Speakers

Biography

Serge Abergel took office as Chief Operating Officer of Hydro-Québec Energy Services in December 2021. This subsidiary is responsible for hydropower export initiatives to the New York and New England markets.

Since joining Hydro-Québec in 2014, Mr. Abergel has held various positions in media and stakeholder relations and government affairs. He has also led information campaigns on the company’s export initiatives and is a frequent public speaker on Hydro-Québec’s clean energy generating fleet and transmission system. Prior to his most recent appointment, he served as Director – Communications.

Mr. Abergel has considerable previous experience working as a public affairs officer in the Canadian Armed Forces and the federal correctional system.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in operations management from HEC Montréal.

Biography

Masatsugu Asakawa is the President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Chairperson of ADB’s Board of Directors. He was elected President by ADB’s Board of Governors and assumed oce on 17 January 2020. In August 2021, he was reelected for a 5-year term starting on 24 November 2021.

Under Mr. Asakawa’s leadership, ADB made significant contributions to the region’s COVID-19 pandemic response and recovery planning with a $20 billion comprehensive response package and $9 billion Asia Pacific Vaccine Access Facility. He also played a key role in rolling out a series of new and innovative financing initiatives—including an Energy Transition Mechanism—to spur the region’s low-carbon development and elevated ADB’s 2030 cumulative climate financing ambition to $100 billion as ADB continues to focus on the battle against climate change.

Prior to joining ADB, he served as Special Advisor to Japan’s Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, and has a close-to-four decades’ career at the Ministry of Finance with diverse professional experience that cuts across both domestic and international fronts.

In the immediate aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis, Mr. Asakawa, in his capacity as Executive Assistant to Prime Minister Taro Aso, took part in the first G20 Leaders’ Summit Meeting in November 2008. He was instrumental in orchestrating a globally coordinated financial package to abate the financial crisis, including a $100 billion loan from Japan to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Then in 2016, in his capacity as Vice Minister of Finance for International Affairs, he took on a leading role for the G7 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors’ meeting in Sendai under the Japanese presidency, where a sustainable and inclusive development agenda was extensively discussed.

Most recently, he served as Finance Deputy for the G20 meetings under the Japanese presidency, playing a pivotal role for the success of the G20 Osaka Summit as well as the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors’ meeting in Fukuoka. Some of his outstanding achievements in Osaka include the endorsement by the G20 Leaders of the “G20 Principles for Quality Infrastructure Investment” and the “G20 Shared Understanding on the Importance of UHC Financing in Developing Countries”. Before these, he had occupied various prominent positions within the Finance Ministry, including director positions in charge of development policy issues, foreign exchange markets, and international tax policy.

Mr. Asakawa’s professional experience extends beyond the realms of the Japanese government. Most notably, he served as Chief Advisor to ADB President Kimimasa Tarumizu between 1989 and 1992, during which time he spearheaded the creation of a new office focused on strategic planning. Also, he had frequent engagement with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development in such positions as Chair for Committee on Fiscal Affairs (2011–2016). Furthermore, he was a senior staff at the Fiscal Affairs Department of the IMF (1996–2000). In the meantime, he gave lectures as Visiting Professor at the Graduate School of Economic Science, Saitama University (2006–2009), and at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo (2012–2015).

Mr. Asakawa obtained his BA from University of Tokyo (Economics Faculty) in 1981, and MPA from Princeton University, USA, in 1985.

Biography

Jean-François Barsoum has over 25 years of experience at IBM where his focus is on understanding and communicating the societal and environmental impacts of technology. He was part of the core team that built the smart city concepts in the early 2000s.

Currently, his main objective is to communicate and popularise climate change solutions, smart city innovations, and the potential impacts of new mobility – such as the emergence of autonomous vehicles. He regularly advises startups in incubators and accelerators, and is seeding research collaborations with several Canadian universities, notably in quantum computing.

In 2008, he was selected by Al Gore's Climate Project to be trained by the Nobel Peace Prize laureate. He later joined the board of directors of the Canadian branch of Mr. Gore's Foundation for Climate change education, and became Chair in 2020.

He chairs the disruptive technology committee of the Montreal Chamber of Commerce, is vice chair of the board at the Canadian Water Network, and is the outgoing director of the Quebec Smart Transportation experts’ group.

He is also part of the committee overseeing the application of the Quebec Policy on Sustainable Mobility, and has advised the Commissionner of the Environment of Canada on cleantech policy.

Biography

Jocelyn Blériot joined Ellen MacArthur in 2007, after 12 years spent in the media and publishing industry. Initially in charge of editorial matters at the Foundation (overseeing content development and messaging), he now fully focuses on leading the organisation’s institutional engagement. He notably represents the Foundation at the European Commission, and manages the relationship with governments and supra-national bodies such as the United Nations, the G7 Resource Alliance, the OECD or the World Economic Forum.

Biography

Robert M. Blue is chair, president, and chief executive officer of Dominion Energy.

Blue became chair of the Dominion Energy board of directors in April 2021. Before becoming CEO and president in October 2020, Blue was Dominion Energy’s executive vice president and co-chief operating officer, and president-Dominion Energy Virginia, the company’s vertically integrated electric utility in Virginia and North Carolina.

Blue joined Dominion Energy in 2005 and has held a succession of services and operational executive roles since his promotion to officer in 2007, including vice president-State and Federal Affairs; senior vice presidentPublic Policy and Corporate Communications; senior vice presidentRegulation, Law, Energy Solutions, & Policy; and president-Dominion Virginia Power.

Prior to joining Dominion Energy, Blue served as counselor to the Governor and director of policy for Virginia Governor Mark Warner and as an attorney at Hogan & Hartson.

Blue has been a board member of a wide range of community and industry organizations, including the Nuclear Energy Institute. He currently serves on the board of directors for the Edison Electric Institute and the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations. He is a member of the boards of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, Sports Backers and Communities in Schools of Virginia as well as the University of Virginia's Board of Visitors.

Blue is a graduate of the University of Virginia and Yale Law School. He also earned his master’s degree in business administration from the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business.

Biography

Nathalie Camden has been Associate Deputy Minister of Mines at the Ministère de l’Énergie et des Ressources naturelles since June 2018. Ms. Camden began her career in the Québec public service in 1992 at the Ministère de l’Énergie et des Ressources naturelles, where she was promoted to Director of Aboriginal Affairs in 1998. She has held several management positions in different sectors of this ministry (Forestry and Mining) and was Associate Deputy Minister of Wildlife from 2009 to 2014.

From 2015 to 2017, she served as Assistant Secretary to the Northern Development Secretariat and the Société du Plan Nord, where she actively participated in the creation of the latter as a strategic advisor to the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Société. From June 2017 to June 2018, she was Assistant Deputy Minister of Business Partnerships and Customer Services at the Ministère du Tourisme. She has been a member of the board of directors of the Agence de Revenu du Québec since 2017. Ms. Camden obtained her bachelor’s degree in political science from Université Laval in 1987, with a specialization in American politics and economics from Assumption College in Worcester, United States. She completed a certificate in administration in 1995 at Université Laval.

Biography

Mark Carney is a Vice Chair of Brookfield Asset Management and Head of ESG and Impact Fund Investing. In this role, he is focused on the development of products for investors that will combine positive social and environmental outcomes with strong risk-adjusted returns.

Mr. Carney is an economist and banker who served as the Governor of the Bank of England from 2013 to 2020, and prior to that as Governor of the Bank of Canada from 2008 until 2013. He was Chairman of the Financial Stability Board from 2011 to 2018. Prior to his governorships, Mr. Carney worked at Goldman Sachs as well as the Canadian Department of Finance.

He is a long-time and well-known advocate for sustainability, specifically with regard to the management and reduction of climate risks, and is currently the United Nations Special Envoy for Climate Action and Finance.

He is also an external member of the Board of Stripe, a global technology company building economic infrastructure for the internet and a member of the Global Advisory Board of PIMCO, the Group of Thirty, the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum, as well as the boards of Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Peterson Institute for International Economics and the Hoffman Institute for Global Business and Society at INSEAD.

Mr. Carney received a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Harvard University and a master’s degree and doctorate from Oxford University.

Biography

Dr. Chantal Line Carpentier, Canadian, currently serves as Chief, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) New York Office of the Secretary-General, where she coordinates UNCTAD’s input into the Financing for Sustainable Development, Science, Technology and Innovation, and monitors progress on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) processes. She is particularly interested new economic models for sustainable development and partnerships to leverage micro, small and medium enterprise (MSMEs), entrepreneurship and gender equality in achieving resilient, inclusive and connected and sustainable economic recoveries. As Major Groups Coordinator for the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) Division for Sustainable Development, she facilitated the engagement of and consultation with worldwide non-State actors (NGOs, women’s groups, business and industry, etc.) in the SDGs negotiations and the United Nations Rio+20 Conference. She also supported the negotiations of the 10 Year Framework of Program on sustainable consumption and production.

Prior to joining the United Nations, she worked as Head, Environment, Economy and Trade Division of the North American Free Trade Agreement Commission for Environmental Cooperation (2000-2007).

Dr. Carpentier obtained her PhD. in Agricultural and Environmental Economics from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, as well as both her MSc. and BSc. in Agriculture Economics from McGill University.

Biography

Amy Melissa Chua is the Country Director of Philippines Partnership for Sustainable Agriculture (PPSA), a multi-stakeholder partnership platform catalyzed by Grow Asia. In her role, Amy manages the overall execution of the PPSA’s strategic vision - supporting sustainable and inclusive agricultural development in the Philippines. Amy ensures the effectiveness of the PPSA’s Working Groups, which are the networks’ primary vehicle for change. Recently, through the PPSA's work with the International Fund for Agricultural Development, she served as a Main Resource Person and supported the Philippines' contribution to the UN Food Systems Summit.

Prior to joining Grow Asia - PPSA, Amy was the Communications and Engagement Manager of one of the largest corporate foundations in the Philippines. Her contributions to the Aboitiz Group involved the enhancement of the Aboitiz’s CSR brand reputation and stakeholder engagement, and the creation of the Group’s first crowdfunding platform that caters to various nonprofits nationwide.

In 2017, Amy was instrumental in establishing the PPSA as its first Country Secretariat Coordinator, leading the establishment of the PPSA’s Core Committee and Working Groups. She was also a Portfolio Manager for Livelihood and Officer-in-Charge of the Corporate Affairs of the Philippine Business for Social Progress, one of the largest private sector-led social development organizations in the Philippines and the first of its kind in Asia.

Amy holds a Development Communication degree (Cum Laude) from the University of the Philippines - Los Baños, Philippines and has taken up Food Systems E-Course with the Wageningen University and Research.

Biography

Mathias Cormann is the 6th Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

His five-year term commenced on 1 June 2021.

Working with OECD members, his priorities as Secretary-General are to:

• Help maximise the strength of the economic recovery in the wake of COVID-19;
• Drive and promote global leadership on ambitious and effective action on climate change to achieve global net-zero emissions by 2050;
• Finalise a multilateral approach to digital taxation;
• Seize the opportunities and better manage the risks in the digital economy;
• Promote market-based policies and a rules-based international order; and to
• Strengthen the engagement and outreach of the OECD into the Asia-Pacific.

Prior to his appointment to the OECD, Mathias served as the Australian Minister for Finance, the Leader of the Government in the Australian Senate and as Federal Senator representing the State of Western Australia.

In these roles, he has been a strong advocate for the positive power of open markets, free trade and the importance of a rules-based international trading system.

Mathias was born and raised in the German-speaking part of Belgium.

He migrated to Australia in 1996, attracted by the great lifestyle and opportunities on offer in Western Australia.

Before migrating to Perth, Mathias had graduated in law at the Flemish Catholic University of Louvain (Leuven), following studies at the University of Namur and, as part of the European Erasmus Student Exchange Program, at the University of East Anglia.

Between 1997 and 2003, he worked as Chief of Staff as well as Senior Adviser to various State and Federal Ministers in Australia and for the Premier of Western Australia.

Between 2003 and 2007, Mathias worked for major Western Australian health insurer HBF in a range of senior management roles.

In 2001, realising a childhood dream, Mathias obtained his private pilot’s licence.

Mathias grew up speaking German and graduated in law following studies in French, Flemish and English.

He is married to Hayley, a Perth lawyer, and they have two young daughters, Isabelle and Charlotte.

Biography

After a baccalaureate in economics and his military service at ECPAD (Establishment of Communication and Audiovisual Production of Defense), Thierry Dassault was responsible for Civil Equipment for Electronics Serge Dassault in Brazil from 1979 to 1981, general manager of  '' an alarm systems company from 1982 to 1984, associate producer and director of advertising and institutional films at Claude Delon Productions from 1985 to 1993.

From 1994 to 2006, he was Chairman of Dassault Multimedia, which acquired stakes in Infogrames, Gemplus, Infonie, BFM, CdandCo, Net2one, Emme and Welcome Real-time.  He has also personally invested in Chapitre.com.

In 2004, he was the federator of Keynectis, which became OpenTrust in September 2013 and then IDnomic in February 2016, he has chaired from the start.  IDnomic provides electronic certification and security services, used for the digital identification of people, devices or connected objects.  The company was sold to the Atos Group on 09/30/2019.

At the end of 2006, Thierry Dassault created TDH, an investment structure in emerging technologies and niche sectors, which holds stakes in Aquarelle, Bernardaud, Blablacar, Coravin, Halys, La Maison, L Capital, Qista, Scarcell, Wallix Group  and YouScribe.

He was reelected in June 2020 for one year, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault (GIMD) and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Rond-Point Immobilière.  He is also President of Dassault Immobilier Canada inc.

He sits on the boards of: Artcurial, CDEFQ (Cercle des Dirigeants d’Entreprise Franco-Québécois) Dassault Médias (Le Figaro), Halys, Immobilière Dassault, Particulier et Finances Editions, Royal Hotel - Winter & Gstaad Palace, SITAM Belgique, Taittinger and Wallix Group.

He is a member of the YouScribe Strategic Committee.

He was President of the 58th National Session of the IHEDN (Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Defense Nationale) from 2006 until 2020, Knight of the Legion of Honor and Colonel of the Air Force under the Citizen Reserve.

Finally, he is Vice-President of the Kidney Foundation and member of the Boards of Directors of the Serge Dassault Foundation and of the Association for Research on Alzheimer's.

Biography

André de Ruyter is currently the Eskom Holdings Group Chief Executive (overseeing a 100 State owned company of over 40 000 employees, responsible for providing over 95 South Africa’s electricity needs and approximately 45 of the electricity used across the Africa. Under André’s leadership, Eskom operates 30 power stations, including base load coal and nuclear power stations, hydro, pumped storage and gas fired peaking power stations as well as a self dispatching wind farm Eskom has a total nominal capacity of over 44 000 MW, supported by a network consisting of almost 400 000 km of high, medium and low voltage lines and underground cables serving over 6 000 000 direct customers.

A seasoned executive, with a career spanning over 30 years, André has amassed a wealth of experience both locally and internationally in various portfolios in the energy space, including the management of coal, oil, chemical and gas businesses, the marketing of export coal to international utilities and managing operations of mega coal and gas conversion plants, including electricity generation. His experience and expertise traverses a range of disciplines, including but not limited to strategic leadership, sales manufacturing, production, finance, legal regulation, people management and socio economic development. André holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Nyenrode Business University in the Netherlands, a Bachelor of Law (LLB) obtained from the University of South Africa (UNISA) as well as a Bachelor of Civil Law and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pretoria.

He was a member of the Sasol group executive committee from 2009 to 2014 and spent some time in China as President of China Ventures, also leading business turnaround and transformation in Germany. Shortly thereafter, he was appointed as Chief Executive Officer of Nampak in 2014 a position he left when he accepted the Group Chief Executive role at Eskom, beginning in January 2020 two months before South Africa went into a national lockdown as a result of the COVID 19 global pandemic.

When often asked why he accepted the leading role at the beleaguered energy utility, André has consistently maintained that he believes the importance of Eskom in driving economic growth and development should never be underestimated, and is humbled to take up the challenge of restoring Eskom’s value add, credibility and reputation. Deeply passionate about employee engagement, André has made a concerted effort to consistently connect with people across the business and share the vision of the Eskom “city on the hill” re invigorating, rejuvenating and redefining Eskom’s destiny to lead the energy transition into the future in a sustainable manner, as well as the importance of high performance culture amongst employees, to make this a reality.

Biography

He joined Power in 1981 and assumed the position of Vice-President the following year. In 1984, he led the creation of Power Financial to consolidate Power’s major financial holdings, as well as Pargesa Holding SA, under a single corporate entity. Mr. Desmarais served as Vice-President of Power Financial from 1984 to 1986, as President and Chief Operating Officer from 1986 to 1989, as Executive Vice-Chairman from 1989 to 1990, as Executive Chairman from 1990 to 2005 and as Chairman of the Executive Committee from 2006 to 2008. He also served as Vice-Chairman of Power Corporation from 1991 to 1996.

After Power Financial and the Frère Group of Belgium took control of Pargesa in 1990, Mr. Desmarais moved to Europe from 1991 to 1994, to develop the partnership with the Frère Group and to restructure the Pargesa group. From 1982 to 1990, he was a member of the Management Committee of Pargesa, in 1991, Executive Vice-Chairman and then Executive Chairman of the Committee; from 2003 to 2019, he was Co-Chief Executive Officer and he was named Chairman of the Board in 2013. He has been a director of Pargesa since 1992.

He also serves as Chairman of Power Financial and is a director of many Power Corporation group companies in North America, including Great-West Lifeco, Canada Life, Empower Retirement, Putnam Investments, IGM Financial, IG Wealth Management and Mackenzie. In Europe, he is Chairman of the Board of Groupe Bruxelles Lambert and a director of SGS. He was a director of LafargeHolcim until 2020 and of Total until 2017.

Mr. Desmarais is Chairman of the Board of Governors of The International Economic Forum of the Americas (Canada), a Trustee of The Brookings Institution, Co-Chair of the Brookings International Advisory Council and a member of the Brookings Executive Committee (Washington), a member of the Global Board of Advisors of the Council on Foreign Relations (United States), a member of the Global Advisory Council of Harvard (United States), a member of The Business Council (United States) and of The Business Council of Canada. He is also active on a number of philanthropic advisory councils.

In 1994, he received the Insigne d’Officier de l’Ordre de la Couronne of Belgium. In 2005, he was named an Officer of the Order of Canada and he received the Executive of the Year Award from the Academy of International Business. In 2009, he was named an Officer of the Ordre national du Québec and in 2012, Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur in France. He holds a number of honorary doctorates.

He obtained a Bachelor of Commerce degree from McGill University and an MBA from the European Institute of Business Administration (INSEAD), France.

Biography

Hervé Duteil created the first position of Chief Sustainability Officer for BNP Paribas in the Americas in 2014. In this role, he leads the Bank’s regional strategy for Sustainable Finance, Corporate Social Responsibility, and Company Engagement, bringing in particular a strong focus on promoting client dialogue around sustainability topics and the development of tailored financing solutions or responsible investment products. In 2018, Euromoney selected him as one of the 10 “champions of global impact banking”.

Hervé has spent most of his career with BNP Paribas in New York. He specialized in trading derivatives and managing capital market activities, spanning across commodity, currency, fixed income and electronic markets. More recently, he led BNP Paribas’ efforts to close its first Social Impact Bond for the benefit of the State of Connecticut, followed by a second one with the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Hervé served as a member on the CFTC’s Climate-Related Market Risk Subcommittee of the Market Risk Advisory Committee. He currently sits on SIFMA Sustainable Finance Task Force, WBCSD’s Sustainable Finance Policy task force as well as the Yale Initiative on Sustainable Finance Advisory Board.

Hervé holds a Master in Business Administration with distinction from the Harvard Business School, a Master of Science from the University of Cambridge, and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics & Physics from the University of Paris. Formerly a professional concert musician, he received various certificates from the Juilliard School of Music in New York.

Biography

Appointed in June 2018, Charles Eagan is the Chief Technology Officer for BlackBerry. In this role, Charles is responsible for the advancement of new technologies, driving innovation within emerging markets and advancing security capabilities that leverage AI and Machine Learning. He is also responsible for technology partnerships and overseeing the standardization and integration of all company products with an emphasis on helping drive BlackBerry’s Internet of Things platform.

Charles was previously the Global Head of Electronics at Dyson Ltd (U.K.), focused on IoT device deployment. Prior to that he served as BlackBerry’s Global Head of Device Software, and spearheaded development of the BlackBerry 10 operating system and the transition to secure Android.

Charles was formerly Vice President of Engineering for QNX Software, where he concentrated on the automotive and embedded markets. He also worked at Cisco and directed development of the seminal CRS-1 carrier routing system.

In 2008, Charles co-founded Crank Software, a company dedicated to the development of embedded tools and technologies that enabled rapid building of highly functional graphical interfaces. Earlier in his career, he built connected devices for Honda in the areas of process control, factory automation and robotics.

Charles is a noted speaker, thought leader and IoT expert who has been at the forefront of new frontiers in digital connectivity for over three decades. He graduated with honors from the University of Waterloo (Canada) with a bachelor’s degree in applied mathematics and electrical engineering minor.

Biography

Adel El Gammal is Secretary General of the European Energy Research Alliance (EERA) and invited professor at the Free University of Brussels (ULB) where he teaches Geopolitics of Energy. He is a recognized expert and thought leader in the fields of Clean Energy Transition, low-carbon technologies, energy policy and geopolitics of energy.

Coordinating research activities between 250 Research Organisations and Universities across 30 countries in Europe, EERA’s mission is to “Catalyse European energy research to achieve a climate neutral society by 2050”. Adel is in particular leading EERA research activities on the definition of a conceptual methodological framework supporting the definition of clean transition scenarios, further positioning EERA as privileged advisor to the EU on transitioning to a fair and climate neutral society.

Adel was active for the last 14 years in the EU climate energy field, notably as Director of Becquerel Institute, Executive Director of LowCarbonFacts (European Climate Foundation programme), and Secretary General of the EU Photovoltaic Industry Association (now SolarPower Europe). He conducted major studies on the future of RES in Europe and Worldwide.
He also worked on several urban planning projects, notably as member of Jeremy Rifkin’s Third Industrial revolution CEO roundtable. Adel regularly advises organisations on prospective Clean Energy Transition scenarios notably, as member of the Strategic Research advisory board of a leading European RTO.

Before focusing his activities on the Clean Energy Transition, Adel held various international executive positions in blue chip companies active in the field of Management Consulting and IT strategy.

Adel is civil engineer from Ecole Polytechnique of Brussels (ULB), holds degrees in Business Administration from Solvay Business School (ULB) and INSEAD (France) and later specialized in Environment Management (ULB).

Biography

Dr Ismahane Elouafi is Chief Scientist of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, and part of FAO’s core leadership structure.

With nearly two decades of experience in agricultural research and development in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, Dr Elouafi is known for promoting neglected crops, non-fresh water in agriculture, and women in science.

Dr Elouafi has been a member of numerous boards and research institutes. Her contributions to science have been recognized with prestigious awards and accolades, including the Excellence in Science Award from the Global Thinkers Forum.

Dr Elouafi holds a Ph.D. in Genetics.

Biography

Éric Filion was appointed Executive Vice President – Chief Operating and Customer Experience Officer in 2022, as part of a major restructuring initiative at Hydro-Québec. In this capacity, he manages electricity supply, the operation and maintenance of all generation, transmission and distribution assets, as well as technical services and customer interactions. He also oversees shared services, including the management of materials, real estate and the vehicle fleet, as well as food, lodging and air transportation services. He is also in charge of operations-related health, safety and environment activities.

Mr. Filion joined Hydro-Québec in 2016 as Vice President – Customers and was promoted to President of Hydro-Québec Distribution in April 2018. He assumed responsibility for Hydro-Québec’s shared services in May 2020 and for strategic procurement in February 2021, at which time his division was replaced by a group and he became Executive Vice President – Distribution, Procurement and Shared Services.

Previously, Mr. Filion spent 20 years in the aeronautics industry. He worked at CAE Électronique, Pratt & Whitney Canada and Bombardier, where he was Vice President and General Manager for Challenger business aircraft.

Mr. Filion earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Royal Military College of Canada and a master’s in aerospace engineering from Polytechnique Montréal. He is a member of the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec and has completed the ICD-Rotman Directors Education Program. Deeply involved in the community, he sits on the boards of the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal and the Institut du cancer de Montréal. He has chaired the fundraising campaign of Maison Tangente, a hostel for young adults in difficult circumstances, since 2017. He is co-chair of the 2021 fundraising campaign “Together…healing homelessness” at La Rue des Femmes and has been the division co-chair for the Industry/Transportation sector of Centraide of Greater Montreal’s campaign since 2020.

Biography

Dr. Chad Gaffield was appointed as the U15-Group of Canadian Research Universities’ next Executive Director effective April 15, 2022.

Educated at McGill University and the University of Toronto, Dr. Chad Gaffield has been for more than three decades at the leading edge internationally of the field now known as Digital Humanities. Along the way, he has become one of Canada’s leading historians of the deep cultural, social and economic changes of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

In addition, Dr. Gaffield has served in many leadership positions including President of the Canadian Historical Association and President of the Humanities and Social Sciences Federation of Canada. Appointed by Order in Council, he served as President and CEO of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (2006-2014) where he was responsible for multiple tri-council programs. Dr. Gaffield has also been a member of the Board of Directors of the Canada Foundation for Innovation, and has served in various roles at Genome Canada and the Fonds de recherche du Québec as well as on the Executive Committee of the Council of Ontario Universities. Dr. Gaffield was elected President of the Royal Society of Canada (2017-2019) that launched a new Strategic Plan to enhance the RSC’s historic mission to help make a better future. In 2018, the RSC created the G7 Research Summits involving the other G7 national academies that focus on the urgent issues under discussion by the G7 political leaders. This initiative has become an annual priority that inspires other activities such as the current RSC Task Force on COVID-19 and the comprehensive partnerships with the Globe and Mail and Le Devoir.

Internationally, Chad Gaffield is one of the few individuals to have been elected to serve on the former International Social Sciences Council as well as the International Council of Scientific Unions, and more recently on the merged International Council for Science’s Committee on Scientific Planning and Review. Other roles include current membership on the Scientific Board of the EU’s Digital Research Infrastructure of the Arts and Humanities.

Elected RSC Fellow, Professor Gaffield received in 2002 the RSC’s J.B. Tyrrell Historical Medal and, in 2007, the Province of Ontario’s Prix de la francophonie for his research on the history of French-language communities. The international Alliance of Digital Humanities Organisations presented him with their top award in 2012, the Antonio Zampolli Prize, given every three years for “innovative use of information and communications technologies in the digital humanities.” Professor Gaffield received the Outstanding Achievement Award for Computing in the Arts and Humanities given by the Canadian Society for Digital Humanities-Société canadienne des humanités numériques in 2015. Carleton University has awarded Dr. Gaffield the Doctor of Laws, honoris causa. He was appointed Officer of the Order of Canada in 2017.

Chad Gaffield currently is University Research Chair in Digital Scholarship at the University of Ottawa (2019-2024).

Biography

Hélène V. Gagnon is Chief Sustainability Officer and Senior Vice President, Stakeholder Engagement at CAE and is a member of the Executive Management Committee. She leads CAE’s ESG strategy, sustainability, environment, and social impact to make the world a safer place. She is accountable for CAE’s global communications with employees, media and other stakeholders as well as public affairs and government relations including R&D and Higher education institutions relations. She joined CAE in 2015 as Senior Vice President, Public Affairs, Global Communications and Corporate Social Responsibility.

Prior to her appointment at CAE, Ms. Gagnon worked for 11 years at Bombardier, the last eight as Vice President, Public Affairs, Communications, Corporate Social Responsibility and Achieving Excellence System for Bombardier Aerospace, at the time, the third largest civil aircraft manufacturer. From 2003 to 2007 she was Senior Director of Public Affairs at Bombardier Transportation.

She began her career in 1995 with the law firm Fasken as a specialist in environmental law. In 2000, she joined mining and metallurgy multinational Noranda Inc./ Falconbridge Limited (now known as Glencore) as Director of Public and Corporate Affairs for Québec.

Ms. Gagnon has always been very active in the community. She has been involved in more than 50 organizations including government advisory boards, pressure groups, cultural and charity organizations and business associations and was appointed to more than 25 Boards of Directors.

She is an independent member of the Board of Directors of Hydro Quebec since 2015 and Chairs the Governance and Corporate Social Responsibility Committee. She is also Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of The Montreal Airports (ADM) and has been a Director since 2014. She is Vice Chair of the Board of the Canadian American Business Council and has been a member of the Board since 2017. Hélène chaired the Board of Directors of Aéro Montréal, Greater Montréal’s Aerospace Cluster (2015-2018) and the Board of the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada’s (2012-2013) and is still a Board member of both.

She has been a speaker or panelist around the world on topics such as ESG, social impact, environmental policy, corporate social responsibility, public policy issues, crisis management, issue management and social media. She has garnered more than 70 scholarships, awards, distinctions and excellence prizes notably, the prestigious Canada’s Most Powerful Women Top 100™ award from the Women Executive Network in 2007 and the top 50 of Best Executives in Canada from the Globe and Mail Report on Business in 2022.

A graduate of McGill University with a degree in Civil Law (B.C.L.) and Common Law (LL.B.), Ms. Gagnon also holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration and Public Policy from the London School of Economics (M.Sc). She is a member of the Québec Bar, holds the professional certifications of Accredited in Public Relations (APR) and Fellow (FCPRS) from the Canadian Public Relations Society as well as the Global ESG Competent Boards Designation (GCB.D).

Biography

Brian Gallant, Q.C., is the CEO of Space Canada. He is a business executive and thought leader, and he was the 33rd Premier of New Brunswick.

Brian was the founding CEO and now Expert Panel Member of the Canadian Centre for the Purpose of the Corporation. He also frequently provides business and political analysis as a media commentator.

In addition to serving as Premier of New Brunswick, Brian was the Attorney General, the Minister responsible for Innovation, and the Minister responsible for Women’s Equality. In 2018, he led his Premier colleagues as the Chair of the Council of the Federation.

Prior to elected office, Brian practiced corporate commercial law. He has university degrees in business and law from the Université de Moncton as well as a Master of Laws from McGill University.

Brian is the co-author of a major research report linking profit with purpose entitled Canadian Voices on the Role of Business in Society.

Brian is supportive of many causes and initiatives as a member of several boards of directors including the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, the Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst, Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame, the Canadian Olympic Foundation, the Michaelle Jean Foundation, and the Beausejour Family Crisis Resource Centre.

Biography

Bruno Guilmette has served as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Boralex since January 2019. He is in charge of several divisions at the company: Finance and Accounting, Taxation, Investor Relations, and Risk Management and Internal Controls.

Known for his leadership skills and his in-depth knowledge of capital markets, Mr. Guilmette has a wealth of experience in financial management and in the acquisition and financing of infrastructure projects around the world.

Before joining Boralex, he served as Interim Chief Investment Officer at the Canada Infrastructure Bank, where he established the organization’s initial processes and policies on investment and consulting. He previously served as the Senior Vice President of Infrastructure Investments at PSP Investments, where he worked for 10 years. In this position, he developed a new group and an investment fund of nearly $9 billion. He has also served as the Senior Director, Private Equity Investments, at the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec.

Bruno Guilmette is currently on the Board of Directors of the Canada Infrastructure Bank.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in Commerce from HEC Montréal, along with an MBA from McGill University and an ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors. He is also a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation (CFA).

Biography

Over the course of his career, Dan has served in senior leadership roles across a wide range of aerospace programs, spanning human spaceflight, satellite development, launch, and missile defense, and running through all phases of the aerospace product life cycle, from research and development through design, production, and spaceflight operations.

Dan currently serves as CEO for Virgin Orbit, Richard Branson’s pioneering commercial space firm, which launches small satellites into space from a rocket carried under the wing of a modified Boeing 747. It is Virgin’s contribution to the massive transformation going on in space technology, and has the clear goal of opening access to space to improve life on Earth.

Dan joined Virgin Orbit after more than three decades of aerospace leadership at the Boeing Company, where he most recently served as Vice President of Government Satellite Systems. In that position, he oversaw Boeing's government satellite programs, developing and managing missions for the U.S. Department of Defense, NASA, NOAA, and other national programs. Dan’s portfolio included marquee programs such as Global Positioning System (GPS), Wideband Global SATCOM, the Tracking and Data Relay Satellites (TDRS) system, and the X-37 spaceplane.

Outside of Virgin Orbit, Dan serves on the U.S. Investment Advisory Council (IAC), which advices the Secretary of Commerce on the development and implementation of strategies and programs to attract and retain foreign direct investment (FDI) in the United States. Additionally, in early 2020, California Gov. Gavin Newsom selected Dan to join the Governor's Task Force on Business and Jobs Recovery, which works to develop actions government and businesses can take to help Californians recover from the COVID-19 induced recession.

Dan holds a Bachelor of Science degree in physics from the State University of New York at Albany and attended the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program. He is a passionate and committed advocate for STEM education, and serves on the Executive Board of the California Science Center, as well as the Dean’s Advisory Council for California State University, Long Beach’s College of Engineering.

Biography

Roy Harvey is President and Chief Executive Officer of Alcoa Corporation, a globally-competitive industry leader in bauxite, alumina, and aluminum, with 14,000 employees in 10 countries. He is also a Director of Alcoa Corporation.

Roy has served as Alcoa’s Chief Executive Officer since November 2016 and took on the additional role of President in May 2017. Prior to the separation of Alcoa Inc. into two separate companies, he was Executive Vice President and President of Alcoa's Global Primary Products (GPP) business from October 2015 to November 2016. From June 2014 to October 2015, Roy was Executive Vice President, Human Resources, Environment, Health & Safety and Sustainability. As part of this role, he oversaw the Alcoa Foundation, one of the largest corporate foundations in the U.S.

During his Alcoa career, Roy has held a variety of operating and financial assignments across the U.S., Europe and Latin America. He was Chief Operating Officer for GPP, where he focused on the day-to-day operations of Alcoa's mining, refining, smelting, castings and energy businesses. Prior to this role, he served as Chief Financial Officer, GPP. Earlier, he served as Director of Investor Relations, and before this role was Director of Corporate Treasury.

Roy joined Alcoa in 2002 as a business analyst for GPP in Knoxville, Tennessee. While there, he worked with the global casthouse system to develop performance measurement systems and drive casthouse profitability. He later moved to Brazil as casthouse manager in the São Luis smelter and then as the plant controller. In 2007, he became plant manager for the San Ciprián smelter in Spain, and a year later he was named Director of Finance and Business Integration for GPP Europe.

Before coming to Alcoa, Roy was Corporate Manager of Environmental Affairs at Greenstone Resources Ltd., a gold mining company based in Central America.

Roy graduated with honors from The Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania, simultaneously earning master’s degrees in International Business and Corporate Finance as a fellow of the Lauder Institute International MBA program, and holds a bachelor’s degree in Mining Engineering from Columbia University. In 2008, Roy was named to the prestigious Young Global Leaders Program of the World Economic Forum.

Biography

Linda Hasenfratz is the Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Linamar Corporation. Linamar Corporation (TSX:LNR) is an advanced manufacturing company where the intersection of leading-edge technology and deep manufacturing expertise is creating solutions that power vehicles, motion, work and lives for the future. The Company is made up of two operating segments – the Industrial segment and the Mobility segment, both global leaders in manufacturing solutions and world-class developers of highly engineered products. The Industrial segment is comprised of Skyjack and MacDon. Skyjack manufactures scissor, boom and telehandler lifts for the aerial work platform industry. MacDon manufactures combine draper headers and self-propelled windrowers for the agricultural harvesting industry. The Mobility segment is subdivided into three regional groups: North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. Within the Mobility segment, the regional groups are vertically integrated operations combining expertise in light metal casting, forging, machining and assembly for both the global electrified and traditionally powered vehicle markets. The Mobility segment products are focused on both components and systems for new energy powertrains, body and chassis, driveline, engine and transmission systems of these vehicles. In addition to the recently formed eLIN Product Solutions Group that focuses on Electrification, McLaren Engineering provides design, development, and testing services for the Mobility segment. Linamar has over 26,000 employees in 60 manufacturing locations, 11 R&D centres and 25 sales offices in 17 countries in North and South America, Europe and Asia, which generated sales of $6.5 billion in 2021.

Hasenfratz’ enthusiasm for the arts prompted her to join the Board of Governors of the Royal Ontario Museum in 2002.  In 2012 Hasenfratz became the inaugural Chair of the Philanthropy Leadership Cabinet of the Guelph General Hospital.  Involvement in charitable organizations continues to be an important focus for her.

Hasenfratz has also sat on the Board of Advisors for Catalyst Canada since 2003.  In February 2017 Hasenfratz was announced as the Canadian Chair of the Canada-United States Council for Advancement of Women Entrepreneurs and Business Leaders.  Hasenfratz’ desire to see women progress in business to the top level of industry prompted her to participate in these two key initiatives.

Strengthening her position as a Canadian and Global leader, Ms. Hasenfratz was appointed to the CIBC Board of Directors in 2004 and retired from the board in April 2020.  She was Canadian Chair of the North American Competitiveness Council in 2008, a trilateral group of executives from Canada, the US and Mexico convened by the countries’ Leaders to debate and advise on key recommendations regarding enhancement of the NAFTA region.  Hasenfratz became a member of the Board of the Business Council of Canada (formerly the Canadian Council of Chief Executives) in 2010 and was Chair from 2016 to 2018.  Her contribution to this important policy and advisory group has assisted her in developing relationships and advancing ideas to key business and government leaders.  In December 2018, Ms. Hasenfratz was appointed to the board of the Association of Equipment Manufactueres (AEM).  The California Mobility Center appointed Ms. Hasenfratz to their board in November 2021.

Ms. Hasenfratz was named the Canadian Outstanding CEO in November 2018 and was also made a member of the Order of Canada in December of the same year.

In recognition of her and Linamar’s support and focus on international growth Hasenfratz has received 2 international honours.  The French Government honoured Hasenfratz in June of 2015 with the Chevalier dans l’Ordre National de la Légion d’Honneur, one of the highest honours bestowed upon a non-civilian in France.  In October 2016 Hasenfratz was honoured by the Hungarian government and was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Merit of Hungary.

Ms. Hasenfratz supports one of Linamar’s key industries, the automotive industry, through her appointment as the first female director to the Faurecia Board of Directors, a French automotive supplier, in 2011 and retired from the board in May 2021.  Hasenfratz has been named one of the Automotive News 100 Leading Women in each year of its publication in 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015 and 2020.

Hasenfratz was recognized for her contributions to Canadian business through an Honourary Degree from Ryerson University in Toronto in 2003, an Honourary Degree from Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo in 2011 as well as the Outstanding Leader Award from the same institution in 2007.  She also holds an Honourary Degree from Fanshawe College in 2016.  In the spring of 2014 The Asper School of Business at the University of Winnipeg honoured Hasenfratz with the International Distinguished Entrepreneur Award (IDEA) which is to honour a business leader who has achieved outstanding entrepreneurial success and has made and exemplary contribution to economic life.  In the fall of 2014, Linda Hasenfratz was awarded the Ontario Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award – Manufacturing and the overall Ontario Entrepreneur of the Year Award.  Hasenfratz was also extremely honoured to be awarded the National Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Canada at a gala in late November and to represent Canada at the World Entrepreneur of the World Conference in Monaco in June 2015.  In May of 2016 Linda Hasenfratz, along with her father Frank Hasenfratz, was inducted into the Canadian Business Hall of Fame.  Hasenfratz was awarded the Distinguished Entrepreneur of the Year Award from the University of Victoria in September 2016.  In October of 2016 Linda Hasenfratz was awarded the Fraser Institute Founders Award along with Linamar’s President & COO Jim Jarrell.  In September 2016 Linda Hasenfratz was named to Fortunes 50 Most Powerful Women International list.  The Ivey Business School at the University of Western Ontario honoured Hasenfratz in October 2017 with their Ivey Business Leader Award. In 2018 Hasenfratz was named Canada’s Outstanding CEO of the Year and was named to the Order of Canada. In October 2019 she was installed as University of Western Ontario’s 23rd Chancellor.

Biography

Pablo Hernández de Cos is Governor of the Banco de España and member of the Governing and General Council of the ECB. He is Chair of the BCBS and of the Advisory Technical Committee of the ESRB. He is member of various European and International Committees including the ESRB, the FSB, the BIS Group of Governors and Heads of Supervision, the Advisory Board of the FSI and the CEMLA. He is also Vice-Chairman of the Board of the Spanish Macroprudential Authority Financial Stability Board (AMCESFI).

Prior to his current position he was Director General for Economics, Statistics and Research of the Banco de España, headed its Economic Policy Analysis Division, worked as an adviser to the ECB’s Executive Board and as an Economist of the Banco de España.

He holds a PhD in Economics (Complutense University, Madrid), a degree in Economics and Business Studies (CUNEF) and a degree in Law (UNED).

Biography

Sean is a recognized thought leader and innovator in labor economics and the Future of Work, having invented Quantum Labor Analysis that marries economic theory with artificial intelligence to produce the most advanced real-time knowledge graph of jobs, skills, training, and labor market intelligence in the world.

Sean is the Co-Chair of the Entrepreneurs Circle of the Canadian American Business Council (CABC) and a member of OECD's Future of Work Forum Engagement Group. In 2020, Sean was invited by the Government of Canada to join the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) and represent Canada as one of the 15 founding countries. GPAI is one of the most extensive collaborations on AI policy and the first international standard for AI.

Prior to founding SkyHive, Sean led a $250 million multinational company with 500 employees and 23 global offices. He has lived on four continents and conducted business in more than 70 countries. Sean holds an MBA from Queen’s University and currently lives in Vancouver, Canada.

Biography

Werner Hoyer has a PhD (economics) from Cologne University where he also started his career in various positions. Dr Hoyer served for 33 years as a Member of the German Bundestag. During this period, he held the position of Minister of State at the Foreign Office on two separate occasions. In addition, he held several other positions, including that of Whip and FDP Security Policy Spokesman, Deputy Chairman of the German-American Parliamentary Friendship Group, FDP Secretary General and President of the European Liberal Democratic Reform Party (ELDR).
Upon appointment by the EU Member States, Dr Hoyer commenced his first term as EIB President in January 2012. His mandate was renewed for a second term commencing on 01 January 2018.
Dr Hoyer and his wife Katja have two children.

Biography

Rishi Kapoor is Investcorp’s Co-Chief Executive Officer. He oversees the Firm’s Real Estate, Credit Management, and Absolute Returns businesses globally across North America, Europe and India; Private Equity and Fundraising activities in North America and India, and Institutional Fundraising in Europe. Rishi chairs the Global Private Equity Investment Committee and is a member of various other investment committees across the different business lines.

Prior to his appointment as Co-CEO, Rishi had held several senior management positions within Investcorp including as Chief Financial Officer between 2003 and 2015. He joined Investcorp from Citigroup in 1992.

Rishi holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), and an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. Rishi is a member of Duke University’s Middle East regional advisory board. He is also a member of the Board of Directors for National Bank of Bahrain, Gulf Air Group, Bahrain Airport Company and Gulf Aviation Academy. In 2017, Top CEO Middle East recognized Rishi amongst the top 100 best performing CEOs in the GCC and, in 2018, Forbes Middle East recognized Rishi as a top Indian Executive in the Arab world.

Biography

Dr. Janet L. Kavandi serves as the President of Sierra Space in Louisville, Colorado. There, she is responsible for the company’s space programs, including the Dream Chaser® spaceplane, which is under contract to deliver supplies to the International Space Station beginning in 2021. Dream Chaser is a winged vehicle and the only resupply vehicle capable of landing on a commercial runway.

Prior to her current position, Dr. Kavandi served as Director of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s John H. Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio. In this position, she was responsible for planning, organizing, and directing the activities required for cutting-edge research on aerospace and aeronautical propulsion, power, and communication technologies.

Prior to accepting the Director position, Dr. Kavandi served as Glenn’s Deputy Director. Before her time at Glenn, Dr. Kavandi worked at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, where she served as the Director of Flight Crew Operations. In this role, she was responsible for the Astronaut Corps and Aircraft Operations at Ellington Field. Dr. Kavandi also served as the Deputy Director of the Health and Human Performance Directorate, where she was responsible for the NASA flight surgeons and human research investigations on the International Space Station (ISS).

Dr. Kavandi was selected as a NASA astronaut in December 1994 as a member of the fifteenth class of U.S. astronauts. During her time in the Astronaut Office, she supported International Space Station payload integration, capsule communications, robotics and served as Deputy Chief of the Astronaut Office. She is a veteran of three space flights, serving as a mission specialist on STS-91 in 1998, STS-99 in 2000 and STS-104 in 2001. Dr. Kavandi has logged more than 33 days in space, traveling more than 13.1 million miles in 535 Earth orbits.

Born in Springfield, Missouri, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from Missouri Southern State University in Joplin, a Master of Science degree in chemistry from the Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla, and her Doctorate in analytical chemistry from the University of Washington in Seattle.

Dr. Kavandi has been recognized with two Presidential Rank Awards, two NASA Outstanding Leadership Medals, two Exceptional Service Medals, three NASA Space Flight Medals, and NASA’s highest award, the Distinguished Service Medal. She was inducted into the Astronaut Hall of Fame in 2019. Dr. Kavandi and her husband, John, have two adult children.

Biography

Lori Kerr joined FinDev Canada as its Chief Executive Officer in June 2021. A Canadian national, she is a widely experienced development specialist  with more than two decades  of  leadership in international  development,  with a specialization in sustainable  infrastructure, climate change,  and private investment  in emerging markets.

Prior to that, she was a Senior Infrastructure Finance Specialist at the Global Infrastructure Facility at the World Bank, where she was responsible for corporate strategy, knowledge, partnerships, and international engagement.

Ms. Kerr served as Senior Director at Climate Finance Advisors, developing low­ carbon, climate-resilient investment strategies and blended finance solutions to mobilize private capital in developing countries. She spent 18 years at the Inter­ American Development Bank Group serving in management roles where she spearheaded strategic initiatives to support the  expansion  and development  impact of private sector activities.

Ms. Kerr is also an Adjunct Professor of international project  finance and investment at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

Biography

Sami Khoury is the Head of the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (the Cyber Centre). The Cyber Centre is the single unified source of expert advice, guidance, services and support on cyber security for government, critical infrastructure owners and operations, the private sector and the Canadian public. Sami began his career at the Communications Security Establishment (CSE) in 1992 as a research engineer exploring the impact of emerging multimedia communications technologies. He held various management positions and leadership roles at CSE, including Director General Capabilities Development and more recently as Deputy Chief (ADM) for Enterprise Technologies and Solutions. In this role, he was CSE’s Chief Information Officer (CIO) and responsible for IT and Information Security, as well as leading CSE’s overall Research program and 24/7 Operations Centre.

Sami holds a Bachelor of Computer Engineering (1988) and a Masters of Applied Science (1991) from Concordia University in Montreal. He completed a certificate program in Public Sector Leadership at the University of Ottawa in 2016. Sami received the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012 and the APEX Award of Excellence for Innovation in 2020.

Biography

Gary Kobinger, Ph.D., is the new Director of the Galveston National Laboratory, one of the largest active biocontainment facilities on an academic campus. Dr. Kobinger has co-authored over 300 peer-reviewed scientific manuscripts and 20 years of experience working in or managing high-containment laboratories. His research presently focuses on developing and testing new vaccine platforms and immune treatments against pathogens of high consequences to global public health. Serving the international community, Dr. Kobinger sits on several committees such as the World Health Organization STAG-IH advisory board.

Biography

As Founder and Principal Analyst, Martin Kuppinger oversees the KuppingerCole research, provides own research, engages in Customer Advisories in his role as Trusted Advisor, and acts as a Member of the Board.

Martin wrote more than 50 IT-related books and is known as a widely-read columnist and author of technical articles and reviews in some of the most prestigious IT magazines in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. He is a renowned global leader in Identity Mangement and Digital Identity and is among the top 10 experts in this field globally. He is also a well-established speaker and moderator at seminars and congresses. Martin holds a Bachelor in Economics.

Martin Kuppinger oversees all areas of KuppingerCole research and has outstanding expertise in areas such as cybersecurity, blockchain, and AI.

His interest in Identity Management dates back to the 80s, when he also gained considerable experience in software architecture development. Over the years, he added several other fields of research, including virtualization, cloud computing, overall IT security, and others. Having studied economies, he combines in-depth IT knowledge with a strong business perspective.

Biography

Mr Learmonth has more than 30 years’ experience as a financier and investor, having worked in Australia, Hong Kong and Europe across clean energy and major infrastructure projects, as well as pioneering social impact investments.

Prior to taking the role at the CEFC, Mr Learmonth established Social Ventures Australia’s Impact Investing business which included raising impact and affordable housing funds as well as launching Australia's first Social Impact Bond in 2013.

Previously an Executive Director of Macquarie Group for 12 years, Mr Learmonth has investment banking experience in Sydney, Hong Kong and London. He established and led various Macquarie businesses, notably European renewable energy and carbon credit investments, as well as cross-border structured finance and asset financing in Asia and Europe.

Mr Learmonth has degrees in Law and Commerce from the University of Queensland.

Biography

Jean Lebel was appointed president of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) on May 1, 2013. As part of Canada’s foreign affairs and development efforts, IDRC champions and funds research and innovation within and alongside developing regions to drive global change. Dr Lebel leads IDRC’s contributions to Canada’s international priorities. He is responsible for significant funding partnerships with foreign governments, philanthropic organizations, and the private sector.

Dr Lebel previously served as vice-president of the Program and Partnership Branch, overseeing all IDRC programming. Before joining IDRC, he worked in both the academic and private sectors. He holds a PhD in environmental sciences from l’Université du Québec à Montréal and an MScA in occupational health sciences from McGill University.

Dr Lebel has served on boards of the International Institute for Sustainable Development, the Consultative Group on International Agriculture Research, the Centre for Global Pluralism,‎ the International Economic Forum of the Americas, and the World Economic Forum’s Stewardship Board on Economic Progress. Dr Lebel was also a mentor with the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation (2016-2017).

Biography

Jin is the inaugural President and Chair of the Board of Directors. On July 28, 2020, he was elected to serve a second term of five years, beginning on Jan. 16, 2021. Before being elected as the Bank’s first President, he served as Secretary-General of the Multilateral Interim Secretariat tasked with establishing the Bank. Jin has rich experience across the private and public sectors and with MDBs. He served as Chair of China International Capital Corporation Limited (China’s first joint-venture investment bank), Chair of the Supervisory Board of China Investment Corporation and Chair of the International Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds. He previously served as Vice President and then Ranking Vice President of the Asian Development Bank and as Alternate Executive Director for China at the World Bank and at the Global Environment Facility. Jin spent nearly two decades at the Chinese Ministry of Finance, reaching the rank of Vice Minister. He holds a master’s degree in English Literature from Beijing Institute of Foreign Languages (now Beijing Foreign Studies University) and was a Hubert Humphrey Fellow in the Economics Graduate Program at Boston University from 1987 to 1988. Jin is from the People’s Republic of China.

Biography

Mr Loh Boon Chye joined SGX as CEO on 14 July 2015. He is also an Executive and Non-Independent Director on the SGX Board. As CEO, he drives SGX’s growth strategy, with the aim of transforming SGX into a world-class multi-asset exchange.

Over the years, Mr Loh has played a key role in the development of Southeast Asia’s capital markets, having held a number of senior advisory positions. Apart from his directorship on the SGX Board from 2003 to 2012, he has also been on the Boards of GIC Pte Ltd since November 2012, Economic Development Board Singapore since February 2017 and the World Federation of Exchanges since September 2017. He is also Chairman of the Sim Kee Boon Institute for Financial Economics Advisory Board and Co-Chair of the Council for Board Diversity.

With a career in the financial industry that spans close to 30 years, Mr Loh was most recently Deputy President and Head of Asia Pacific Global Markets at Bank of America-Merrill Lynch from December 2012 to May 2015. He was also the bank’s Country Executive for Singapore and Southeast Asia and a member of its Asia Pacific Executive Committee.

Mr Loh began his career as an Investment Officer with the Monetary Authority of Singapore in 1989. He joined the Singapore branch of Morgan Guaranty Trust Co. of New York in 1992, managing its Southeast Asia fixed-income and derivatives business. From 1995 to 2012, he was with Deutsche Bank AG, where he held various leadership roles including Head of Corporate & Investment Banking for Asia Pacific and Head of Global Markets for Asia.

Mr Loh is a council member and Distinguished Fellow at the Institute of Banking & Finance Singapore and a council member at the Singapore Business Federation. He was also previously Chairman of the Singapore Foreign Exchange Market Committee, as well as Deputy President of ACI Singapore. He was awarded for Outstanding Contribution to Financial Markets in Asia in the Euromoney Awards for Excellence in 2010, and was presented the International Financial Law Review (IFLR) Market Reform Award 2017.

Mr Loh holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree from the National University of Singapore.

Biography

Studies: Sciences Po Paris, ESSEC (Business School) , Bachelor of laws.

After 3 years in the long-term financing sector, Patrick Martin joined the family SME Martin Belaysoud Expansion (Industrial Supplier), founded in 1829. He is the current CEO and majority shareholder.

o 200 subsidies in France, 1 subsidy in Slovakia and a business presence in Western and Northern Africa and Middle East.
o 100 000 professional consumers, from crafts to multinationals, from many professional sectors.
o Turn-over: more than 900 million euros
o 2.600 employees
o Top 3 in its sector in France.

Fan of high mountains activities. 61 years old – Married - Three children.

Biography

Peter McArthur is a seasoned commercial/corporate banker and an environmentalist.  He is a keen supporter of the cleantech sector in Canada in his role as VP, National Cleantech Lead with RBCx. RBC is ranked as the fifth largest bank in North America, the largest bank in Canada and the most valuable brand in Canada.  Peter is a subject matter expert within the Bank and is a speaker and advocate for the sector broadly.  Peter works with a wide variety of cleantech companies ranging from early stage commercializing businesses to public companies.  Peter has worked at three leading financial institutions having held a variety of roles, from leading teams in an executive capacity, to customer relationship management roles, with a consistent focus on providing excellence in customer service and growing the business.  Peter has been with Royal Bank since 2013.  Based in Ottawa, Ontario he supports a wide variety of cleantech companies coast to coast in Canada, working with a team of 8 specialists. He also supports a variety of cleantech focused venture capital firms. Peter is a graduate of the University of Toronto, has completed an Executive Program at Queens University and holds a Certificate in Carbon Finance.  Peter was recognized as a cleantech leader by the Clean 50 in Canada, for 2019.  He has also been recognized by RBC in both 2017 and 2020 as a Conference Award winner for the top 1% of performers at the Bank and in 2021 was recognized as a Leo Award winner for the top .1% of performers. Peter is founding Chair of the Ontario Clean Technology Industry Association (OCTIA) and is on the Board of the CanadaCleantech Alliance.

Biography

Mathias Miedreich joined Umicore and was appointed Chief Executive Officer in October 2021, after serving as Executive Vice-President of the Clean Mobility division of Faurecia, a global automotive supplier with a strong focus on sustainable mobility. Mathias started his career in Strategy Consulting at KPMG and then moved to the automotive industry, in which he accumulated more than 20 years of experience in various senior leadership roles in Europe and Asia. Prior to joining Faurecia in 2013 as their Vice President Strategy & New Technologies for the Clean Mobility business, he worked at Siemens and Continental. Mathias holds a Master’s degree in International Business Management from the Erlangen-Nuremberg Friedrich-Alexander University.

Biography

President and CEO of Fondaction, Geneviève Morin Has been leading the shift and focus of the financial industry towards sustainability for over 30 years. Recognized as a pioneering and for her expertise in sustainable finance, she actively works to mobilize capital and various stakeholders for the positive transformation of the economy to make it more equitable, inclusive, green and successful.

Biography

Elizabeth Maruma Mrema is the Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity. She has worked with the UN Environment Programme for over two decades and was the Director of the Law Division at UNEP. Prior to joining the Law Division, she was Deputy Director of the Ecosystems Division, in charge of coordination, operations and programme delivery. Prior to these duties, she also served as Executive Secretary of the UNEP/Secretariat of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals. Her work at UNEP has focused on development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, including multilateral environmental agreements at national, regional and international levels.

Before joining UNEP, Elizabeth worked with Tanzania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. During her time with the Ministry, she also lectured in Public International Law and Conference Diplomacy at Tanzania's Centre for Foreign Relations and Diplomacy.

A lawyer and career diplomat with LLB (Hons) from the University of Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, LLM from Dalhousie University, Canada and Postgraduate Diploma in International Relations and Diplomacy from the Centre of Foreign Relations and Diplomacy in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.

Biography

Mike Mulcahy is the CEO of GreenCape, a Cape town based Cluster organisation that focussed on removing barriers to investment in the Green Economy. Over the last decade, Mike and the team at GreenCape have been involved in facilitating about 2,5bn USD worth of Green Projects, creating about 19 000 jobs.

Mike has also been elected as the Chairman of the international cleantech network - the ICN. The ICN represents some 19 clusters from 4 continents, collectively about 15 000 companies all pursuing opportunities in the Green Economy.

The team at GreenCape is currently has focusses in Energy, Circular Economy, Mobility, Agriculture, Water, Alternative service delivery and Green Finance.

Biography

Simon Mundy is the Moral Money Editor at the Financial Times, covering environmental and sustainability issues for the award-winning Moral Money platform and the wider FT. He began his reporting career in Johannesburg, where he covered Southern Africa for the FT before a period writing on the London financial sector. He then spent seven years in Asia, heading the FT bureaux in Seoul and Mumbai – before two years travelling through 26 countries on six continents to research Race for Tomorrow, a book on the global scramble to respond to climate change.

Biography

Jonas Prising was named ManpowerGroup Chairman in December of 2015 and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in May of 2014. He leads all aspects of ManpowerGroup’s $20 billion business across 80 countries and territories worldwide. Prior to being elected CEO, Prising served as ManpowerGroup President from 2012 to 2014, leading the company’s operations in the Americas and Southern Europe and overseeing the global Right Management and ManpowerGroup Solutions businesses. Prising joined ManpowerGroup in 1999 and has also served as managing director of Manpower Italy; director of Manpower Global Accounts — Europe, Middle East and Africa; President of North America; and President of the Americas.

A recognized expert on the labor market and world of work trends, Prising regularly speaks at conferences and summits globally, and provides commentary on jobs and employment trends for media. He is actively engaged in the World Economic Forum, including as a Steward of the Future of Education, Gender and Work Global System; Co-Chair of the Regional Business Council on Europe and CEO Champion of the Digital Transformation Initiative.

Before joining ManpowerGroup, Prising worked for Electrolux, a Swedish multinational. During his 10-year tenure with Electrolux, he held various international positions within the consumer goods and business-to-business divisions, including regional manager for Asia Pacific, managing director of Sales Companies in France and the United Kingdom, and finally head of Global Sales and Marketing for one of its business-to-business divisions.

Prising is passionate about preparing the workforce of tomorrow. He is Vice Chairman of Junior Achievement (JA) Worldwide and is a former Chairman of the JA USA Board. In addition, he currently serves as Chairman of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, and is a member of the board of directors of Kohl’s Corporation.

Prising holds an MBA (equivalent) from the Stockholm School of Economics and has participated in executive programs at Harvard, INSEAD, Stanford and Yale. He speaks five languages: English, French, German, Swedish and Italian and has lived in nine countries across Asia, Europe and North America. Prising and his family reside in the Milwaukee area.

Biography

On September 1, 2011, Rémi Quirion, OC, CQ, PhD, FRSC, became Québec’s first chief scientist. As such, he chairs the boards of directors of the three Fonds de recherche du Québec and advises the Minister of Economy and Innovation on research and scientific development issues. He is the president of the International Network for Government Science Advice (INGSA) as of September 2021.

Until his appointment as chief scientist, Rémi Quirion was the vice-dean for science and strategic initiatives in the faculty of medicine at McGill University and senior university advisor on health sciences research. He was the scientific director of the Douglas Mental Health University Institute Research Centre, a full professor in the department of psychiatry at McGill University and the executive director of the International Collaborative Research Strategy for Alzheimer’s Disease of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Professor Quirion was the first scientific director of the Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction (INMHA), one of Canada’s 13 health research institutes.

His work helped to elucidate the roles of the cholinergic system in Alzheimer’s disease, of neuropeptide Y in depression and memory and of the calcitonin gene–related peptide (CGRP) in pain and opiate tolerance. Rémi Quirion earned his PhD in pharmacology from Université de Sherbrooke in 1980 and carried out his postdoctoral training at the National Institute of Mental Health in the United States in 1983. He has over 750 publications in prominent scientific journals and is one of the most extensively cited neuroscientists in the world. He has received several awards and honours, including the Ordre national du Québec (Chevalier du Québec, CQ) in 2003, the Prix Wilder-Penfield (Prix du Québec) in 2004 and the Order of Canada (OC) in 2007. Mr. Quirion is a member of the Royal Society of Canada and was also inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame. In 2015, he was appointed Officer in the Order of Academic Palms of the French Republic, a distinction awarded by the French government that recognizes its contribution to the development of French-Québec relations in research.

Biography

Philippe Rainville has been President and Chief Executive Officer of ADM Aéroports de Montréal since January 2017. He joined ADM’s management team 9 years earlier as Vice President, Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer. He was named Vice President, Airport Planning, Engineering and Terminal Maintenance in April 2014, responsible for the development, construction and maintenance of infrastructure projects, including the major expansion of the international sector completed in May 2016. His in-depth knowledge of the airport environment, the challenges associated with it, and the many aspects related to the management of an organization as complex as ADM are valuable assets in ensuring the development and positioning of the two airport sites under his leadership.

Mr. Rainville came to the ADM team with a solid background in large companies such as Provigo, Pepsi-Cola, Tarkett Inc., a multinational manufacturer of hardwood and vinyl floor coverings, and more specifically Molson, where he held various senior management positions related to finance, strategic planning and information technology.

Mr. Rainville sits on the boards of directors of Aéro Montréal, Montréal International and Fondation UQÀM (Université du Québec à Montréal). In addition, he is a member of the fundraising committee of the Théâtre du Nouveau Monde (TNM) and is active in several charities.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from McGill University in Montréal, a bachelor’s degree in accounting sciences from the Université du Québec à Montréal, and has been a member of the Ordre des comptables professionnels agréés du Québec since 1986.

Biography

Odile Renaud-Basso is the President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

The EBRD’s Board of Governors elected Ms Renaud-Basso as the Bank’s seventh President in October 2020 during its 29th Annual Meeting.

She took up the role in November 2020, replacing Sir Suma Chakrabarti, who had stepped down in July 2020 after serving two full four-year terms. She is the first ever woman head of a multilateral development bank.

As Director General at the French Treasury, Ms Renaud-Basso oversaw the development of France’s economic policies, leading on European and international financial affairs, trade policies, financial regulation and debt management.

In this position, she also served as Vice-President of the European Economic and Financial Committee, deputy to the G7 and G20 groups and French Governor or Alternate Governor of the World Bank, EBRD and African Development Bank. She is also Chair of the Paris Club.

Prior to her current role, she was Deputy Director-General of the Caisse des Dépôts, a large French public financial institution.

Ms Renaud-Basso is a graduate of the Paris Institut d’Etudes Politiques (Sciences Po), and an Ecole Nationale d’Administration alumnus. She also attended Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Biography

Frantz Saintellemy is an internationally recognized expert in advanced technologies with 25 years of experience in automotive, IoT, sensing, semiconductors, and artificial intelligence. An entrepreneur, angel investor, mentor, and philanthropist, he is currently President and COO of LeddarTech, a leader in automotive ADAS and AD, fusion and perception software technologies.  He is the 14th Chancellor and Chair of the Board at the University of Montreal.

Mr. Saintellemy is co-founder and Chair of the board at Groupe 3737, a non-profit organization, that is an entrepreneurial innovation hub. G3737 helps entrepreneurs and tech companies start, grow, and succeed, with the strategic objective of developing more entrepreneurs, creating more successful companies, more jobs and sustainable financial independence. G3737 is an inclusive and diverse entrepreneurial innovation hub that provides unique services and support to visible minority founders. With over $20M in private investments, G3737 is one of the largest privately funded entrepreneurship eco-systems in Canada.

Mr. Saintellemy has successfully founded or co-founded several start-ups with multiple successful exits and has published several patents and papers.  In addition to his angel investing and mentorship to entrepreneurs, he sits on several boards and committees including APMA, AQT, MNBAQ, Sharethrough, and is a founding member of Quebec’s Innovation Board.

Biography

Dr. Praveer Sinha is the CEO & Managing Director of The Tata Power Company Limited (TPC, Mumbai), India’s largest integrated power utility.

Dr. Sinha has nearly 36 years of experience in Power Generation and Distribution sector in India.

Prior to his present role, he had served as the CEO&MD of Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited (TPDDL), a Public Private Partnership with Delhi Government.

He is a qualified Electrical Engineer and has done Master’s in Business Law from National Law University, Bangalore.

He has also done his PhD. from Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.

He is a visiting Research Associate at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Boston, USA and is also a distinguished Visiting Scholar at the Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science, Ryerson University, Canada.

He is a regular speaker in various forums in India and abroad including World Bank, Niti Aayog, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Rockefeller Foundation.

He is also the Co-Chairman of the CII National Committee on Power as also on various Industry bodies.

Biography

Carine Smith Ihenacho is responsible for the governance and compliance area, which includes ownership and responsible investment activities, control and operational risk, compliance and legal services.

Carine Smith Ihenacho was appointed Chief Governance and Compliance Officer 6 October 2020. She joined Norges Bank Investment Management in August 2017 as Global Head of Ownership Strategies and was promoted to Chief Corporate Governance Officer on 1 January 2018.

Prior to joining Norges Bank Investment Management, Ms Ihenacho was Vice President Legal and Chief Compliance Officer in Statoil ASA. She has more than 20 years’ experience as a lawyer, working in both financials and the oil and gas industry, as well as in law firms. She also has extensive board experience.

Ihenacho holds a law degree from the University of Oslo, a Master of Law from Harvard Law School and a Master of Economics from the Norwegian School of Economics (NHH).

Biography

As President and CEO, Wendy Thomas leads Secureworks to fulfill our purpose of securing human progress via innovative, battle-tested security solutions. She first joined Secureworks in 2008 leading Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), where she helped to execute strategic acquisitions that scaled the business and Secureworks’ IPO in 2016. As Strategy lead and Chief Product Officer, she developed the vision for Secureworks’ future, fueling the team that built and launched Secureworks® TaegisTM. Most recently, Wendy served as President of Customer Success, where she drove a customer-centric approach to help organizations achieve better security outcomes. In this role, Wendy was recognized in the number one position in The Software Report’s “Top 25 Women Leaders in Cybersecurity of 2021.”

Wendy leverages over 25 years of experience in strategic and functional leadership roles, and has worked across multiple technology-driven companies such as FirstData, BellSouth, and Internap Network Services, Inc. Wendy is a graduate of the University of Virginia, with a double major in Economics and Foreign Affairs, and she holds an International MBA from the University of South Carolina School of Business.

Biography

Michael Torrance Chief Sustainability Officer at BMO Financial Group, overseeing sustainability strategy and leading bank-wide initiatives on environmental and social risk, climate change strategy, ESG focused investor relations, sustainability related disclosure, operational sustainability and sustainable finance. Prior to joining BMO Michael was a Partner at a major international law firm where he led client advisory on environmental and social risk matters. He has served on the Steering Committee of the Equator Principles Association and Chaired the Social Risk Working Group and North America Working Group.

Biography

Blanca Treviño is President and CEO of Softtek, a global company dedicated to digital solutions, and the largest with origins in Latin America. Softtek helps its clients uncover opportunities, build technological capabilities, and optimize their performance through data, automation and artificial intelligence. She serves as Vice President of the Mexican Business Council, is a member of the MIT School of Engineering Advisory Council, board member of Walmart Mexico, the Americas Society and Council of the Americas, the Ibero-American Council for Productivity and Competitiveness, Grupo Lala, The Mexican Stock Exchange, as well as diverse universities, including her alma mater, Tecnologico de Monterrey (ITESM).

Biography

Simpiwe “Sim” Tshabalala is Chief Executive of the Standard Bank Group.

Sim was born in Hlabisa, in rural KwaZulu-Natal. He grew up in Soweto and was educated at   Sacred Heart College in Johannesburg.

Sim attended Rhodes University, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1988, and a Bachelor of Laws in 1990.  He served his articles at Bowman Gilfillan, and went on to do a Master of Laws at Notre Dame in the US, which he was awarded summa cum laude, in 1993.

Sim was admitted as an attorney of the High Court of South Africa in 1994. He joined Real Africa Durolink Investment Bank in 1994 and worked in its structured finance division until 2000. In that time he continued his studies on a part-time basis, and completed the Higher Diploma in taxation law from the University of the Witwatersrand (‘Wits’) in 1996.       

Sim joined the Project Finance Division of Standard Corporate and Merchant Bank as head of structured finance in 2000, becoming a Director in 2000 and Managing Director of Stanbic Africa in 2001.  In 2006 he was appointed Chief Executive of Personal and Business Banking, South Africa. In the same year, he completed Harvard University’s Advanced Management Programme.

In March 2008, Sim was appointed as Chief Executive of Standard Bank South Africa. He was appointed as one of three Deputy Chief Executives of the Standard Bank Group in April 2009.  In June 2012, Sim took on the additional responsibility for Corporate and Investment Banking’s client franchise in South Africa.

In March 2013, Sim was appointed joint Chief Executive of the Standard Bank Group, extending his responsibilities to the banking businesses on the African continent outside South Africa and to the bank’s Wealth business, including Liberty Holdings.  In September 2017, Sim was appointed as the sole Chief Executive of the Standard Bank Group.

Sim serves on the boards of the Liberty Group, the International Monetary Conference, and the Institute of International Finance, of which he is Vice-Chairman and Treasurer. In August 2018, Sim was made a Fellow of the Institute of Bankers of South Africa.

Biography

Tom Werner is a business advisor with extensive experience in leadership roles in technology and energy organizations. For 18 years, he was on the front lines of the solar revolution serving as CEO of SunPower. During his tenure, Tom grew the business from a privately held company of 35 employees with revenues less than $5 million to a publicly traded top player in the US solar industry with a market value that reached a peak of $11 billion and an installed base of 350,000 million.  Over the years, he has held numerous senior leadership positions such as CEO at Silicon Light Machines, a subsidiary of Cypress Semiconductor Corporation, VP and general manager of the Business Connectivity Group of 3Com Corp, etc. Mr. Werner currently serves on the boards of Wolfspeed, H2U, the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, CALSSA, the University of Wisconsin College of Engineering Industrial Advisory Board and the Marquette University Board of Trustees.

Biography

Yun Zhang is Co-founder and CEO of Wyze Labs. Wyze is on a mission to build a preeminent consumer smart home platform for the masses. As a business operator, Yun has a proven track record of building product market fit, operational excellence, and fundraising. Prior to Wyze, Yun held a variety of roles at Amazon. He holds a Master of Industrial Engineering degree from University of Washington.