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2021 Speakers

The World Hydropower Congress attracts speakers at the forefront of the hydropower sector, alongside those from across Government, Civil Society, Finance, NGOs and International Organisations.

Below is a list of speakers who participated in the 2021 World Hydropower Congress.

Government and Former Heads of Government:

  • Carlos Alvarado Quesada, President of Costa Rica
  • Gabriel Alberto Argüello Ríos, Vice Minister of Energy and Renewable Energy of Ecuador
  • Tony Blair, Executive Chairman of the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change
  • Fitzgerald Cantero Piali, National Director of Energy, Ministry of Industry, Energy and Mines of Uruguay
  • Helen Clark, Former Prime Minister of New Zealand
  • Claudia Dobles Camargo, First Lady of Costa Rica
  • Jean-Christophe Füeg, Head of International Affairs, Swiss Federal Office of Energy
  • Dr Jorge Rivera Staff, National Energy Secretary of Panama
  • Daler Juma, Minister of Energy and Water Resources, Tajikistan
  • Miguel Lotero Robledo, Deputy Minister of Energy of Colombia
  • Dr Andrea Meza, Minister of Environment and Energy of Costa Rica
  • Felipe Mitjans, Director, Vice Ministry of Mines and Energy of Paraguay
  • Alejandro Moreno, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Renewable Power, U.S. Department of Energy
  • Alberto Pimentel Mata, Minister of Energy and Mines of Guatemala
  • Barbara Pompili, Minister of Ecological Transition of France
  • Þórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörð Gylfadóttir, Minister of Tourism, Industry and Innovation of Iceland
  • André Luiz Rodrigues Osório, Director of the Department of Information and Energy Studies, Ministry of Mines and Energy of Brazil
  • José María Romay Bortolini, Vice Minister of Electricity and Alternative Energies of Bolivia
  • Alok Sharma, President, COP26
  • James J. Spaeth, System Development and Integration Program Manager, U.S. Department of Energy
  • Kelly Speakes-Backman, Acting Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Energy
  • David Turk, Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Energy
  • Malcolm Turnbull, Former Prime Minister of Australia

Industry and Finance speakers include:

  • Arturo D. Alarcón, Senior Energy Specialist, IDB
  • George Annandale, Independent Consultant, The World Bank
  • Dr Denis Aelbrecht, Head of Technology Expertise Group and Deputy Technical Director, Hydro Engineering Center (CIH)
  • Mohamad Irwan Aman, Head of Sustainability, Sarawak Energy
  • Anne-Raphaelle Audouin, President and CEO, WaterPower Canada
  • Engr. Lamu Audu, MD and CEO, Mainstream Energy Solutions Limited
  • Bjørn Harald Bakken, Project Director, NordLink and NSL Market & Operations
  • The Rt Hon Lord Barker of Battle, Executive Chairman, En+ Group
  • Thiago Barral, President, Energy Research Office (EPE)
  • Dr Samuel Bartlett, Director, Green Hydrogen Organisation
  • Leah Bêche, Environmental Specialist, EDF
  • Ani Balabanyan, Lead Energy Specialist, The World Bank
  • Julia Bucknall, Global Director - Environmental and Social Framework, The World Bank
  • Béatrice Buffon, Group Senior Executive Vice-President, International Division, EDF
  • Sasja Beslik, Managing Director, J. Safra Sarasin
  • Quentin Boucher, Senior Electricity Market Specialist, SuperGrid Institute
  • Sophie Brochu, President and Chief Executive Officer, Hydro-Québec
  • Donna Brown, Manager Stakeholder Relations, Environment and Planning, Hydro Tasmania
  • Nathyeli Yethzi Acuna Castillo, Gender Specialist, The World Bank
  • Erick Campos, Hydraulic Engineering Manager, ICE- CRiCOLD
  • Luciano Canale, Technical Portfolio Manager, Scatec Asa
  • Irene Cañas Díaz, Executive President, Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad
  • Mark Carney, Vice Chair - Brookfield Asset Management & United Nations Special Envoy - Climate Action and Finance
  • Ir. Leslie Chai, General Manager, System Planning, Sarawak Energy
  • Marco Jimenez Chaves, Generation Expansion Planner, ICE
  • Ting Ching Zung, Executive Vice President of Strategy and Corporate Development, Sarawak Energy
  • Rory Connor, Partner, Infrastructure Projects & Energy, Addleshaw Goddard LLP
  • Diogo Cordeiro, Innovation Project Manager, EDP Producao
  • João Delgado, Senior R&D Engineer, EDP NEW
  • Pedro Luiz de Oliveira Jatobá, Chief Generation Officer, Eletrobras
  • Jean-Louis Drommi, Electrical Expert, EDF
  • Nikolaos Efthymiou, Hydropower Consultant, The World Bank
  • Alessandro Ferraris, Business Developer, Generation Division, Hydro, Fortum Sverige AB
  • Andrew Forrest AO, Chairman and Founder, Fortescue Metals Group
  • Joana Freitas, Executive Board Member, EDP Produção
  • Michelle Hallack, Senior Economist, Inter-American Development Bank
  • Joerg Hartmann, Consultant, Sustainable Water & Energy LLC
  • Nicolas Hugo, Electrical Engineer, ALPIQ
  • Wang Jimin, Deputy General Manager, Yalong Hydro
  • Han Jun, President, CTG
  • Dr Alexander Jung, Head of Digital Hydro Solutions, Voith Hydro
  • Dr Serdar Kadam, ES-RD, Electrical Power Systems – R&D, ANDRITZ HYDRO GmbH
  • Pravin Karki, Global Lead -Hydropower & Dams, The World Bank
  • Dr Tobias Keitel, Chief Operating Officer, Voith Hydro
  • Dr Klaus Krüger, Senior Expert Plant Safety & Energy Storage Solutions, Voith Hydro
  • Jean-Bernard Lévy, Chairman and CEO, EDF
  • Helen Locher, Independent Consultant, Helen Locher Consulting
  • Benigno López Benítez, VicePresident for Sectors and Knowledge, Inter-American Development Bank
  • Kimberly Lyon, Water Resources Specialist, The World Bank
  • Antoine Malafose, International Project Manager, EDF
  • Stella Mandago, Principal Power Engineer, African Development Bank (AfDB)
  • Alexandre Marty, Head of Climate and Natural Resources, EDF
  • Pierre Marx, Executive leade rHydro North America, Hydro, GE Renewable Energy
  • Marcellin Massila Akendengue, General Manager, Gabon Power Company
  • Paul Molnar, Project Director, HydroTasmania
  • Sergio Mora Castro, Consultant, ARXConsultorías
  • David Morgado, Senior Energy Policy Specialist, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)
  • Daniel Mugnier, IEA PVPS Chairman and Innovation Manager, TESCOL
  • Dr Ng Sing Muk, Head of Research and Development, Sarawak Energy
  • Jonathan Newman, Market Applications Associate, Fluence
  • Paul O'Connor, Sustainable Finance Specialist, JP Morgan
  • Anton-Louis Olivier, Senior Adviser and former CEO, REH Group
  • Thomas Östros, Vice President, European Investment Bank
  • Dr Demetrios Papathanasiou, Global Director - Energy and Extractives Global Practice, The World Bank
  • Pascal Radue, President and CEO, Hydro, GE Renewable Energy
  • Santiago Rivas Navarro, Strategy Analyst, Alpiq
  • Nora Rosemore, Hydro Operations Superintendent, Minnesota Power
  • Guillaume Rudelle, Hydro Senior Product Manager, GE Renewable Energy
  • Zhang Rujun, Executive Vice President, China International Water and Electric Corporation
  • Bernt Rydgren, Principal Environmental Consultant, SWECO
  • Conrad Savy, Regional Biodiversity Lead for Africa & Middle East, International Finance Corporation
  • Kelly Schaeffer, Principal Consultant, Kleinschmidt Associates
  • Cameron Schilling, Vice President of Market Strategies and Regulatory Affairs, NHA
  • Craig Scott, Director, Water Power and Dams
  • He Shan, Deputy Director of the Treasury and Financial Management Center, China Three Gorges Corporation
  • Zheng Sheng’an, President, China Renewable Energy Engineering Institute
  • Wu Shengliang, Chairman, China Three Gorges International Limited
  • Ma Shiyi, Head of Project Management Division - Renewable Energy and Comprehensive Energy Technology Center, State Grid Economic and Technological Research Institute Co., Ltd
  • Julie Shuttleworth AM, CEO, Fortescue Future Industries
  • Dr Edwin Sia, Biologist, Sarawak Energy
  • Dr Jiraporn Sirikum, Deputy Governor – Strategy, Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand
  • Pedro Sirgado, Advisor to the Board of Directors, EDP Produção
  • Doug Smith, Independent Consultant, DSmith Environment
  • Lynn St-Laurent, Senior Strategic Communications Advisor, Hydro-Québec
  • Sharbini Suhaili, Group CEO, Sarawak Energy
  • Atinuke Taiwo, Executive Director, Company Secretary and General Counsel, Mainstream Energy Solutions
  • Peing Tajang, General Manager, Corporate Communication, Sarawak Energy, Fellow, ASEAN PR Network
  • Richard Taylor, Director, RMT Renewables Consulting Ltd
  • Christian Turpin, Senior Advisor, Hydro-Québec
  • María Ubierna, Consultant and Director, Open Hydro
  • Miguel Víquez, Corporate Environmental Manager, Costa Rican Electricity Institute
  • Adriana Waltrick, CEO, SPIC Brasil
  • Uwe Wehnhardt, President and CEO, Voith
  • Wu Wenhao, Executive Vice President, Powerchina International Group
  • Malcolm Woolf, President and Chief Executive Officer, National Hydropower Association
  • Prof. Wang Xiaogang, Vice President, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research
  • Guo Xuyuan, General Manager, Yalong Hydro
  • Yang Yan, Chief Engineer, CTG Brasil
  • Ariel Yépez, Energy Division Chief, Inter-American Development Bank
  • Pei Zheyi, Director of Technical Committee on Operations & Maintenance, China Society for Hydropower Engineering (CSHE)
  • Ren Zhiwu, Deputy General Manager, State Grid Xinyuan Co., Ltd.

International Organisation speakers include:

  • Rana Adib, Executive Director, REN21
  • Ben Backwell, CEO, Global Wind Energy Council
  • Dr Fatih Birol, Executive Director, International Energy Agency
  • Marit Brommer, Executive Director, International Geothermal Association
  • Alex Campbell, Head of Research & Policy, IHA
  • João Costa, Head of Sustainability, IHA
  • Dr James Dalton, Director, IUCN
  • Prof. Mosad Elmissiry, Senior Energy Adviser, AUDA-NEPAD
  • Barbara Fischer-Aupperle, Founding Partner, Global Women’s Network for the Energy Transition
  • Dr Paolo Frankl, Head of the Renewable Energy Division, International Energy Agency
  • Dolf Gielen, Director - Innovation and Technology, IRENA
  • Roger Gill, President, IHA
  • Rocio Gonzalez, Scientific Officer, European Commission - Joint Research Centre
  • Debbie Gray, Climate Policy Manager, IHA
  • Acile Hammoud, Analyst, IHA
  • Madam Li Jun, Deputy Director-General, GEIDCO
  • Amina Kadyrzhanova, Sustainability Specialist, IHA
  • Dr Rafael Kelman, Consultant, PSR
  • Sean Kidney, CEO, Climate Bonds Initiative
  • Alain Kilajian, Senior Sustainability Specialist, IHA
  • Francesco La Camera, Director-General, IRENA
  • Jinsun Lim, Energy and Environment Policy Analyst, International Energy Agency
  • Jonas Moberg, CEO, Global Green Hydrogen Organisation
  • Eddie Rich, CEO, IHA
  • Dr Mechtild Rössler, Director, UNESCO World Heritage Centre
  • Keisuke Sadamori, Director, Energy Markets and Security, International Energy Agency
  • Prof. Dr Anton J. Schleiss, Coordinator of EU Horizon 2020 project "Hydropower Europe", ICOLD
  • Erik Solheim, Convener, Global Coalition for Green Belt and Road
  • Sebastian Sterl, Associate Programme Officer, IRENA
  • Lord Adair Turner, Chair, Energy Transitions Commission
  • Wu Xuan, Secretary General of GEIDCO and Vice President of CEC

Civil Society speakers include:

  • Mohit Acharya, Associate Fellow, The Energy and Resources Institute
  • Francesca Antonelli, Dams Lead, WWF
  • Prof. François Avellan, Professor Emeritus, EPFL
  • Alfonso Blanco Bonilla, Executive Secretary, Latin American Energy Organization
  • Hannah Clapham, Head of Electricity Storage, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS)
  • Jose Fernando Prada, Expert Commissioner, Energy and Gas Regulatory Commission of Colombia, CREG
  • Helmut Habersack, Professor, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU)
  • Maha Haji, Assistant Professor, Cornell University
  • Atle Harby, Senior Research Scientist, SINTEF Energy Research
  • Julien Harou, Chair, Water Engineering, The University of Manchester
  • Eva Hernández Herrero, Lead - Living European Rivers, WWF
  • Antti Iho, Senior Scientist, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)
  • Dr Ashok Khosla, Chair, Hydropower Sustainability Council
  • Tom Kiernan, President and CEO, American Rivers
  • Vladimir Koritarov, Director, Center for Energy, Environmental, and Economic Systems Analysis (CEEESA) Argonne National Laborator
  • Prof. Arun Kumar, Civil Engineer, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee

  • Atef Marzouk, Ag. Director for Infrastructure and Energy, African Union Commission (AUC)
  • Jian-hua Meng, Senior Sustainable Hydropower Advisor, WWF
  • Sara Mercier-Blais, G-res Tool Specialist and Lead Trainer, Research Associate, UQAM
  • Amy Newsock, Strategy Advisor, The Nature Conservancy
  • Jeff Opperman, Global Freshwater Lead Scientist, WWF
  • Dr Judith Plummer Braeckman, Senior Research Associate, Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership
  • Dr Mario Paolone, Prof. & Chair of the Distributed Electrical Systems Laboratory, EPFL, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology
  • Marie-Claire Paiz, Gabon Country Director, The Nature Conservancy
  • Bertrand Piccard, Founder and Chairman, Solar Impulse Foundation
  • Dan Reicher, Entrepreneur, Investor, Policymaker, Lawyer and Educator, Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment
  • Prof. Alexander H Slocum, Professor - Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • Dr Matthew Stocks, Associate Professor, Australian National University
  • Pavan Sukhdev, President, WWF International
  • Michele Thieme, Deputy Director of Freshwater, WWF-US
  • Elena Vagnoni, Scientist & Lecturer, EPFL
  • Asphota Wasti, Researcher, University of Cincinnati

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