Professor Dr Antonis Zorpas is a Chemical Engineer, actively engaged with several Universities, Research Institutes in Europe. He is Professor at Open University of Cyprus (OUC), Director of the Lab of Chemical Engineering & Engineering Sustainability, Director in Sustainable Environmental Engineering Postgraduate Master (MSc) and member of OUC Senate. He has more than 700 publications (books, contribution on books, papers in peer review journals, international conferences). His is editor in 6 scientific Book such as (i) SHAPING THE FUTURE: Energy Transition in the Defense Sector (2024) published by European Defense Agency, European Commission (Co-Editor). (ii) Advances in biofuels production, optimization and applications (2024) published by Elsevier (Co-Editor), etc. His Google h-index now over 67, with more than 15000 citations. He has recognized since 2019 among the worlds to 0.5% in the list of the most influential researchers in the world in the section of Environmental Science and on 0.5% in the section of Chemical Engineering based on bibliometric data from the Stanford University (USA) and Elsevier Report. Hence, the data base from Google, Scholar-GPS places him #4th on the Planet in the era of Waste Management, Circular Economy, and among the 0.5% of the most Influential Scientist in the Planet in the Era of Chemical Engineering. In addition, his acting as Editor on behalf of several Scientific Journals such as the Chemical Engineering Journal (Elsevier, I.F13.2/Q1), Waste Management and Research (SAGE, I.F 4.2, Q1) and many others. He has supervised more than 100 students in completing their Master Thesis. Overall, he has supervised more than 15 PhD students until now. His research background is in the area of Strategic Panning Development in the Framework of Circular Economy and Bioeconomy, Waste Management, Life Cycle Assessment, End-of Waste Criteria, Material Flow Analysis, Food Waste, Fashion Waste, Micro plastics, Circular Communication etc. He has participated in more than 50 EU research project the last 15 years. For more than 20 years, he was acting as Consulting Engineer on behalf of several industrial activities and governmental authorities. In 2019 he received honorary distinction for his long-standing contribution to the environmental issues of Cyprus from the President of the Republic of Cyprus. He collaborates with European Commission since 2008 (e.g Strategic Advisor for EURASHE 2016-2029, as Technical Expert on behalf of European Defense Agency since 2022-2024, Member of the Steering Scientific Advisory Committee for Circular-Bio Based Europe – Joint Undertaking from 2025-2028, etc).
Dr. Brian G. Henning (he/him/his) is Professor of Philosophy and of Environmental Studies & Science at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, USA and is the inaugural director and founder of the Gonzaga Institute for Climate, Water, and the Environment. An award-winning author, Dr. Henning has written or edited 17 books and 45 articles, chapters, and reports, including Riders in the Storm: Ethics in an Age of Climate Change (Anselm 2015), Climate Change Ethics and the Non-human World (Routledge 2020), and Value, Beauty, and Nature (SUNY 2023). He has delivered more than 200 talks to general and academic audiences in North America, Europe, and Asia. Dr. Henning can be reached at henning@gonzaga.edu. For more on his work, visit https://connect.gonzaga.edu/henning.
Carla Silva is Director of the Chemistry and Biotechnology Department at CITEVE. She holds a degree in Biological Engineering, a Master’s in Industrial Biotechnology, and a PhD in Textile Chemistry. With more than 25 years of experience in applied research for industry, she has authored 11 patents and over 80 peer-reviewed publications. Her expertise covers surface engineering, (nano)biomaterials, advanced fibers and polymers, biotechnology, functional (nano)(bio)coatings, process optimization, sustainability, and circular economy.
CEO and Co-founder, WhatIF F&I Pte Ltd
Chris Langwallner is a global agrifood strategist, pioneer of underutilised crops, author and entrepreneur with 35 years of industry experience. Backed by degrees in agronomy and food science and an MBA, he partners with ambitious founders to turn traditional commodity operations into closed-loop, regenerative, carbon-negative operations that are both highly profitable and capable of attracting top-tier institutional capital.
He co-founded the agrifood venture NamZ, now WhatIF Foods and today is building Aurora Acre, a joint venture with Tiger Foods Nigeria launching First Spoon, the world's first Bambara groundnut based infant nutrition system. In Portugal he is developing GEAR Core, a carbon-negative agrifood operation that converts agricultural and forest biomass into biochar, renewable energy and verified carbon removals. His book, "We Broke the Earth's Axis to Grow Our Food," published in 2026, makes the case for a profitable, regenerative food system. A vegetarian for a decade, his worldview is rooted in his family's farming history in Austria and his grandfather's maxim: leave the world better.
Francisco X. Froes is an executive, entrepreneur, author, and leadership expert working with people, leaders, and organizations in creating, nurturing and making-grow value-added relationships. Having lived and worked in both Portugal and the United States, he is the Founder and Managing Partner of The Networker, a boutique consultancy specializing in networking, leadership, and team performance, where he created The Networker Method, now used by leading schools and organizations across diverse industries. Francisco holds a degree in Management from Católica, an MBA from Nova SBE, and Advanced Certification in Leadership and Crisis Management from INSEAD. He is the author of The Networker: How to Add Value to Your Relationships, widely recognized as a reference work on networking as a key leadership competency. A former rugby champion, community leader and burnout survivor, Francisco now inspires others through his personal and professional journey of resilience, leadership and human connection.
Gabriel Reis is CEO of Zendaya Resort Brasil where he oversees operations, strategic planning, investment projects, and institutional partnerships. He is also a partner at PLR-LAW, where he focuses on corporate law and business structuring. His career bridges legal practice and executive management, combining corporate governance with hands-on operational leadership. He holds a law degree from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio), where he also completed postgraduate studies. He studied Finance at the COPPEAD Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) and earned an MBA from PUC-Rio’s IAG Business School. Former professor of Corporate Law at Cândido Mendes University.
Trained as an economist and an entrepreneur by temperament, Gunter Pauli set his own standard as early as 1986, after reading the first report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: zero emissions. In 1992 he implemented it at his detergent factory, demonstrating that manufacturing without waste or emissions was not only technically viable, it was commercially successful.
In 2009 he bundled the analysis of over a hundred innovations inspired by Nature into his book The Blue Economy. The model was adopted by the United Nations as a strategy for sustainable economic development and, he writes, by 2026 some twenty-three governments have a Minister for the Blue Economy.
In between, he founded ZERI at the United Nations University in Tokyo, where he advised the Rector, then established the global network as a foundation. He advises governments on how to grow the economy and make communities resilient, works closely with inventors to bring their technologies to market, backed the launch of stone paper, and for over a decade chaired the leading bioplastics company in the world.
He wrote 365 fables to inspire children to be better than their parents. All of them have been published in China and are available to every school. As a father of six, he believes the future depends on the next generation outperforming their parents.
Joana Antunes has over 20 years of experience in litigation and arbitration, with a particular focus on corporate, commercial, real estate, and employment matters. She advises and represents large companies in dispute resolution proceedings, notably within the real estate brokerage, food distribution, and financial sectors.
In parallel, she has been developing her practice in the areas of sustainability and sustainable transition, advising on ESG-related matters, business transformation and sustainability, and the integration of environmental, social, and governance criteria into organisational strategy and operations. She also holds specialised training and qualifications in these fields, complementing her legal expertise and enabling her to adopt a cross-disciplinary approach to the challenges associated with sustainable transition.
João Eduardo de Villemor Amaral is a specialist in sustainable economic development, widely recognized for designing and leading initiatives that connect infrastructure, innovation, investment, executive education, and international cooperation to drive the transformation of territories and organizations. He is the co-founder of Sustainable Ventures, a strategic platform based in Portugal that focuses on the design, development, and implementation of high-impact projects between Europe and Latin America. The company supports governments, corporations, financial institutions, and international organizations in developing solutions aimed at sustainable economic development, territorial regeneration, and investment attraction. Throughout his career, he has held leadership positions in prominent organizations, including serving as Chairman of the ESG Council of the Brazil Export Forum (2021–2026), leading the sustainability division of ABFintechs – the Brazilian Fintech Association, working as an Associate at the Circle Economy Foundation for Brazil, Portugal, and Latin America, and acting as Executive Director of the global initiative Voice of the Oceans (Voz dos Oceanos), developed by the Schurmann Family in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). His professional experience combines a strong track record in fostering collaboration among the public sector, private companies, academia, investors, and multilateral organizations, structuring projects capable of generating long-term economic, social, and environmental impact. He has led initiatives in the fields of infrastructure, regenerative cities, circular economy, blue economy, culture, tourism, energy transition, and regional development, always focused on creating innovative models for sustainable development and competitiveness. He is also the creator of international executive education programs developed in partnership with NOVA School of Business and Economics (NOVA SBE) in Portugal. These programs are designed to develop leadership capabilities and strengthen economic and institutional relations between Brazil and the European Union. His career is distinguished by his ability to build strategic alliances, mobilize diverse stakeholders around shared objectives, and transform forward-looking visions into large-scale, internationally impactful projects.
Luiggi Cavalcanti is a Chemical Engineer, holds a Master's degree in Energy and Environment and earned a PhD in Chemical Engineering, including a doctoral research period in Spain. He worked as a Production Manager in the industrial sector and currently serves as Lead Researcher in the Environmental Area at SENAI CIMATEC University, where he develops and leads research, development and innovation (R&D&I) projects in partnership with public institutions and national and international companies.
He has international experience in research and teaching projects in Canada, Chile and Spain. He is a professor at both undergraduate and graduate levels at CIMATEC, as well as a permanent faculty member of the Professional Master's Program in Sustainable Development and the technical coordinator of the new Executive MBA (MBI) in Circular Economy.
He leads the Circular Economy Research Group (GPEC) at CIMATEC and is a member of the Research Group on Governance for Sustainability and Low-Carbon Management (GpS) at the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA).
Co-founder & CEO of Future-Fit Foundation
Sustainability and impact specialist
Martin Rich, Co-founder & CEO of Future-Fit Foundation, is a sustainability and impact specialist with nearly 30 years’ experience in both mainstream and social investment.
Following a successful career in international finance working for UBS, JPMorgan, HSBC and Social Finance Ltd, he co-founded Future-Fit Foundation with a vision to create a truly sustainable future for all. He now works on the cutting-edge of sustainability, helping companies and financial institutions of all sizes address the radical transformation that the future demands of their business models.
Martin is a member of various investment and advisory committees, including for WHEB Asset Management and Vivensa Foundation, and is formerly Senior Independent Trustee for Access Foundation and a member of the Asset Allocation Working Group for the G7 Social Investment Task Force. He holds two Master’s degrees with First and Distinction in Engineering from Queens’ College, Cambridge University.
Natacha Fontes, PhD, is an agrifood innovation expert with over 15 years of experience connecting research, industry and public policy. Her work focuses on sustainability, bioeconomy, smart farming and regenerative production systems, with extensive experience leading European and national R&D initiatives. She currently serves on the Board of INIAV, Portugal's National Institute for Agricultural and Veterinary Research, and is actively engaged in higher education, research supervision and science-based policy development.
Patrícia Oliveira-Silva began her academic journey by mapping how the brain processes empathy, emotion regulation and social pain. Over time, her curiosity expanded from the neural to the global, from understanding how neurons connect in the brain to how universities connect people across cultures. A neuroscientist by training and a global academic by conviction, she currently serves as the Faculty of Education and Psychology’s head of Global Positioning at Universidade Católica Portuguesa in Porto. Her research and leadership sit at the crossroads of neuroscience, psychology and higher education. Through projects such as INSPIRE.Brain@Border, in which she bridges brain research with internationalisation, or MUS-A, in which she explores the brain correlates of music anxiety performance, she has explored the neurocognitive pathways of adaptation, resilience and belonging.
Ricardo Cardoso focuses his practice on Sports, Fashion, Media & Entertainment Law, with particular expertise in the negotiation and management of sports contracts and image rights, including sponsorship agreements, international campaigns, and contractual disputes. Throughout his career, he initially specialised in Commercial and Corporate Law, subsequently concentrating his practice on the sports sector and later expanding into the fashion and entertainment industries, advising athletes, models, actors, and sports organisations.
His practice includes cross-border legal advisory work, with experience spanning Portugal, Spain, England, Brazil, and the Middle East. He is a frequent speaker at international conferences and Master's programmes and has authored a number of academic publications in his areas of expertise.
