Speakers

Camilo Adas is responsible for decarbonisation strategies with biofuels and low-carbon hydrogen. In collaboration with the Brazilian Ministry of Development, Industry, Trade and Services (MDIC), he leads working groups for the hydrogen economy and decarbonisation of the naval industry. He is also energy director at FIESP, a researcher in energy transition, former president of the SAE BRASIL board, advisor to the Brazilian Entity for Technology and Energy Transition , a guest professor at Fundação Dom Cabral, international speaker and debater. Adas worked for 33 years at Daimler Trucks, including as chief engineer of Mercedes-Benz trucks in France.

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Veronica has over 8 years’ experience leading innovation-driven initiatives. Currently, she leads a biomaterials startup focused on developing sustainable alternatives like mango leather and hemp textiles. She also mentors early-stage projects and leads private ventures such as a Cultural Gastronomic Center in Luque. In addition, she coordinates Paraguay’s hemp industrialisation project in collaboration with the National University of Asuncion and Agronorte Coop.

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Smail Alhilali leads UNIDO’s programmes on the circular economy and green industry to tackle the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and chemical pollution. He joined UNIDO headquarters in Vienna, Austria in 2007 where he served in different positions. Smail was the director of the Morocco National Cleaner Production Centre (from 2003 to 2007) and worked in different positions within the national centre for nuclear energy, sciences and technology (CNESTEN) in Morocco (from 1994 to 2003).

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Manisha Anantharaman is an associate fellow at Chatham House’s Environment and Society Centre. Her critical and interdisciplinary research explores inequality and justice in sustainable transitions. She has published two books connecting environmental justice, sustainability and development, “Recycling Class: The contradictions of inclusion in urban sustainability” (MIT Press, 2024) and a co-edited the volume “The Circular Economy and the Global South” (Routledge, UK, 2019). Manisha holds a PhD from the University of California Berkeley’s department of environmental science policy and management.

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André Aranha Corrêa do Lago has been working with the sustainable development agenda since 2001. As a career diplomat, he was the director of the Energy Department (2008-2011) and of the Environment Department (2011-2013) at the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In the latter period, he was Brazil´s chief negotiator for climate change and for the Rio+20 Conference. He was the Brazilian ambassador to Japan (2013-2018) and to India (2018-2023). Since March 2023, he has been the Secretary for Climate, Energy and Environment at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

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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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Vithor Baron Geronimo is an 18-year-old student in the electronics technician course.

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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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Rachel is French and has been living in Chile for more than 20 years. She has over 25 years’ experience in the operation of drinking water and sewage treatment plants. She contributed to the implementation of Santiago de Chile’s sanitation plan and the transformation of wastewater treatment plants into biofactories, where the circular economy became the central pillar of water management. In response to the water crisis, she is working on integrated solutions to ensure that cities, agriculture, and mining can continue to coexist sustainably within the same territory.

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Marcela is an investment officer for climate change on the climate and enviroment team at IDB Invest, which she joined in 2021. She is responsible for supporting the development of climate change operations and since 2025 is leading the circular economy agenda for IDB Invest. Marcela holds a master’s in urban and regional planning from the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies at Universidad de los Andes (Colombia) and an industrial engineering degree from Universidad Militar Nueva Granada (Colombia).

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Sonja Birdwell works for a waste picker organisation in Portland, Oregon in the United States. For the past 3½ years she has been a waste picker, with a limited income only covering basic expenses like rent and utilities. She has collected bottles and cans for income and discovered a resourceful way to furnish her home by collecting discarded furniture from streets and dumpsters. In her spare time she loves to spend time with her dog Wanda taking walks at Portland's beautiful waterfront park.

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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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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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Rafael Cervone is a textile engineer and 1st vice president of the Federation of the Industries of the State of São Paulo (FIESP). Working with the textile sector since 1990, he is a board member of the International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF), President Emeritus of Sinditêxtil-SP and ABIT (Brazilian Association of Textile and Apparel Industry). He was a member of the Global Business Forum for the G20, B20, and contributed to “Industrial Transformation & Innovation”, “Future of Work” and “Future of Industry and Digital Transformation”, and the ILO Group – “Dialogues on the Future of Work and Combating Slave Labor”.

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Emmanuel Chaponniere is in charge of the Projects Directorate of EIB which is composed of sector specialists. He is responsible for project appraisal including technical, economic, environmental and social issues, and the monitoring of project implementation, as well as for sector studies and policy – including the EIB’s climate, environmental and social policies. Prior to the EIB, he held various positions as a water sector specialist and waste expert in Europe and Africa. Chaponniere graduated from the Ecole Nationale Supérieure de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace (France) and has a master’s in water management from the Ecole Nationale du Génie Rural des Eaux et Forêts (France).

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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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Carlos is a geographer with an emphasis in territorial planning. He has a master’s in sustainable development and environmental management. His experience includes sustainability issues in the private sector and policy in the public sector. Currently, he leads the Sectoral Planning Secretariat at the ministry and is sectoral secretary of the Environment and Energy Sectoral Council.

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Cynthia is a Costa Rican economist with over 25 years’ experience in environmental economics, public policy and sustainability. She is a specialist in cost-benefit analysis, climate change, the circular economy, bioeconomy and environmental assessment. She is vice-chair on OECD committees, coordinator of Costa Rica's Inter-Ministerial Committee on Circular Economy, and country chair of the G100. Previously, Cynthia has served as environmental economics coordinator at the Ministry of Environment and Energy and held technical and leadership roles in key institutions such as the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INEC), Costa Rican Institute of Electricity (ICE) and Tropical Science Center (CCT). Recognised for her academic publications, she promotes creativity, consensus-building and a just transition.

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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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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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Anderson da Silva Nassif, born on 24 March 1978, is a community and environmental leader from Orlândia, São Paulo. He was the president of COOPERLOL for 12 years, promoting advancements within the cooperative. Currently, he is the manager of COOPERLOL, director of ANCAT, responsible for the Reciclar pelo Brasil Program, and secretary director of Rede Anastácia. He works on project coordination and providing consultancy for cooperatives. His work strengthens cooperativism and sustainability, generating significant social and environmental impact.

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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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Loa is committed to helping humanity thrive within planetary boundaries by building bridges between environmental ambition and economic reality. With a career spanning the non-profit and for-profit sectors, she focuses on cross-sector collaboration to drive systemic change. As director of FSC Denmark, she expanded the organisation’s membership and significantly increased public awareness of sustainable forestry. Loa also helped lead FSC’s digital transformation to enable data-driven solutions. Today, she’s working at FSC International with over 70,000 companies to accelerate the transition toward circular, regenerative business models that can shape a more resilient and sustainable future.

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Cecilia began her professional career at Deloitte in 2008. Currently, she leads a cross-sector team of circularity experts to address circularity projects in four areas: creation of new business models, circularity measurement, eco-design and regulatory compliance. Cecilia is also part of the Deloitte Global Circularity team, leading the circular economy hub for fashion and consumer goods at Deloitte Global and its circularity measurement offerings.

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Flávio is a consultant and researcher in the circular economy, EPR, waste management, cleaner production, LCA, and corporate environmental regulations, as well as an advisor to the UN Global Compact and ambassador of Movimento Circular. He has a background in mechanical engineering, with an MBA, a master’s and a PhD in environmental studies, and has 20 years’ experience at São Paulo State Environmental Agency (CETESB). Flavio has worked as a consultant for international organisations (such as UNEP and OECD), industry associations (such as FIESP, SENAI and CNI), global and local businesses and governments. He is a professor at Santos Catholic University and also lectures at other institutions. He has authored a textbook on the circular economy and has an extensive publication record.

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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.

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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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Müge Dolun is a development practitioner with expertise on trade, gender and the environment, with experience in strategic research, technical assistance projects and programme evaluation. She manages a large portfolio of UNIDO projects on the circular economy and resource efficiency. Previously Müge served as UNIDO’s gender coordinator. She has managed technical assistance projects in trade and standards as well as agri-business development, mostly in Africa. She is a development economist by training, with a master’s in public administration in international development from Harvard Kennedy School and a BA in environmental studies.

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William Dominici leads business strategy for a division which generates over $40 billion annually. Under his leadership, Lenovo has maintained itself as the #1 PC manufacturer. William and his team developed and implemented a Device-as-a-Service programme and established the ESG Key Performance Indicators that support Lenovo's 2050 net-zero target. Previously, William worked in the bicycle and outdoor retail industry. A University of South Carolina graduate with education at MIT focusing on AI and digital business strategy, William is also a National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) Alaska alumnus. Outside the office, he competes in mountain biking and gravel cycling races.

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Al-Hamndou Dorsouma leads AfDB’s efforts on climate change in Africa, including policy and finance, building climate resilience and low carbon opportunities into the bank’s investments, as well as supporting the bank’s engagement in the green transition and the circular economy. Dr Dorsouma’s academic background is in geography and environmental management. He also worked for other international organisations, namely the Observatory of Sahara and Sahel (OSS) in Tunis as environment and climate change officer and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in Geneva as senior programme manager for resource mobilisation and development partnerships.

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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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Ricardo Estrada is a Peruvian engineer specialised in industrial hygiene and safety, with a master's in environmental management. He currently works as a specialist focused on promoting eco-efficiency and sustainability in public administration. He has lectured on the rational use of resources and solid waste management, contributing to strengthening institutional environmental management.

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Giuliana Morrone combines journalism with business expertise and doesn't treat ESG as merely the sum of the environmental, human and governance practices adopted by companies. She has a long history of interacting with leaders from all sectors in Brazil and abroad, covering the most varied topics including presidential elections, corruption scandals, environmental tragedies and social movements. Her experience, broad outlook and ability to connect the dots between different fields are essential for approaching the subject from a systemic perspective. With an MBA in ESG from PUC Rio, Giuliana has rewritten her own professional journey and authored the book ‘Myths and Truths about ESG’.

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Nicoletta leads the Business Lab of the EU Circular Economy Resource Centre (EU CERC) at Enabel. Prior to joining Enabel, she worked as a senior project officer at Eurochambres, the Association of European chambers of commerce and industry. In this role, she was involved in the implementation of EU-funded economic cooperation programmes with Latin America and West Africa, supporting business organisations and SMEs in both Europe and partner regions. Her work focused on key areas including private sector development, internationalisation and intellectual property, and circular economy topics—further strengthening her expertise in sustainable business practices.

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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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Jamie is responsible for IFC’s climate strategy and policies, targetting to make all investments Paris-aligned and 45% of its investments climate positive. Jamie joined the corporation in 2005 and has led and contributed to innovation and new business growth across IFC’s investment, advisory and support operations. Prior roles include chief investment officer leading IFC’s global renewable energy investment practice, director of environmental and social risk and policy, and director of strategic business development. Jamie has a BA and MA in zoology from Cambridge University, UK, and an MBA and a master’s in environmental economics and policy from Yale University, USA.

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Victoria Flores, a lawyer with a degree from the National University of Córdoba and a master's in administrative law, served as a councilor for the City of Córdoba (2015-2019). In 2019, she took office as president of the Córdoba Works and Services (COyS) agency where she initiated the city’s circular economy work on recycling and the use of waste as raw material. Since December 2023, she has served in her current post, expanding the circular economy and sustainable development model throughout the province, including the strategies for the care of the 30 protected natural areas and the conservation of ecosystems and biodiversity.

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Career diplomat at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, Liisa is passionate about sustainable development. Currently, she focuses on sustainable trade, the circular economy, dispute settlement, trade rules and trade in goods at the WTO. Her previous positions in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland include deputy head of mission at the Embassy of Finland in Vietnam and regional manager for Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan. Earlier, she worked at UNICEF Brazil, UN Women Brazil and Southern Cone, and Akava, the Confederation of Unions for Professional and Managerial Staff in Finland.

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Tim works with Sitra’s international projects, and he spends most of his time with the European Union Circular Economy Resource Centre and its Policy Lab. Almost anything circular is close to his heart, including a multitude of international circular economy initiatives – not least in the Global South – road maps, policy design and implementation, circular bioeconomy business models, development, trade and EU policy. Before joining Sitra, Tim worked at the Embassy of Sweden in Beijing and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. He studied the circular economy, environmental management and policy and languages in Stockholm, Lund, Montreal, Rock Island and Beijing.

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Matthew Fraser is a recognised expert in the circular economy, with over a decade of experience advising governments on measurement and strategy. At Circle Economy, he leads initiatives that provide policymakers with data-driven insights to assess circularity performance and identify high-impact opportunities for sustainable resource management. Matthew specialises in translating complex resource flows into actionable strategies, supporting governments in integrating circular principles into policy and investment decisions.

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Manuel Frávega works for one of the largest law firms in Argentina, where he heads the environmental law and climate change department and co-leads the ESG department. Prior to joining the firm in 2022, he served as environment regional senior manager for Tenaris (2020-2022) and as undersecretary of environment of the Provincial Agency for Sustainable Development (Government of the Province of Buenos Aires) (2017-2019). Previously, Manuel worked at Techint Group as a senior counsel in charge of the environmental law department (2011-2017) and participated as vice president of the Environment Commission of the Argentine Industrial Union. Currently, he is the president of the department of environment and sustainability of the Industrial Union of the Province of Buenos Aires (UIPBA).

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Katharina leads ACEN’s strategic programmes and operations and has a key role in further operationalising ACEN to grow the success of the network. She is a circular economy consultant working across sectors to accelerate the circular transition in Africa. A specialist in multi-sector collaboration, convening stakeholders and project management, her work with ACEN is aimed at activating collective intelligence in the circular economy. Working with national governments, diplomatic missions, NGOs and the private sector, she is a vocal advocate for the role of a just circular economy transition in Africa.

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Pedro Giocondo Guerra holds multiple degrees in law and public administration and has specialised training in administrative law, public-private partnerships and international investments. Experienced in legal consulting, academic research and public management, he has worked in law firms; as a researcher on government control, public policies and decisions of Brazil’s Supreme Court; and in the São Paulo public sector. Pedro has extensive experience on the fiscal councils of state-owned and environmental companies. Since 2023, he has held positions of high trust in the Federal Government and is also Chairman of the Fiscal Council of Brazil’s National Development Bank (BNDES).

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In addition to his position at FIESP, Josué Gomes is also the president of Coteminas, a leading bed and bath company with industrial units in several countries through the American continents. In addition, he is the 1st vice-president of the Center of Industries of the State of São Paulo (CIESP) and chairman emeritus of the Brazilian Textile Industries Association (ABIT). Beyond his industrial activities he is a member of the Owen School Corporate Council of Vanderbilt University and of the board of the Child Cancer Treatment Institute of São Paulo (ITACI).

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Mari Granström is the founder and chief executive activist of a company transforming invasive algae into biobased and biodegradable chemicals to replace oil-based products. With a background as an industrial chemist and environmentalist, DrGranström is on a mission to transform our approach to oceans and their ecosystems through a regenerative value chain that benefits both the environment and the economy. Her unique blend of scientific knowledge and business acumen has positioned her as a leading voice in the field of sustainable business models. She is also an advocate for global environmental policies, participating in initiatives such as the UN Global Compact and the EU Green Deal.

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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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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.

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Tuuli helps Finnish society to find solutions to the most difficult problems of our time. She has more than 15 years’ experience in making societal change happen. At Sitra, Tuuli has worked in different positions related to promoting ecological sustainability. She holds a master’s in social sciences and is infinitely interested in how societies can flourish within the limits of nature’s carrying capacity.

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Diane B. Holdorf is a member of the leadership team at WBCSD, based in Geneva. Since joining the council in 2018, she has led transformative efforts across food, nature and water systems, and now spearheads the pathways work to drive sustainable value chain transformation. Prior to WBCSD, Diane was chief sustainability officer at Kellogg and held leadership roles at Delta Consultants. She holds degrees in public communications and German from Syracuse University and an executive MBA from the University of St. Thomas. Diane serves on several advisory boards and international initiatives.

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Alongside his current position, Dan Ioschpe is a member of the boards of directors of WEG, Marcopolo and Embraer. He is also one of the vice-presidents of FIESP, IEDI and a board member of Sindipeças. In 2024 he was the chair of B20 Brasil. Born in Porto Alegre in 1965, he graduated in social communications at Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), followed by a postgraduate degree in marketing at Higher School of Advertising and Marketing (ESPM-SP) and an MBA at Tuck, at Dartmouth College, USA.

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Matija Kajić is a sustainability specialist, focusing on topics related to the circular economy and resource conservation. She obtained her PhD at Utrecht University on the topic of legislative barriers to the circularity of biological materials in the EU. Her research background covers legal and institutional challenges related to a variety of topics, including renewable energy, biomimicry and circular R-strategies. Employment outside of academia, at Triodos Bank and in the maritime sector, have diversified her professional interests to include the transport sector, as well as the role financial institutions play in driving transitions forward.

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Jeet Kar leads sustainable trade and global plastics policy at the World Economic Forum, also coordinating the WEF's role as an observer to the discussions around an international legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution. He has previously held positions at the United Nations and the OECD, working on sustainable trade policies and development cooperation. Jeet holds a master's in economics from Sciences Po Paris, and speaks English, French and Spanish.

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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.

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Joona Kotilainen is a serial entrepreneur from Finland and the co-founder of a circular economy start-up tackling the global problem of underutilised wood waste. Joona has a background in innovation and technology management and is now the marketing director of the company. His business views revolve around brand building, communications and marketing, which are key in getting sustainable solutions to the market. He co-founded the company in 2023 with his master carpenter brother Miikka Kotilainen, who has become known in Finland as an innovative thinker and circular economy-based wood user.

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Luiz is a geologist with a master’s in environmental analysis and a PhD in geography. He was a researcher and teacher of resource economics for more than 10 years in southern Brazil. Luiz has 12 years’ experience in Brazilian public environmental management, from local to national level. He was coordinator of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) for Brazil and senior adviser in climate change and biodiversity of the Stockholm Resilience Centre in Sweden. At the UN since 2016, he has been coordinating international cooperation activities in many countries on a circular and low carbon economy and nature-based solutions.

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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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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.

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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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Leonardo Lahud leads the trade and investment portfolio of the Productivity, Trade and Innovation Sector at IDB in Brazil. Previously, he served in the Brazilian government, where he was deputy secretary of foreign trade, deputy executive secretary of the Foreign Trade Chamber, and deputy secretary of international affairs and development of the Ministry of Planning and Budget. He holds a master's in international trade and investment law from the World Trade Institute, linked to the University of Bern (Switzerland), a postgraduate degree in international relations from the University of Brasilia, and a law degree from the Federal Fluminense University.

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Kristo Lehtonen leads Sitra's international programme portfolio including the global circular economy, future well-being solutions and the Data Spaces Support Centre (DSSC). Previously, he was in charge of Sitra's work on the fair data economy. He was co-founder and CEO of 3DBear, an edtech company which combines virtual reality with world-class pedagogy. It has users in over 150 countries and was shortlisted in TIME Magazine as one of the world’s top 50 edtech companies in 2024. He also worked as special adviser to the minister of transport and communications in Finland, after more than 10 years at Nokia.

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Severino Lima Junior is a prominent Brazilian waste picker leader and founder of ASCAMAR (1999) and COOCAMAR (2007), waste pickers' organisations in Brazil. He is also associated with the Brazil-based waste picker organisation UNICATADORES, an affiliate of the IAWP. He is currently serving as the first President of IAWP. He is well versed in public policies on waste management, cooperatives, climate change and plastics pollution. IAWP is supported by WIEGO.

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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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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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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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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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Beatriz is the regional head of finance and economic transformations at UNEP Latin America and the Caribbean office, aiming at shifting finance and business practices towards sustainable patterns of consumption and production and reducing climate impacts, biodiversity loss and pollution. She’s a trained lawyer, specialised on sustainable development. Before joining UNEP in 2017, she worked at the Brazilian Ministry of Development Industry and Foreign Trade, Brazilian Ministry of Environment, World Business Council for Sustainable Development – Brazilian Chapter, WWF Brazil and at UNDP. As part of her role at UNEP, Beatriz leads the coordination of the Latin America and the Caribbean Circular Economy Coalition.

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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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Davinah coordinates several special initiatives within the Climate Change and Green Growth Department of AfDB. These include the Africa Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) Hub, a platform hosted at AfDB to support African countries implement their Paris Agreement climate commitments; the Secretariat of the African Financial Alliance on Climate Change (AFAC), an initiative launched by the African Development Bank to mobilise, catalyze and leverage domestic climate finance; and the Africa Circular Economy Facility (ACEF).

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A Mexican national, Mauricio Mireles has served at the FAO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean since 2019. He previously worked with FAO as an international consultant in Italy, Ghana, Mozambique and Brazil. A sociologist and anthropologist by profession, he holds a master's in environmental security from the UN University for Peace, and a master's in peace, development, security and international conflict transformation from the University of Innsbruck, Austria. Mireles has extensive experience in issues related to the social inclusion of Indigenous peoples and traditional communities, having coordinated diverse projects and initiatives related to South-South cooperation, social protection, school meals, family farming and the Amazonian bioeconomy.

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Eduardo Ferlauto is also head of sustainability at Lojas Renner. He graduated in mechanical engineering from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUC-RS) and has a master’s in manufacturing processes from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) and an MBA in business management from Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV). Throughout his career, Eduardo has accumulated over 15 years of experience in large companies in the automotive, metallurgical, petrochemical, pharmaceutical and retail sectors.

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With over 14 years’ experience in corporate sustainability, Alice is strategically integrating Arcadis’ ESG practices into organisations in Brazil. An environmental engineer and specialist in sustainable infrastructure and ESG, she works on driving cultural transformation within companies and implementing solutions aligned with national and international ESG protocols. Alice has extensive experience in preparing sustainability reports, assessing and measuring socio-environmental impacts, and developing strategies to enhance ESG maturity across businesses . Her work spans sectors such as mining, energy, sanitation and transportation, fostering more responsible and sustainable management within organisations.

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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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Susana Muhamad is former minister of environment and sustainable development of Colombia. She was the president of the Conference of Parties of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP16). She is an environmentalist, activist and politician committed to biodiversity protection, climate justice and territorial transformation. In 2024 Susana Muhamad was named by TIME magazine as one of the 100 most influential leaders driving business to real climate action.

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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.

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Marina Negrisoli works for a global producer of innovative and renewable bio-based materials. With a deep passion for people, team development and corporate happiness, she currently leads the company's sustainability strategy, shaping a lasting legacy for Suzano over the next 100 years, while driving socio-environmental value across both business operations and society. Marina holds a bachelor’s and master’s in economics from Fundação Getúlio Vargas and has completed the executive programme at Yale School of Management.

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Marvin Nusseck is a seasoned expert at the intersection of the circular economy and the financial sector, with over eight years of experience in stakeholder engagement and strategic solution development. He has successfully brought together leading international financial institutions and facilitated collaboration among major Multilateral Development Banks on circular economy finance. He helped initiate the Dutch financial sector working group on the circular economy, as well as the the Circularity Gap Report Finance. Marvin has contributed to key initiatives such as the ISO Circular Economy standards, CSRD E5, and multiple UNEP-FI publications on the circular economy, resource management and waste. He holds an MSc in political economy from the University of Amsterdam.

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Gari Renso Pascual Cucho has extensive experience in climate change, water resources and environmental management. He was coordinator at the Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation (MIDAGRI), where he led the adaptation and mitigation policies aligned to Peru’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). He also worked at the National Institute for Water (ANA) as a specialist in discharge management, was an environmental consultant and headed the directorate of student affairs at UCV Piura.

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Luciana Pellegrino is the first woman to take over the presidency of WPO, a 58-year-old institution that represents the packaging industry with members in 64 different countries. She aims to expand WPO’s activities and relevance for the global packaging industry. Her vision is to raise the voice of packaging at strategic global forums and foster packaging’s positive impact in modern life. Pellegrino has worked in the Brazilian packaging industry for over 27 years and has been general manager of the Brazilian Packaging Association (ABRE) since 2002. She has been awarded academic credentials from Mackenzie University, Brazil; the Illinois Institute of Technology, USA; and Instituto Brasileiro de Governança Corporativa (IBGC) in Brazil.

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Bruno Pelli is a mining executive with international experience. He is a mining engineer (University of São Paulo), risk management specialist (University of Queensland), management excellence specialist (University of Pretoria), MBA Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV-UCI) and holds a sustainability certificate from the University of Cambridge. At Vale, Bruno is responsible for brownfield exploration, geoscience, mine planning and closure, mining rights, mineral resources and processing for iron ore assets around the world. He also leads transformational projects such as Vale's circular mining programme and manages four R&D facilities. Bruno is a board member of Circlua and the Minas-Rio iron ore joint venture.

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Angelica is a Colombian lawyer specialised in corporate law, with a degree from Universidad de Los Andes and LLM from Cornell University. She has more than 15 years of professional experience in international trade, customs and international investments, as well as corporate government, public policy and government relations. Angelica is also co-author of the Colombian chapter of the Foreign Tax & Trade Briefs by LexisNexis and other publications on trade and customs in the country. She has been a professor of international trade and customs at Colombian universities.

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Nelson Pereira dos Reis leads the sustainable development department of FIESP and the Center of Industries of the State of São Paulo (CIESP). He is also the president of the Union of Chemical Products for Industrial Purposes and Petrochemicals of the State of São Paulo. In his journey as an executive working to conciliate the competitiveness of the industry with the improvement of environmental quality and social well-being, he presided over Copebrás and Anglo American's operations in Brazil and was executive president of the Brazilian Chemical Industry Association.

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Fernando is a biologist with a master’s in environmental engineering from the University of São Paulo. He is a board member of the Green Chamber of Commerce in Colombia. He has gained international experience through aquaculture consultancy with the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), circular water economy projects with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development and conservation initiatives with The Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar). He is an international speaker on topics such as circular water management, bioprospecting, biomimicry, ecological restoration, blue carbon, nature-based solutions and climate change adaptation. His expertise includes sustainable development, environmental risk analysis, monitoring and ecological modelling with a focus on water and hydrobiological resource management, as well as environmental certifications such as ISO 14000, LEED, BMP, ASC and Global GAP. Heis renowned for his creativity, disruptive thinking, interdisciplinary collaboration, leadership and social sensitivity.

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Gustavo Porpino has worked for Embrapa since 2006. He holds a PhD in business administration from Fundação Getulio Vargas's São Paulo School of Business Administration (FGV-EAESP) and was a visiting scholar at Cornell University, where he carried out research on food consumption behaviour. Gustavo is a member of the Brazilian food banks’ network steering committee and he collaborates with Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and UN Environment Programme (UNEP) initiatives on food security and circularity. He is a co-founder of the Pact Against Hunger, a multi-sectoral movement that combats hunger and reduces food waste in Brazil.

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Janez Potočnik (born 1958) is an economist graduated from the Faculty of Economics at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. He was appointed head of the negotiating team for the accession of Slovenia to the EU and served as minister responsible for European Affairs. Between 2004 and 2014, he served in the European Commission, first as Commissioner responsible for science and research and then for environment. After the mandate he was appointed as a co-chair of UNEP IRP. Dr Potočnik is also a partner at SYSTEMIQ.

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With over 20 years of experience in trade, Tatiana Prazeres has worked in government, the private sector, international organisations and academia in Brasilia, São Paulo, Geneva and Beijing. She was a senior advisor to the director-general of the World Trade Organization in Geneva between 2013-2018. While living in China in 2019-2021, she was a senior fellow at the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE). In 2022, she was the head director of the Department of Trade and International Relations at the Federation of Industries of São Paulo (FIESP). A career government official, she holds a PhD in international relations and a master’s in law. In 2014, she was recognised as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.

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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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Lucas Ramalho Maciel is a public policy and government management specialist with over 18 years' experience in formulating and implementing strategic policies. He took part in the Lula government's transition team, contributing to the re-creation of the ministry (MDIC) and the creation of the Secretariat for Green Economy, Decarbonisation and Bioindustry. He led the area of social innovation and was one of the creators of the national impact economy strategy (Enimpacto), which significantly expanded impact investments in Brazil. In addition to Enimpacto, he is responsible for the national circular economy strategy and the Green Seal Brazil programme, a certification system for products and services aligned with sustainability and ESG criteria.

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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. Previously she was 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.

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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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Alongside her work at FIESP, Priscila Rocha is also global head of sustainability and ESG at Volkswagen Trucks & Bus. She has over 23 years’ experience in the area, having previously worked in companies in the pulp and paper sector (Fibria/ Suzano), chemical sector (3M) and the defense of collective interests (FIESP). She has a master’s in health, sustainability and environment from the School of Public Health at USP, chemical engineering from the Federal University of São Carlos and specialisation in business management and ESG from the University of Cambridge. Priscila is also a guest professor of the postgraduate course in ESG at Senac.

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Henry Roman is a principal researcher in the Integrated Circular Economy Transformation Research Group at IWMI and chair of the board of the Sustainable Seas Trust. Roman initiated the development of the science, technology and innovation points for the circular economy strategy for South Africa, which has been approved for implementation. He obtained his PhD in environmental biotechnology in 2005 from Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa.

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Eric is the country representative for the WRI in Rwanda and leads the country’s circular food systems initiative. He has over a decade of experience in climate finance, sustainable development and policy engagement across Rwanda and beyond. In his current role, he leads strategic partnerships and supports national efforts to integrate climate and circular economy approaches into development planning. He also works with MSMEs to embed circular economy principles into their business models. Eric holds a master’s in sustainability and circular bioeconomy and is passionate about inclusive, systems-based solutions for climate resilience and green growth.

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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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Mariana is a journalist and senior communications professional specialising in corporate sustainability and ESG. She is a columnist for the newsletter "Negócios Sustentáveis", published weekly on Universo Online (UOL). Marina is also an event presenter and mediator as well as head of communications for corporate projects focused on sustainability.

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Elizabeth Shie works currently for Novelis South America, leading the company’s regional strategic planning process, evaluation of market drivers, analysis of expansions and management of sustainability goals. Over the past years, she held positions in the financial and pulp and paper sectors, playing important roles in business development initiatives through partnership models, new business structuring, mergers and acquisitions and equity investments. Elizabeth holds a degree in production engineering from Universidade de São Paulo (USP) and an MBA from the London Business School, with a concentration in finance and change management.

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Tarcisio Soares joined Airbus in 2019 in the helicopters division and is now responsible for promoting the strategic alignment between the major business units Commercial Aviation, Helicopters and Defense & Space. He also leads the development of Sustainable Aviation Fuel initiatives in Brazil and external affairs, providing political and economic expertise to strengthen understanding and guide decision-making of Brazil and other Latin America countries. Tarcisio has over 25 years’ experience with multinationals in the aerospace and oil and gas industries. He has a bachelor’s in business in international trade and post graduated in business management and financial and economics business management.

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Born in Rio de Janeiro, Rollemberg holds a bachelor's in history from the University of Brasília (UnB) and is a civil servant in the legislative analyst career of the Federal Senate. He was a district deputy, a federal deputy, senator and governor of the Federal District. He also held the positions of secretary of tourism, leisure and youth of the Federal District and secretary of science and technology for social inclusion of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation. He was president of the committee on the environment, consumer protection and oversight and control of the Federal Senate, during the vote on the Brazilian Forest Code.

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Vong Sok is a passionate and dedicated environmental professional with over 20 years’ environmental compliance and governance experience, including in-depth knowledge of strategic environmental planning, diplomacy and management systems. At ASEAN’s sustainable development directorate’s socio-cultural community department, he works extensively on environmental management in Southeast Asia, in close collaboration with government agencies, international organisations, development partners, civil society organisations (CSOs) and communities. This has empowered him with the necessary resources to oversee strategic initiatives, resulting in significant impacts and contributions to this region and beyond.

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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.

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Christian Spano is a strategy, innovation and sustainability executive with more than 20 years’ international experience in the resource and energy industries. He has worked for organisations such as Anglo American, the World Economic Forum (WEF), Systemiq and the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM). Christian holds postgraduate degrees from the London School of Economics (LSE) and Oxford University and an undergraduate degree in economics. He enjoys cycling and spending time with his two kids and wife in London.

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Pavan works for a global leader in impact data and analytics, harnessing the power of impact economics, technology and AI to uncover a business's full value contribution to the world. A scientist by education, a banker by profession and an environmental economist by passion, he previously led the UN’s Green Economy Initiative and The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) study. His groundbreaking work has been recognised through several awards including the Blue Planet Prize (2016), the Tyler Prize (2020) and the EAERE European Practitioner Achievement Award in Applying Environmental Economics (2024).

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Mika Sulkinoja plays a strategic leadership role in the World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF). With around 25 years’ hands-on experience in advancing the global sustainability agenda, Mika has worked across sectors—from the United Nations and the Finnish Government’s climate negotiation team to the private sector. His focus has been on market-based policy instruments, climate finance and international cooperation. At Sitra, he leads collaboration on the WCEF and contributes to the European Union Circular Economy Resource Centre, helping shape initiatives and partnerships that accelerate the global shift towards a sustainable, circular future.

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Celso Tacla is an executive and board member with extensive international experience in sustainability, innovation and industrial transformation. He has led major Latin American operations for global companies like Valmet and Metso, driving circular economy strategies and digitalisation in the pulp and paper and capital goods sectors. Celso sits on several boards and sustainability committees and is a frequent speaker at global forums on the bioeconomy and innovation. He holds degrees in chemical engineering and business management, with executive education from IMD and Wharton. He was awarded the Order of the White Rose by the president of Finland.

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Luis Tejado was born in 1969 in Mexico, is an industrial engineer from Universidad Panamericana and holds an MBA from Harvard Business School. His career spans finance and strategy at P&G, BCG and Time Warner before shifting to sustainable agriculture. He has led large-scale forestry (Proteak), palm oil (Prolade), organic bananas and coconut operations (Tabascoco). Passionate about circular economy solutions, he specialises in biochar, regenerative agriculture, alternative energies and irrigation efficiency. A strong advocate for waste circularity, he integrates sustainability into agribusiness models, enhancing productivity while reducing environmental impact.

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Marcelo advocates for innovation, economic growth, community inclusion and forest conservation, building a sustainable Brazilian industry especially in the Amazon. He currently holds several roles, also as Vice-President of CNI, leading their thematic council on environment and sustainability (COEMAS); Executive Director of the Amazônia+21 Institute; board member of the Center for Bioeconomics of the Amazônia (CBA); member of the Guidance Committee of the Amazon Fund (COFA) and the Brazil Climate Finance Hub Council; and several regional leadership roles. He has a bachelor’s in architecture and urbanism from Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) and is a post-graduate in business management from Fundação Getulio Vargas.

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Gabriel Azevedo has led international projects in more than 40 countries in infrastructure, natural resource management, agribusiness, manufacturing and environmental management. He has worked at the World Bank, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Construtora Norberto Odebrecht, and was a board member for the Brazilian Biodiversity Fund (FUNBIO) and the Brazilian Association of Water Resources (ABRHIdro). He is a board observer at the International Hydropower Association (IHA) and is IDB Invest representative at the Sustainability Committee to the Board of Hospital Einstein in Brazil. Azevedo has degrees in civil engineering, including an MSc and a PhD from Colorado State University.

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Ana Valença is a 20-year-old student in the electronics technician course.

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Jaap van der Velden has a background in finance, audit, financial management and accounting. As part of the Renewable Polymers’ (RNP) management board and executive team, he helps to bring the company’s technology to the world. Aligning stakeholder interests, he brings together inspired internal and external stakeholders, investors, government and partners throughout the value chain including customers, feedstock parties, engineering and construction firms. Jaap believes in a fossil-free world.

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Izabella Teixeira was minister of the environment of Brazil (2010-2016). She is member of the High-Level Advisory Board of UN-DESA and of the administrative council of the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES). Izabella won the UN Environment's "Champions of the Earth" in 2013 for her contribution to reducing deforestation in the Amazon. She also serves on the boards of international and national institutions, including as senior fellow of Arapyaú Institute, board member of the iFHC and member of the International Advisory Board at CEBRI.

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Roberto Waack is a board member, entrepreneur and sustainability leader. He co-founded key environmental initiatives and has a background in pharma, forestry and governance. He is a columnist for Estadão Economia. Waack holds a degree in biology and a master’s in business administration (with a concentration in New Institutional Economics) from the University of São Paulo.

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Xandra Weinbeck works for the Netherlands' national promotional institute, which boasts an investment capital of around €2 billion. In her work, she aims to accelerate transitions towards a carbon-neutral economy, bio-based and circular solutions, deeptech innovations, agrifood advancements and life sciences. The approach includes direct investments in pioneering companies, as well as the development of financial instruments and market growth strategies. Business development at Invest-NL focuses on creating the necessary financial tools for industry scaling and fostering market demand. With over 20 years of experience in the chemical and semiconductor industries, Xandra holds an MSc in chemical engineering and an MBA.

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Daniel Weingart Barreto is a chemist and chemical engineer with an MSc in organic chemistry, a DSc in natural products chemistry, and an MBA in management. He is a professor at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, teaching entrepreneurship to undergraduates. He also collaborates with the post-graduate programme in technology of chemical and biochemical processes at Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). Dr Barreto has published extensively and holds patents in organic fine chemistry, applied chemistry, materials science, cosmetic chemistry, and natural products chemistry.

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With a background in teaching and science, Mette focuses on developing strong partnerships and initiatives that promote sustainable industrial practices and enhance resource efficiency, making a meaningful impact on sustainable industry development. Her experience builds on knowledge gained through the Kalundborg Symbiosis partnership which has worked collectively on the circular economy in industrial production for more than 50 years. Passionate about the green transition and environmental care, Mette is dedicated to driving change towards a more sustainable future. She is involved in the systemic export of industrial symbiosis to Brazil, in cooperation with AEDIN and the State of Rio.

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Emma Westerlund works as a sustainability and education designer at Novia University of Applied Sciences in Finland. With twenty years of experience in higher education and strategic development processes, she now focuses on higher education's responsibility and curriculum development when it comes to transition and system change. Westerlund initiated and leads a unique master's programme in circular design. She also serves as a key expert in various RDI projects related to a circular economy, circular design and curriculum development, both on a national and a global scale.

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Chris’ vision is to drive a just transition to a circular economy for Africa, addressing sustainable impacts and outcomes in energy, water, agriculture, infrastructure, mining, manufacturing and tourism that result in positive benefits for the environment and social upliftment. He founded USE-IT (2009-2020), resulting in thousands of jobs created and 18 national and global awards. Chris was previously executive director of ACEN and is co-founder of the ACEN Foundation (rebranded to Africa Circular) based in Europe. He is also a director of several commercial companies across Africa developing profitable circular economy projects.

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