SPEAKERS 2023

Lord McNicol of West Kilbride

Iain is a Labour member of the House of Lords (the UKs second chamber) having been introduced in 2018. Appointed as a deputy-speaker in the Lords in 2020. Iain served as the Secretary General of the Labour Party from 2011-18, moving from the position as National Political Officer of the GMB Union. He has a […]

Yasir Ahmad

Yasir is the Partner and leader of the Climate Change and Sustainability Services (CCaSS) Practice at EY for the MENA region and brings about 20 years of experience in ESG, sustainability and climate change consulting spread across 30 countries Asia, Europe, Africa, Americas and Australia. Yasir has experience in driving multiple service areas like ESG […]

Jochen Wermuth

Jochen Wermuth studied mathematics and economics at Brown University and finished all but his thesis toward his D.Phil. in economics at Balliol College, Oxford. He is fluent in German, English, French, and Russian. He likes to run, swim, cycle, dance, sing, and listen to music. He has an interest in the future, as his family […]

Nathan Fabian

Nathan Fabian is Chief Responsible Investment and Signatories Relations Officer at the United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment. The PRI supports over 5000 institutional investors globally to incorporate Environmental, Social and Governance factors into their investment activities. He has been with the PRI for five years. From November 2020 – October 2022, Nathan was Chair […]

Dr. Ashraf Gamal El Din

Dr. Ashraf Gamal El Din, FC is the Chief Executive Officer of Hawkamah, the Institute for Corporate Governance, the DIFC. He is a Fellow and Certified Governance Expert from the Chartered Governance Institute, UK (ICSA). He was a jury member of the Arabia CSR Award. Prior to joining Hawkamah, Dr. Ashraf was the Executive Chairman […]

Michael Salvatico

Michael Salvatico leads ESG solutions in Asia, Pacific, Middle East and Africa for S&P Global Sustainable1, based in Sydney. For more than 20 years Michael has been providing investment solutions for financial markets. Over the last decade he has focused on sustainable solutions for investors, banks, corporates, regulators, governments, and academics. Michael works with these […]

Ahmad Almeghames

Dr. Ahmad AlMeghames is the CEO of Saudi Organisation for Chartered and Professional Accountants (SOCPA) and serves on its board of directors, in addition to administrative positions he holds and committees in which he participates that include: Member of the Technical Committee at the Ministry of Finance for the project of transforming government agencies to […]

Stephen Carter

Director of Product Marketing

Aymeric Arnaud

Aymeric ARNAUD was appointed SG CIB’s Chief Region Officer for the Middle East, Türkiye/CIS, and Africa (META) in April 2023, in addition to his role as CEO, Societe Generale Dubai International Financial Center, held since 2021. His non-executive mandates include board memberships at Societe Generale Saudi Arabia and at the United Nations Global Compact Network […]

Jessica Robinson

Jessica Robinson is a global expert in ESG and sustainable finance, advising financial institutions, institutional investors, think tanks, governments and regulators on a broad range of issues relating to ESG strategy, sustainable finance and responsible investment, as well as carbon, climate and gender finance. Based in the Middle East, Jessica is responsible for leading related […]

Sebastiaan Frederiks

Sebastian Frederiks was appointed Country Head Wholesale Banking for ING in the Middle East in July 2021. He leads the Middle East team, serving corporate clients, wealth funds and financial institutions. Supported by specialist global sector and product teams and sustainable finance specialists, he works alongside local coverage teams to deliver a comprehensive offering. Sebastian […]

Michael Taschner

Michael is the Global Head of Sustainability Solutions at S&P Global Market Intelligence. With a passion for driving positive change, Michael plays a pivotal role in empowering corporates and financial institutions to embrace sustainable business models by leveraging cutting-edge, data-driven IT solutions. Michael is a pioneer in the ESG industry with more than 20 years […]

Maya Makanjee

Maya is a seasoned and sought after independent non-executive director, serving on the boards of public and private companies, as well as non-profit organisations.  She chairs the board of Datatec Limited (global IT products and services), and is a director on the boards of Mpact Limited (packaging), Truworths International Limited (fashion retailer), Ellies Holdings Limited […]

Kevin Holliday

Kevin Holliday is the Managing Director of C3 – Companies Creating Change. He has over 20 years of strategy, finance, and investment experience across the globe, with broad exposure to different sectors and business models within complex and dynamic environments. Kevin has previously held senior positions at AW Rostamani Group, OSN, Global Integrated Security, Networkers […]

Jigar Shah

Jigar Shah is the CEO & Head of Research at MIB Securities India and the Head of Sustainability Research at Maybank Investment Banking Group. He has a cumulative experience of almost 28 years in the Indian capital markets covering equity research, sales and portfolio management. Jigar is certified in corporate sustainability, sustainable finance and ESG […]

Richard Amor

Richard Amor is Head of Corporate Lending for EIB Global, the European Investment Bank’s investment arm for operations outside of the European Union. With a focus on projects promoted by private corporate entities, EIB Global has its main corporate finance activity in the energy, ICT, agri-business and global health sectors. Since joining the EIB in […]

Antoine Martin-Regniault

Business Sustainability Ratings Lead

Wael Safwat

Middle East Lead Sustainable Procurement & Shared Services

Navid Nathoo

Navid Nathoo is a Canadian entrepreneur who has dedicated his career to empowering young people to create a better future. He founded TKS in 2016, a human accelerator program that empowers young people to solve the world’s biggest problems using emerging technologies. Prior to TKS, he co-founded Airpost, an enterprise cloud security company based in Silicon Valley, […]

Christian Becker

Solutions Consultant MENA

Mona Naqvi

Mona Naqvi is Global Head of Sustainable Capital Markets at S&P Global Sustainable1, responsible for investor engagement and elevating S&P’s sustainable product suite. Previously, she spearheaded the launch of the flagship S&P 500® ESG Index as Head of the North American ESG Index business for S&P Dow Jones Indices and supported institutional investors on climate […]

Rhodri Preece

Rhodri Preece is Senior Head, Research for CFA Institute and is responsible for leading the organization’s global research activities and publications, managing the research staff and collaborating with leading investment practitioners and academics. CFA Institute produces the highest-calibre research on issues and topics most relevant to the investment industry, including rigorous in-depth research, forward-looking thought leadership […]

Salman Abdulla

Jim Massey

Jim Massey is recognized as a global thought leader on trust, sustainability, and ethics. On the frontlines of business transformation, he has led and developed groundbreaking programs ranging fromAmbition Zero Carbon, one of the world’s boldest corporate environmental programs, to launching thefirst Corporate Trust Report, laying out a blueprint for how businesses can build trust […]

Dexter Galvin

Dexter leads CDP’s work to support companies in building a truly sustainable economy.With a deep knowledge of Scope 3 and how companies can unlock the power of their supply chains, Dexter spearheaded CDP’s Supply Chain program in 2008 – now a global membership program with far-reaching impact, including recent adoption by the U.S. federal government, […]

Stephen Nolan

Stephen is Managing Director and Head of Secretariat of UNDP Financial Centres for Sustainability (FC4S) and Sustainable Insurance Forum (SIF); Board member of the International Sustainable Finance Centre of Excellence (Ireland); and co-leads on the APEC Sustainable Finance Development Network (SFDN).

Peter Paul van de Wijs

As the Chief Policy Officer, Peter Paul van de Wijs is responsible for driving effective advocacy for GRI around the world, developing and implementing GRI’s global external communications strategy and maintaining the external relations. Peter Paul has over 20 years of professional experience in communications and sustainability. In addition to leading his own business, Peter […]

Fazil Abdulrahiman

Bassem Kamar

Prior to joining the CBUAE, he was the Lead Economist in charge of the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean countries at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Previously, he was Economic Expert at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) where he served for over twelve years in various capacities in Washington DC and in regional centers; […]

Jaroslaw Karol Olszowka

Jarek is Nomura’s Head of Sustainable Finance, focusing in particular on the origination, structuring and execution of ESG fixed income products around the globe. In this role he has assisted clients in successfully raising over $170 bn aggregate notional of ESG debt, including executing a number of landmark, “first of their” kind, ESG trades. Jarek […]

Emmanuel Rondeau

Emmanuel is the Lead Director (NED) at La BanquePostale in France, where he chairs the Board RiskCommittee and the Nomination Committee. La Banque Postale , 100% indirectly owned by theFrench State, is the first European bank and one of the first financial institutions worldwide to haveits decarbonisation pathway recognised by the Science Based Targets initiative […]

Erin Beilharz

Erin Beilharz, Head of Strategic Innovation Partnerships at Lufthansa Group, is a key influencer of innovation, technology, and sustainability in aviation. She spends her days identifying, sourcing, implementing, and scaling technologies to transform Lufthansa Group to future-proof its business.   Erin focuses on scaling and commercializing homegrown tech from within the group companies and establishing partnerships […]

Dr. Ruba Jaradat

Dr. Ruba Jaradat is the ILO Assistant Director-General and Regional Director for Arab States, based at the Regional Office in Beirut. Dr. Jaradat had managed economic growth programmes with annual budgets exceeding US$ 300 million and led teams of more than 250 multinational staff. Prior to joining the ILO in November 2015, Dr. Jaradat established […]

David Harris

David has worked in sustainable investment for over 20 years, with most of that time at LSEG and FTSE Russell. He is responsible for driving strategic initiatives and partnerships across all LSEG group divisions, having previously led sustainable investment for FTSE Russell, and sustainable finance strategy for LSEG’s Data & Analytics division.  David has held […]

Ibrahim Al Zu’Bi

Majid Al Futtaim’s sustainability impact and profile in the Middle East and globally.Author of How to ‘Net’ Positive, a practical guide for companies embarking on their Net Positive journey, Ibrahim’s impactful leadership in sustainability has been recognized in the Top 100 Thought Leaders in Europe and the Middle East by Center for Sustainability and Excellence, […]

Tan Hoe Soon

Deputy Chief Executive
Corporate & Strategy
Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA)
[Singapore]

Katja Busch

Chief Commercial Officer and Head of CSI
DHL
[Germany]

Rika Nakazawa

Global Vice President, New Ventures & Innovation and Head of Sustainability, Americas, NTT [USA]

DANIEL HANNA

Managing Director and Global Head of Sustainable Banking
Barclays
[UK]

Aurelia Figueroa

Global Head of Sustainability
Breitling
[Switzerland]

Glenda So

Managing Director and Group Head of Emerging Business & FIC
Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX)
[Hong Kong SAR]

SEAN KIDNEY

CEO and Co-Founder Climate Bonds Initiative [UK]

ARSENIO DOMINGUEZ

Director, Marine Environment Division
International Maritime Organization [UK]

Paul Ronalds

Founder and CEO, Save the Children Global Ventures [UK]

Somachi Chris-Asoluka

CEO, The Tony Elumelu Foundation [Nigeria]

Priscilla Chomba Kinywa

Chief Technology Officer, Greenpeace [Kenya]

Andrew Bester

Head of Wholesale Banking, ING [Netherlands]

Juan Carlos Calderón Castro

Executive Director, Head of ESG and Climate Consultants, MSCI [France]

David Croft

Global Head of Sustainability, Reckitt [UK]

Brian Cahill

Managing Director and Global Head of ESG, Moody’s Investors Service [Australia]

Ben Caldecott

Founding Director, Oxford Sustainable Finance Programme, Oxford University, Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment

Shivam Kishore

Sr. Advisor, United Nations Environment Programme [Canada]

Heather Buchanan

Director and Co-Founder, Bankers for Net Zero [UK]

Jeff Oatham

Global Senior Director of Sustainability, CSR, and Safety, Delivery Hero [Germany]

Malur Narayan

Vice President, Sustainability and Emerging Tech, Tata Consultancy Services [USA]

Mardi McBrien

Director, Strategic Affairs, IFRS Foundation [United Kingdom]

Anirban Ghosh

Head, Centre for Sustainability, Mahindra University [India]

Mohamed Hedi Mejai

Director, Investments, Islamic Development Bank [Saudi Arabia]

David Madon

Director – Sustainability Policy & Regulation, International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) [USA]

Rebekah Earp

ESG Director, CVC Capital Partners [Hong Kong]

Daxita Rajcoomar

Chief Sustainability Officer, AMEA, Engie [UAE]

Nadia Boumeziout

Head of Sustainability & Information Governance, Zurich Insurance [UAE]

Fazeela Gopalani

Head of Middle East, ACCA [UAE]

Satish Ramchandani

Co-Founder and Chief Business Officer of Updapt – An ESG Tech Co.

Monaem Ben Lellahom

Partner & Group CEO, Sustainable Square [UAE]