The WRI Ross Center Advisory Group is comprised of thought and practice leaders from around the world who advise on our value proposition and strategy for delivering support to cities. Members include recognized experts and academics in the field of sustainable cities; strategic partners and donors; city leaders who have achieved tangible progress; and current practitioners who are making a significant difference in urban sustainability. Members represent diverse demographic, geographic and political perspectives; constituencies; and technical backgrounds.
Stephen M. Ross, Honorary Chair
Chairman and Founder, Related Companies
Stephen M. Ross is the Chairman and Founder of Related Companies. Formed in 1972, Related is one of the largest owners of affordable housing in the country and was named one of the 50 Most Innovative Companies in the World by Fast Company Magazine in 2017. Mr. Ross has received numerous honors for his business, civic and philanthropic activities. He was part of the Board of Directors of World Resources Institute (WRI) and established the WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities. Mr. Ross proudly serves as trustee on the executive committees of the Lincoln Center and New York – Presbyterian Hospital, and as a Director of the Board of Cornell Tech, the Jackie Robinson Foundation and the New York Stem Cell Foundation. He is frequently recognized by peers and industry associations for his leadership. In 2013, he pledged to give more than half of his estate to philanthropic causes and charitable organizations through The Giving Pledge, a long-term global initiative created by Warren Buffett and Bill and Melinda Gates that aims to inspire deeper engagement in philanthropy and to increase charitable giving globally. Mr. Ross graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Arts in business administration, from Wayne State University Law School with a Juris Doctor degree and from New York University School of Law with a Master of Laws in taxation. In 2004, the University of Michigan renamed its business school the Stephen M. Ross School of Business, and in 2011 the University awarded Mr. Ross an honorary degree, Doctor of Laws.
James A. Harmon
Chair Emerita of the Board, WRI
Chairman, Egyptian-American Enterprise Fund; Chairman, Caravel Management LLC League
James (Jim) A. Harmon is Chairman of the Egyptian-American Enterprise Fund, a private corporation seeded by the U.S. Government to promote the development of the Egyptian private sector, as well as Chairman of Caravel Management LLC. Jim is Co-chairman of the Board of World Resources Institute (WRI). He served as the Chairman, President and CEO of the Export-Import Bank of the United States from June 1997 to June 2001. Prior to the Export-Import Bank, Jim was Chairman and CEO of the investment bank Schroder Wertheim & Co. He received a BA in English literature from Brown University and an MBA in finance from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton Graduate School. He is Trustee Emeritus of Brown University and Barnard College.
Carolina Tohá
Minister of the Interior and Public Security, Chile
Carolina Tohá currently serves as Minister of the Interior and Public Security of Chile. She presides over the Fundación Instituto Ciudad (City Institute Foundation), a civil society organization dedicated to the promotion of urban policies centered on people, emphasizing equality and sustainability. From 2012 to 2016, she served as the Mayor of Santiago, Chile. During her term, she actively encouraged policies in favor of a sustainable transit system, prioritizing public transport, pedestrian, and cycling schemes. Tohá also acted as Co-chair of the High-Level Advisory Group on Sustainable Transport, convened by former United Nations General Secretary Ban Ki-moon. Before becoming Mayor, she worked as a Minister under Michelle Bachelet’s first government (2009), as a member of Chilean Parliament from 2002 to 2009, as Chile's General Under-Secretary during the Ricardo Lagos government from 2000 to 2001, and as President of the Partido por la Democracia (PPD) from 2010 to 2012.
Harini Nagendra
Director, Research Center, Azim Premji University, India
Harini Nagendra is Director of the Research Center at Azim Premji University and leads the University’s Center for Climate Change and Sustainability. Over the past 25 years, she has been at the leading edge of research examining conservation in forests and cities of South Asia from the perspective of both landscape ecology and social justice. For her interdisciplinary research and practice, she has received several awards including the 2009 Cozzarelli Prize from the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the 2013 Elinor Ostrom Senior Scholar Award and the 2017 Clarivate Web of Science Award. Her publications include the books “Nature in the City: Bengaluru in the Past, Present and Future” (Oxford University Press, 2016) and “Cities and Canopies: Trees in Indian Cities” (Penguin, 2019, with Seema Mundoli) as well as recent papers in Nature, Nature Sustainability, and Science. Professor Nagendra writes a monthly column, "The Green Goblin," in the Deccan Herald newspaper and is a well-known public speaker and writer on issues of urban sustainability in India. She is also the author of a historical mystery fiction series set in 1920s colonial Bangalore. Professor Nagendra was a lead author on the Fifth Assessment Report of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC AR5) reports, and a past science committee member of DIVERSITAS and the Global Land Programme. She engages with international science and policy through her involvement as a steering committee member of the Future Earth Programme for Ecosystem Change and Society, and the Future Earth Urban Knowledge Advisory Network.
Claudia López
Former Mayor, Bogotá, Colombia
Claudia López served as Mayor of Bogotá from January 2020 until December 2023. As Bogotá’s first female and first openly LGBTQ+ mayor, she had an emphatic focus on environmental, social and anti-corruption issues. López additionally served as Senator of the Republic of Colombia between 2014 and 2018 and ran as the Green Alliance Party's Vice-Presidential Candidate in the 2018 Colombian presidential election. As a senator, she set an example in the fight against corruption, with results never seen before, and became a prominent figure in the political arena. The public recognizes her tenacity and enormous capacity for collective action, which led her to make her way into academia and public service, becoming the first woman to be elected by popular vote to Colombia’s second most important office. Claudia López is a finance and international relations graduate from Universidad Externado de Colombia, holds a master’s degree in public administration from Columbia University and a PhD in political science from Northwestern University.
Jamshyd Godrej
Chairman of the Board, Godrej & Boyce Manufacturing Company Limited
Mr. Jamshyd N. Godrej is the Chairman of the Board of Godrej & Boyce Manufacturing Company Limited. He graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology. Mr. Godrej is the former Chairman of Ananta Aspen Centre (previously known as Aspen Institute India), and Chairman and Trustee of Ananta Centre. He is the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation, India Resources Trust, and the Council on Energy, Environment and Water. He is a Director of ClimateWorks Foundation and World Resources Institute. He is a Trustee of the World Wide Fund for Nature – India. He is also a Trustee of the U.S.' Asia Society. He is also a member of the Board of Governors of the Centre for Asian Philanthropy and Society. He is the past President of Confederation of Indian Industry and of the Indian Machine Tool Manufacturers’ Association. Mr. Godrej is the Chairman of the CII Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre; the Centre is housed in a LEED platinum-rated demonstration building and was the first green building in India and the greenest building in the world at the time of its rating. The Green Business Centre is a center of excellence for green buildings, energy efficiency, energy conservation, non-conventional energy sources, water policy, water conservation and more. Godrej and Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd. manufactures and markets refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners, office furniture, home furniture, security equipment, locks and latches, forklift trucks and warehousing equipment, process equipment (for chemical, petrochemical, refineries and allied industries), precision tools (for sheet metal, zinc and aluminium), and real estate development. The Godrej Group are leaders in home appliances, consumer durables, office equipment, industrial products, consumer products and services. Mr. Godrej is an ardent yachting enthusiast and has done extensive cruising along the west coast of India, the Baltic and North Sea, the Atlantic Ocean and in the Mediterranean Sea. The President of India conferred on Mr. Godrej the “Padma Bhushan” on April 3, 2003.
Dirk Messner
President, German Environment Agency (UBA)
Professor Dr. Dirk Messner assumed the office of President of the German Environment Agency (UBA) in January 2020. He is also the Co-director of the Käte Hamburger Kolleg (Centre for Global Cooperation & Research) at the University of Duisburg-Essen. Previously, he served as Director of the Institute for Environment and Human Security of United Nations University (UNU-EHS) in Bonn. Messner is an internationally recognized expert on globalization, global governance, transformation pathways to sustainability, decarbonization of the global economy, sustainability and digital change, and international cooperation and societal change. He combines his research interests with teaching activities and is currently professor of political science at the University of Duisburg-Essen. In his scientific career, Messner has chaired various different international research initiatives, including “The World in 2050”, a global research consortium on the implementation of the Agenda 2030. He has also been a member of a number of high-ranking policy advisory councils, including co-chairing the German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU), the Sustainable Development Solutions Network Germany and the Science Platform Sustainability 2030. He has served as a member of the World Bank’s Global Knowledge Council and the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development. Prior to becoming Director of UNU-EHS in October 2018, Dirk Messner had been Director of the German Development Institute since 2003. Under his leadership, the institute developed an excellent reputation for its scientific and policy-relevant research on global sustainable development.
Jeff Olson
Architect, Planner, Author & VP, re:Charge-e
Jeff Olson is an architect, planner, entrepreneur and author who has been involved in greenways, open space, active living and alternative mobility projects for more than 30 years. He has had a diverse career with national, international and local experience in the public, private and non-profit sectors. His major projects include the Grand Canyon Greenway, the Empire State Trail, the White House Millennium Trails Program and the Northwest Arkansas Razorback Greenway. Jeff was one of the Co-founders of Alta Bicycle Share, which launched Citi Bike in New York and operated systems in San Francisco; Chicago; Washington, DC; Boston; Toronto and other cities. Jeff started America’s first university course in bicycle and pedestrian planning at the University of Albany, and is a frequent inspirational speaker at conferences, public meetings and other events. His trailblazing work in the field of active mobility was recognized in 2014 by the Association for Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Jeff’s unique vision and leadership ability are important assets to projects ranging from large scale regional plans to site-specific projects and programs.
Frannie Léautier
Senior Partner, Southbridge Group
CEO, Southbridge Investments
Dr. Léautier, Senior Partner at SouthBridge Group and CEO of SouthBridge Investments has long-standing global experience leading and transforming organizations in the private, public and non-for-profit spheres. She was Vice Chair of the Board, before becoming first Chief Operating Officer and leading the Asset Management business of the Trade and Development Bank (TDB) Group. Dr. Léautier had an illustrious career at the World Bank Group (WBG), including Chief of Staff to the President and Vice-President. She was Senior Vice President at the African Development Bank. She has a track record in operational turnaround, transformational leadership, working with complex multi-constituency governance structures and engaging high levels of government. Her work contributes to attracting innovative financing to Africa. Dr. Léautier founded two companies, is member of the World Economic Forum's (WEF) Regional Advisory Group for Africa, and is on boards of the UN Foundation, Orca Explorations, AZA Finance, Norsad Finance, Institute for Security Studies (ISS), and previously the African Economic Research Consortium (AERC), Uongozi Institute and the Nelson Mandela Institute for Science and Technology. She has authored several books and articles, and lectured at Sciences Po, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Harvard University and the University of Tokyo. She holds a Master of Science in transportation, and a PhD in infrastructure systems from MIT. She also holds a doctorate in humane letters from North Central College and a doctorate in law from Lancaster University, honoris causa. She is a member of the World Resources Institute's (WRI) Board of Directors and also part of the WRI Ross Center Prize for Cities' Jury.
Li Xiaojiang
Former President, China Academy of Urban Planning & Design
Li Xiaojiang is a professor-level senior urban planner and an expert of the State Council who enjoys special government allowance. He was previously President of the China Academy of Urban Planning and Design. Li was deeply involved in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei collaborative development strategy study; long-term study of the Pearl River Delta region; and planning and construction work for cities such as Guangzhou and Shenzhen. He presided over the completion of Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Shenzhen, Guangzhou and other mega-city master plans and strategic planning studies; as well as urban agglomeration planning works including for the Pearl River Delta. He has won six gold, silver and bronze awards for national excellence in engineering survey and design, and 12 first-class awards for national excellence in planning and design. In recent years, he directed and participated in Chinese Academy of Engineering reports: Study on the Development Strategy of New Urbanization with Chinese Characteristics, Study on the Urbanization of Chinese Counties and Study on the Sustainable Development Strategy of China's Urban Construction. Additionally, for the China Finance Office he directed and participated in the creation of the Study on the Policy and Model of New Urbanization. Internationally, he has led major reports and consulting projects such as the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development (CCICED) Special Policy Studies' "Urbanization of Ecological Civilization," in cooperation with the Netherlands and Germany, “The Major Green Technology Innovation and Implementation Mechanism” (Phase I and Phase II) with the World Economic Forum, and the Energy Foundation's Study on the application of green energy-saving technologies in China's urban renewal.
Mark Watts
Executive Director, C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group
Mark has served as Executive Director of C40 Cities since December 2013, during which time the organization has grown from 63 to 97 of the world's greatest cities, and from 40 to over 250 staff across the globe. From inception, C40’s mission has been to be a high ambition leadership group, driving the world to avoid a climate crisis through the actions and leadership of the mayors of the world’s leading cities. In 2016, C40 became the first major organization to insist that a 1.5-degree C target was essential rather than aspirational (through our Deadline 2020 program). Prior to joining C40 Cities, Mark was Director at pioneering engineering and design firm, Arup, and before that was a senior adviser to the Mayor of London, in which role the London Evening Standard described him as “the intellectual force behind Ken Livingstone’s drive to make London a leading light of the battle against global warming. He reports to C40 Chairperson and Mayor of Los Angeles, Eric Garcetti, and C40 Board President, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. He believes that work should be fun, and that there is always time for music, narrowboats and places you can get to by bicycle.
Robin Chase
Co-Founder and Former CEO, Zipcar
Robin Chase is a transportation entrepreneur. She is Co-founder and former CEO of Zipcar, the world’s leading carsharing network; as well as Co-founder of Veniam, a network company that moves terabytes of data between vehicles and the cloud. She has recently co-founded her first nonprofit, NUMO, a global alliance to channel the opportunities presented by new urban mobility technologies to build cities that are sustainable and just. Her recent book is Peers Inc: How People and Platforms are Inventing the Collaborative Economy and Reinventing Capitalism. She sits on the Boards of the World Resources Institute and Tucows and serves on the Dutch multinational DSM’s Sustainability Advisory Board. In the past, she served on the boards of Veniam and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, the French National Digital Agency, the National Advisory Council for Innovation & Entrepreneurship for the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Intelligent Transportations Systems Program Advisory Committee for the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's (OECD) International Transport Forum Advisory Board, the Massachusetts Governor’s Transportation Transition Working Group, and Boston Mayor’s Wireless Task Force. Robin lectures widely, has been frequently featured in the major media and has received many awards in the areas of innovation, design and environment, including the prestigious Urban Land Institute’s Nichols Prize as Urban Visionary and being named to Time's 100 Most Influential People, Fast Company Fast 50 Innovators and BusinessWeek's Top 10 Designers. Robin graduated from Wellesley College and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's (MIT) Sloan School of Management, was a Harvard University Loeb Fellow and received an honorary Doctor of Design from the Illinois Institute of Technology.
Mochamad Ridwan Kamil
Architect & Former Governor, West Java, Indonesia
As Governor of West Java, Indonesia, Peter Ridwan Kamil oversaw a population of over 50 million residents. Ridwan Kamil started his career in architecture and urban activism and puts innovation and collaboration at the forefront of his leadership values. He graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, where he focused on urban design. Recently, Glasgow University awarded Ridwan Kamil an honorary doctorate in recognition of the major contributions he has made to architecture. Under his five years of leadership as governor, Ridwan Kamil garnered awards in various development sectors. As part of his commitment to green and renewable energy, he was appointed Chairman of the Indonesia Regional Government Association for Renewable Energy. He led local leaders, governors and mayors to transform Indonesia's Energy Policy to meet a net-zero future. In 2018, Fortune named Ridwan Kamil one of the world's 50 greatest leaders.
Rohit T. “Rit“ Aggarwala
Chief Climate Officer and Commissioner of Environmental Protection, New York City
Rohit “Rit” serves as the Chief Climate Officer and Commissioner of Environmental Protection of New York City. He was Head of Urban Systems at Sidewalk Labs. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University. He recently chaired the Regional Plan Association’s five-year effort to develop a Fourth Regional Plan for the New York metropolitan area. Previously, Rit spent five years at Bloomberg Philanthropies. He headed the sustainability consulting practice at Bloomberg Associates, serving city governments. He was Special Advisor to Mayor Bloomberg and Chair of C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, leading its transformation to become a global leader. He also inaugurated Bloomberg Philanthropies’ environment program. From 2006 to 2010, Rit served as Director of New York City’s Office of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability, creating and implementing “PlaNYC: A Greener, Greater New York.” Prior to joining City Hall, he was a management consultant at McKinsey & Company. Rit holds a BA, MBA and PhD from Columbia University, and an MA from Queen’s University in Ontario. Rit was a featured speaker with the World Resources Report Seminar Series: "Discussing Sidewalk Labs and the Fourth Urban Revolution: How big data and new technologies can help shape cities."
Mónica Araya
Executive Director of International Affairs, European Climate Foundation
Mónica Araya is Executive Director of International Affairs for European Climate Foundation. She oversees the work and grantmaking on trade, diplomacy, decarbonization plans and global climate politics. For over 20 years, Mónica has worked with government, business, philanthropy and advocacy leaders on accelerating climate action and has served as strategist for several initiatives, boards and campaigns. She helped develop Costa Rica’s national decarbonization plan, was a special adviser to COP26’s High-Level Champion for Climate Action, was a Distinguished Fellow at ClimateWorks Foundation and helped incubate the Drive Electric Campaign. For her work on electrification, she was included in the list of “BBC 100 Women.” Previously, Mónica worked at the Ministry of Foreign Trade in Costa Rica, Climate Change Capital, the United Nations and Third Generation Environmentalism (E3G). Her collaboration with the European Climate Foundation spans a decade. She obtained a master’s in economic policy at the University of Costa Rica and a master’s and PhD from Yale University.
Sameh Wahba
Regional Director for Sustainable Development in Europe and Central Asia, World Bank
Sameh Wahba is the Regional Director for Sustainable Development in Europe and Central Asia for the World Bank. For more than six years, he was the Global Director for the World Bank’s Urban, Disaster Risk Management, Resilience and Land Global Practice, based in Washington, DC. The Global Practice, which also covers territorial development, geospatial, and results-based financing issues, has a portfolio of close to $30 billion in commitments in investment project, program-for-results and development policy lending. Wahba previously served as Director for Urban and Territorial Development, Disaster Risk Management and Resilience at the World Bank Group’s Social, Urban Rural, and Resilience Global Practice. He oversaw formulation of the Bank’s global-level strategy, design, and delivery of all lending, technical assistance, policy advisory activities, and partnerships. He has over 25 years’ experience in urban development, land and housing, infrastructure, and sustainable development, and has led Bank programs focused on Africa, Brazil, the Caribbean, Latin America, and the Middle East. Prior to joining the Bank in 2004, he worked at the Institute of Housing and Urban Development Studies in Rotterdam and at the Harvard Center for Urban Development Studies. Wahba holds a PhD and master’s degree in urban planning from Harvard University, and a BSc and MSc in architectural engineering from Cairo University. He speaks Arabic, French, English and Portuguese. He co-authored the World Bank’s flagship publications on “Regenerating Urban Land: A Practitioner’s Guide to Leveraging Private Investment” and “The Hidden Wealth of Cities: Creating, Financing, and Managing Public Spaces”, and the “Culture in City Reconstruction and Recovery” position paper jointly with UNESCO. He is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Cities and Urbanization.
Parks Tau
Minister of Trade, Industry & Competition, South Africa
Parks Tau is a seasoned local government practitioner and former Councilor in the Johannesburg Metro. In 2000, Tau was appointed as a Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Development Planning, Transportation and Environment. From 2003 to 2011, Tau served as MMC of the Finance and Economic Development portfolio of the City of Johannesburg. In 2011, Tau was elected as the Executive Mayor of Johannesburg until 2016. He was the second democratically elected Mayor. In 2019, Tau was appointed to the position of Deputy Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs. He served in this position until he was appointed to the Gauteng Cabinet in December 2020. He was appointed as Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition in June of 2024. Tau has also served as part of Joburg Regional Executive as Secretary and as Chairperson. He is currently the Provincial Treasurer in Gauteng as elected at the African National Conference's (ANC) Provincial Conference in 2018. Tau has completed studies in public management from Regenesys Business School and holds a master’s degree in public policy and management from the University of London.
Shirley Rodrigues
Former Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy, London, U.K.
Shirley Rodrigues is a member of the Board of C40 Cities, a global network of nearly 100 mayors united in climate action, and Chair of the Breathe Cities Advisory Committee and Our Common Air Commissioner where she works to reduce air pollution harmful to public health and climate. Previously she was London Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy between 2016 and 2024 where she headed world-leading initiatives to tackle the climate emergency, reduce air pollution and restore nature in London. This included delivering the Ultra Low Emission Zone, the world’s largest clean air zone of its kind, as well as inclusive programs and policies to make London a net-zero carbon city by 2030 and more resilient to climate impacts. Before then she oversaw a global climate change grants portfolio at the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), developing their first cities strategy and making grants to support climate action in China and Brazil and by international co-operation networks. She has held various executive positions in government including working for three London mayors, is a trustee of the Artichoke Trust and an expert advisor to the Earthshot Prize.
Peter Templeton
President & CEO, U.S. Green Building Council
Peter Templeton has worked for over 25 years to accelerate global adoption of practices that enhance human health, environmental wellbeing and quality of life for all. As President and CEO of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), he directs organization-wide efforts to increase the reach and impact of green buildings and green business market transformation activities around the world. He leads the execution of strategic plans and partnerships that expand local capacity and deliver new tools for advancing smart, health, socially responsible and environmentally sustainable buildings and communities. Over Peter’s tenure at USGBC, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) has become the most widely used and respected green building rating system in the world. Peter served as President and CEO of the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute (C2CPII) from 2018 to 2021, working to scale C2C2PII as the globally recognized mark of materials and products optimized for human and environmental health, circularity and social fairness. Prior to C2CPII, Peter served in senior leadership roles at USGBC leading global market development, establishing strategic partnerships and green building research initiatives, in addition to directing the annual Greenbuild International Conference and Expo, LEED training and professional credentialing programs. From 2009-2012, Peter was the first President of GBCI, which administers third-party project certification and professional credentialing in over 150 countries and territories for LEED green building rating systems and other respected environmental leadership standards. Prior to USGBC, Peter worked as a program manager and environmental planner on international development projects promoting sustainable land use and resource management best practices in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. Peter holds a master’s degree in urban and environmental planning from the University of Virginia and a bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt University. He currently also serves as board member of the World Green Building Council and Sustentabilidad para Mexico (SUMe).
Vera Rodenhoff
Head of the Division for International Cooperation on Climate and Energy, Implementing Initiatives, German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs & Climate Action (BMWK)
Vera Rodenhoff is Head of the Division for International Cooperation on Climate and Energy in the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). She leads a team responsible for strategic issues of international cooperation and implementing initiatives in the areas of international climate protection and the global energy transition. Examples for aforementioned initiatives include the Powering Past Coal Alliance, the Breakthrough Agenda and the Leadership for Urban Climate Investment. The overall goal of Vera’s team is to align international energy cooperation with the Paris Climate Agreement and limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C through cooperation and ambitious action. Prior to this role, Vera held different positions in the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (Ministry of Environment), until spring of 2022 as Head of Division for International Cooperation on Environment, Energy and Cities, alongside cooperation with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and affiliated countries. Vera’s previous positions in the Ministry of Environment were Head of Division of International Affairs and Protocol in the Environment Minister’s staff for the Environment Ministers Norbert Röttgen, Peter Altmaier and Barbara Hendricks, and Head of Cabinet and Personal Secretary to the Federal Minister of Environment Sigmar Gabriel as well as policy advisor on international legal affairs in the Ministry of Environment. Before entering the Ministry of Environment in 2005, Vera worked as a lawyer advising the German government on European and international environmental law and policy issues as an associate for the think tank Ecologic Institute, and as researcher at the Chair of Prof. Dr. Ingolf Pernice for Public Law, International Public Law and European Law at the Humboldt University Berlin. Prior to that, she worked for an international law firm and as a consultant for UNESCO in Paris. Vera holds a doctorate in international and European environmental law from the Humboldt University Berlin, focusing on the role of the EU and its member states in international environmental regimes as well as a Master of Laws (LLM) from the London School of Economics and Political Science in addition to Germany's first and second state exams in law.
René van Hell
Board Director, European Bank of Reconstruction & Development
René van Hell is Board Director at the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) for the constituency offices of the Netherlands, China, Mongolia, North Macedonia and Armenia since June 2024. Prior to this role, he served as Ambassador for Sustainable Development, Director of Inclusive Green Growth and Arctic Ambassador for the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during which his directorate coordinated international climate and energy policy and managed a portfolio of official development assistance (ODA) activities on water, energy, food and critical materials. Before this position, he served as the Netherlands Ambassador to Hungary, and as Director for International Enterprise and Deputy Director for Trade Policy and Economic Governance issues at the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From 2004 until September 2008, he served as head of the economic division at the Netherlands Embassy in Washington, DC. And from 2000 until 2004, he led a team in the Economic Policy Department of the Ministry of Economic Affairs in The Hague. He has also worked as an economist and advisor at the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, the Permanent Representation of the Netherlands to the European Union and served the European Parliament as an advisor for energy, development cooperation and budget issues for the cities of Brussels, Belgium, and Strasbourg, France. René has a master's in economics and business administration from the University of Amsterdam.