Empowering the future: Clean energy innovations, regional cooperation and integration, and financing solutions.
2 – 6 June 2025 | ADB Headquarters, Manila
ACEF 2025 Speakers
ALL SPEAKERS
Deepak Mohapatra
Alliance for Rural Electrification
Deepak Mohapatra
Alliance for Rural Electrification
Bio
Deepak Mohapatra works as the Senior Officer – Business & Market Development at the Alliance for Rural Electrification (ARE), a leading global business association representing the decentralised renewable energy (DRE) sector for provision of energy access and energy transition in developing and emerging countries. He works closely together with more than 200 ARE Members, as well as international and local partners to improve market conditions, facilitate capacity building, and establish favourable environment enabling business for private sector companies in DRE space across the globe.Previously Deepak worked at a German NGO called ‘Lernen – Helfen - Leben e.V. as a Project Coordinator. He holds MSc. in Renewable Energy Management from Technical University of Cologne (TH Köln), Germany and B.Tech. in Electrical & Electronics Engineering from Biju Patnaik University of Technology (BPUT), India.
Deepti Mathur
Jaipur discom
Deepti Mathur
Jaipur discom
Bio
Ms. Deepti Mathur, is an Superintending Engineer with Jaipur Discom. She has been associated with the Energy Sector for last 35 years. Has a versatile experience in the distribution IT sector, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Has been part of the core team in implementing USAID/India Energy Conservation and Commercialization Project -II and has successfully implemented various Demand side management and Energy Efficiency projects. Has successfully implemented the Decentralised Solar Plants and Roof Top Solar programme . Presently working on the Digitalization of Utilities for Energy Transition (DUET) program which aims to co-create, co-design, and deploy tailored systems to support Indian distribution companies (DISCOMs) in digitalizing their grids and adopting AI-driven tools for network planning. These solutions will improve load flow analysis, reduce losses, and accelerate the integration of distributed renewable energy (DRE), BESS, and energy efficiency measures. This initiative will ensure reliable access to clean electricity for all end users, especially rural.A graduate in Electrical Engineering certified Energy Auditor she is passionate and keen enthusiast about DRE and emerging DRE downstream applications such as energy storage, EV charging and Smart Energy Management and DSM initiatives such as Demand Response and Time of the Day Tariff, which shall play a vital role in achieving India’s sustainable energy targets in the coming decade.
Dennis Umlas
Philippines Department of Energy
Dennis Umlas
Philippines Department of Energy
Bio
Dennis L. Umlas is a Senior Science Research Specialist at the Department of Energy (DOE). He holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Santo Tomas (UST) and is a licensed electrical engineer, having passed the licensure examination administered by the Board of Electrical Engineering.Prior to joining the DOE, he worked as a Distribution Engineer at the Manila Electric Company (MERALCO) under the South System Analysis Department. One of his key contributions was the formulation and prioritization of the annual planned maintenance projects for the Dasmariñas Sector of MERALCO.Currently assigned to the Power Planning and Development Division under the Electric Power Industry Management Bureau (EPIMB) of the DOE, Mr. Umlas is primarily focused on the advancement of the electric power industry in missionary and off-grid areas. His work involves the formulation and implementation of policies and programs aligned with the DOE’s mandate to ensure sustainable, stable, secure, sufficient, accessible, and reasonably priced energy for all.He also played an active role in the quinquennial development of the Missionary Electrification Development Plan (MEDP)—the Philippines’ strategic planning document for electrification in missionary and off-grid areas with a five-year outlook.In addition, Mr. Umlas is a member of the technical team supporting the Chairperson of the ASEAN Power Grid Coordination Committee (APGCC), where the Philippines currently holds the chairmanship. In this capacity, he contributes to regional efforts to strengthen cross-border electricity interconnection and cooperation among ASEAN member states.
Digvijay Sandhu
GSMA
Digvijay Sandhu
GSMA
Bio
Digvijay is a Senior Market Engagement Manager at the GSMA, leading initiatives under the Digital Utilities and ClimateTech programmes. He drives strategic partnerships with mobile operators, innovators, and governments to scale digital solutions in water, climate resilience, and financial inclusion across emerging markets. His work focuses on market strategy, stakeholder engagement and enabling impactful tech adoption.Digvijay brings a strong foundation in policy implementation, having contributed to several national and state-level initiatives across health, pollution and climate. He has worked on scaling India’s green bond market, with an emphasis on climate risk assessment and mitigation. He holds a degree in Economics from the University of Delhi and an MBA from the Indian School of Business.
Dileepa Karunarathna
Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka
Dileepa Karunarathna
Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka
Bio
Dileepa an electrical engineer by training and has more than 12years of experience in policy regulation of electricity sector. He has contributed as a presenter and panellist in a number of forums in India and Sri Lanka on matters related to renewable energy, financing in electricity sector, and regional energy cooperation. He graduated from the University of Moratuwa in 2011, with a BSc. (Hons) Degree in Electrical Engineering, and has also completed Master of Business Administration (Finance) and Professional part 2 of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (UK) qualification. He is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and Institute of Engineers Sri Lanka (IESL) Dileepa has been a world finalist in the 2010 IEEE President’s Change the World Competition and also has been awarded the Migara Ranathunge Trust award by the Institute of Engineers Sri Lanka (IESL) for industrial training.
Doan Eunice
GIZ
Doan Eunice
GIZ
Bio
Eunice Doan is the Country Representative for the Project Development Programme (PDP) at GIZ, where she is solely responsible for coordinating the implementation of PDP activities in Vietnam. Her work focuses on adapting clean energy solutions, with an emphasis on Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, and Process Heat technologies to the local context.The PDP, commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE) as part of the German Energy Solutions Initiative, aims to promote climate-friendly energy solutions by facilitating partnerships between German and European SMEs and local enterprises in 21 emerging markets. In Vietnam, Eunice supports the identification of market opportunities, the facilitation of business linkages, the coordination of technical advisory services, and the development of feasibility assessments. Her role draws on a practical understanding of local market conditions and regulatory frameworks to help ensure the successful implementation of Energy projects. Previously, she worked as a Senior Economic Officer at the Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ho Chi Minh City, where she assisted Dutch companies in exploring and entering the Vietnamese market. Her portfolio included sectors such as Water, Maritime, ICT, and Urban Mobility—fields closely aligned with sustainable infrastructure and climate resilience. This experience contributed to her familiarity with bilateral cooperation, stakeholder engagement, and responsible business practices, which continue to inform her current work in the energy sector.Eunice holds a Master of Science in Urban Management from Technische Universität Berlin, where she focused on sustainable urban development and international policy transfer. Her interdisciplinary background supports her role in bridging global energy initiatives with local implementation efforts.
Donglai Sun
Shanghai Maxtropy Data Technology Co., Ltd.
Donglai Sun
Shanghai Maxtropy Data Technology Co., Ltd.
Bio
Dr. Sun Donglai is a Professor-level Senior Engineer, Ph.D. Supervisor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and Chief Scientist of Smart Energy at the Chongqing Research Institute of Shanghai Jiao Tong University. He concurrently serves as a Researcher at the Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Research Institute and is the Founder and CEO of Maxtropy Technology Group. Dr. Sun holds a bachelor's degree and master's degree in Information Systems from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Burgundy (France), and completed postdoctoral research at Zhejiang University's College of Energy Engineering. He has been honored with prestigious titles including "Shanghai High-Level Overseas Returnee Talent," the "Pujiang Talent" award, "Young Elite Talent," and Jiangsu Province's "Double Innovation Talent." As Executive Secretary-General of the Professional Technical Committee for Industrial Metrology and Energy-Carbon Assessment Standards, he actively promotes the formulation of national industrial energy-carbon measurement standards.
Dr Aazir Khan
Aliera UK
Dr Aazir Khan
Aliera UK
Bio
Dr. Aazir Khan is the Director of Aliera Ltd UK, developing climate action, mitigation and Energy Vehicle policies, technologies, and advocacy, which has been operating on projects in Pakistan since 2020. He is also Director at the Integrated Engineering Centre of Excellence and Assistant Professor at the University of Lahore.Featured in Forbes as a key driver of Pakistan’s electrification, he has appeared in over 50 op-eds, national and international press features, and keynote panels.Dr. Khan has 15 years of experience in commercial vehicle, EV and AI systems integration in the United Kingdom, EU, and the US working with Volvo, Mercedes, and Bentley. He also has another 15 years of postdoctoral and research work further in Ireland Italy, and Pakistan, focusing on alternative fuels, wind power, and green technologies attracting over USD 20 million in funding.He holds two master’s degrees from the University of Hertfordshire (UK) and Cornell University (USA), and a PhD from the University of Genova (Italy). He has led think tanks with European and Asian climate foundations, WWF, Muslim Aid, IMF, as well as Pakistan’s policymakers and governmental standing committees, and ministries.Founder of Pakistan’s EV oversight Community (PAKEVO.COM), he organized Pakistan’s first AI and EV expos, and several summits and policy work groups, (2021–25) and is a member of the Prime Minister of Pakistan Emerging Technologies Work Group, the Governor of Punjab’s Climate Action Committee, Pakistan Renewable Energy Coalition (PREC), National Energy Academic Network (NEAN), Pakistan Air Quality Experts Group (PAQx), and co-leads the Lahore Academic Alliance for Climate Action (LAACA)
Dr Aazir Khan
Aliera UK
Dr Aazir Khan
Aliera UK
Bio
Dr. Aazir Khan is the Director of Aliera Ltd UK, developing climate action, mitigation and Energy Vehicle policies, technologies, and advocacy, which has been operating on projects in Pakistan since 2020. He is also Director at the Integrated Engineering Centre of Excellence and Assistant Professor at the University of Lahore.Featured in Forbes as a key driver of Pakistan’s electrification, he has appeared in over 50 op-eds, national and international press features, and keynote panels.Dr. Khan has 15 years of experience in commercial vehicle, EV and AI systems integration in the United Kingdom, EU, and the US working with Volvo, Mercedes, and Bentley. He also has another 15 years of postdoctoral and research work further in Ireland Italy, and Pakistan, focusing on alternative fuels, wind power, and green technologies attracting over USD 20 million in funding.He holds two master’s degrees from the University of Hertfordshire (UK) and Cornell University (USA), and a PhD from the University of Genova (Italy). He has led think tanks with European and Asian climate foundations, WWF, Muslim Aid, IMF, as well as Pakistan’s policymakers and governmental standing committees, and ministries.Founder of Pakistan’s EV oversight Community (PAKEVO.COM), he organized Pakistan’s first AI and EV expos, and several summits and policy work groups, (2021–25) and is a member of the Prime Minister of Pakistan Emerging Technologies Work Group, the Governor of Punjab’s Climate Action Committee, Pakistan Renewable Energy Coalition (PREC), National Energy Academic Network (NEAN), Pakistan Air Quality Experts Group (PAQx), and co-leads the Lahore Academic Alliance for Climate Action (LAACA)
Dr. Arundhita Bhanjdeo
WRI India
Dr. Arundhita Bhanjdeo
WRI India
Bio
Dr. Arundhita Bhanjdeo is a Senior Research Specialist in the Energy program at WRI India where she works at the intersection of energy, rural livelihoods and equitable development. Prior to joining WRI, Arundhita worked with grassroots NGOs such as PRADAN, rural communities in Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar and Chhattisgarh, and research organisations such as IFPRI, IRRI and IMAGO Global Grassroots towards building a collaborative research space for co-developing development-driven research agendas on sustainable agrifood systems, women's collectives, rural migration and participatory research.Arundhita has a PhD in qualitative project evaluation as an ACIAR-John Allwright Fellow from Charles Sturt University, Australia, and Master's and bachelor's in philosophy from Lady Shri Ram College and Miranda House, University of Delhi. Subsequently, she was a Postdoctoral Research Associate with a sustainable food systems project led by the University of Cambridge.
Duan Xiumei
Director General of Department of International Green Finance & Cooperation (PMO of ADB Project)
Duan Xiumei
Director General of Department of International Green Finance & Cooperation (PMO of ADB Project)
Bio
Ms. Duan Xiumei, Senior Economist, Director General of Department of International Green Finance & Cooperation (PMO of ADB Project) of China National Investment & Guaranty Corporation (I&G). She has over 20 years’ experience in green finance and has involved in the design and implementation of projects including SMEs Finance Program funded by Beijing Municipal Bureau of Finance, World Bank/Global Environment Fund China Energy Conservation Promotion Project Phase II (ESCO Loan Guaranty Program), Air Quality Improvement in the Greater Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei Region—I&G’s Green Financing Platform Project (Phase I), and Air Quality Improvement in the Greater Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region—Green Financing Scale up Project (Phase II) financed by Asian Development Bank. The implementation results of the abovementioned projects have received wide acclaim and recognition from the industry.
Duncan Lang
Asian Development Bank
Duncan Lang
Asian Development Bank
Bio
Duncan Lang is part of ADB’s Environment Cluster within the Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department. Duncan is ADB’s lead for the Regional Flyway Initiative (RFI) which covers the East Asian-Australasian Flyway and aims to mobilize $3 billion for protection and sustainable management of wetlands over the next ten years. He led the biodiversity component of the recently approved Environmental and Social Framework, was the technical lead for the team that recently launched ADB’s inaugural Biodiversity and Nature Theme Bond. Duncan also led ADB’s support for the development of the Avian Sensitivity Tool for Energy Planning (AVISTEP) and he is also ADB’s focal for Sustainability Reporting.Duncan joined ADB in 2017 and has worked in the environment sector for over 20 years. Duncan has a wide variety of experience across a range of sectors as well as having a specialism in biodiversity.