Speakers Profile | REvision2019: Renewable Revolution | Events

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Adnan Z. Amin
Director-General, International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)

Adnan Z. Amin is the Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), currently serving his second term. In 2011, he was elected as IRENA's first Director-General and during his tenure, IRENA has achieved near universal membership and grown to become the global authority on renewable energy.
The Agency today provides the world community with a strong, international co-operation framework to accelerate the energy transformation.
Prior to joining IRENA, he served as Head of the UN System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB) Secretariat, and led the Secretariat for the UN Secretary-General's High-level Panel on United Nations System-wide Coherence in the Areas of Development, Humanitarian Assistance and the Environment. He also served as the Director of UN Environment Programme's (UNEP) New York Office.
He has more than 25 years of experience in renewable energy, sustainable development and environmental policy. He is a development economist from Kenya.

Arthouros Zervos
Professor, National Technical University of Athens
Chairman, the Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21)

Arthouros Zervos has been Chairman and CEO of the Greek electricity utility Public Power Corporation (PPC) as well as Chairman of the PPC Renewables, both from 2009 to 2015.
He has more than 35 years of high level expertise in policy, science, research and technology across the renewable energy sector. He led key European and International renewable energy bodies and has acted as policy advisor to Governments, EU bodies and policy fora.He has been President of the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) from 2001 to 2013, President of the European Renewable Energy Council (EREC) from 2000 to 2012 and President of the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) from 2005 to 2010. In 2013 he received the “Poul La Cour” prize for outstanding achievement in wind energy.
He is a graduate of Princeton University with a Bachelor and Master Degrees of Science in Engineering as well as a Ph.D. Degree from the Université P. et M. Curie (Paris 6).

Heymi Bahar
Project Manager, Renewable Energy Division, International Energy Agency (IEA)

Heymi Bahar works at the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Renewable Energy Division as the project manager of Renewables Report, the IEA’s annual market analysis and forecast on renewable energy. Before IEA, Heymi worked as a trade policy analyst at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) where he analysed domestic inventive measures for renewable energy sources with possible trade implications. He also worked on cross-border trade in electricity and the development of renewables-based electric power. Heymi graduated from Sabanci University and holds a Master degree on Energy, Resources and Environment from the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies of Johns Hopkins University.

Ben Backwell
Chief Executive Officer, Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC)

Ben Backwell is a leading commentator and strategist in the renewable energy sector. Prior to joining GWEC, he was a Managing Director at FTI Consulting, one of the world’s largest advisory firms, advising companies in the clean energy sector on strategy, communications, and government affairs, including work on a number of major M&A transactions.
Previously, Ben worked as a journalist and analyst for 20 years, covering energy policy and markets around the world. He helped design the SolutionWind campaign for the European Wind Energy Association (now WindEurope) ahead of COP21 in 2015, before joining FTI Consulting. He has taken part in the work of a number of industry organizations, including the board of GWEC, the IRENA Business and Investor Group, the IEA’s Renewable Energy Industry Advisory Board, Solar Power Europe, and others. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at international conferences.
Ben is the author of two books on the wind industry as well as a number of reports and white papers on power markets and policy frameworks. His book Wind Power, the struggle for control of a new global industry,” (Routledge 2015, 2nd Revised Edition 2017) has been described as the “definitive” story of the global wind industry.
He holds an MSc in Political Science from the Institute of Latin American Studies, University of London and speaks Spanish and Portuguese as well as his native English.

Li Junfeng
Professor, Strategy and Planning Department, National Center for Climate Change Strategy and International Cooperation (NCSC)

From 2011 to 2016, Li Junfeng served as Director General of National Center for Climate Change Strategy and International Cooperation (NCSC), where he currently serves as a professor. He is also a member of National Energy Advisory Council, a member of Expert-committee of National High-tech Program, a member of National Environmental Scientific Committee, a member of Expert-committee of National Energy Administration Energy Internet and he also serves as a consultant of low carbon development for Beijing, Shanghai and Shanxi Provincial People’s Government. Meanwhile, he is invited to be the professor and doctoral supervisor by Peking University and Renmin University and other colleges and universitie of China. From 1982 to 2011, he worked in Energy Research Institute (ERI) of National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and served as the Deputy Director General of ERI and the Chair of the Academic Committee of ERI for more than 10 years. He was awarded Ninth Annual Zayed Future Energy Prize Lifetime Achievement Award in January 2017.

Miho Kurosaki
Head of Japan and Korea Research, BloombergNEF

Miho Kurosaki leads analysis and research on energy industry in Japan and Korea. The team covers topics including impact of the energy market liberalization, new downstream business models and the future of electrified transport. She served as a committee member of climate change advisory panel for Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Prior to joining BNEF, she developed Bloomberg’s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) analytics platform as Bloomberg’s senior ESG analyst. She also worked for a London based environmental research firm as an analyst covering environmental risks in portfolio management. Miho holds an MSc in Environmental Technology from Imperial College London and a BA in Economics from Keio University.

Dörte Fouquet
Partner, Becker Büttner Held (BBH)

Dörte Fouquet leads the Brussels office of the law firm Becker Büttner Held (BBH) since January 2011. With more than 30 years of experience, she is a recognized international expert in the areas of energy, environmental and competition law. She is a trusted expert partner of the European institutions. Her client base includes government authorities, non-profit organisations, academic institutions and private companies. She is also Director of the European Renewable Energies Federation (EREF), thus constantly working with renewable energy associations on national and European level. Board member of Renewable Energy Institute.

Peter Jørgensen
Vice President, Energinet Denmark

Peter Jørgensen has been employed in the Danish power supply industry for 30 years. He has been responsible for planning of the Danish electricity system as well as opening of the electricity market. He has represented Denmark in the international TSO organizations Nordel, ETSO and ENTSO-E with respect to system development and electricity markets. His current responsibilities include development of the international electricity infrastructure and electricity markets with focus on integration of renewable energy. Peter Jørgensen is in charge of Energinet’s subsidiary Energinet Associated Activities including Energinet’s international consultancy services.

Hiroshi Okamoto
Executive Vice-President, TEPCO Power Grid, Incorporated

Hiroshi Okamoto is currently the Executive Vice President in charge of corporate planning at TEPCO Power Grid, Inc. He started his career with TEPCO in 1993 immediately after he obtained BS, MS and PhD degrees in Electrical Engineering from University of Tokyo. Since then, he has worked for project management of electric power system including Ultra High Voltage (UHV) transmission, renewable energy integration to the power grid, smart grid strategy, international consultancy services for the several power companies and regulatory affairs of the electricity market.
Since June 2017, he has been EVP of TEPCO Power Grid. Prior to the current position, he served as Executive Managing Officer of TEPCO, President of TRI(TEPCO Research Institute) and Secretary General of the New Growth Task Force.
In 2017, he jointly published a book “Utility 3.0: Game change in energy industry 2050”. He also published many articles and books.
He is member of Advisory Committee on Transmission and Distribution of International Electro-technical Commission (IEC/ACTAD), Vice Chairman of Japanese National Committee of CIGRE (International Large Scale Power System Conference), Director of Japan Science Foundation and active member of IEEE, IEEJ, GO15 and IUWG.

Ruggero Aricò
Head of Institutional Affairs, Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania, Enel Green Power SpA

Ruggero Aricò graduated in Law at the University of Messina, Italy in 1999 and he was admitted to the Bar in 2002. He joined Enel in 2000 at the Institutional and International Affairs Department. In 2003 he moved to Brussels to manage the institutional relations with the European Union, in particular he worked very closely to the European Parliament. After 5 years, he moved to Moscow as Head of External Relations for Russia & CIS Countries and in 2010 he moved to Algiers as Head of External Relations for Algeria. Since March 2016 he is the new global Head of Institutional Affairs for Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania in Enel Green Power.
Ruggero has an extensive experience in international relations, governmental affairs, energy regulation and legislation. He spent most of his life outside Italy, he speaks fluently several foreign languages and he is often invited as visiting professor in universities worldwide.
Last year he has been also appointed Vice President of “Confindustria Assafrica & Mediterraneo”, the General Confederation of Italian Industry association for the development of Italian businesses in Africa, the Mediterranean and the Middle East.

Wang Zhongying
Acting Director General, Energy Research Institute (ERI) , National development and Reform Commission (NDRC), China

Since 1996, Wang Zhongying has carried out research in ERI of NDRC, on new and renewable energy policy, renewable energy development decision making system, energy system optimization, and strategy and planning research for energy, economy and environment harmonization development. 　　
Over twenty years, Prof. Wang has provided support to central government sectors, mainly including National People’s Congress, National Development and Reform Commission, National Energy Administration, Ministry of Science and Technology and other related government sectors, regarding renewable energy legislation, strategy, policy and planning research and drafting, as well as to local governments for energy planning and commercial stakeholders for consulting services. Meanwhile, he has rich experience in international renewable energy cooperation projects which were entrusted by central government sectors. In addition, he is the co-author of the outstanding researches hosted by the international authorative organizations.

Hugo Lucas Porta
Head of the Department of Regulatory Framework and Corporate Strategy for the Energy Transition, Institute for Diversification and Energy Saving (IDEA)

Hugo Lucas is an agriculture engineer from the Polytechnic University of Madrid, Spain (UPM), and Master in the energy sector from the Federal Polytechnic University of Lausanne, Switzerland (EPFL). Since March 2014, he has been an adjunct professor at the School of Environmental Studies at York University in Toronto.
He has 20 years of experience in the private sector, as well as in the public sector and multilateral institutions, working on the design and implementation of support mechanisms for the promotion of renewable energies and energy efficiency. He has been deeply involved in the discussions for the European Renewable Energy Directive 2020, as well as in the establishment of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) where　he led for four years the directorate on Policies, Financing and Knowledge Management. Currently, he is working on the design and implementation of the policies and measures necessary for the fulfilment of the objectives of Spain in terms of energy transition.

Jeffrey Mikulina
Executive Director, The Blue Planet Foundation

Jeff Mikulina is the Executive Director of the Blue Planet Foundation, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to clear the path for 100% clean energy in Hawaii and beyond. Through collaboration and advocacy, Blue Planet champions scalable policies and programs to transform Hawaii’s energy systems to clean, renewable energy solutions. Among other accomplishments, the organization led the successful public campaign to make Hawaii the first state in the nation with a 100% renewable energy mandate. Jeff’s interests include disruptive technology, public policy, and impact of social norms on behavior. He received a Master of Science degree in engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign studying decision theory.

Sanghoon Lee
President, New and Renewable Energy Center, Korea Energy Agency

Sanghoon Lee is President of New and Renewable Energy Centre, Korea Energy Agency since July 2018. Before joining the Agency, he started his contribution in the energy sector as Executive Director in the Korean Federation for Environmental Movement (KFEM) from 1993 to 2008. As his excellency, he continued for climate change mitigation and renewable energy dissemination in Climate Change Center in Se-Jong University as a researcher.
This was followed up by his contribution in Green Energy Strategy Institute as Director. For his desire of involving in climate issue continuously, he is now in MOTIE (Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy) Renewable Energy Policy Council as a member since 2003, and New and Renewable Energy Institute as President since 2004.

Yasuhiro Matsuyama
Director-General, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Department, Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry

Yasuhiro Matsuyama joined the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI), now the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), in 1992. After serving as a LONDON-based JETRO researcher on renewable energy in Europe, from 2009 to 2012, he returned to METI and assumed a series of executive positions including Director,Petroleum and Natural Gas Division, Executive Assistant to the Minister, Director,New and Renewable Energy Division, Director,Policy Planning and Coordination Division, before posted to the current position in 2018.

Hiroshi Komiyama
Chairman, Mitsubishi Research Institute, Inc. / Director-General, Center for Low Carbon Society Strategy (LCS), Japan Science and Technology Agency / President, Platinum Society Network

Hiroshi Komiyama, a prominent academic, scientist and engineer and leading authority in global sustainability, became Chairman of Mitsubishi Research Institute, Inc. in April 2009, after completing four-year presidency (the 28th President) at the University of Tokyo.
He obtained a PhD in chemical engineering at the University of Tokyo. His major fields of research include environmental engineering, advanced materials science and knowledge sharing. In 2010 he founded the 'Platinum Society Network' to achieve a sustainable society that solves environmental, aging, educational and economic issues.
He leads Japan and the world with his strong influence, extraordinary leadership and enthusiasm to achieve global sustainability. His major English books are “Vision 2050” (Springer, 2008), “Beyond the Limits to Growth” (Springer, 2013), and “New Vision 2050” (Springer, 2017).

Matthieu Ballu
Policy Officer, Directorate General for Energy, Renewable Energy Unit, European Commission

Matthieu Ballu works in the team in charge of defining and steering the EU’s renewable energy policy at the European Commission’s Directorate General for Energy. The EU adopted in December 2018 its new legislative framework for the promotion of renewable energy towards 2030.
Matthieu Ballu worked for the past 12 years on European energy and climate policies, both domestic and international. Prior to joining the European Commission he worked as a consultant for environmental organisations and businesses in the field of energy efficiency and for the French Government representation to the EU. He has a background in political science and international relations.

Yongsung Cho
President, Korea Energy Economics Institute

Yongsung Cho became President of the Korea Energy Economics Institute in July 2018. He is also a member of the Committee on Green Growth Korea and division chairperson on climate change and air quality for the Korean Ministry of Environment’s National Environmental Policy Council. Completing his Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota at St. Paul in 1996, he held positions with Korea University through to 2018. His research interest is energy and climate policy in Korea in a comparative context, particularly emission trading schemes and the development/deployment of cleaner and more efficient renewable energy technologies and policy measures. Between 2006 and 2016, he led the Climate Change Specialization Program research project with the support of the Ministry of Environment. He has twice been the recipient of the Minister of Environment’s Award, in 2007 and 2014.

Hideo Suzuki
Ambassador, Assistant Minister for Global Issues / Director-General for Global Issues, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Having joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1985, Hideo Suzuki was posted as First Secretary of the Delegation of Japan to the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development in 1999 and became Counsellor of the Delegation in 2002. In the same year he also had the roles of Senior Coordinator and then Principal Senior Coordinator in the Policy Coordination Division of the Foreign Policy Bureau. From 2004 he was appointed to the post of Director of the Grant Aid Division in the Economic Cooperation Bureau, and then Director of the European Policy Division in the European Affairs Bureau from 2006. From 2008 to 2011 he served in the Embassy of Japan in the United States, first as Counsellor and then as Minister. This was followed by a posting as Deputy Chief of Mission of the Embassy of Japan in Viet Nam from 2011 to 2014. He then served as the Deputy Director-General of the North American Affairs Bureau (Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau) until his appointment in 2015 as the Deputy Chief of Mission of the Embassy of Japan in Korea. He took up his current position in 2017.

Hiroshi Ono
Deputy Director General, Global Environment Affairs, Ministry of the Environment

Tomas Kåberger
Chair of Executive Board, Renewable Energy Institute

Tomas Kåberger has been the Chair of Executive Board of Renewable Energy Institute since its foundation in 2011. Academically, he got an MSc in Engineering Physics, a PhD in Physical Resource Theory, and Docent in Environmental Science at Chalmers. He has been professor in International Sustainable Energy Systems at the International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics at Lund University, and he is currently affiliate Professor of Industrial Energy Policy at Chalmers University of Technology.
Industrially, he has had leading roles in companies providing fuels and technology in the bio-energy industry, another company developing sustainable energy solutions for the automotive industry, and a company operating wind power plants. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Vattenfall, and as Industrial Growth Executive of the European company InnEnergy.
Politically, he has served on board of Swedish and European Environmental Citizen’s organizations, several Swedish Government Committees developing energy and environmental legislation, and China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development as a member of a task force on Low-Carbon Industrialization Strategies. From 2008 until 2011 he was Director General of the National Swedish Energy Agency. He is also a member of the Swedish Climate Policy Council established in 2018.

Takejiro Sueyoshi
Vice-Chair of Executive Board, Renewable Energy Institute

After graduating from University of Tokyo, Takejiro Sueyoshi joined the Mitsubishi Bank (the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ) in 1967 and worked for the bank until 1998. During his years with Nikko Asset Management as Deputy President, he was appointed as a member of the UNEP FI Steering Committee.　In addition to the involvement in the UNEP FI activities in the Asia Pacific Region, he is giving many educational speeches about environmental problems and CSR/SRI in various government councils, seminars, universities and TV programs. Former member of the Council for Japan’s Prime Minister on Climate Change Policy, a Trustee member of Carbon Disclosure Project and Chairperson of WWF Japan since September 2018.
His publications include “Ondanka Kogi　(A lecture on Global Warming)” (Toyo Keizai), “Yugai Rensa (Chain of Harmfulness)” (Gentousha), “Green New Deal” (Editor,Kankyou Shinbun), “Saishin CSR Jijyo( The Newest Book on CSR)”(Hokuseido).

TeruyukiOhno
Executive Director, Renewable Energy Institute

Joined Renewable Energy Institute in 2013. Teruyuki Ohno has actively participated in the policy formation of Japan’s climate change measures as a member of the subcommittee of the Long-term Low Carbon Vision led by the Ministry of the Environment Japan. Before joining the Institute, he served as the Director General of the Bureau of Environment, Tokyo Metropolitan Government for three years, covering a broad range of environmental issues including energy, climate change, waste management, pollution control, natural environment, and sustainable development. His notable achievements include reducing air pollution and PM emissions through “No Dirty Diesel Vehicle Strategy in Tokyo”, and implementing Japan’s first Cap-and-Trade Program in Tokyo in 2008, involving the industries and building a grand consensus. His active leadership in promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency has formed the foundation of Tokyo’s energy policy. He also serves as part-time lecturer at the University of Tokyo, a member of Seoul International Energy Advisory Council (SIEAC) and Adviser for ICLEI Japan and Board Member for WWF Japan.
He was awarded Haagen-Smit Clean Air Awards by California Air Resources Board in 2014. His publications include "Energy Strategies of Municipality Governments" (Iwanami, 2013, Japanese) among others.

MikaOhbayashi
Director, Renewable Energy Institute

Mika Ohbayashi is a founding member and Director at Renewable Energy Institute since 2011. Before joining the Institute, Ohbayashi worked for International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in Abu Dhabi as Policy and Project Regional Manager for Asia Oceania. She served as Deputy Director at Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies for 8 years since its establishment in 2000. She also worked for UKFCO at the British Embassy to Japan, as Advisor for Climate Change Projects and Policies before joining IRENA, and started her carrier in the energy field by joining Citizens' Nuclear Information Center in 1992. She coordinates many scientific study projects, takes leadership to team up various networks including national parliamentarians and local authorities, domestically and internationally to improve sustainable energy society. She was awarded the Global Leadership Award in Advancing Solar Energy Policy by the International Solar Energy Society (ISES) in 2017.

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Speakers Profile REvision2019: Renewable Revolution

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