Speakers

Bio

Agnes C. de Jesus is the Chief Sustainability Officer of the First Philippine Holdings Corporation (FPH) from 2014 to the present. Before this, she was Senior Vice President for Environment and External Relations and at the same time the Compliance Officer of the Energy Development Corporation (EDC). Because of her comprehensive knowledge and experience on environmental management social impacts and governance of more than 25 years, she was selected by an international panel as part of Asia’s Top Sustainability Superwomen Honor List in 2018. On September 18, 2021 she was selected as one of Diligent’s 2021 Modern Governance 100 from across four continents under the ESG and Diversity Trailblazer category. Since April 7, 2022 to the present, she is a member of the SDG Stakeholders' Chamber of the Philippine National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) on the Working Group on Peace, Security and Governance. Ms. de Jesus contributes to the sustainability field through the other responsibilities entrusted to her by several organizations. She is a member of the Advisory Council of the Business for Sustainable Development - Philippines since 2014 and a Program Committee Member of the Forest Foundation Philippines from 2017-2021. She is also a country reviewer of World Bank environmental and social safeguards and a trainer in the Philippine Learning Center for Environment and Social Sustainability. She served as Chairman of the National Steering Committee of the UNDP Small Grants Project in 2011, an environmental consultant of Kenya Geothermal Program from 1998-2011, and the Environmental Editor of the International Journal of Geothermal Research and its Applications from 1996-2004.

Bio

Physics engineer with a master degree in solar power from 2000 and a solar and RE expert with over 20 years of experience working with governments, multilateral financial institutions, and the private sector including commercial lenders, investors and project developers and including policy advisory. Has taken part in the development of over 50 PV solar energy projects (utility scale, floating PV, mini-grids, hybrids and off-grid), working in 5 continents and more than 50 countries, including several countries in the Pacific. Has a deep knowledge covering design, engineering, procurement and construction of PV and CSP plants and he is also an expert in solar parks (India and South Africa). He has proven individual and team experience as advisor, team leader, transaction advisor as well as solar expert in several projects.

Bio

Consultant from the Pacific Floating Solar TA-6680 REG Deputy team leader, FPV, instrumentation and grid expert. Physics engineer with a master degree in solar power from 2000 and a solar and RE expert with over 20 years of experience working with governments, multilateral financial institutions, and the private sector including commercial lenders, investors and project developers and including policy advisory. Has taken part in the development of over 50 PV solar energy projects (utility scale, floating PV, mini-grids, hybrids and off-grid), working in 5 continents and more than 50 countries, including several countries in the Pacific. Has a deep knowledge covering design, engineering, procurement and construction of PV and CSP plants and he is also an expert in solar parks (India and South Africa). He has proven individual and team experience as advisor, team leader, transaction advisor as well as being the solar expert in several projects. He is the deputy team leader for TA-6680 Preparing Floating Solar Plus Projects under the Pacific Renewable Energy Investment Facility.

Bio

Mr. Ali is currently the Director General of the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Technology, Republic of Maldives. He is also the appointed board member of the SAARC Energy Centre since 2009. With over 20 years of experience in the energy sector, Mr. Ali plays a crucial role in the planning and development of the Maldives energy sector. He was actively involved in formulating the Maldives energy policies and strategies including the Maldives National Energy Policy and Strategy and Maldives Scaling Up Renewable Energy Investment Plan. Mr. Ali completed his undergraduate studies at Islamic University of Technology, Bangladesh. He completed Master of Engineering from Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand and Master of Business Administration from Anglia Ruskin University, UK.

Bio

Mr. Ali is currently the Director General of the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Technology, Republic of Maldives. He is also the appointed board member of the SAARC Energy Centre since 2009. With over 20 years of experience in the energy sector, Mr. Ali plays a crucial role in the planning and development of the Maldives energy sector. He was actively involved in formulating the Maldives energy policies and strategies including the Maldives National Energy Policy and Strategy and Maldives Scaling Up Renewable Energy Investment Plan. Mr. Ali completed his undergraduate studies at Islamic University of Technology, Bangladesh. He completed Master of Engineering from Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand and Master of Business Administration from Anglia Ruskin University, UK.

Bio

Ahmed joined ADB in 2019 and has significant prior leadership experience in both government and the private sector. He is currently responsible for overseeing ADB’s operations in East Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific.

Between 2004 and 2008, Mr. Saeed served in senior roles at the US Treasury. He was an advisor to the Secretary of the Treasury (2004-05) and the later Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for the Middle East and Africa, with responsibility for US economic diplomacy and financial engagement across 68 countries (2005-08). Ahmed has worked closely with two Secretaries of the Treasury (John Snow and Hank Paulson). He was deeply involved in a number of significant debt relief exercises (for Liberia, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq) and laid the basis for what became the Santiago Principles for sovereign wealth funds.

Prior to joining ADB, Ahmed spent close to eight years as Managing Director and head of JPMorgan’s coverage for finance ministries, central banks and sovereign wealth funds across the Middle East and North Africa. He has raised over $100 bn in financing for governments, including the debut sovereign bond issuances for several sovereigns and the largest ever sovereign bond offerings in emerging markets (twice). Mr. Saeed began his career as a lawyer at White & Case. In the late 1990’s he led technology related businesses in the UK, US and Japan, raising over $150 m for companies in which he was a key principal. Mr. Saeed holds a Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Chicago Law School and a Master of Business Administration in Finance from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, as well as a BA (Economics and Political Science) from McGill University. He is a former White House Fellow and a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Bio

I am a confident, enthusiastic and qualified development practitioner, trainer and a lecturer with more than 20 years of extensive experience in the areas of community development, governance, gender, and project management. I also have worked and have extensive experience in local governance. I currently work (since 2015) as a Social Expert (Gender and Community Development) in an ADB funded project, Preparing Outer Islands Sustainable Energy Development (POISED), under the Ministry Environment, Maldives. Prior to joining the current assignment I was the first CEO of the Local Government Authority and previously worked in the area of community development and capacity development for the outer island communities at various capacities in the Ministry of Atolls Development, Maldives. I received my PhD in Development Studies from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, and Master’s degree and a Post Graduate Diploma in Development Studies from Australian National University, Australia, and a Bachelor’s degree from Islamic University, Saudi Arabia.

Bio

Shukry is a confident, enthusiastic and qualified development practitioner, trainer and a lecturer with more than 20 years of extensive experience in the areas of community development, governance, gender, and project management. He also has worked and have extensive experience in local governance. He currently works (since 2015) as a Social Expert (Gender and Community Development) in an ADB funded RE project, Preparing Outer Islands Sustainable Energy Development (POISED), under the Ministry Climate Change, Environment and Energy, Maldives. Prior to joining the current assignment he was the first CEO of the Local Government Authority and previously worked in the area of community and capacity development for the outer island communities at various capacities in then the Ministry of Atolls Development, Maldives. He received his PhD in Development Studies from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.

Bio

Aiming Zhou currently is the Deputy Country Director concurrently Country Operations Head in the PRC Resident mission since April 2023. He was the Senior Advisor to the Vice President (Operations 1) at Asian Development Bank (ADB) from January 2020 to April 2023．He supported VP for operations in the South Asia Department and the Central and West Asia Department and committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable regions. He was a Principal Energy Specialist and a Senior Energy Specialist in Energy Division of South Asia Regional Department (SAEN) of ADB from 2016 to 2019. Before joining SAEN, he was a Senior Energy Specialist (2013-2015) and an Energy Specialist (2009-2012) in Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department, where he oversaw ADB's clean energy activities, coordinated ADB's efforts in clean energy development, climate change mitigation and provided technical support to ADB's energy related operations in low carbon development. From 2011-2015, Aiming Zhou served as the chairperson of Asia Clean Energy Forum. Prior to joining ADB in 2009, he worked with Alliance to Save Energy (2008-2009), University of Delaware (1999-2008) in the United States and Energy Research Institute of National Development and Reform Commission in People’s Republic of China (1997-1999). He received a Doctoral degree in Energy and Environmental Policies from University of Delaware. He also holds Master degree in System Engineering (Economics) from Tsinghua University, and Bachelor degree in Energy Engineering from University of Science & Technology Beijing.

Bio

Aishwarya leads the Learning Initiatives and Publications unit at the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, supporting key initiatives including DRI Connect, CDRI’s digital engagement, learning and co-creation platform, the Fellowship Programme, CDRI’s longest running programme, and the Young Professionals Programme. She anchors the CDRI-led Community of Practice on Resilient Infrastructure for Energy Transition, launched in 2022 with the objective of fostering multi-stakeholder collaboration and knowledge exchange around the climate and disaster resilience of energy infrastructure. Ms Pillai has over two decades of experience in designing communications, collaborative learning and knowledge management initiatives across sectors and thematic areas.

Bio

Dr Ajay Mathur is the Director General of the International Solar Alliance (ISA). At ISA, his focus is on enhancing solarization of the world, and convincing leaders of the world that solar is the energy supply choice of preference. Towards this end, ISA provides, advocacy; analysis of policy; financial capacity strengthening; and solar project preparation in LDCs and SIDs. 103 countries are today members of the ISA. ISA is the only international organization headquartered in India, and was created by PM Modi of India and President François Hollande of France at the Paris Climate Negotiations in 2015. Dr Mathur was earlier in the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, and at The Energy and Resources Institute as its Director General.

Bio

Mr. Ohashi holds a Master’s degree in Astronautics from the University of Tokyo, where he specialized in liquid rocket engines and the management of cryogenic fuels, such as liquid hydrogen. He played a key role in the collaborative development of hydrogen transport ships with a major transportation company. After graduation, he transitioned into business development, merging his engineering expertise and data analytics skills to drive innovation. He has spearheaded the development of new business ventures across multiple ASEAN countries, including Vietnam, China, and Mongolia. Furthermore, he launched and managed an IT platform as the PMO, successfully guiding it to acquisition by a publicly listed company. Currently, as the CTO/COO at Sustech, he leads the design and development of the AI-based electricity management platform ELIC, with the mission of advancing a society powered by renewable energy and beyond.