Business leader, campaigner, co-author of “Net Positive: how courageous companies thrive by giving more than they take”, a Financial Times Business Book of the Year. #3 Thinkers50.
Paul Polman works to accelerate action by business to tackle climate change and inequality.
As CEO of Unilever (2009-2019), Paul demonstrated that business can profit through purpose, marrying a long-term, multi-stakeholder model with excellent financial performance. During Paul’s tenure, shareholders saw their returns increase by 290% while the company consistently ranked 1st in the world for sustainability.
Today Paul works across a range of organisations to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which he helped develop. This includes his work to drive systems change with Systemiq and bold new industry coalitions, including in fashion and food. Until 2024, he led the UN Global Compact, is an Ambassador for the Race to Zero, and works to develop our next generation of leaders, through the Oxford University Saïd Business School, INSEAD, One Young World and others. Paul’s actively campaigns on a range of human rights issues, including promoting disability inclusion through the Valuable 500 and the Kilimanjaro Blind Trust, which he set up with his wife Kim. Follow him on twitter and sign up to receive his newsletter here. More on www.paulpolman.com.
Manuel Pulgar-Vidal is the global leader of Climate & Energy at WWF and interim chair of the IUCN Climate Crisis Commission. He has more than 35 years of experience in environmental law and policy. He served as Minister of the Environment of Peru (2011 to 2016) and President of the Twentieth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change – COP20 in 2014.
Pulgar-Vidal was the Executive Director of the Peruvian Society for Environmental Law, an influential institution in Latin America. He has a law degree from the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, where he is a professor, and has completed studies for a master’s degree in Business Law at the Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas. He is a board member of Forest Trends, Amazon Conservation Association, Peruvian Society of Environmental Law, CARE-Peru and the Science Based Targets initiative and a member of the Assembly of the World Wide Fund for Nature – Colombia.
He is also member of the Steering Committees of F20 and the Voluntary Carbon Markets Integrity Initiative as well as a member of the Aspen Institute Management and Leadership Advisory Group, the IUCN International Committee for the Nature Based Solutions Global Standard and the advisory board of the Centre for Multilateral Negotiations – CEMUNE. He has recently been appointed as the chairman of the newly created IUCN Climate Crisis Commission as well as Champion for the Action Agenda for Nature as part of the Convention of Biological Diversity, in an effort to develop the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. He has been invited to serve on the US Advisory Committee on Foreign and Voluntary Aid.
He is the chairman of the evaluation council of the French sovereign Green Bonds. As an active member of different groups aimed at achieving strong outcomes as a part of the formal climate talks and the nonparty stakeholders’ agenda, he is an Ambassador for the Race to Zero and Race to Resilience campaigns. He has been recognized with the Légion d´Honneur by the French Government, the Grand Officer’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Cross of the Civil Order of Environmental Merit of the Spanish Government, the Order of Merit for distinguished Services of the Peruvian Government and the Shackleton Medal by the Royal Scottish Geographical Society for his contribution to the Paris Agreement and has been inducted into the Earth Hall of Fame of Kyoto.
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Mr. Carrasco has more than 32 years of professional experience, with over 27 years spent at ADB. He joined the bank in 1993 as a Young Professional and progressed through various roles to his current position.
In 2008, he became Director in South Asia Regional Cooperation and Coordination, and in 2010 Director of South Asia Public Management and Finance where he headed a division that focused operations on reforms to public finances and financial markets development.
In 2019, Mr. Carrasco was appointed Chief of the Governance Thematic Group, where he managed the restructuring of the group and ensured quality standards across all deliverables.
He was subsequently appointed Director General and Chief Compliance Officer, Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department in 2021, where he guided policy development across all thematic and sector areas while ensuring ADB-wide consistency in initiatives and services. Mr. Carrasco supported senior management in leading the strategic repositioning of ADB into its current role as the Climate Bank for Asia and the Pacific. In 2023, following a reorganization, he was appointed Director General of the Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department, leading ADB-wide knowledge, innovation, policies, and strategies in all thematic areas. He also oversees the administration of trust funds and global funding initiatives and provides advice to management on strategic, operations, and policy matters.
Prior to joining ADB, Mr. Carrasco worked for UNDP in Mozambique and UN-OPS in 1989-1991. From 2000-2003, he was on a leave of absence working as Senior Economist at the European Central Bank. He holds a Doctorate in Economics from the University of Essex, a Master’s degree from the University of British Columbia, and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Montreal.
A sustainability practitioner for over two decades, Esther published the first sustainability report in Singapore in 2008 and issued the first green bond by a Singapore company in 2017. Conferred the 2018 SDG Pioneer for Green Infrastructure and A Low Carbon Economy by the UN Global Compact, and named amongst 25 Trailblazing Women against Climate Change by Reuters in 2023 as well as the inaugural TIME100 Climate Leaders in Business 2023 list, Esther sits on the boards or advisory platforms of international organizations including:
She founded Women4Green and Youth4Climate networks to empower women and youths to champion climate action and sustainable development.
Jonathan Coleman has spent his career supporting entrepreneurs around the world with creative financing solutions and integrating positive environmental and community impact into profitable business operations. In pursuit of these goals, he has lived and worked in the United States, Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa. Jonathan holds an MBA with a focus on International Economic Development, is fluent in Spanish, and was chosen as a Global Shaper by the World Economic Forum and an Elm² Fellow by the Aspen Institute.
At the UnTours Foundation, Jonathan leads the effort to develop innovative financial products for high impact entrepreneurs around the globe, providing accessible and affordable investment dollars to accelerate the positive impact of their businesses. In addition to leading the UnTours Foundation as its Co-CEO, Jonathan is also CEO of UnTours, a travel company wholly owned by the UnTours Foundation that holds the unique distinction of being the world’s first ever Certified B Corporation. Jonathan lives in the Finger Lakes region of New York with his wife and two young daughters.
Enric has an expertise in growing businesses, with more than 15 years of experience in General Management, Strategy & Operations, Marketing and Sales. He is Vice President overseeing the company’s supply business across South Southeast Asia.
Prior to joining Agoda, Enric served several leadership roles at Google including the Country Head of Google Indonesia, and Commercialization in the Asia Pacific. He was a Principal at the Monitor Group, advising Multinational and Asian corporations to grow and expand in Asia. He also served clients in Consumer Goods & Retail, Private Equity, Media & Tech and Economic Analysis and Development at McKinsey.
Enric earned his MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Tim helped launch the philanthropic arm of the Cotton On business in 2007 after developing a partnership in Mannya Village, Uganda.
The Cotton On Foundation is now a global NGO that has raised over AU$188 million and generates more than AU$20 million annually to create a world where young people thrive.
Cotton On Foundation’s success lies in its unique fundraising model: customers across the Cotton On business’ 1,500 stores purchase items like recycled aluminium water bottles and recycled cotton tote bags, with 100% of proceeds supporting the cause. Today, one Foundation product is sold every two seconds globally.
Aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, Cotton On Foundation focuses on holistic education, youth mental health, and environmental projects that span Uganda, South Africa, Thailand, New Zealand, the USA, Brazil, and East Arnhem Land, Australia. Impactful partnerships with organisations such as One Tree Planted, WWF-Singapore, and Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation help create lasting, positive change for young people.
Tim’s personal commitment to sustainability and youth welfare is deeply intertwined with the Foundation’s mission. He holds a double degree from Federation University in Sports Science Human Movement (Sports Management) / Management and credits Cotton On’s global community for the Foundation’s transformative impact.
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Mr Joseph Teo was appointed Singapore’s Chief Negotiator for Climate Change on 2 July 2018.
Prior to his current appointment, Mr Teo has held various overseas assignments in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). He was Singapore’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York (2015-2018), Deputy Chief of Mission at the Singapore Embassy in Belgium (2005-2008), and First Secretary at the Permanent Mission of Singapore to the United Nations and the World Trade Organisation in Geneva (1995-1998), where he was concurrently appointed Singapore’s Consul in Switzerland.
Mr Teo also held varied appointments at MFA HQ in Singapore, including as Deputy Director-General, Americas Directorate. Mr Teo was also Singapore’s Deputy Chief Negotiator for Climate Change from 2012-2014, when he helped to coordinate the work of the Inter-Ministry Negotiating Team on all issues relating to the international climate change negotiations.
Dr. Winston Chow is the Co-Chair of Working Group II of the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate, where he co-leads the development of Working Group II’s contribution (on climate impacts, adaptation and vulnerability) to the IPCC 7th Assessment Cycle reports, including a Special Report on Climate Change and Cities.
He is also a Professor of Urban Climate and Lee Kong Chian Research Fellow at Singapore Management University’s (SMU) College of Integrative Studies (CIS), where he leads the urban infrastructure research pillar at SMU’s Urban Institute. His research focuses on urban climate change risk, vulnerability, and heat island adaptation. Dr. Chow is the Co-Lead Principal Investigator for the Cooling Singapore initiative, which addresses urban heat challenges.
He holds a Ph.D. in Geography from Arizona State University, and Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Geography from the National University of Singapore.
Dermot O’Gorman is a global champion for a regenerative revolution for nature, communities and climate. At this critical moment in time for our planet, Dermot is leading environmentalists, philanthropists, businesses and governments in envisioning a regenerative future.
With over 23 years as a CEO in China, Pacific and Australia, Dermot is a respected thought leader and a Fulbright Scholar at Stanford University. He has co-founded several social ventures, including OpenSC and WWF’s Panda Impact. He also serves on various purpose-driven boards.
As a founding member of the COP31 Collaboration Group, Dermot advocates for a unified, society-wide approach to an Australian Pacific-hosted COP31.
He is passionate about fostering leadership that transforms global challenges into opportunities for co-creating a better future for humanity and the planet.
Aditya Bayunanda (Dito) has been with WWF Indonesia since 2009 and became the CEO on November 1, 2022. Over the years, he has held various key roles, including Manager of the Global Forest Trade Network Indonesia, Pulp and Paper Manager, Strategic Leader for Forest-Based Commodities, and Head of the Climate and Market Transformation Program. He also served as Conservation Director and Interim CEO, working extensively with the private sector, government, and civil society to advance sustainability.
Born May 31, 1975, in Yogyakarta, Aditya holds a bachelor’s degree in forestry from Gadjah Mada University and a postgraduate degree in Business Management from Bogor Agricultural University. Actively engaged in global environmental governance, he contributes to international working groups such as the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and High Carbon Stock Approach (HCSA).
Aditya is known for his leadership in promoting innovative solutions for forest restoration and sustainable supply chains. As CEO of WWF Indonesia, he continues to drive impactful conservation efforts, building on his extensive expertise and dedication to environmental stewardship.
As CEO of WWF-Singapore, Vivek Kumar drives transformative growth and provides strategic leadership in conservation and sustainability strategies with global impact and local relevance.
With over 20 years of leadership experience, he excels in strategic innovation across the nonprofit, media, public sector, and retail industries. Under Vivek’s leadership, WWF-Singapore supports a global network across 100+ countries, focusing on climate action, biodiversity conservation, market transformation, sustainable finance, and community engagement. A good example of WWF’s neutral convenor role is the WWF Earth Summit, which unites stakeholders on climate science and solutions, fostering strategic partnerships with corporates, governments, and communities to advance impactful environmental initiatives.
Vivek brings governance experience from his prior board positions with Enterprise Singapore, IMDA, NTUC Link, and Assurity Trusted Solutions (GovTech Singapore). He also serves as a Steering Committee Member of the Southeast Asia Climate and Nature-based Solutions (SCeNe) Coalition and as Honorary Advisory Committee Member of the Gujarat International Finance Tec (GIFT) City.
Uma Sachidhanandam is the Director of Conservation at WWF Singapore where she works closely with conservation, policy education and outreach teams. She was previously a senior lecturer on sustainability with Republic Polytechnic for 10 years. She started her career specialising in Environmental Education and Outreach at the Singapore Environment Council and at the time of her departure was Deputy Director of the organisation and Director of Projects. She has had over the years the opportunity to build up a wealth of experience relevant to Singapore’s conservation agenda. She has published scientific papers and books on sustainability issues and biodiversity.
Kamal Seth is the Climate & Sustainability Director and Global Palm Oil Lead at WWF-Singapore, leading initiatives to leverage the power of the finance sector to transform energy and commodities markets to reach net-zero and nature-positive targets.
He works closely with large-scale organisations to take the necessary actions for UN SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production, UN SDG 13 – Climate Action and UN SDG 15 – Life on Land amongst many others. Kamal has been managing global partnerships and programmes with key stakeholders like companies, financial institutions, civil society organisations, sustainability standards and governments to halt deforestation and improve the livelihood of smallholders connected to commodities like palm oil.
Kamal is a board member of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and co-chair of its ‘Assurance Standing Committee’ and ‘Shared Responsibility Working Group’. He is also a member of the RSPO’s ‘Standards Review Steering Group’ and been part of the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) ‘Expert Review Panel’, COP26’s Forest, Agriculture and Commodity Trade – FACT Dialogue’s Global Multi-stakeholder Taskforce, UNDP’s Green Commodity Community, OECD-FAO’s Multi-stakeholder Advisory Group on Responsible Agricultural Supply Chains and Zoological Society of London’s Technical Advisory Group for SPOTT platform for palm oil.
Rueban Manokara is the Global Lead of the Carbon Finance and Markets Taskforce, WWF. He oversees the policy development and implementation efforts related to carbon finance within WWF’s networks. Rueban also serves as a Technical Advisory Body member of the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation, the carbon reduction programme administered by the UN’s International Civil Aviation Organisation. Rueban previously served in the National Climate Change Secretariat in the Strategy Group, Prime Minister’s Office, Singapore as Singapore’s lead negotiator for Article 6 at the UNFCCC and coordinated the development of Singapore’s carbon market policy.
David Fogarty joined The Straits Times in 2014 and became Climate Change Editor in September 2019, building on years of experience reporting on climate change, carbon markets and biodiversity. He is currently Deputy Foreign Editor at The Straits Times and a senior climate writer. David started writing science news stories in 1986, including the relatively new area of climate change, while studying science at university in Canberra. He has worked for newspapers in Australia, Britain and Hong Kong. He joined Reuters in Hong Kong in 1994 as a desk editor and shifted to Singapore in 1997, all the while maintaining a strong interest in climate change and the environment. From 2008 to 2012, he was Reuters’ first Climate Change Correspondent. After Reuters in 2013, he did media consulting for a group of US foundations, mainly focusing on environmental issues in Indonesia.
Jovi is Associate Editor at The Edge Singapore, a print business weekly focused on Singapore-listed stocks and investing strategies for the region. A recipient of the CDL-Singapore Press Club Sustainability Journalism Award, Jovi covers sustainability, sustainable finance, banks and REITs.
Business leader, campaigner, co-author of “Net Positive: how courageous companies thrive by giving more than they take”, a Financial Times Business Book of the Year. #3 Thinkers50.
Paul Polman works to accelerate action by business to tackle climate change and inequality.
As CEO of Unilever (2009-2019), Paul demonstrated that business can profit through purpose, marrying a long-term, multi-stakeholder model with excellent financial performance. During Paul’s tenure, shareholders saw their returns increase by 290% while the company consistently ranked 1st in the world for sustainability.
Today Paul works across a range of organisations to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which he helped develop. This includes his work to drive systems change with Systemiq and bold new industry coalitions, including in fashion and food. Until 2024, he led the UN Global Compact, is an Ambassador for the Race to Zero, and works to develop our next generation of leaders, through the Oxford University Saïd Business School, INSEAD, One Young World and others. Paul’s actively campaigns on a range of human rights issues, including promoting disability inclusion through the Valuable 500 and the Kilimanjaro Blind Trust, which he set up with his wife Kim. Follow him on twitter and sign up to receive his newsletter here. More on www.paulpolman.com.