on the role of the Global South in the circular economy transition. Her work bridges policy, innovation and collaboration to align economic growth with ecological restoration and societal benefits. Previously, she worked as a sustainability strategist and trusted advisor to businesses and governments. She holds a master’s in sustainable development, an academic degree in environmental management and a bachelor’s in communication.
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Veronica Nyhan Jones
Manager Climate Business
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Veronica Nyhan Jones is global head of IFC’s Climate Capacity & Inclusion Accelerator, incubating support to pioneering IFC investments in transition and sustainable finance, nature and biodiversity, circular economy, inclusion, gender and just transition. IFC is the largest global development institution delivering exclusively through the private sector in emerging markets. As part of IFC’s Climate Business management team, Veronica works to increase the volume of sustainable climate finance, influence the quality of global standards and enhance climate leadership across industries. Prior to IFC, she worked at the World Bank, the White House and the International Youth Foundation. She holds a master’s from Harvard’s Kennedy School.
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Kai Lindow
Director Digital Engineering
Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft
Kai Lindow is an expert in sustainable digital technologies. For over a decade, he has been developing systemic solutions to make products and processes more efficient and resource-saving. After studying mechanical engineering in Berlin and Stockholm, he completed his PhD on the topic of knowledge-based development of sustainable products at Technische Universität (TU) Berlin. As a post-doctoral researcher at TU Berlin, he led numerous research projects at the interface between mechanical engineering and information technology. He then became head of the Information and Process Control department at the Fraunhofer-Institute for Production Systems and Design Technology (IPK) in Berlin. His work today focuses on digital ecosystems, sustainable digital twins, smart product-service systems and the industrial metaverse.
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Liza Kengran
Bioeconomy Youth Champion
International Advisory Council on Global Bioeconomy (IACGB)
Liza is a food security advocate and agricultural engineer. She has an extensive experience in developing and managing sustainable food systems, and is a sustainable food systems curriculum manager at the Kings Foundation. Liza has worked with organisations like the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and various institutions in Cameroon, driving innovative solutions and promoting food security through hands-on education and research. Her expertise spans multiple areas of food systems, from food preservation to sustainable farming practices and youth involvements.
