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.
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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Kabir Arora
General Secretary- International Alliance of Waste Pickers
International Alliance of Waste Pickers (IAWP)
Kabir Arora (Qabeer Jalandhari) has been serving in his present role since July 2024. Since 2014, he has organised waste pickers, previously holding the role of national coordinator for the Alliance of Indian Waste Pickers and collaborating with Hasiru Dala in Bangalore. From 2018 to 2024, he acted as Asia Pacific coordinator for the International Alliance of Waste Pickers. He is also pursuing a PhD at the University of Witwatersrand, focusing on understanding home as a place of work for waste pickers, supported by the Southern Centre for Inequality Studies. IAWP is supported by WIEGO.
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).
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.
Niyigena Consolee is a dedicated agribusiness professional with a strong background in project management, circular agro-food systems and sustainable coffee production. Holding a bachelor's in agribusiness and currently pursuing a Master of Science in agribusiness at the University of Rwanda, she has gained extensive experience in coffee value chain management, waste utilisation and innovative agricultural practices. She oversees key initiatives, including coffee production, environmental conservation and the development of sustainable by-products like coffee husk pellets and organic compost, and has played a crucial role in expanding the company's operations, securing certifications and promoting local and international coffee sales.
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.
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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Nelson Pereira dos Reis
Vice President
Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo (FIESP)
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.
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.
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.
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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Tim Forslund
Senior Lead, International Programmes
Sitra, the Finnish Innovation Fund
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.
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.
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).
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.
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 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.
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.
Jacco is an experienced innovation manager with more than 12 years’ experience in the circular economy, leading teams on topics such as finance, the built environment and business strategy. Through these efforts, he has been advisor to more than 50 organisations and coalitions. In addition, Jacco is a recognised expert on circular economy performance measurement and reporting, advising on and helping to develop various industry standards such as the Circular Transition Indicators (CTI), CSRD (ESRS E5), the Global Circularity Protocol, BREEAM, the IRIS+ indicators and the GRI 306 standard.
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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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Severino Lima Junior
President
International Alliance of Waste Pickers (IAWP)
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.
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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Soumyajit (Jeet) Kar
Lead, Policy and Sustainable Trade
World Economic Forum (WEF)
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 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.
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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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.
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.
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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Carlos De Miguel
Director, Sustainable Development and Human Settlements Division
UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)
Carlos leads research initiatives on climate change, the circular economy, environmental performance and economic instruments, among others. He coordinates ECLAC's role as the Secretariat for the Regional Agreement on Access to Information, Public Participation and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters in Latin America and the Caribbean (Escazú Agreement). He has authored numerous books, journal articles and working papers on various topics related to development and the environment. He holds a PhD in economics from the University of Valladolid (Spain), a Master's in environmental economics from the University of Chile, and completed the European Studies programme at Tilburg University (Netherlands).
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Roberto Muniz
Director of Institutional Relations
Brazilian National Confederation of Industry (CNI)
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.
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.
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.
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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Angelica Pena
Free Trade Zones Chamber Director
Colombian National Business Association (ANDI)
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.
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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Tatiana Prazeres
Secretary of Foreign Trade
Ministry of Development, Industry, Trade and Services (MDIC), Brazil
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.
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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Priscila Rocha
Director of Department of Sustainable Development
Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo (FIESP)
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
Regional Representative: Southern Africa
International Water Management Institute (IWMI)
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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Carlos Mauricio Cordero Vega
Director
Ministry of Environment and Energy of Costa Rica
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.
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.
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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Emma Westerlund
Education and Sustainability Designer
Novia University of Applied Sciences
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.
