GRI Global Hydrogen Committee: How to translate COP26 decisions into actions globally

Agnes Maria de Aragão da Costa is a Director at ANEEL, Brazil's National Electric Energy Agency, since December 2022, with her term running until December 2028. She has a wealth of experience in energy and mining economies and regulatory affairs, having previously led the Special Advisory Board on Regulatory Affairs at the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) from 2019 to 2022. Over nearly 20 years at MME, she played a key role in modernizing the electricity sector, developing the National Hydrogen Program, and advancing policies on energy transition, research, innovation, and international cooperation. Ms. Costa earned a Bachelor's degree in Economic Sciences from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) and a Master's in Energy from the University of São Paulo (USP). Her corporate governance experience includes board positions at CEAL, CEPISA, Norte Energia, and serving on the Audit Committees of Eletrobras and Petrobras.

Mr Akhilesh Srivastava is a globally known digital & innovative technology leader. He has successfully led many e-governance projects in India like FASTag (electronic toll collection system of India), e-Tendering platform, citizen-centric highway information Mobile Apps, Geo-Fencing of highways and AI-powered NHAI Data Lake. Akhilesh Srivastava is currently leading the World Economic Forum’s initiative in India Road Safety 2.0, which is “Shaping the Future of Road Safety in India” with a tech-driven approach and creating a human-centric road ecosystem, He is IT Advisor to the Government of Uttarakhand State and an External Senior Advisor to McKinsey. Before this, he was Chief General Manager at NHAI, COO of IHMCL and CEO of NHAI InVIT.

Amit has a Ph.D. in solar, Fulbright Scholar at NREL, USA and Chevening Fellow at King’s College, London. He works with the World Bank and is leading a $2 billion renewable portfolio in India, Bangladesh and Maldives. It includes REWA and Charanka solar park, integrated by PM Shri Narendra Modi. The project has received the World Bank Group President Award for innovation and excellence and included in the Prime Minister's book 'A Book of Innovation: New Beginnings'. His previous assignments include the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Clinton Foundation. Amit has authored two books on climate change policy & waste to energy and has several international peer-reviewed journal publications.

André Clark began his career in the Pulp&Paper industry in 1995. He has 17 years of experience in Energy, Oil&Gas, Manufacturing, Logistics and Infrastructure areas. He was CEO of Acciona for Brazil, Bolivia, Uruguay and Paraguay. Now, Mr Clark is the President and CEO of Siemens Brazil, since November, 1st, 2017. He holds Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering from Universidade de São Paulo (USP) and MBA in Finance and Operations Management from New York University Stern School of Business.

Focused in origination, structuring and management of debt and equity investments since 2006, Andres is currently based in Mexico City, where he moved from Washington DC in November 2014 and from where he now leads IFC’s infrastructure business origination in Mexico and Central America. He has more than 12 years of emerging market investment experience, including 10 years in the energy sector with IFC globally. His responsibilities currently also include originating and structuring equity transactions comprising co- investment opportunities in Mexico for the US$1.2 billion China-Mexico Fund managed by IFC’s Asset Management Company. He received an MBA from the IESE Business School (Barcelona, Spain) in 2006.

Currently, I lead strategy and technology activities in Hydrogen Economy at RIL. Have close to two decades of S&T experience in various aspects of materials-and-process engineering, hydrogen-and-fuel cell technology, and alternate energy. For the last 9–10 years, I have been ardently working on clean energy solutions, particularly, fuel-cell technology and the hydrogen economy, and have explored various aspects of hydrogen economy for its techno-commercial viability. I enjoy analyzing technologies and their symbiotic relationship to draw important inferences to find a holistic and sustainable solution using sound first principles, an important aspect of the new energy world.

Asunción Borrás serves as Senior Vice President of Business Development for the Hydrogen Business Unit at ENGIE Chile, a leading energy company driving the transition to renewable energy solutions. In her strategic role, she spearheads the development of green hydrogen initiatives and sustainable energy projects across Chile. With extensive experience in energy sector business development, Borrás plays a crucial role in positioning ENGIE Chile at the forefront of the hydrogen economy. Her expertise encompasses project development, strategic partnerships, and renewable energy innovation, contributing to Chile's emergence as a key player in the global green hydrogen market and supporting the country's decarbonization goals.

Danielle Gomes de Almeida Valois is a Partner at Trench Rossi Watanabe (in association with Baker McKenzie), leading the firm's Energy practice in Brazil. Specializing in legal, regulatory, and commercial aspects of the energy sector, her expertise covers M&A, infrastructure development, and litigation. She actively shapes policy for the Brazilian energy industry, focusing on oil & gas, renewables, and the hydrogen economy. Danielle holds significant leadership roles, including LATAM Chair of Baker McKenzie's Energy, Mining and Infrastructure Global Steering Committee. Her professional achievements are consistently recognized by prominent legal directories.

Eugenia Grimalt serves as the Transformation Owner at Distrocuyo S.A. She brings over 15 years of experience in the energy industry, having previously led areas such as Planning, Management Control, and Finance. Eugenia is currently at the helm of Grupo Distrocuyo's strategic transformation efforts. An alumna of Universidad Nacional de Cuyo with an accounting degree, she also holds an EMBA from IAE Business School. Her professional mission centers on uniting energy, technology, and education to drive prosperous and sustainable regional development.

Franck Lebaron serves as Sr. VP - Business Development, Hydrogen Unit (also Group Hydrogen Deputy Vice President) at Engie, a leading global energy and services group. He is instrumental in driving Engie's ambitious hydrogen strategy, focused on decarbonizing clients and territories. His contributions include advancing projects like the 3.5 MW electrolyzer in South Africa for Anglo-American, a world-first in mining, and the "Zero Emission Valley" initiative in France with 20 hydrogen stations. He oversees Engie's goal of 4 GW hydrogen production, 700 km pipelines, 1 TWh storage, and 100+ distribution stations by 2030, demonstrating expertise in sustainable energy solutions.

Guilherme Caixeta is a Head of Infrastructure at GIC, responsible for coordinating infrastructure investments in Latin America. Previously, he worked at Pátria Infrastructure as an investment officer and as CEO / CFO of investment firms. Previously, he worked at Votorantim Novos Negócios and at Boston Consulting Group. He is a mechanical engineer graduated from ITA and has an MBA from Kellogg School of Management.

Heloisa Borges Bastos Esteves is the Director of Oil, Gas & Biofuel Studies at EPE - Empresa de Pesquisa Energética, a role she commenced in May 2020. She brings extensive expertise to the energy sector, having previously served as a career employee at ANP (National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels) since 2005. At ANP, she held various technical and superintendent positions, focusing on regulation, competition, and bidding promotion. Dr. Esteves holds a Ph.D. and Master's in Economics from UFRJ, a postgraduate degree in Public Law from UERJ, and degrees in Law and Economics. Her academic pursuits also included research at the University of Virginia Law School and a fellowship at the Columbia Women's Leadership Program. At EPE, her work significantly contributes to Brazil's energy planning through critical studies in oil, natural gas, and biofuels.

Jean-Valery is Managing Director and Head of Power, Infrastructure & Project Finance Latin America, a team of 19 individuals in New York and Sao Paulo focused on debt/bid advisory, arranging and project bonds in the context of greenfield, brownfield, acquisition or refinancing of projects or holding companies / portfolio of projects. He holds a degree in finance & economics from HEC, France’s leading business school and a Master degree in management from the CEMS (Community of European Management Schools). He graduated in September 2007 with the academic honors from a part-time executive program in Finance at Columbia University, NY. Jean-Valery is fluent in Spanish, English, Portuguese, French and German and has intermediate Italian level

Mr. Zertuche has over 16 years of experience investing in Mexican real assets. He is former Vice-President of I2, the leading infrastructure investment manager in Mexico acquired by BlackRock in October, 2015. His prior experience is in investment banking, including M&A, debt and equity capital markets transactions, asset management, strategy and operations. Mr. Zertuche was a founder of Infraestructura Institucional ("I2") in 2010, and served as Chief Financial and Investment Officer since its inception in 2010. Prior to founding Infraestructura Institucional, Mr. Zertuche served as Chief Investment and Control Officer of Mexico Retail Properties ("MRP Group"), which he co-founded in October 2002.

Laura Correa is the Sustainability Director at Odinsa, a prominent concessions company in Colombia. She is instrumental in leading Odinsa's "Our Common Journey" sustainability strategy, focusing on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives within the infrastructure sector. Her responsibilities include advancing efforts to reduce Odinsa's environmental footprint, promote responsible resource management, and foster sustainable development. Laura also contributes to broader industry discussions as a member of the GRI Global ESG & Responsible Infrastructure Committee. Her expertise drives Odinsa's commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2030 and integrating sustainable practices across its operations.

Luis Viga serves as the Brazil Country Manager for Fortescue Metals, a role he assumed in April 2021. In this capacity, he spearheads the company's green hydrogen operations and strategic development in Brazil, focusing on government relations, market growth, and the implementation of green hydrogen initiatives. Mr. Viga is also the President of the Board at ABIHV (Brazilian Association of Green Hydrogen Industry), where he advocates for energy transition and decarbonization. His leadership was crucial in advancing Brazil's Green Hydrogen Bill. With extensive experience in the energy sector, including leadership roles at GE Renewable Energy and GE Oil & Gas, he is dedicated to fostering a sustainable economy through strategic partnerships and regulatory development, notably overseeing the Fortescue Pecém Project.

Mauricio Baez serves as Gerente de Desarrollo de Negocios (Business Development Manager) at Patria Asset Management, a leading alternative asset manager based in Brazil with a global presence. In this role, he contributes to the firm's growth and expansion initiatives. Patria Investments has over 35 years of experience, more than US$40 billion in AUM, and a team of over 700 experts. The company focuses on various asset classes including Private Equity, Infrastructure, and Real Estate across Latin America, the US, and Europe.

Ms Neha Kumar works as the India Programme Manager for Climate Bonds Initiative and is based in Delhi. She drives policy, strategy and partner programmes in the country to scale up the green bonds market and green financial ecosystem. She has fifteen years of experience working on public policy and industry action in India on non financial risks, sustainability and responsible financing. In her stint at GIZ India (German Development Agency) prior to joining CBI, she steered projects that led to ESG disclosures regulation by the Indian market regulator, Securities and Exchange Board of India; and the development of financial sector led Responsible Financing Guidelines.

Graduado e especializado em finanças de mercado pela Essec Business School em Paris, começou a trabalhar na área de estruturação de renda fixa na Société General em Londres em 2007. Em seguida, mudou para o setor de energia fundando uma primeira empresa de EPC solar dedicada à geração distribuída na França, com cerca de 30 pequenos projetos fotovoltaicos. Em 2013 mudou-se para o Brasil para iniciar uma nova empresa de energia solar que logo fez parceria com a Eren. Pierre lidera a atividade de Total Eren no Brasil - 140MW de usina solar em construção / operação - e desde 2016 iniciou os negócios na Argentina, responsável principalmente na aquisição e leilões, levando a 180MW de usinas eólicas e solares atualmente em construção.

Tarun is an infrastructure professional working with International Finance Corporation – The World Bank Group. He manages exposures for IFC across sectors. With an academic background in Economics and Management, he is a professional with experience spanning more than two decades. His previous employers have included IDBI, IL&FS, HSBC and IBRD (The World Bank Group).