Speakers

Bio

Dr Jinlong Ma is a Professor at Tianjin University, China, and Vice President of APEC Sustainable Energy Center (APSEC). Prof Jinlong Ma’s experience include energy system planning, renewables, power sector development, energy management and energy efficiency, electricity market and rural electrification. One of the main research themes currently at APSEC is energy transition solutions in APEC member economies. With hands-on experience in many Asia and Pacific countries’ energy sectors, Jinlong previously held senior managerial and technical positions at international technical advisory firms, global energy corporation, and research institutions. Jinlong’s qualifications include PhD, energy economics from Melbourne University; M. Eng., energy policy and planning from Asian Institute of Technology; and B.Eng (Electric) from North China University of Electric Power. He is a member of Institute of Electric and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), International Association of Energy Economics (IAEE), and fellow of Australian Institute of Energy (AIE).

Bio

Dr. Ma Jun is the Founder and President of Institute of Finance and Sustainability, Chairman of Sprinkles (HK) Charity Foundation, Chairman of Green Finance Committee of China Society for Finance and Banking, Chairman of Hong Kong Green Finance Association, Co-Chair of the Steering Committee of the Green Investment Principles for the Belt & Road, Chairman of the Capacity-building Alliance of Sustainable Investment (CASI), and Co-Chair of IPSF Taxonomy Working Group. In the past years, Dr. Ma served as Co-Chair of G20 Sustainable Finance Working Group (SFWG), and chairs of two workstreams of the Central Banks and Supervisors’ Network for Greening the Financial System (NGFS). Between 2018 and 2020, Dr Ma was the Director of Center for Green Finance Development at Tsinghua University. During 2014-17, Dr. Ma served as the Chief Economist at the People’s Bank of China (PBOC)’s Research Bureau. Between 2018-21, he was a member of the PBOC’s Monetary Policy Committee. Before joining the PBOC, he worked for 13 years at Deutsche Bank, where he was Managing Director/Chief Economist/Investment Strategist for Greater China. During 1992-2000, he worked as a senior economist and economist at the World Bank and the IMF. From 1988-1990, he was a research fellow at the Development Research Center of China's State Council. Dr. Ma is a globally renowned policy advocate and effective practitioner for green and sustainable finance and has received numerous awards for his research and policy advocacy. He led the drafting of China’s green finance guidelines and its first green bond taxonomy during 2015-16; he initiated and facilitated a range of global consensuses on scaling up green finance under the G20 framework during 2016-22; he initiated and led the drafting of the Green Investment Principles for the Belt & Road in 2018; he initiated the idea and then co-led the effort to develop the Common Ground Taxonomy under the International Platform for Sustainable Finance (IPSF) in 2019-2023. Dr. Ma received his Ph.D. in Economics from Georgetown University in 1994, and Master's Degree in Management Science from Fudan University in 1988.

Bio

Ms. Ma. Celeste A. Burgos is Senior Vice President for Land Bank of the Philippines and is currently the Head of the Corporate Banking Group, in charge of lending to the top borrowers of the Bank. Her vast career of more than 30 years as a banker has been dedicated to the Bank’s lending operations. Having filled in various credit-related key positions, her expertise involves the provision of responsive and timely financial assistance and other interventions to different types of clientele, from Landbank’s mandated sector – the small farmers and fishers, to other priority sectors which include agri and aqua related businesses, local government units, countryside financial institutions, small and medium enterprises and private businesses engaged in programs aligned with the priorities of the Philippine Government aimed to promote inclusive growth.

SVP Burgos has also been involved in financing various renewable energy projects and supported programs, partnerships and initiatives that complement the government’s thrust to develop and optimize the use of electricity from renewable sources.

Bio

"Madhurima Sarkar-Swaisgood is the Economics Affairs Officer in Disaster Risk Reduction at the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP). She has a PhD in Public Health Management and Epidemiology from Florida State University. Before joining ESCAP she was a Senior Researcher at Ohio State University. At ESCAP, she focuses on the intersections between disasters, climate and health and the pathways to build resilience to systemic risks emerging from the impacts of multiple hazards and climate risks in the Asia Pacific region. She is a key author of the 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2023 Asia Pacific Disaster Reports- a flagship publication of the United Nations. She also leads the development of the ESCAP Asia Pacific Risk and Resilience Portal and has over 30 publications in various peer reviewed journals. Her current work focuses on assessing economic and non-economic impacts of climate change and disasters and developing capacity building tools on hazard and climate risk analysis and climate adaptation for policymakers to support risk informed decision making across economic and social sectors."

Bio

Dr. Adhikari has over 30 years of management experience in renewable energy technologies in government, private, INGOs, bilateral & multilateral development agencies and government institutions. He is a Senior Renewable Energy Expert having rich experiences in the areas of policy, planning, resource mobilization & financing, fundraising, business development, technology & engineering, and training and capacity developments. He has published papers in different journals, news papers, given a number of radio and TV interviews, presented papers in national and international workshops, seminars, supervised and evaluated a number of bachelor and master level thesis, and taught master level courses in renewable energy.

Bio

Madura Watanagase is the Manager for Competitive Procurement at USAID Southeast Asia’s Smart Power Program (SPP). Her main role at SPP is to establish a Center for Competitive Procurement, which will serve as a one-stop-shop for resources and assistance on procuring energy and energy services. She is also part of the team that oversees the Corporate Clean Energy Alliance, a USAID initiative that brings together like-minded corporations to share ideas, strategize, and advocate for policy that expands opportunities for clean energy investment and procurement. Before joining SPP, Madura worked on its predecessor program, USAID Clean Power Asia, which supported the government of Laos to design the country’s first solar pilot auction. As an RE policy specialist, she developed the evaluation criteria for the solar pilot auction. Prior to entering the energy field, Madura was an economic research assistant at the Federal Reserve Board and consultant at the World Bank, respectively. Madura holds a B.A. Hons in Economics from Williams College and an M.A. in International Development from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

Bio

Madura Watanagase is the Manager for Competitive Procurement at USAID Southeast Asia’s Smart Power Program (SPP). Her main roles at SPP are to establish a Competitive Procurement Center, a one-stop-shop for resources on energy and energy services procurement, and to expand opportunities for fair and competitive clean energy investment and procurement. Prior to SPP, Madura worked on its predecessor program, USAID Clean Power Asia, which supported the government of Laos to design the country’s first solar pilot auction. As an RE policy specialist, she designed the evaluation criteria for the solar pilot auction. Before entering the energy field, Madura worked as an economic research assistant at the Federal Reserve Board and a consultant for the World Bank, respectively. Madura holds a B.A. Hons in Economics from Williams College and an M.A. in International Development from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

Bio

Magdalena Kouneva specialises in development finance and possesses a strong familiarity with the international architecture for sustainable development, with significant experience designing and implementing a wide range of financing products and innovative financial instruments. Between 2009-2018 she was the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)’s advisor for development finance in the finance and planning ministries in Rwanda, Malawi, and Papua New Guinea. In this position, she designed and managed UNDP’s support and strengthened capacities and systems for financing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). From 2019-2020, she supported the European Commission in introducing a new generation of EU guarantees for private sector operations in Africa and EU-neighbouring countries under the European Fund for Sustainable Development, implemented in partnership with European and international multilateral banks and development finance institutions.

Bio

Mr Mahendra Singhi is an Affable and cheerful person. He is one of the five global Climate Defenders recognized by BBC World. Mr Singhi is Managing Director and CEO of Dalmia Cement, a prominent cement manufacturing group in India ranked no.1 globally by CDP on Low Carbon Economy Transition and appreciated by the UN Secretary-General on climate innovation. Dalmia Cement has already committed in 2018 to become carbon negative company by 2040. Dalmia Cement follows the business philosophy of Clean and Green is profitable and sustainable & is having one of the lowest carbon footprints in cement globally. Dalmia is one of the sustainably growing cement company with 30 million Tonnes capacity.

In the past, he headed Shree Cement Ltd. For 20 years which was adjudged as New Sustainability Champion by WEF during his tenure at Shree in 2012. He has represented the business and cement sector globally in the most recognized multi-country platforms such as the UN Climate Ambition Summit 12th Dec. 2020, Climate Action Summit of UN General Assembly on 23rd Sept. 2019 on the invitation of UN Secretary-General; Paris Climate Agreement Ceremony on invitation from Ex. UN Secretary-General, Mr Ban ki-Moon; Global Climate Action in COP-24 on the invitation of UNFCCC Executive Secretary, Ms Patricia Espinosa; High-Level Govt.-Business dialogues invited by French Presidency. Mr Singhi has more than 40 years of work experience in the cement sector.

Mr Singhi also serves the following organizations and commissions in India and abroad:

1. COP 26 Business Leader
2. Chairman - National Council for Cement and Building Materials (NCCBM) India
3. Commissioner, Energy Transitions Commission (ETC), London, U.K.
4. Commissioner, High-Level Commission on Carbon Pricing and Competitiveness, World Bank Group, U.S
5. Director, Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA), London. The U.K.
6. Director, World Cement Association (WCA), London
7. Chair, Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA), India
8. Member, Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders, World Economic Forum
9. Co-Chair, TERI Council for Business Sustainability (TERI-CBS), India
10. Immediate past President of Cement Manufacturing Association (CMA) India
11. Member, Climate Change Council in Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), India

Academic Qualification – Science & Law Graduate & Chartered Accountant (21st Rank)

Bio

Mahfuz is currently working as Project Manager- EU Switch Garment project for GGGI Cambodia. He joined GGGI HQ in Seoul, South Korea in August 2019 and later in March 2021 he was mobilized to GGGI Cambodia Team. In GGGI Cambodia, Mahfuz is managing a sustainable energy portfolio including Switch Garment project, ESCO Eco system development project as well as capacity building for industrial energy efficiency i.e. USAID funded project “Creating Jobs in Sustainable Garment Sourcing”. Prior to joining GGGI he worked as Senior Advisor- Sustainable Energy for GIZ Bangladesh. Mahfuz started his sustainable energy career in 2009 by joining Bangladesh’s leading renewable energy and energy efficiency financing company named Infrastructure Development Company Limited. Over the past one decade he was involved in several sustainable energy interventions namely Solar Home Systems, Solar irrigation, solar minigrid, solar roof-top as well as energy efficiency interventions for industries. Mahfuz holds Masters’ degree in Renewable Energy from the University of Oldenburg, Germany.

Bio

Mahua Acharya, MD & CEO, Convergence Energy Services Limited (CESL) Mahua Acharya is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of state-owned energy transition company, Convergence Energy Services Limited of the Government of India. She holds a master’s degree from Yale University. Mahua has over two decades of experience in carbon markets, renewable energy and organizational management across different countries. She has lived in five countries and worked in over twenty-five. Prior to her role at Convergence, Mahua was the Assistant Director-General of a new multilateral organization the Global Green Growth Institute. She is one of the early pioneers of the carbon market working at the World Bank in Washington DC during the days of the market’s inception. Mahua is co-founder faculty of an executive education program at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, serves on the boards of multiple international entities, and has appeared on international and Indian listings of women in leadership. Through her work at CESL, she leads the development of an electric-vehicles ecosystem in India. She is working to enable deployment of electric three wheelers, cars, and electric buses at scale. She is also involved in the buildout of charging stations across the country.

Bio

Malchutar Kingnet is a professional in the field of renewable energy and digital utility business development. She specialized in renewable energy-related policy engagement, working directly with governments and companies in addressing and transform the challenges of environmental sustainability and promoting the growth of renewable energy and EAC market mechanism. As the Head, Renewable Energy Business Section at EGAT, Malchutar oversees and directs responsible for renewable energy business related activities for EGAT and strategic transformation in Thailand and ASEAN. She has over 10 years working experience in various aspects of business development including renewable energy, decarbonization, technology and innovation. Malchutar holds a LL.B. in Laws, a Master’s degree in Business Administration in Thailand and a minor degree in marketing, media and global communication from University of California, Irvine.