Empowering the future: Clean energy innovations, regional cooperation and integration, and financing solutions.
2 – 6 June 2025 | ADB Headquarters, Manila
Speaker 2022
ACEF 2022 speakers represent a wide range of stakeholders and practitioners from the global clean energy arena.
ALL SPEAKERS
Prashant Kapoor
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Prashant Kapoor
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Bio
A champion of sustainable built environments, Prashant Kapoor is a passionate advocate for sustainable solutions that align the interests of businesses, financial institutions, governments, and civil society. He is the entrepreneur who created EDGE (“Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies”) to mainstream resource-efficient buildings in emerging markets. EDGE is free software, a green building standard, and an international green building certification system. More than 40 million square meters of floor space has been EDGE certified globally. Prashant is currently leading the APEX Green Cities Program that supports cities to transition to low-carbon and resource-efficient growth pathways. As a part of the Program, he has developed the APEX online app that allows cities to map out different action plans and evaluate their cost, feasibility, and impact. Under his leadership, IFC has created a green buildings portfolio that totals more than US$6.4 billion. Before joining IFC, Prashant was a director at WSP consultants in London where he led the sustainability strategy and masterplanning business. He holds architecture degrees from Manipal Institute of Technology (India) and a master’s degree from Oxford Brooks University (UK).
Priyanka kaushal
IIT Delhi
Priyanka kaushal
IIT Delhi
Bio
Prof. Priyanka kaushal is a faculty at the Centre for Rural Development and Technology (CRDT), Indian Institute of Technology Delhi. Prof. Kaushal is a Chemical Engineer by training, she did her graduation and doctoral research in chemical engineering. Prof. Kaushal has worked near the interface between Energy Systems, Society and Climate Change for last eighteen years. Prior to joining IIT Delhi, she has worked with TERI, RENET Austria, Dalhousie University, Canada, Institute of Sustainable Energy, Environment and Economics, University of Calgary, Canada. At IIT Delhi, Prof. Kaushal is working on technology development, designing and evaluating pathways to decarbonize the energy and material systems in India. Over the years, she has successfully delivered bi-lateral, multi-lateral, public and private funded projects. She has co-authored more than 85 publications to date.
Queentries Regar
RAKARU
Queentries Regar
RAKARU
Bio
Queentries is a gender and business specialist. She co-founded RAKARU utilizing her solid project management skills with women participation and empowerment in the economy as her forte. She has expertise in working with businesses, government, consulting firms, NGOs in entrepreneurship programs for women and youth. With nearly a decade of experience in effecting change at the nexus of gender, business, and investment, Queentries has delivered more than 50 tailored trainings and facilitations on gender and business and gender lens investing. Additionally, she has co-produced various knowledge assets such as practical GESI guidelines for business, and business cases of gender. ssets such as practical GESI guidelines for business, and business cases of gender.
Rachel Kyte
The Fletcher School at Tufts University
Rachel Kyte
The Fletcher School at Tufts University
Bio
Rachel Kyte is the 14th dean of The Fletcher School at Tufts University. Kyte is the first woman to lead the United States' oldest graduate-only school of international affairs, which attracts students from all corners of the world and at all stages of their careers. Kyte is a member of the UN secretary-general’s high-level advisory group on climate action and an advisor to the UK presidency of the UN climate talks. Kyte is co-chair of the Voluntary Carbon Markets Integrity Initiative (VCMI), and chair of the FONERWA, the Rwanda Green Fund. She serves on the boards of the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG), the Climate Policy Institute and CDP. She advises investors, governments, and not-for-profits on climate, energy, and finance for sustainable development.
Rajiv Kumar
Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI)
Rajiv Kumar
Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI)
Bio
Mr. Rajiv Kumar is working with Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), which is the principal financial institution of Government of India for promotion, financing and development of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprise (MSME) sector. Mr. Rajiv is heading the Green Climate & Energy Efficiency Centre of SIDBI at New Delhi which is actively engaged in Green Financing of MSMEs. He has executed several multilateral & bilateral programs on Energy Efficiency financing in MSMEs. He is a Mechanical Engineer with Masters in Economics and Post Graduate Diploma in Financial Management.
Randi Kristiansen
UN ESCAP
Randi Kristiansen
UN ESCAP
Bio
Randi Kristiansen is an Economic Affairs Officer with United Nations ESCAP Energy Division. With UN ESCAP she works on a broad range of connectivity issues across the Asia-Pacific Region, but has a special focus on cross-border connectivity for the power sector. Before joining UN ESCAP Randi worked for the IEA in the Renewable Integration and Secure Electricity Unit, where she advised governments in Southeast Asia, China and India on matters related to renewables integration, cross-border power trade and power system flexibility. Earlier in her career she worked for the Danish Transmission System Operator on implementation of European Network codes as well as a power trader, trading in various European markets. She holds a masters in Economics from Aalborg University.
Reena Suri
India Smart Grid Forum
Reena Suri
India Smart Grid Forum
Bio
Reena Suri, Executive Director with India Smart Grid Forum (ISGF) since 2013, brings over 21 years of experience in the Energy Sector. She is responsible for the research projects, advisory services, business development, training and capacity building programs, customer outreach activities, members relations and finances of ISGF. Reena has been leading various initiatives to increase gender diversity in the energy sector. Reena has contributed to the various advisory services, whitepapers and research reports and pilot implementation projects of ISGF such as: Implementation Plan for Electrification of Public Transportation; Blockchain for Electric Utilities; Energy Storage Roadmap for India; Smart Grid Roadmap; Development of Roadmap for Implementation of Smart Grid and electric Vehicle Infrastructure in SAARC Region; and World Bank EV Project: EV Ecosystem Support for Kolkata. Reena is the founder-editor of the Smart Grid Bulletin published by ISGF since January. As an outreach specialist, she has been involved in development of the Customer Outreach programs for the utilities implementing the Smart Grid projects in India. Reena has been leading various initiatives to increase gender diversity in the energy sector. The initiatives lead by her were helpful in enhancing networking and mentoring programs for women; creating awareness of and technology amongst women; and attracting women to technical education and showcasing role models.
Rico Hizon
CNN PHILIPPINES
Rico Hizon
CNN PHILIPPINES
Bio
Rico Hizonis the award-winningnews anchor of CNN Philippines´ evening primetime general news program THE FINAL WORD weeknights at 9pm and the weekly business and finance program THE EXCHANGE Fridays at 8pm. Rico recently won the Asian Television Awards for Best News Anchor and his daily weeknight program The Final Word won Best News Program
Romeo Montenegro
Mindanao Development Authority
Romeo Montenegro
Mindanao Development Authority
Bio
He currently serves as Deputy Executive Director of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), the Philippine government’s economic think tank in the island region of Mindanao. He actively pursues collaborations with the country's power industry stakeholders and leads MinDA’s advocacy work on renewable energy and energy transition. He was also chiefly responsible for securing grant support from key international development partners for agriculture-linked RE projects in off-grid areas in Mindanao. He obtained his Masters in Public Administration at the Ateneo de Davao University; studied Peace Journalism at the University of Sydney; graduated at University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) Agribusiness Executives’ Program; and went through Executive Leadership Development Program at National University of Singapore. His immense knowledge of Mindanao honed over 25 years of extensive peace and development work has deepened his institutional insights that helped guide local and multi-national companies from across diverse sectors move along sound investment direction.
Romeo Pacudan
Ricardo Energy and Environment
Romeo Pacudan
Ricardo Energy and Environment
Bio
Dr Romeo Pacudan is a Technical Director/Senior Power Specialist at Ricardo Energy and Environment (United Kingdom). He is responsible for Ricardo’s power sector business development and at the same time taking the technical lead in power sector transition projects in Asia and the Pacific region. He has more than 25 years of experience in energy/power sector development and has carried out assignments from various governments, the private sector, and multilateral organizations. Prior to joining Ricardo Energy and Environment, Romeo was the Interim CEO of the Brunei National Energy Research Institute, and as Associate Professor of the Universiti Brunei Darussalam. He has also worked in international organisations such as the German International Cooperation (GIZ) (Germany), Risoe National Laboratory (Denmark) and Asian Institute of Technology (Thailand). Romeo Pacudan holds a PhD in Energy Economics from Universite Grenoble-Alpes (France) and Master of Engineering in Energy Technology from the Asian Institute of Technology (Thailand).
Ronald Jumeau
SIDS DOCK
Ronald Jumeau
SIDS DOCK
Bio
Ambassador Ronald (Ronny) Jumeau is a former Cabinet Minister and Ambassador of the Republic of Seychelles. He was Cabinet Secretary in the President’s Office, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador to the United States, Canada, Brazil, Cuba and Jamaica and Roving Ambassador for Climate Change and Small Island Developing State Issues. He represented Small Island Developing States on the Green Climate Fund board, the world’s largest fund helping developing countries address climate change and was Chair of the Global Island Partnership and a member of Seychelles’ delegations to the United Nations climate change conferences from 2007 to 2021. He was most recently Chair of SIDS DOCK, the SIDS’ sustainable energy and climate resilience organisation, and is currently its Roving Ambassador for the Ocean. He is now a consultant and advisor to government and civil society nationally and internationally on climate change, conservation, sustainable development, and the ocean.
Ronan Ferguson
CCA
Ronan Ferguson
CCA
Bio
Ronan is a Senior Manager in the Ventures and Market Building team within CCA. Prior to CCA he worked for Accenture Development Partnerships, a consulting firm with a focus on working with social enterprises, predominantly in Sub-Saharan Africa