GREENTECH FESTIVAL SPEAKERS

Fatou Jeng has 7 years’ experience in the climate and gender space and currently serves as one of the appointed youth climate advisors to the United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres. She founded the youth-led NGO Clean Earth Gambia and co-led the Women and Gender working group of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Youth Constituency (YOUNGO). Clean Earth Gambia has mobilized and worked with over 3000 young Gambians in environmental protection through capacity-building, volunteering, and various educational initiatives. The organization has worked with the government of The Gambia and development partners including UNICEF, and has planted over 35,000 trees to date.

Ghislain Irakoze is the founder and CEO of Wastezon, a Rwandan deep tech social enterprise that enables consumers and manufacturers to recover and valorize e-waste materials efficiently through AI-enabled materials traceability. Wastezon is redefining systemic refurbishment of e-waste materials to generate low-cost and quality vetted devices to tackle Africa’s digital divide and e-waste pollution. The startup has so far recovered and remanufactured over 590 tons of e-waste, mitigating 35190 metric tons of avoided carbon emissions. Prior to founding Wastezon, Ghislain successfully organized the “Recycle for Environment” Campaign involving over 200 Rwandan students in creative waste recycling. He is a current Board Member of the Global Greengrants Fund and a former Youth Think Tank Researcher of Mastercard Foundation. To follow and support Ghislain’s work, visit wastezon.com

Ayisha Siddiqa is a Pakistani human rights and land defender serving as a Youth Climate Advisor to the UN Secretary General. In 2020, she co-founded Polluters Out, a global youth activist coalition, and helped launch the Fossil Free University, an activism training course. As part of her activism, Ayisha has helped organize multiple school strikes for climate action that mobilized hundreds of thousands of young people. Her expertise in lobbying around climate negotiations has earned her recognition as a strategist among national and youth delegations in the UNFCCC. Ayisha was recognized on the cover of TIME magazine, as one of the Women of the Year 2023. To follow and support Ayisha’s work, visit futuregenerationstribunal.com

Anna Alex is a serial entrepreneur and angel investor dedicated to addressing significant challenges in climate and nature. She recently founded her third company, NALA Earth, which quantifies biodiversity and nature for companies. Prior to this, she established Planetly and Outfittery. Anna’s Wild&Free Animal Fund supports organizations combating livestock farming.

Christian Feuerherd has been the CEO of BEW Berliner Energie und Wärme (former Vattenfall Wärme Berlin AG) since September 2022, which manages the entire value chain from the generation and provision to the sale of heat in the capital.

Kovar joined Deere in 2000 and spent most of her career in positions in channel and product management, where she gained a deep understanding of customers’ requirements. She has developed an extensive background in precision technologies, beginning with her move in 2010 to the company’s Intelligent Solutions Group as Manager of Portfolio Management. Later positions included Division Sales Manager, Director, Production & Precision Ag Marketing, and Director, Global Operator Stations. Kovar grew up on a Wisconsin dairy farm and earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural business management from the University of Wisconsin and an MBA from Loyola University in Chicago.

Arizona is one of the fashion sectors most highly regarded champions for sustainability. She has been a model for the past 13 years, engaging with brands such as Prada, YSL and Chanel for their shows and campaigns as well as gracing the covers of magazines such Dazed and Confused, Numero, and over 40 covers of Vogue titles around the world. As well as her work with organisations such as Greenpeace, The Sustainable Angle and UN organizations including UNDP, UNEP and UNFAO, she also uses her influence to raise funds for her charity DIRT which was launched in 2021 and she still runs herself.

Florian Eickhold started in 2004 with the development of climate policies and solutions at Ecofys after graduating as Scientist of Latin American Studies at the University of Cologne focussing in his education on environmental economics and international politics. He designs sustainable carbon market and climate finance projects and innovates key elements of corporate or public climate change strategies. Currently he works as independent senior consultant for various organisations. At atmosfair for example he leads the negotiations with host countries on corresponding adjustments and the product development for a “Paris-aligned” project portfolio.

Juliette joined the NewClimate Institute in January 2023 to work on climate and development issues and on carbon markets. Prior to that, she worked 15 years at WWF Germany as an Advisor on European climate policy, focusing on the EU Emissions Trading Scheme and carbon markets. She started her career at oekom Research (Munich) and Vigeo (Paris), both rating agencies for Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) investment. Juliette de Grandpré holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Sciences-Po Strasburg and a Master’s degree in European Public Law from the Institute for European Studies (Brussels).

Until 2013 different positions within E.ON-group. Since 2013 at Volkswagen Group starting as head of energy supply. Since 2020 responsible for Volkswagen group-wide development of climate-protection projetcts and management of the respective certificates as well as delivery of a solution to completely decarbonize the use-phase of battery-electric vehicle-fleet.

Katja Heintschel von Heinegg, M.E.S. is director general of the German Advertsising Selfregualtory Organisation “Deutscher Werberat” and director of the German Advertising Federation “ZAW”. From 2011 to 2022 she was the chair of the selfregulatory committee of the European Advertising Standards Alliance (EASA). She is a lawyer and holds a Master Degree in European Studies.

Sebastian is a serial entrepreneur and author. He co-founded companies such as Blinkist and Neue Narrative and gave up 90% of his personal wealth to dedicate it to good causes. He’s also a member of the initiative taxmenow and an advocate for a higher taxation of wealth, inheritance and capital gains.

Fiona Fussi is one of the most successful international models and actresses out of Singapore. Growing up in a multi-cultural home has instilled in her a love for travel and languages. Since her rise to fame, Fiona has been the first Asian face for Chanel Beauty, as well as the global face for some of the world’s biggest brands like Clarins, L’Oreal Paris and Charlotte Tilbury, flying and working across the globe in Paris, London, Seoul and Beijing. As an actress, she starred as one of the lead actresses for the highest-rated English drama series in Singapore, “Last Madame”, now screening worldwide on Netflix and HBO Go.

Kiro is the founder at BRVE, a venture studio building and investing in the next generation of companies at intersection of sustainability, technology, and culture. Prior to this, Kiro was a partner at Venturerock (a global venture capital firm) and founder at Eco Labs, a next-gen blockchain advisory firm that successfully onboarded some of the largest environmental entities into web3. Kiro sits as an advisor for Rewild and Earthed, and is also a graduate from Ivey Business School in Ontario, Canada.

Lars Jessen was born in Kiel in 1969. After studying history at the University of Cologne, Lars Jessen completed a course in film/television at the Cologne Academy of Media Arts. For years, Jessen has successfully directed numerous television formats such as TATORT as well as many other series or television plays. Most recently, LEGEND OF WACKEN. He has directed six feature films, which have been shown at numerous international festivals. His adaptation of the novel MITTAGSSTUNDE was the most successful arthouse film in German cinemas in 2022. In addition to his writing and directing work, Jessen has also been working as a producer and partner at Florida Film since 2015 and is co-founder of the agency Planet Narrytives.