Speakers

Bio

Ayu Abdullah is the Executive Director at Energy Action Partners, an international nonprofit focused on collaborative energy access initiatives. With over fifteen years’ of international experience in renewable energy, energy access, and energy transition policy, she has developed small-scale mini-grids and led energy-related capacity building programs in South and Southeast Asia, as well as East Africa. Ayu is also co-creator and Managing Director of the Community Energy Toolkit (COMET), a demand exploration software tool for rural mini-grids. She is also a part of the Sabah RE2 Consortium, made up of civil society organizations working towards deploying renewable energy mini-grids for sustainable and universal energy access in Sabah, Malaysia.

Bio

Azmir started his career in CIMB under “The Complete Banker” management trainee programme in 2009. Currently, he is a Director in Islamic Commercial Banking and prior to that, he had a diverse exposure of 10 years in the frontline with CIMB Corporate Banking as well as CIMB Private Banking. Azmir had obtained his certificate of Certified Expert in Sustainable Finance from the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management in 2021. He was instrumental in structuring the CIMB GreenBizReady proposition which was launched in Feb'21, a one-stop sustainability solution for companies by leveraging on unique offerings of various associates (including key government agencies). Azmir is a Capital Markets Representative License (CMSRL) holder for Dealing in Securities with the Malaysian Securities Commission and he is a Certified Financial Technician (CFTe) by the International Federation of Technical Analysts (IFTA). He had also obtained his certificate of Certified Qualification in Islamic Finance (CQIF) and Islamic Financial Planner (IFP) from the Islamic Banking and Finance Institute Malaysia (IBFIM).

Bio

I am a climate change economist. Climate change, energy, and project management are my area of interest. As co-director for Policy under the MENTARI, policy and regulatory reform is one of the prominent agendas to accelerate the penetration of the renewable energy in Indonesia. My education background provides a stong ground for my support to expedite the energy transition. I worked with international institution in several coutnries in related to the climate change and energy sector.

Bio

After graduating from the Tashkent State Technical University in 2006, Shamsiev Bakhtiyor Khamidillaevich worked as a Duty Electrician of the electric substation at Central Main Power Transmission Lines “Uzzlektroset”, (SJSC Uzbekenergo). In 2008, he went to work at the Central Dispatch Service (now the National Dispatch Center (NDC)) of the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Uzbekistan, where he worked his way up from a dispatcher to the head of the Electrical Modes Service of the NDC. In 2012, he moved to the International non-governmental non-profit organization Coordination and Dispatch Center ""Energia"" as a dispatcher 2016 he was appointed Deputy Head of the Power Systems’ Electrical Modes Department. Since 2019, he is currently the Head of the Power Systems’ Electrical Modes Department. In parallel, since 2015, he has been providing consulting services in regional projects.

Bio

Dr. Bambang Susantono is the Vice-President for Knowledge Management and Sustainable Development of the Asian Development Bank. He is a distinguished global leader, published author and active researcher. He is responsible for managing knowledge in ADB and coordinating research and studies on wide-ranging topics including in economy, infrastructure, digital technology, health, education, social, urban, water, energy; and cross-cutting nexus themes such as climate change, environment, gender equality, and regional cooperation.

He holds a Ph.D. in Infrastructure Planning, as well as Master’s degrees in Transportation Engineering, and City and Regional Planning from UC Berkeley and a Bachelor’s in Engineering from the Bandung Institute of Technology.

Bio

Ms. Barani Aung is the Managing Director of Techno-Hill Engineering Co., Ltd., a local Minigrid developer and operator, who has a vision to provide affordable clean energy access to Rural Myanmar Communities. Techno-Hill Engineering Co., Ltd., is leading by Ms. Barani Aung, who had more than 10 years' working experience in Singapore and had graduated from Singapore as well. She has experience of Data Centre infrastructure, water quality measurement system, newater system, remote monitoring system, etc. Barani Aung was also used to be a former employee at Singapore Technology Electronics (Data Centre Solutions), Willoglen, and CNA Group in Singapore. Ms. Barani Aung and her team are now actively involved in one of the energy sectors, the rural electrification program (Rural Development). She and her team constructed 20 Solar Minigrids (total 2MW) and providing 24-hour electricity to more than 7,000 households in remote island villages. Techno-Hill’s minigrids were awarded the ASEAN Green Energy Award and the 5th ASEAN Rural Development and Poverty Eradication Leadership Award. Now Ms. Barani Aung and her team are going to provide the service for the Solar Dryer, cold chain and water pumping for fisheries and agricultural products at all the minigrid villages.

Bio

A serial entrepreneur with rich international experience across several business verticals, spread over continents; Barun Aggarwal is the head as well as the heart behind Breathe Easy Consultants Pvt Ltd. His personal mission as well as primary business objective is to facilitate clean breathable air by providing highly effective air purification solutions to individuals, homes, companies and other indoor commercial spaces. Driven by his passion, Barun actively engages in creating awareness campaigns on climate crisis, and in disseminating the message of environment stewardship (especially amongst school children). He has also co-founded an NGO, ‘Care for Air’ to help create awareness about air pollution and health hazards associated with it.

Bio

"Barun Aggarwal is the founder and CEO of BreatheEasy Consultants Pvt Ltd He has co-authored a book – “How to Grow Fresh Air”, published by Juggernaut books. He serves on many national and international boards and committees to create standards & policies around air quality. He is a Climate Reality leader trained by Vice President Al Gore. His passion for the environment, takes him around the world to speak on air quality and climate change. He teaches a course on Human Wellness in the Built Environment at the School of Planning & Architecture, New Delhi as visiting faculty. He is even more passionate about the social impact of outdoor air pollution and has co-founded an NGO – Care For Air (www.careforair.org) – that creates awareness about air pollution and its health effects in India. The goal of Care for Air is Awareness, Advocacy and Change."

Bio

"Bastiaan Teune is a seasoned manager of cooking-energy projects predominantly in Southeast Asia. In 2005, he became part of the INGO SNV, which operates in water, agriculture, and energy sectors across more than 20 countries. During his time with SNV in Vietnam, he dedicated seven years to an award-winning biogas program and another seven years at SNV in Laos, where he created a market for improved cookstoves. In 2020, Bastiaan transitioned to SNV in Cambodia, where he scales up the innovative Smoke-Free Village approach. This intervention accelerates the transition from firewood to electricity by village-level behavioural change communication. Smoke-Free Village is being replicated in other countries. Bastiaan’s projects contributed to improved and clean cooking for hundreds of thousands of households, financed by carbon investors, foundations, and bilateral and multilateral donors, including the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The energy-access platform EnDev has been a long-standing donor."

Bio

Mr. Mungunkhishig Batbaatar works as the Country Director for People in Need (PIN) Mongolia. Before taking up his role in Mongolia, Mr. Mungunkhishig served UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office in Bangkok, Thailand, as Knowledge Management Specialist supporting 13 Country Offices in 27 countries in the region on education and climate issues. Previously he worked for UNICEF Mongolia as a knowledge management officer and consultant for over five years. Prior to this period, he worked for government agencies - the National Center for Public Health, the Ministry of Health Mongolia, and international organizations such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO), and Research Triangle Initiatives (RTI) International. He earned his master's degree in Development Policies and Practices from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, Switzerland, and his degree of BS in Development Communication from the University of the Philippines Los Banos. About PIN Mongolia People in Need has been operating in Mongolia since 2009. We strive for Mongolia, where local communities are strengthened, respective of human rights, and empowered to be the drivers of change and equal opportunities. Apart from providing emergency relief, PIN builds the capacities of cooperatives, small and medium enterprises, civil society organizations, and local authorities, supports sustainable living, strengthens higher education, promotes environmental protection, and raises awareness about air pollution.

Bio

Bayan Abylkairova is an energy and legal expert with extensive experience collaborating with national governments, international donors, and development banks. With a background in project management, Bayan successfully managed a UNDP energy efficiency project and played a key role in the development of the Energy Saving Law and energy-efficient construction standards in Kazakhstan. She has also coordinated EBRD and ADB energy projects focusing on green economy initiatives, district heating reforms, and renewables. Since October 2017, she has been serving as Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP) for two USAID Central Asia energy projects, taking the lead for renewable energy, gender, and education initiatives. Bayan holds a Master of Law from the University of Manchester, UK (2008), and has received numerous accolades from organizations such as UNDP, the Ministry of Energy, and the Renewable Energy Association for her exceptional achievements in promoting clean energy development.

Bio

Bayan Abylkairova has extensive experience working with national governments, donors, and IFIs as energy and legal expert, project manager and DCOP for regional projects in the areas of clean energy and low carbon development. She was involved in the development of Energy Saving Law, energy efficiency construction standards, renewable energy legislation and education programs. As Deputy Chief of Party of the USAID Central Asia energy projects she works on improvement of policy and regulatory framework for RE investment in Central Asia, including RE auctions, off-taker creditworthiness, RE grid connection, bankability of power purchase agreements. Bayan also leads gender and clean energy education activities and participates in different workshops and conferences. Bayan received several awards for winning spirit and outstanding achievements, and valuable input to renewable energy development. She graduated from Kazakh National Law Academy and awarded Master of Law (LLM) from the University of Manchester, United Kingdom.