All Speakers
Melanie SCHWEIKART
Project Manager Biodiversity and Marine Conservation at the International Climat
Zukunft – Umwelt – Gesellschaft (ZUG) gGmbH
Melanie Schweikart has been working for 3 years in the International Climate Initiative (IKI), a funding programme for climate action and biodiversity conservation projects by the German Federal...
Sean NAZERALI
Director of Innovative Finance
BIOFUND Mozambique
Sean Nazerali (BIOFUND - Director for Innovative Financing) is a Biodiversity and Natural Resource Management specialist with 30 years of experience in international development, of which...
Deborah BACKUS
CEO
Clean Rivers
Deborah Backus is the CEO of Clean Rivers, a UAE-backed foundation addressing challenges at the nexus of waste and water. With over 20 years of experience leading transformative initiatives, she is...
Sadiki Lotha LAISER
Biodiversity and Climate Change Expert
African Union Commission (AUC)
Laiser is a passionate natural resource; water, biodiversity, wildlife, wetlands, marine, environmental and agroforestry & Climate Lead/expert in science-policy and decision-making synergies with...
Damien MITTEMPERGHER
Economist
IUCN
Damien Mittempergher is an economist passionate about building stronger links between nature and the economy. At IUCN, he supports various stakeholders to better account for natural capital, using...
Victor GALVAN
Director of Nature
Iberostar Group
Victor Galvan serves as Director of Nature at Grupo Iberostar, where he leads the development and execution of the company’s Nature Strategy. He oversees a dedicated team that helps Iberostar hotels...
Shahad ZUHAIR
Technical and Administrative Assistant
IUCN ROWA
Shahad Zuhair is an environmentalist conservationist and climate-justice advocate currently working with IUCN ROWA. With over six years of experience supporting environmental project management, she...
Humaira BADRú
Project officer
Fundação para a Conservação da Biodiversidade
Humaira Agibo Badrú is a young Mozambican, born in Maputo. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Ecology and Terrestrial Biodiversity Conservation (2017) and a Postgraduate degree in...
Maximin DJONDO
Benin Environment and Education Society
Established in 2005, BEES ONG is committed to the protection and sustainable management of natural resources, with a particular focus on marine and coastal ecosystems. We implement participatory,...
Ana MARISCAL
Research Coordinator
Fundación Cambugán
Ana G. Mariscal Chávez (she/her) is a biologist and independent researcher focused on the conservation and restoration of native ecosystems in collaboration with local communities. She holds a Ph.D....
Michael APPLETON
Senior Adviser
IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas 2021-2025
Thematic Vice Chair, Capacity Development. Mike’s work as a conservation practitioner focuses on applied, area-based conservation, working in more than 40 counties to help establish protected...
Stéphanie LIMOUZIN
Graduated from Montpellier SupAgro and holding an MBA from Toulouse Business School, Stéphanie Limouzin joined CLS in 2009 as Project Coordination Manager in Oceanography. She became Deputy CEO in...
Carlos Manuel RODRIGUEZ
CEO and Chairperson
Global Environment Facility (GEF)
Lawyer by profession, politician by choice, and conservationist at heart, Carlos Manuel Rodríguez was elected as CEO and Chairperson of the Global Environment Facility by its governing body, the GEF...
Roshani ADHIKARI PATHAK
Board Member
SMCRF
I am a seasoned communication professional and biodiversity conservation advocate with over 25 years of experience in policy advocacy, media engagement, and environmental governance. I have led...
Lena MAGHRAOUI
Programme Associate for Research and Development
IUCN
Lena Maghraoui is a Programme Associate at the IUCN North America Regional Office in Washington, D.C. Her work combines nature-based solutions with a focus on human rights in climate adaptation. Lena...
María Teresa VARGAS RÍOS
Fundación Natura Bolivia
Maria Teresa Vargas is a force of nature — a journalist by training, a conservationist by passion, and a strategist by necessity. Based in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, she stands at the intersection of...
Timon MCPHEARSON
Director and Professor
New York University
Dr. Timon McPhearson is the founding director of the Urban Systems Lab, professor at NYU Environmental Studies, and author of Nature-based Solutions for Cities. Drawing on his mixed Native...
Mohammed SHOBRAK
Consultant, member of the Board of Director
National Center for Wildlife
Bachelor’s degree from King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia PhD in Ecology of birds from the University of Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom in 1996. thesis title "The Ecology of the...
Nafeesa ESMAIL
Senior Advisor, Human Dimensions of Conservation
Wilder Institute
With over 16 years of professional experience across sectors, regions and disciplines, Nafeesa Esmail is passionate about pragmatic win-win solutions for both nature and people. Past and current...
Nikhil SEKHRAN
Chief Conservation Officer
WWF US
Nik Sekhran is the Chief Conservation Officer at the World Wildlife Fund- US, overseeing WWF’s global work on nature conservation and climate change. He earlier served at the United Nations...
Dung Xuan Nguyen
Head of Division of Ecology and Natural Landscape/NBCA/MAE
Ministry of Agriculture and Environment
Gray THORNTON
President and CEO
Wild Sheep Foundation
Gray N. Thornton is President & CEO of the Wild Sheep Foundation (WSF) the world’s leading wild sheep conservation organization. Prior to joining WSF, Thornton served 18 years in leadership...
Samer AL CHIKHANI
Partner
Strategy&
I'm a Partner at Strategy& Middle East. I specialise in developing nature-positive solutions for urban and conservation areas, and crafting strategies for the sustainable use of resources. I have...
Mosese Bulitavu
Honourable Minister
Fiji Department of Environment
Mezna ALHEBSHI
Ekthar
Mezna Alhebshi recently joined Ekthar Wildlife, working under the conservation genetics department as a laboratory technician. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from Purdue University...
Clara NELTOFT
Climate Finance and Investment Analyst
ICIMOD
Clara Lindhard Neltoft is a Climate Finance and Investment Analyst and Intervention Manager with the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), where she and her team work as...
Barbara POMPILI
Ambassadrice à l'Environnement
France
Barbara Pompili has been involved in environmental politics for over 20 years.As Secretary of State for Biodiversity from February 2016 to 2017, she led the adoption of the Law for the Restoration of...
Joss BLERIOT
Executive Lead, Policy and Institutions
Ellen MacArthur Foundation
Jocelyn Blériot has been with the Foundation since its creation in 2010, after 15 years spent in the media and publishing industry. Initially in charge of editorial matters, overseeing content...