Future of Energy

Hack Stiernblad grew up on a farm in southern Sweden and holds a degree in farm management. He developed a strong interest in renewable energy while studying electronic engineering at Lund Technical University in Sweden. Hack’s passion for agriculture and renewable energy led him to join SunCulture in 2014, where he initially focused on developing and scaling the distributed engineering team, operations, and business development (BD) projects as Director of Engineering. In 2018, Hack transitioned to the role of Director of Business Development, guiding SunCulture’s expansion into new markets. By 2024, the BD team evolved into the Growth team, with Hack taking on the role of Chief Growth Officer. In this capacity, he oversees direct, joint venture, and distributor expansion, as well as subsidy and donor funding, policy and advocacy, and continued business development within SunCulture’s direct markets.

Wayne Keast is a Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Inspired Evolution, where he has played a central role since inception in shaping the firm’s strategic vision, investment strategy, and long-standing relationships with investors and key stakeholders. A qualified chartered accountant, Wayne brings over 30 years of finance and business-building experience, including more than 25 years in international private equity. He provides strategic, financial, and governance oversight across the firm’s investment platforms, with a strong track record spanning renewable energy infrastructure, energy access and technology-enabled growth equity investments. Wayne serves as an active board member on multiple portfolio companies and has lead responsibility for the Group’s financial management, reporting, and regulatory compliance. Prior to Inspired Evolution, Wayne established and managed a c. USD 500 million global clean energy and sustainability investment platform for a London-based family office and was a founding partner of the USD 250 million Masdar Cleantech Fund. Earlier, he was CFO of the USD 1.2 billion ePartners and eVentures private equity group.

Charlotte is a result-oriented and project financing expert with a 18-years of investment banking experience, currently covering Latin America and the Caribbean.‎

Robert Skjodt is Chief Executive Officer of Raxio Group, a pan-African data centre platform developing and operating hyperscale-ready, carrier-neutral facilities in six countries across the African continent. With more than 30 years of experience across energy, renewables, and infrastructure, Robert brings an end-to-end perspective on the intersection between power, digital infrastructure, and emerging markets. Prior to Raxio, he was the CEO of BTE Renewables, a pan-African independent power producer headquartered in South Africa, which was ultimately acquired by ENGIE and Meridiam. He previously held senior roles at ABB, delivering large-scale energy and infrastructure projects. His work today focuses on enabling resilient, low-carbon digital growth in high-demand African markets.

Dhanpal Jhaveri, is an Indian private equity investor and climate change advocate, connecting good opportunities with the right resources for them to thrive. With over three decades of experience in M&A, corporate strategy and investment banking, Dhanpal has challenged ‘business as usual’ to drive innovative and pioneering development. He is the Vice Chairman of Everstone Group, a premier investment group focused on India and South-east Asia, with assets in excess of $8 Bn across private equity, real estate, credit, climate investments and venture capital. Dhanpal is also the Co-Founder and CEO of Eversource Capital, a leading climate investment manager with investment focus in India and now South-east Asia. Being India's largest climate investment fund, Eversource Capital has an AUM of $865 Mn pioneering climate-responsive investments in industrial decarbonisation, energy transition, and urban sustainability. Passionate about the environment and investing, Dhanpal has spearheaded the deployment of growth stage capital and operational know-how in a blended capital equity strategy in India, spanning renewable energy, resources and the environment, e-mobility, and the financing ecosystem. He actively contributes to discussions on private equity, venture capital, and renewable energy policies as a member of the CII’s Renewable Energy Council and as a member of the managing committee of the Indian Merchant’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry, member of the Mumbai chapter of Entrepreneurs Organisation and past President & current Board Member of TiE Mumbai, a global organisation of India-US entrepreneurs. Dhanpal is also a member of the UN Women Business Sector Advisory Council and advocates woman empowerment in clean energy and innovative finance sectors. He is a Board Member of Avasara Leadership Institute; an educational institution focused on accelerating academic and leadership outcomes for India’s brightest girls.

Wymen leads Gresham House’s Asia strategy within the firm’s Energy Transition division. He joined Gresham House in January 2026 following its acquisition of SUSI Partners, where he served as Head of Asia. Wymen had joined SUSI Partners in 2018 to develop and execute the firm’s Southeast Asia investment strategy across utility-scale renewables, distributed solar PV and energy-efficiency platforms, and other climate-aligned infrastructure solutions. In this role, he led the origination, structuring, and execution of multiple clean-energy platforms across Asia, spanning development, asset-management and exit execution. Before joining SUSI, Wymen held senior roles in Asian infrastructure-focused funds including at Armstrong Asset Management and Maybank MEACP and previously worked in mid-market buyouts in the US. He brings more than 20 years of investment experience across private-equity, real assets, and cross-border transactions.

Damola Omole is the Director of Utility Innovation at the Global Energy Alliance (GEA), where he develops and executes utility innovation strategies powered by renewables across emerging markets. Prior to GEA, he led energy strategy for Dangote Industries and worked as a strategy consultant at McKinsey & Company, focusing on Sub-Saharan Africa. Damola has advised numerous power and utility companies across Africa and North America on energy transformation and infrastructure development. He holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering from The University of South Florida.

Prior to joining Goldman, she worked as part of the portfolio team at Sterling Stamos, a private investment management firm specialized in alternative and multi-asset investment solutions. She began her career as a Business Analyst at McKinsey & Company in New York.Angella has served as an advisor to Helios Investment Partners, a $3.0 billion private equity fund based in London focused on investments in Africa. She has also served on the Board of Directors for GK Capital Management, the financial advisory and investment arm of the GraceKennedy Group, and currently is a Director of PanJam Investment Limited, GK UK Foods, and JN Money Services, a subsidiary of the Jamaica National Building Society.Angella holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a MPhil in Development Studies from the University of Cambridge. She also graduated with a BA (magna cum laude) in Government from Harvard College.Angella has traveled to 70 countries and lived on 3 continents. She is a keen motorcyclist, classical pianist, and has her private pilot license. She has also climbed 3 of the 7 summits.

Robin is a biodiversity investment safeguards and nature-climate impact finance expert with over 25 years’ global experience. Robin has led the formulation of cutting-edge nature-related financing mechanisms, investment safeguards, corporate strategy, and disclosure or verification frameworks through advisory support to global leaders across the World Bank Group, IUCN, TNFD, and many WBCSD-member companies. While experienced in policy he is grounded in implementation having supported more than 100 major projects around the world to meet IFC Performance Standards, including all types of renewable energy and other sectors. With a Doctorate in restoration ecology, Robin has technical expertise in baselines, impact assessment, biodiversity metrics, offsets, and nature-based solutions; he enjoys learning to be effective in different cultural and organisational settings and solving ‘wicked’ problems.

Matteo Brambilla is Red Rocket’s Chief Executive Officer and the visionary leader behind its meteoric rise. Anchoring the Executive team, he is in charge of stewarding the company’s organisational culture, identity, and growth. With close to two decades of experience in the renewable energy industry, Matteo has strategically paved the way for exciting business opportunities in the fold, positioning Red Rocket as the leading Independent Power Producer in South Africa. Drawing from the coordinated synergy of a rugby squad as a former player, he is committed to developing each member of the organisation and motivating them to reach success. His leadership and passion for culture are further strengthened by his Postgraduate Degrees in Economics, Law, and Business Management, specialising in Organisational Behaviour.

Marie is a Founding Partner of Wavemaker Impact, the first VC backed climate tech venture builder in SouthEast Asia. Wavemaker Impact co-founds start ups with experienced entreprenuers with the aim of building a portfolio of scaleable companies that can abate 10% of the global carbon budget. Every company that Wavemaker Impact builds and invests in is a 100x100 company – a high growth startup with the potential to abate 100 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent and reach $100 million in revenue. Wavemaker Impact has over 20 companies in its portfolio tackling the biggest drivers of emissions in agriculture, land use change, energy in the built environment, industrial processes and transportation. Marie has worked with over 40 entrepreneurs to help them build their businesses. In the last five years, Marie has focused exclusively on launching climate tech startups in Southeast Asia and is passionate about increasing the pipeline of women founders in the sector. Marie has a MBA from the National University of Singapore where she graduated as valedictorian and holder of the Panasonic Marketing Award.

Sean Kidney, FRSA, is CEO of the Climate Bonds Initiative, an international NGO working to mobilize global capital for climate action. He oversees green bond development programs on six continents, now with an estimate US$3tn outstanding. Projects include market definition (taxonomies; data provision to green bond indices and investors; green bond certification); and public institution support projects. Sean is a member of the EU’s Platform on Sustainable Finance, the Monetary Authority of Singapore’s Sustainable Finance Advisory Panel, sovereign green bond advisory committees in France and the UK, the Finance Industry Advisory Board of the International Energy Agency, the FAO’s Finance Advisory Committee and Japan’s GX Accelerator Advisory Committee.

Juan Ospina Lopez is an experienced E&S professional specializing in assessments and due diligence for renewable energy projects across diverse regions. With a strong focus on compliance with IFC Performance Standards, Juan has led and supported due diligence and E&S assessments for wind, solar, and other energy developments, ensuring alignment with international best practices and lender requirements. Juan’s work includes conducting gap analyses, designing action plans, and overseeing implementation of measures such as bird and bat monitoring, critical habitat assessments, stakeholder engagement, among others. He has collaborated with multidisciplinary teams and financial institutions to deliver sustainable solutions that balance development goals with environmental stewardship and social responsibility.

Chris Würdemann, Head of Emerging Markets Energy Transition at Mirova, has over 25 years of experience working in banking and finance in various legal and financial roles. She started as a banking and finance lawyer at Clifford Chance and spent 12 years in commercial and risk and restructuring roles at Dutch Bank ING. Prior to heading Mirova’s Emerging Markets Energy Transition unit, she worked in the clean energy and energy access space in emerging markets for 6 years. She is overseeing the investment and asset management team of the Mirova EMET funds and is responsible for the development for the creation of follow-on funds.

Rohan Singh is Managing Partner and covers the APAC market, a position he has held since establishing the Singapore office in 2017. He has more than a decade of experience in arranging complex equity and debt financing for renewable energy and infrastructure, such as large-scale wind, solar and storage, bioenergy, EV charging, and related energy transition technologies. Rohan brings experience in originating and executing transactions across multiple markets in APAC, including Japan, Korea, Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, and ASEAN countries. Rohan graduated from Université Paris Dauphine (Master 225, Corporate Finance & Financial Engineering) and Université Panthéon-Sorbonne (Finance).

Phil grew up in the UK during the 1970s, a decade shaped by high inflation, labour disputes, power shortages, strict exchange controls, and an IMF stabilisation programme, and has spent his career working in countries with similarly complex challenges. His 35-year career has encompassed leadership roles in major global investment banks and entrepreneurial ventures alike. Since 1998, Phil has lived and worked across the emerging markets of Asia and CEEMEA (Central/Eastern Europe, Middle East, Africa). For the past 12 years, he has been a Partner and Managing Director of Chapel Hill Denham, sub-Saharan Africa’s largest investment banking firm. Chapel Hill Denham has pioneered listed alternatives in Nigeria and the wider region, launching innovative infrastructure and real estate closed-end funds. Based in Lagos, Chapel Hill Denham completed transactions in ten African countries last year. Phil chairs the Investment Committee and sits on the Board of Trustfund Pensions, a Nigerian pension fund manager, and is a Non-Executive Director of AMEA Power, accelerating renewable energy projects across Africa and emerging Asia.

Assaad W. Razzouk is a Lebanese-British clean energy entrepreneur, author, podcaster, and commentator. He is the CEO of Gurīn Energy, a pan-Asia renewable energy company headquartered in Singapore. Assaad is host of The Angry Clean Energy Guy podcast and the author of “Saving Climate Change Without the Bullsh*t”, published by Atlantic Books. He currently serves as a board member of ClientEarth, the NGO that uses the power of the law to bring about systemic change and protect the planet for the people and wildlife that inhabit it; an advisory board member of media group Eco-Business; and a board member of EB Impact, a Singaporean non-profit focused on sustainability training and programmes for underserved communities in the Asia Pacific. He is also a member of the International Council of the National University of Singapore Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine. With hands-on experience in clean energy and high-profile thought leadership, Assaad is a well-known influencer on climate change and renewable energy, with several hundred thousand followers across X, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Assaad is a graduate of Syracuse University (summa cum laude), holds an MBA from Columbia University in New York, and was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Honoris Causa in Climate Change, Sustainable Development, and International Cooperation by TERI University in India.

Francisco González Palomo is an executive with over 15 years of experience in structured finance and energy infrastructure development. He currently serves as Global Head of Structured Finance at Zelestra, leading the company’s financial strategy and the execution of complex international transactions in US, LATAM, EUROPE and India.

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Jasandra Nyker is a distinguished investment executive with over two decades of experience in private equity, venture capital, energy transition, and climate technology. She has managed and deployed over $1 billion in capital across clean energy projects in the US, Europe, Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia. As the Managing Partner of Saja Climate Partners, Jasandra focuses on scaling climate solutions through innovative financing and investment strategies through an investment and advisory lens. She previously served as CEO of Nala Renewables, where she took the company from start up to scale up and led investments in OECD markets, and as Managing Director at Denham Capital, overseeing energy and infrastructure investments in the Global South. She was also the CEO of BioTherm Energy, a leading African renewable energy developer. Beyond her executive roles, Jasandra is a Non-Executive Director at the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) and actively advises the World Economic Forum on responsible renewable infrastructure. She was recognized as a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader in 2012. Jasandra is passionate about the intersection of finance, technology, and sustainability, with a particular focus on accelerating the deployment of climate-positive solutions. She is also involved in philanthropy, supporting community-driven clean energy initiatives, such as a water pump deployment project in Nepal benefiting marginalised communities.

Matt holds a Master of Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School and an MBA from Stanford University where he studied as a Fulbright Scholar. He is originally from Australia and holds Bachelors of Laws and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Melbourne. Prior to co-founding The CrossBoundary Group, Matt led the design of financing facilities in Afghanistan and Sierra Leone, helped set up an innovation unit for the UN Secretary-General, was a policy advisor to an Australian indigenous leader and a strategy consultant at The Boston Consulting Group. Matt is an Aspen Ideas Scholar, a UBS Global Visionary and was honoured by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader. Matt has written for the Financial Times, Stanford Social Innovation Review, Forbes, Inc Magazine, NextBillion, Centre for Strategic and International Studies, GreenTechMedia and Quartz.

Meet Affy - CEO at Okra Solar. Okra utilises IoT to deliver affordable and rapid electrification of off-grid communities through smart, modular mesh-grids. Okra is successfully bringing 99%+ up-time energy to more than 40,000 people across the world with a focus on Nigeria. Affy is one of the innovators in the energy access field - he is currently on the IEA Advisory Board (2025), recently represented Future Energies at the The World Economic Forum Champions of Tomorrow in China, and has been named Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia. Passionate about collaboration, Affy seeks out other changemakers across tech, finance and policy with the goal of achieving 100% electrification and unlocking new economic opportunities in last-mile areas. Don’t hesitate to reach out and join the team effort.

Alina Sviderska, working on Ukrainian energy market for more than 10 years. Law graduate from the University of Cambridge and Kyiv-Mohyla academy. Board Member of the European Ukrainian Energy Agency.

Andrew Herscowitz is the CEO of the M300 Accelerator, a unit established by RF Catalytic Capital, a charitable off-shoot of The Rockefeller Foundation, to help coordinate and support the efforts of many partners working together to advance the World Bank’s and African Development Bank’s ambitious commitment to help 300 million Africans secure electricity access by 2030. Herscowitz is a globally recognized leader and organization builder. He previously served as the inaugural Executive Director for ODI Washington, one of the world’s leading global affairs think tanks. He spent more than 20 years as one of the U.S. Government’s most senior development diplomats, including as the first Chief Development Officer of the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and as the first Coordinator for the U.S. Government’s Power Africa initiative. He has lived and worked on four continent and brings extensive expertise in international finance and energy. He has an exceptional track record in devising imaginative solutions to global challenges, including building and leading Power Africa, which grew to become the largest public-private partnership for development in the world and that helped more than 200 million people in Africa gain access to electricity. At DFC, he devised and oversaw a $75 billion development strategy and served on the Investment Committee. Early in his career, he served as part of the U.S. government legal team that helped develop the original framework for the Global Fund. He has received two Lifetime Achievement Awards for his work in advancing the African power sector. In 2018, Herscowitz was awarded the “Serve to Americas” medal, given to the U.S. Government officials who have provided the greatest benefit to the American people. In 2005, the Federal Bar Association recognized Herscowitz as one of the five most outstanding lawyers under the age of 35 in the U.S. government. He also was been named as an MIT/Rockefeller “Global Commissioner for Ending Energy Poverty” and served on three different World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Future Councils (GFC), including the GFC on the energy transition. He also serves as part of the high- level WEF Network for “Unlocking barriers and solutions to scale capital for energy transition in the Global South.” Herscowitz has authored more than 45 articles and opinion pieces, most of which have focused on how to improve the development finance architecture to advance investments in frontier markets and in challenging sectors. Herscowitz is a graduate of the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service and the Georgetown University Law Center. He is based at the Rockefeller Foundation offices in Washington, DC.

The Maclean brothers - Ewan, Jamie and Lachlan - are three Scottish brothers raised on adventure and the values of hard work, resilience and community. They first made global headlines in 2019 as the fastest trio to row across the Atlantic, completing the 3,000-mile World’s Toughest Row from La Gomera to Antigua in 35 days - the youngest trio and first team of brothers ever to do so. After the Atlantic, they founded The Maclean Foundation to turn extreme challenges into lasting impact. In 2025, they rowed 9,750 miles from Lima, Peru to Cairns, Australia, spending 139 days at sea and becoming the first team to row non-stop and unsupported from South America to Australia. The expedition raised over £1 million for clean water projects in Madagascar, bringing safe drinking water to more than 40,000 people. Their mission continues. Whether on the water or on stage, the Maclean brothers aim to redefine limits, raise vital funds and awareness, and prove that anything is possible with teamwork, shared belief, hard work and a positive mindset.

The Maclean brothers - Ewan, Jamie and Lachlan - are three Scottish brothers raised on adventure and the values of hard work, resilience and community. They first made global headlines in 2019 as the fastest trio to row across the Atlantic, completing the 3,000-mile World’s Toughest Row from La Gomera to Antigua in 35 days - the youngest trio and first team of brothers ever to do so. After the Atlantic, they founded The Maclean Foundation to turn extreme challenges into lasting impact. In 2025, they rowed 9,750 miles from Lima, Peru to Cairns, Australia, spending 139 days at sea and becoming the first team to row non-stop and unsupported from South America to Australia. The expedition raised over £1 million for clean water projects in Madagascar, bringing safe drinking water to more than 40,000 people. Their mission continues. Whether on the water or on stage, the Maclean brothers aim to redefine limits, raise vital funds and awareness, and prove that anything is possible with teamwork, shared belief, hard work and a positive mindset.

The Maclean brothers - Ewan, Jamie and Lachlan - are three Scottish brothers raised on adventure and the values of hard work, resilience and community. They first made global headlines in 2019 as the fastest trio to row across the Atlantic, completing the 3,000-mile World’s Toughest Row from La Gomera to Antigua in 35 days - the youngest trio and first team of brothers ever to do so. After the Atlantic, they founded The Maclean Foundation to turn extreme challenges into lasting impact. In 2025, they rowed 9,750 miles from Lima, Peru to Cairns, Australia, spending 139 days at sea and becoming the first team to row non-stop and unsupported from South America to Australia. The expedition raised over £1 million for clean water projects in Madagascar, bringing safe drinking water to more than 40,000 people. Their mission continues. Whether on the water or on stage, the Maclean brothers aim to redefine limits, raise vital funds and awareness, and prove that anything is possible with teamwork, shared belief, hard work and a positive mindset.

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Claudia is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Exagon Impact Capital, bringing over 25 years of private equity experience in Latin America. Throughout her career, she has led or participated in over 30 equity investments across a diverse range of sectors, including renewable energy, telecom, logistics, transportation, retail, agribusiness, media, and industrial services. As a seasoned private equity professional, Claudia has provided board leadership to several organizations, where she successfully guided companies to grow both domestically and internationally with strong margins, through her strategic leadership, M&A expertise, and hands-on approach. She currently serves on the boards of Organización Corona, Solar Assets Latin America, SunRoof and the &Green Fund. Previously, Claudia was a Managing Director and founding member of the Latin American Private Equity Fund at The Rohatyn Group (TRG). Before TRG, she was a Director at AIG Global Emerging Markets Private Equity Group, focusing on investments in Latin America. Claudia holds an M.Sc. in Finance from the University of Maryland and a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá, Colombia.

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Cecilie is a research analyst for the Global Energy Storage team at Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables, focusing on European, Middle Eastern and African storage markets. Before joining the storage team, she contributed to Wood Mackenzie’s Middle East and Africa solar and onshore wind analysis, monitoring project development updates, asset transactions and policy updates. Prior to joining Wood Mackenzie, she worked as an ESG and social impact analyst for a financial services firm. In that capacity, she focused on EU regulation and international frameworks and advised on sustainability-related investments. Cecilie holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations and a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from IE University in Madrid, Spain.

Olivier BA, MS, has joined ATOME from being the Chief Investment Officer of Global Energy at the IFC, part of the World Bank Group. After starting his career as a field engineer in the power sector, he is vastly experienced in funding and managing energy infrastructure assets for Oil & Gas, Power & Renewables. He has lead over $500M of equity investments in early stage companies and over $30bn of corporate and structured debt finance transactions.

Rodrigo Madrazo is the CEO of EDFI Management Company, the European multilaterally owned asset manager focused on providing financial services for sustainable development and impact investment. Previously, he was the Director General of COFIDES, the Spanish Development Finance Institution. He has been member of various Boards, including listed companies and banks, and also Investment Committee member to several funds. Rodrigo has an academic and civil service background. He holds a Ph.D in economics and had a 17-year career in the Spanish Ministry of Economy, where he held different positions including Director General for Economic Policy.

Alyanna is the Membership & Community Lead at 2X Global, a global network of more than 150 capital providers committed to making finance more fair, inclusive, and gender‑smart. Since joining in 2021, she has played a central role in shaping the organisation’s membership strategy and delivering the knowledge, partnerships, and tools that strengthen investor practice. She contributed to the update of the 2X Criteria, the global standard for gender finance, and has supported the development of key initiatives including 2X Certification and 2X Ignite. With a background in industrial design, entrepreneurship, and social innovation, Alyanna previously worked with the Design Center of the Philippines to develop circular agricultural systems, and with the United Nations Development Programme to co‑design inclusive national policies advancing sustainability and equity. She is passionate about bridging design and finance to build better systems, and finds grounding in observing nature through quiet walks and moments of reflection.

Drew is the Director of Membership, Industry Performance & Investment at GOGLA. He has 20 years’ experience working with companies, governments, donors and NGOs to catalyse markets in the off-grid light and power sector. In his current role, Drew leads the team to strengthen GOGLA membership, provide industry performance insights, and improve access to finance in the sector. He believes that optimising value for customers, economies and the environment is the driver for increased investment and industry growth. He’s most proud to have led an industry initiative to establish the GOGLA Consumer Protection Code, and loves working with off-grid solar companies to help drive cutting-edge technological innovation in villages and homes across Africa. Drew holds a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Nottingham and has lived and worked in Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe. His love for the mountains has brought him to live in the Netherlands.

Eduardo Ospina is an energy and technology entrepreneur driven by a passion for sustainability. He is the CEO and co-founder of Unergy, and co-founder of Solenium, two pioneering solar energy startups. He holds a Master’s in Electrical Engineering from the National University of Colombia and has been recognized as an Innovation Leader by the Royal Academy of Engineering (UK) and as one of MIT Technology Review’s Innovators Under 35.

Regina is a Manager at Convergence, the global network for blended finance. She is responsible for fostering partnerships with Europe-based members and partners, as well as designing and delivering trainings and networking events for members and stakeholders in blended finance. Prior to Convergence, Regina was a policy advisor at GIZ, the German agency for technical development cooperation, where she advised the German government on innovative finance for water and sanitation, and on pro-poor subsidy reforms. Prior to GIZ, Regina was a consultant at the World Bank Group in Washington, DC. She holds a master’s degree from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in Washington, DC, and a Bachelor’s in Chinese Studies from the University of Wuerzburg in Germany.

Christel Bourbon-Séclet joined the Agence Française de Développement Group after ten years spent in law firms and in senior legal management positions within major industrial groups. Since 2008, she has contributed to the financing of a large number of infrastructure projects across the energy, digital, transport, water and sanitation, and waste sectors in developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. She heads Proparco’s Energy, Digital and Infrastructure Division, which manages a €2.5 billion portfolio and provides financial support for approximately €700 million in new sustainable infrastructure projects each year.

Rapheal Erasmus is Managing Director, Strategy and Capital Formation, at Pentagreen Capital. Rapheal started her career with Citi in 2002 and has over 20 years’ experience spanning M&A advisory, debt advisory, financing, structuring and distribution across multi asset classes, jurisdictions and products, including infrastructure, energy, structured finance, real estate, in both public and private markets. Prior to joining Pentagreen, Rapheal was Asia-Pacific Head of Citi’s Sustainability and Corporate Transitions team, responsible for advising corporates and sovereigns on their transition strategies and sustainable finance solutions. Prior to that, Rapheal was Managing Director in Citi’s EMEA Project and Infrastructure Finance team in London where she led various innovative and market-leading financings, with a focus on renewables and energy transition. Rapheal holds a Bachelor of Arts with Honours from the University of Cambridge in Philosophy.

Tom Cairnes has been working and investing in West Africa since 2006, when he founded ManoCap to invest in small and medium-sized enterprises across the region. Over the past 19 years, he has led extensive investments in West African businesses spanning the finance, agriculture, fisheries, manufacturing, and services sectors. In 2017, Tom co-founded ManoCap Energy, which finances the energy transition for commercial and industrial customers in West Africa. Based in Ghana, the company has designed, built, and financed solar energy solutions for businesses across the region. Tom holds a BA in Human Sciences from the University of Oxford and an MA in Development Economics from the University of Cambridge. He is also the founder of the Welbodi Partnership, a charity focused on improving maternal and child health in Sierra Leone, and the Freetown Music Festival, an annual event celebrating live music and cultural creativity in Sierra Leone.

Gilles brings 20 years of experience in infrastructure and energy sectors with an extensive track record in principal investing, project finance and asset management. He founded Africa REN in 2014, a leading developer and investor in renewable energy and sustainable infrastructures in Sub Saharan Africa. Gilles holds an MBA from ESSEC Business School and has a master’s in business law from Assas University.

Mr. Pai is a Founder/Managing partner of GEF Capital Partners, where he co-leads its South Asia investment program. GEF, with presence in US, Latin America and South Asia, is an early pioneer in global sustainability and environmental investing globally. GEF manages well over $1.2 billion capital focusing on middle-market opportunities in the climate/sustainability investment spectrum. Mr. Pai has over 25 years of professional experience spanning entrepreneurial, operational and investing activities in diverse sectors including telecom (data centers included), transportation, energy, digital and water infrastructure. He also serves on the investment committees of GEF’s South Asia, US and Latin America investment programs. In addition to general oversight, Raj also represents in the firm’s ESG & Impact committee and has been instrumental in steering GEF’s South Asia program towards being 100% Paris Climate aligned, TCFD linked and to being an SFDR Article 9 aligned platform. Prior to GEF, Mr. Pai was a Managing Director at CID Capital, a US based mid-market venture firm, and previously, Mr. Pai worked in consulting and in operational capacities for several global Fortune 500 technology companies, including AT&T and British Telecommunications in US and in India. Mr. Pai currently serves (and has served previously) on the boards of several of GEF’s portfolio companies in diverse sectors and was instrumental in several successful growth stories and exits among them. Mr. Pai holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago, a Master of Computer Science from Arizona State University, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Bombay. He remains an active member and participant in various global forums including the Global Impact Investment Network (GIIN), the United Nations Principles of Responsible Investment (UNPRI), the 2X Challenge (Gender lens investing), Task Force for Climate Financial Disclosures (TCFD) and the Global Private Capital Association (GPCA).

As of 2020 Marieke is Manager of the Private Equity Ventures team at FMO, the dedicated Venture Capital team that is responsible for the implementation, deployment and overall management of the FMO Ventures Program and other early-stage investments with a focus on technology and innovation. Previously she worked as Principal Investment Officer at the Private Equity department focusing on investments in renewable (off grid) energy. Prior to this she spent 2.5 years as Fund Manager at FMO Investment Management, where she was responsible for the fundraising efforts of an Africa focused Fund of Funds initiative. Before joining FMO Investment Management in 2013, Marieke worked as Senior Investment Officer at FMO’s Private Equity department for nearly nine years. She is a seasoned private equity professional with ample transaction experience in fund investments as well as direct investments and served on the Advisory Board of several investment funds. Prior to joining FMO in 2004, Marieke worked as Analyst at the Corporate Development department of ABN AMRO Bank. She holds a Master of Science in Business Administration from the Erasmus University in Rotterdam.

Michael Jongeneel is the CEO of FMO. FMO is the Dutch development bank with a total portfolio of ~$15B in ~85 emerging markets. FMO focuses on 3 sectors: financial institutions, renewable energy and food/agri, including forestry. Michael has held several non-executive board positions in among others a few social enterprises and NGOs, e.g. Oxfam International. Prior to FMO Michael worked at McKinsey, Triodos Bank and Bain. For the latter Michael founded, as partner in the Amsterdam office, Bain’s sustainable finance practice and led this worldwide practice for several years. Michael has over 15 years’ experience in sustainable finance. Michael is ensuring his family currently lives CO2 neutral, and aims to be cumulative net zero before 2030. Michael also authored a book on future leadership.

Edwin founded Solarplaza company in 2004. He is a senior PV expert and started in the photovoltaic solar energy business in 1994. He has experience as a solar energy consultant and project developer in more than 200 PV projects. Edwin holds a Master’s degree in Chemical engineering and previously worked in the Chemical industry before starting his first consultancy company in PV in 1994.

Talitha Muusse is a social entrepreneur and renowned speaker on sustainability, generational leadership, and social innovation. She co-founded Blikverruimers, the first Dutch initiative promoting young professionals to supervisory board roles, and currently develops sustainable energy projects through a dedicated incubator for Gen Y changemakers. Talitha also serves on the supervisory board of MVO Nederland (Corporate Sustainability Responsibility) and regularly hosts events and interviews on stage and screen. As one of our top-rated speakers in 2024, we’re thrilled to welcome her back to the Future of Energy 2026.