Meet our key speakers
Discover the voices at the congress
David OBURA
Director
Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES)
David Obura is a Founding Director of CORDIO East Africa, chairs the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES, 2023-2026) and is on the Earth Commission (2019-2026).…
Rashid AL MHEIRI
Chief Executive Officer
Abu Dhabi Maritime
With over two decades of distinguished experience, Captain Saif, Chief Executive Officer of Abu Dhabi Maritime and Chief Sustainability Officer of AD Ports Group, plays a pivotal role in advancing…
Tinne VAN DER STRAETEN
Member of Parliament
Belgian Federal Parliament
Tinne Van der Straeten is a member of the Belgian Federal Parliament. She served as Federal Energy Minister between October 2020 and January 2025. During her term, she accelerated the energy…
Thani MOHAMED-SOILIHI
Minister Delegate to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, for Francophonie and International Partnerships
France
Married and father of three children, Thani Mohamed-Soilihi was born on June 20, 1972 in Sada, Mayotte. A graduate of the École du Centre Ouest des Avocats de Poitiers, he has been practicing as a…
Masego MADZWAMUSE
Environment Programme Director
Oak Foundation
Masego is the Environment Programme Director at Oak Foundation where she oversees three sub-programmes, namely and respectively the Nature and People - the Regenerative Landscapes and the Marine and…
Anderson TANOTO
Managing Director
Royal Golden Eagle (RGE)
Anderson Tanoto is Managing Director at Royal Golden Eagle (RGE) and a member of its Executive Management Board. Headquartered in Singapore, RGE is a global group of resource-based manufacturing…
Gloria FLUXÀ THIENEMANN
Vice-Chairman & CSO
Grupo Iberostar
Passionate about tourism and ocean conservation, Gloria Fluxà Thienemann combines a strategic vision for innovation with specialized leadership in sustainable transformation. As a fourth-generation…
Claudine BLAMEY
Chief Sustainability Officer
Aviva
Currently Chief Sustainability Officer at Aviva. Claudine was previously the Director of Sustainability and Digital Strategy at Argent LLP for 3 years. Claudine delivered the net zero carbon…
Elizabeth NSIMDALA
President
Eastern Africa Farmers Federation
Elizabeth Nsimadala is a Ugandan young agriprenuer and a smallholder farmer. She is the President of the Eastern Africa Farmers Federation (EAFF), Current Board member and past President at the Pan…
Barbara POMPILI
Ambassadrice à l'Environnement
France
Barbara Pompili has been involved in environmental politics for over 20 years.As Secretary of State for Biodiversity from February 2016 to 2017, she led the adoption of the Law for the Restoration of…
Peter Thomson
UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean
United Nations
Ambassador Peter Thomson is the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean, in which role he leads global support for the implementation of UN Sustainable Development Goal 14, to conserve and…
Patricia RICARD
Présidente
Institut Océanographique Paul Ricard
Patricia Ricard has been actively engaged in environmental protection for over 30 years and is President of the Oceanographic Institute Paul Ricard. Founded in 1966, the Institute operates as a…
Marco LAMBERTINI
Convener
Nature Positive Initiative
Marco Lambertini is the Convener of the Nature Positive Initiative.Marco was WWF International Director General (2014-2022) and Special Envoy (2023). Before joining WWF he was Global Director of…
André Hoffmann
Vice-Chairman
Roche
André Hoffmann is a businessman, environmentalist, and a passionate advocate for business as a force for good. André is Vice Chairman of Roche Holding AG, the family business and co-chair of the…
Aziz ABDUKHAKIMOV
Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change
Uzbekistan
Aziz Abdukhakimov currently serves as the Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of the Republic of Uzbekistan, a position he has held since December 30, 2022. Born in 1974…
Eric JING
Chairman
Ant Group
Mr. Eric Jing joined Alibaba Group in 2007 and became President of Ant Group in June 2015. In October 2016, Eric was appointed CEO of Ant Group, and in April 2018, assumed the additional role of…
Rob Walton
Founder
Rob Walton Foundation
Rob Walton is a business leader, conservationist, and owner of the Denver Broncos.After serving as a partner at the law firm of Conner & Winters in Tulsa, Rob held several positions at Walmart,…
Astrid SCHOMAKER
Executive Secretary
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
In April 2024, the United Nations Secretary-General appointed Astrid Schomaker Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).Prior to her appointment as Executive Secretary of…
Pradeep KURUKULASURIYA
Executive Secretary
United Nations Capital Development Fund
Pradeep Kurukulasuriya is the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Capital Development Fund. He is a Sri Lankan economist with a PhD from Yale University in the United States. Prior to…
Serge WILMES
Minister of the Environment, Climate and Biodiversity
Luxembourg
After obtaining a Master's degree in history from the University of Nancy II, Serge Wilmes graduated with a Master's degree in European Contemporary History from the University of Luxembourg in 2006.…
Yann WEHRLING
Vice president in charge of Ecological transition, Climate and Biodiversity
Région Ile de France – Conseil Régional
Yann Wehrling is graduated from the University of Human Sciences of Strasbourg (Arts and History of Art) and from the School of Decorative Arts in Strasbourg.Yann Wehrling is involved in the…
Yoko Watanabe
Director (Environment)
Asian Development Bank
Yoko Watanabe is the Director of Environment at the Asian Development Bank. She heads the environment and nature initiatives, including biodiversity conservation and ecosystem management, nature-…
Razan AL MUBARAK
IUCN President
IUCN
Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak is a global leader in nature conservation and climate action, serving as President of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and previously as UN Climate…
Andrea MEZA MURILLO
Deputy Executive Secretary
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
Andrea Meza Murillo is Deputy Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). Prior to joining the Convention, she served as Minister of Energy and Environment…
Musonda MUMBA
Secretary General
Ramsar Convention on Wetlands
Dr Mumba is a Zambian-born environmentalist with over 25 years of global experience in environmental management and sustainable development. She joins the Convention on Wetlands from the United…
Ricky KEJ
Goodwill Ambassador
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
Ricky Kej, a three-time Grammy award-winning composer, is an internationally acclaimed Indian musician and environmentalist renowned for his expertise in creating music that conveys a powerful…
Ruth SPENCER
Local community representative
Antigua and Barbuda
Ruth Spencer is a remarkable individual whose work and contributions have had a profound impact locally and globally, particularly in environmental sustainability, gender empowerment, and community…
Mukhtar BABAYEV
Representative of the President of the Republic, UNFCCC COP29 President
Azerbaidjan
Mukhtar Babayev was appointed Representative of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan on climate issues on 5th February 2025. Mr Babayev is the official envoy appointed by the President of…
Inna MODJA
Goodwill Ambassador
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
Inna Modja is a talented Malian-French singer, songwriter, and activist known for her unique fusion of traditional West African music with contemporary pop, rock, and electro sounds. With her…
Alessandra YUPANQUI
Andean activist & Editor-in-chief
Sapiens
Alessandra Yupanqui is a content creator, Andean activist, TEDx speaker, and storyteller. Recognized in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, she is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Sapiens, a media…
Agnes Kalibata
Chair Person
C4Impact Advisory Group
Dr. Agnes Kalibata is a distinguished scientist, policy maker and thought leader on the global stage. She is the Founder and Chair of Connect for Impact Advisory Group (C4Impact Advisory Group), a…
Adonai HERRERA-MARTINEZ
Director, Environment and Sustainability
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
Adonai Herrera-Martínez is the EBRD Director, Environment and Sustainability. He manages the team responsible for the Bank’s environmental and social safeguards, the green finance attribution of…
Laurence PESSEZ
Global Chief Sustainability Officer
BNP Paribas
As creator of the Sustainability function within the group, Laurence is managing BNP Paribas related policy and contributed to obtaining several awards such as the “World Best Bank for Sustainable…
Henry GONZALEZ
Chief Investment Officer
Green Climate Fund (GCF)
Henry has over 25 years of professional experience across sustainable and impact investing, emerging markets, and political and economic development. Prior to GCF, he was an Associate Fellow at…
Kazuhiko KAMADA
Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer
Oji Holdings Corporation
Mr. Kazuhiko Kamada is Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) of Oji Holdings Corporation, the leading pulp and paper manufacturing group in Japan with a global presence.After…
Loreley Picourt
Directrice Générale
Ocean and Climate Platform
Loreley Picourt is the Executive Director of the Ocean & Climate Platform (OCP) – an international network from civil society mobilised for “a healthy ocean, a protected climate”. As a strong…
Ralph Regenvanu
Minister for Climate Change Adaptation, Energy, Environment, Meteorology, Geo-Hazards and Disaster Management
Vanuatu
Ralph Regenvanu is Vanuatu’s Minister for Climate Change Adaptation, Energy, Environment, Meteorology, Geo-Hazards and Disaster Management. He is currently serving his sixth term as a Member of…
Juan Carlos NAVARRO
Ministro de Medio Ambiente
Panama
BA in Geography and Government, Dartmouth College; Master's in Public Administration, Harvard University. 1985, Member of the Board of Trustees and Founding Director, Ancon Foundation, an…
Cynthia BARZUNA
Deputy Director
WRI
Cynthia Barzuna Gutiérrez is the Global Deputy Director of the Ocean Program at the World Resources Institute (WRI), where she provides strategic leadership across a global portfolio that connects…
Daouda SEMBENE
Founder and CEO
AfriCatalyst
Daouda Sembene is the CEO of AfriCatalyst, a global development advisory firm headquartered in Dakar, Senegal. He also serves as a Distinguished Non-resident Fellow at the Washington-based Center for…
Mahmoud MOHIELDIN
UN Special Envoy on Financing Sustainable Development
United Nations
Mahmoud Mohieldin is a global economist and the UN Special Envoy on Financing Sustainable Development, with over 30 years of experience in international finance and development. He co-leads the UN…
Edwin ANDREWS
Executive Deputy Mayor
City of Cape Town
Deputy Mayor Eddie Andrews of Cape Town is a dynamic and forward thinking leader, driven by a commitment to sustainable development and the betterment of all residents. With a wealth of experience in…
Rohitesh DHAWAN
President and Chief Executive Officer
International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM)
Rohitesh “Ro” Dhawan is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM). He leads the Council of 24 CEOs of the world’s largest mining & metals…
Eric TERENA
Indigenous artist and activist
Mídia Indígena
Eric Terena is an Indigenous artist and activist from the Pantanal (Mato Grosso do Sul) who uses music as a tool of resistance. In his project Origins, he combines ancestral chants with electronic…
Humphrey KARIUKI
Founder
Janus Continental Group
Humphrey Kariuki is a Kenyan conservation advocate and the visionary Patron of the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy (MKWC), home to the world’s first Mountain Bongo sanctuary. He is internationally…
Grethel AGUILAR ROJAS
Director General
IUCN
Dr Grethel Aguilar, born in Costa Rica, assumed office as Director General of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in October 2023. Dr Aguilar brings with her thirty years of…
Nizar HANI
Minister of Agriculture
Lebanon
Dr. Nizar Hani has been serving as Minister of Agriculture in the Republic of Lebanon since February 8, 2025. He brings extensive experience in the fields of environmental protection, protected areas…
Shaikha Al Dhaheri
Secretary General
Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD)
Her Excellency Dr. Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri serves as the Secretary General of the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), the largest environmental regulator in the Middle East. Since her appointment…
Carlos Manuel RODRIGUEZ ECHANDI
CEO & Chairperson
Global Environment Facility
Lawyer by profession, politician by choice, and conservationist at heart, Carlos Manuel Rodríguez was elected as CEO and Chairperson of the Global Environment Facility by its governing body, the GEF…
Ashley LASHLEY
Youth Advisor to the United Nations Secretary General on Climate Change
Ashley Lashley is a passionate advocate for climate, health, and youth empowerment. As one of the Youth Advisors to the United Nations Secretary General on Climate Change, a former UNICEF Youth…
José Luis Chicoma
Program Chair of The Future of Food
THE NEW INSTITUTE
José Luis Chicoma is the Program Chair of The Future of Food at THE NEW INSTITUTE. He has served as Minister of Production in Peru, overseeing the fishing, aquaculture, and food market sectors. He…
Nisreen ELSAIM
FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Youth Alliance for Local Adaptation and Peace (YALAP)
Nisreen Elsaim is an accomplished environmental and climate activist with a Bachelor's degree in physics from the University of Khartoum, Sudan. She furthered her academic pursuits by obtaining a…
Antonis Antoniou LATOUROS
President
Aggregates Europe
Antonis Antoniou Latouros is President of Aggregates Europe, having been re-elected in 2024 as the first person to serve a second consecutive term since the association’s establishment in 1987. He…
Amy FRAENKEL
Executive Secretary
Convention on Migratory Species
Ms. Amy Fraenkel has over 30 years of experience in international environmental law and policy. She joined CMS after working for six years with the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological…
Valerie HICKEY
Global Director for Climate Change
World Bank
Valerie Hickey is the Global Director for Climate Change at the World Bank.Prior to that she was the Global Director for Environment (ENV) at the World Bank. Before that she was the manager for…
Amna BINT ABDULLAH AL DAHAK
Minister of Climate Change and Environment & Member of the UAE Cabinet
UAE
Her Excellency Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak is the UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment and a Member of the UAE Cabinet. She leads national efforts in environmental protection,…
Seyni NAFO
Co-chair
Green Climate Fund Board
Ambassador Seyni Nafo is an influential voice in global climate diplomacy and a driving force behind Africa’s climate and sustainable development efforts.Currently serving as Co-Chair of the Green…
Tony GOLDNER
Chief Executive Officer
TNFD
For over two decades, Tony has advised government, financial sector and philanthropic leaders on a range of strategic challenges at the intersection of business, finance and public policy. These…
Rogier VAN DEN BERG
Global Director
WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities
Rogier van den Berg is Global Director for WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities, leading WRI’s (World Resources Institute) program focused on more accessible, equitable, healthy and resilient…
Gloria AMOR PAREDES
Co-founder
Salumayag Youth Collective for Forests
Gloria Amor Paredes is an environmental education and community development specialist with over a decade of experience in forest and water restoration, Indigenous knowledge systems, and climate…
Sylvia Alicia EARLE
Founder and Chair
Mission Blue
Sylvia A. Earle is an oceanographer with expertise in ocean science, technology, exploration, and conservation and a spokesperson for policies that emphasize a harmonious relationship between human…