Accelerating the just energy transition with a responsible critical minerals lifecycle

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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Marcos Athias Neto started as UNDP assistant administrator and director of the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) in 2023. He has served as the director of UNDP’s Sustainable Finance Hub, leading work on sustainable finance in more than 40 countries. As the head of the G20 Sustainable Finance Working Group Secretariat, Neto also co-chaired the executive boards of the Business Call to Action and the Connecting Business Initiative. He has more than 25 years’ experience in development, and more recently in finance and private-sector development. Neto holds a master's in law from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London.

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Ambroise Fayolle was appointed to his current position in February 2015. He is responsible for climate action, just transition and energy efficiency for SMEs. He is also responsible for funding and treasury of the EIB and is a board member of the European Investment Fund. In addition, he oversees the EIB’s activities in France, as well as in many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Pacific Ocean. A graduate from the Ecole Nationale d’Administration, he spent most of his career in various positions at the French Treasury Department, in the IMF and the World Bank.

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Paul Ekins has a PhD in economics from the University of London and works at the UCL Institute for Sustainable Resources at University College London. He was deputy director of the UK Energy Research Centre from 2014-2019. He is a member of the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) International Resource Panel (IRP), for which he has lead reports on resource efficiency and critical minerals for the energy transition. His new book is Stopping Climate Change: Policies for Real Zero (Routledge, 2024). In 1994 Paul Ekins received a Global 500 Award ”for outstanding environmental achievement” from UNEP. In the UK New Year’s Honours List for 2015 he received an OBE for services to environmental policy.

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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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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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Slendy Díaz is a circular economy expert with extensive experience in the public and private sectors, the energy sector and project management. She is a speaker, consultant and mentor on circular business models.

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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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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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