Regions & Mayoral Engagement

Murali Ram is C40’s Regional Director for East, Southeast Asia & Oceania, based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Murali brings over two decades of strategic regional experience in cities and sustainability, most recently serving as the lead for Cities at Arup Malaysia. He holds a Master’s in Sustainable Development and is an alumnus of the U.S. International Visitor Leadership Program (Resilient Cities and Urban Sustainability). Before transitioning to climate and sustainability advocacy, Murali practised law in Malaysia, England, and the Caribbean.

Nicolle Konai is the Senior Finance Manager, Zero Emission Buses. She coordinates the programme’s effort to structure new commercial models in key Latin American cities and supports partners on finance aspects, as well as leads the investor engagement effort in the region by developing a strategy to mobilise capital for e-bus projects.

Prior to joining C40, Nicolle worked in investment and portfolio management at the International Finance Corporation (IFC). She also worked at the World Bank and has experience in finance, operations, and capital mobilisation.

Based in São Paulo, Brazil, Nicolle holds a Master’s in Finance and Economics from FGV São Paulo and a Master’s in Public Administration from Columbia University (New York) and the University of Tokyo.

Idrissa serves as a City Adviser for Waste in Senegal, assisting the municipality of Dakar in identifying and implementing crucial waste-related initiatives aimed at reducing current and future emissions from the solid waste sector.

Before joining C40, he worked at Practical Action as a climate resilience adviser. He also served as the Project Manager for “Improving Human Health and Livelihood through Reducing Open Burning of Waste in Senegal,” a project funded by the Royal Academy of Engineering in partnership with the national waste management agency (SONAGED) and a local research institute (EPT).

Idrissa is also a specialist in urban resilience with a broad focus on disaster risk reduction, urban planning, environmental issues, and waste management. Over the past three years, he has contributed to the work of the Zurich Flood Resilience Alliance in West Africa, engaging in research, knowledge management, advocacy, and project implementation, particularly in the city of Thies, Senegal.

Idrissa holds a Master’s degree in development economics with a specialization in sustainable development from CERDI (Centre d’Études et de Recherches sur le Développement International) at the University of Clermont Auvergne in France.

Vrilly Rondonuwu serves as City Adviser for Jakarta, Indonesia. In this role, she is one of the key parts of the Regional and Mayoral Engagement team to engage the city in the implementation of the climate action plan and the fulfilment of C40’s Leadership Standards, including supporting C40 as required during the transition of city administrations, representing C40, and liaising with external partners working with the city on relevant issues.

Vrilly has over ten years’ experience, both in the government and non-government environment from project planning, implementation and monitoring and evaluation. Her extensive professional work on climate started with assisting the Chair of the UNFCCC Subsidiary Body for Implementation in the year of 2009, working with various people and organizations.

Before joining C40, Vrilly worked as a consultant in the fields of environment, resource efficiency, and climate change at various international organizations e.g., as a short-term consultant to support the coordination and data collection for the ASEAN Resource Panel at UNESCAP; as a national short-term consultant at World Bank Indonesia for the Climate Change Institutional Assessment project; as an RECP policy expert and networking coordinator at ICPC for the RECP Indonesia project supported by UNIDO; on the coordination desk on behalf of the Foundation for Sustainable Development as part of the Consumer Information Programme for SCP–UNEP; and as a technical officer/policy adviser at GTZ for their Climate Change programme.

She completed her Master’s of Ministry in Pastoral Counseling at Jakarta Theology Seminary, and earned a BSc in Quality Performance Management and Information Technology at Marquette University in Milwaukee, USA.

Hajar serves as the C40 Community Resilience Adviser for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Prior to joining C40, she served as a Town Planning Officer at the City Hall of Kuala Lumpur, where she managed the Local Agenda 21 portfolio, focusing on community empowerment projects.

Hajar also brings extensive experience in local plan and strategy development from her time at a leading local urban planning and design consultancy in Kuala Lumpur.

Hajar graduated with a Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning from the International Islamic University Malaysia.

Huey is Head of Implementation for ESEAO (East, SEA and Oceania), where she oversees climate action mainstreaming and implementation for the region.

Before joining C40, her experience included leading the implementation of urban sustainability initiatives, including facilitating the entry of Kuala Lumpur into C40 at the highly successful National Transformation Program (NTP) of the Malaysian Government, where systemic transformation is materialised through co-creation of solutions and relentless recursive implementation efforts. She has also supported the development of Kuala Lumpur’s Climate Action Plan 2050, as well as developing C40’s ESEAO 2022-2024 Regional Business Plan. She led the advocacy work with the Government of Malaysia in accelerating EV adoption in Malaysia through 30 catalytic incentives, proposed to be financed through targeted fuel subsidy rationalisation, which has seen a 300% increase in EV adoption as an outcome.

Huey completed her MSc Sustainable Cities at King’s College London on a UK Government Chevening Scholarship and holds a Bachelor of Science (Psychology and Genetics) from the University of Melbourne, Australia. She is a YSEALI Professional Fellow alumnus and is fluent in 6 Asian & European languages, contributing greatly to cross-cultural understanding, which is crucial for team and stakeholder influencing.

Grace is an experienced strategic leader with a 16-year track record spanning African local government operations and the US private sector. While working at County Government of Machakos (Kenya), she designed and executed sustainable development programmes across multiple departments and stakeholders. She set up the Machakos Climate Change Unit and supported the department in drafting the Climate Act, finance and climate change policies, and securing funding for the financial locally-led Climate Action Program. 

Grace holds a Doctor of Business Administration from California Southern University and has a certification in Monitoring and Evaluation. Grace is also passionate about empowering the girl child and actively volunteers in her community, providing mentorship to support young girls. In her spare time, she loves spending time with her family, hiking, and cooking.

Marian Urizar is the Government Partnerships & Programmes Manager, based in Mexico City. In this role, she contributes to delivering the organisation’s evolving government fundraising strategy and supports the delivery of government programmes within the directorate.

Marian was Programme Manager of the Urban Climate Action Programme, Climate Action Implementation (UCAP CAI) for the LATAM region from 2023 to 2025. She supported the implementation and coordination of the CAI programme across the region, in Bogotá, Guadalajara, Lima, Medellín and Mexico City.

Before joining C40, Marian spent several years working in international urban development and public policy. She coordinated the sustainable urban development portfolio and co-led the UK-Mexico Future Cities Programme of the Mexico Prosperity Fund for the British Embassy in Mexico City (UK FCDO).

In the private sector, Marian worked in the electric mobility and tech industry, where she conducted public policy and public affairs work, managed policy-led projects and supported the consolidation of a regional policy team. Marian has also worked as a consultant for clients, including the Inter-American Development Bank and UN-Habitat.

Marian holds an MSc in Cities and Global Development from the University of Sheffield (UK) and a BA in International Relations from Tecnológico de Monterrey (México). She also holds PRINCE2 certifications in project management.

Anja serves as C40’s Senior Manager of Engagement and European Public Affairs.

Her role focuses on implementing the C40 advocacy plan for the European Union, delivering the European elements of C40’s mission-driven focus on ending fossil fuels, and addressing the impacts and injustices of climate breakdown.

Based in Brussels, she creates linkages with EU policies and initiatives and keeps relations with EU institutions and other Brussels-based stakeholders. She also supports the C40 cities in the European region to lead EU advocacy work and raise ambition for other cities to take bold and ambitious climate action.

Before joining C40, Anja worked for more than 10 years for a Brussels-based city network on a variety of European-funded projects and initiatives on sustainable urban development, especially on funding, innovative finance and procurement, and urban food.

Anja has a Master’s degree in European studies and environmental management from Sussex University. Originally from Italy, she also speaks English, French and German.

Daisy is Programme Manager for Climate Action Implementation at C40, where she works on the design and delivery of new programmes, as well as on government funder engagement for major urban climate action programmes spanning multiple regions and sectors. Daisy previously worked for C40’s Finance Facility (CFF), a joint initiative of C40 Cities and GIZ that drives access to finance for climate change mitigation and resilience projects in urban areas.

Before joining C40, Daisy worked for nearly ten years at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), where she was responsible for developing briefings and speeches for senior officials. She researched and authored peer reviews and publications, and co-designed key launches and high-level multi-stakeholder events. She also contributed to integrating gender considerations into the 2021 OECD Anti-Bribery Recommendation, adopted by the 44 countries Party to the Anti-Bribery Convention.

Daisy completed her MSc in Human Rights at the London School of Economics and Political Science, focusing on gender equality and LGBTQ+ rights. She holds a BA in French from the University of London Institute in Paris and speaks English and French. She also volunteers at the LGBT+ helpline, Switchboard.

Devashree Ragde is Manager for Climate Governance and Finance in the South and West Asia team in Mumbai. She supports the Climate Budgeting activities of Mumbai city and provides cross-cutting support in Climate and Infrastructure finance.

She has pursued urban planning from the College of Engineering, Pune and holds an M.Sc. in Urban Policy and Governance from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai.

Devashree previously worked at Janaagraha Centre for Citizenship and Democracy on revenue enhancement projects and policy-making for urban local bodies of Odisha. Prior to that, her work experience included project management for Pondicherry’s integrated solid waste management project, research on the Pune Smart Cities Mission at Flame University and planning Chiplun Municipal Council’s Septage Management project at PAS Project, CEPT University.

She also has independent consulting experience with Haqdarshak Empowerment Solutions Pvt Ltd on government scheme delivery and design. Devashree has been editor-in-chief of the National Organisation for Students of Planning (NOSPlan) in India. In her free time, she enjoys working out at the gym, travelling, reading and is an active Toastmaster.

Based out of Chennai, Karthik is an aspiring policy professional with a penchant for data. He specialises in research, data and communication and has 7 years of experience as a development professional working on multiple issues, mainly climate change, healthcare, education and livelihoods. Before joining C40, he worked with organisations such as The Barefoot College, Habitat Forum (INHAF), TRIF, Ministry of Home Affairs, NITI Aayog and the District Administration of Narayanpur in Chhattisgarh. 

He has a bachelor’s degree in Planning from the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi. He is also an alumnus of the SBI Youth for India Fellowship and The Aspirational District Fellowship. In his free time, he is an avid automotive enthusiast, photographer and amateur Kirie artist.

Nidhi Shashidhara serves as the Regional Partnerships Manager for North America at C40 Cities. In this role, she leads strategic collaboration across the region, focusing on delivering essential finance support to help cities navigate the transition toward clean energy and climate resilience. Nidhi also spearheads federal engagement efforts.

Prior to her joining C40, Nidhi was the Development Associate for the Institute for Sustainable Communities, where she secured federal, philanthropic, and corporate funding to scale local climate action across the organisation’s global programs. She began her career as a congressional campaign fundraiser, driving DC and national-level fundraising for progressive, pro-climate candidates.

Originally from Jacksonville, FL, Nidhi is now based in Washington, D.C.. She holds a Master’s in Sustainable Urban Planning from George Washington University and a Bachelor’s in Environmental Studies and Global Development Studies from Mercer University.

Shilpa serves as Manager of Climate Implementation at C40 and supports the cities in the South and West Asia region in implementing climate action plans and scaling up non-C40 engagements. Her role also encompasses supporting engagement, mainly with Mumbai and Ahmedabad.

Prior to joining C40, Shilpa worked with organisations such as Palladium Consulting India Pvt. Ltd., Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM), South Asia, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), Government of India and National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) supporting pivotal government initiatives focused on urban governance, innovation, and climate at the central and the local body level. With MoHUA and NIUA, she was part of the prestigious India Smart Cities Fellowship Programme, where she worked on various innovative initiatives for the Smart Cities Mission and supported the local urban bodies in the cities for climate action through the Climate Centre for Cities. Shilpa helped set the baseline for preparing the climate action plan for Pune city with GCoM. She also spearheaded and implemented various locally-led sustainable and climate initiatives with Palladium Consulting India for Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation. Additionally, she has also volunteered with non-governmental organisations in the education and climate sectors.

Shilpa holds a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Anna University, Chennai, and a postgraduate degree in Advanced Construction Management from National Institute of Construction Management and Research (NICMAR), Pune. Outside of work, she enjoys taking early morning strolls, reading books, practising dance routines, exploring new smoothie recipes, and dabbling with some amateur painting.

Fadhil is part of the Breathe Cities Regional Team, which advises and supports the city of Jakarta in implementing Breathe Cities on the ground and delivering ambitious priority air quality actions to meet clean air goals.

Fadhil is deeply passionate about promoting cleaner and healthier urban air quality. He earned his Master of Science in Air Pollution Management and Control from the University of Birmingham, UK. Before joining C40, Fadhil worked at World Resources Institute (WRI) Indonesia as a Senior Air Quality Research Analyst, and he was involved in the USAID’s Clean Air Catalyst programme and WRI’s own Southeast Asia Air Quality Community of Practice Projects, as well as was responsible within science workstream as well as regional engagement. Before that, he also served as the Chief Representative Officer for Indonesia in the Asia Pacific Air Quality Group (APAQ Group), where he was assigned to analyse project leads, identify business opportunities, and provide technical consultation and support to clients, involved in various projects on Air Quality Monitoring Station devices, from US-EPA reference method to indicative low-cost sensor instruments.

Fadhil lives in Jakarta with his wife and two adorable children. In his free time, he enjoys watching movies, playing badminton, and actively participating in scholarship alumni communities. On weekends, he cherishes spending quality time with family, either by taking walks or enjoying outings to the mall.

Shreya Nair is the Manager of Mobility at C40 Cities, supporting cities in the South & West Asia region within the Laneshift Programme. This initiative focuses on developing a roadmap for electric highways connecting major metro cities in India. In her role, Shreya engages with business and industry stakeholders to advocate for targets and commitments toward transitioning their existing transport needs to zero-emission options.

Before joining C40, Shreya gained experience at organisations such as Mumbai First, BSAG McLarty Associates, and PRS Legislative Research. Her work encompassed governance, legislative research, policy advocacy, and stakeholder management across various levels of city, sub-national, and central government. She has also contributed to national election campaigns and served as a legislative research assistant to a member of the Indian parliament.

Shreya holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy and Governance from Azim Premji University, Bengaluru, and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from St. Xavier’s College, India. Outside of work, she enjoys exploring parks and gardens around her city and developing new recipes to cook.

As a Technical Adviser, Bandish supports C40’s work in South and West Asian cities, specifically implementing high-impact actions decarbonising the energy and building sector.

Bandish has over a decade of experience in the urban climate space, having worked very closely with a variety of stakeholders including local communities, government officials at various levels, global think tanks and NGOs, academia and Urban Local Bodies in India.

He was recently associated with EMBER working on a coal mine methane mitigation project in India. Previously, he held the position of ‘Manager – Urban Climate Action’ at Janaagraha, playing a key role in implementing the “Clean Energy Pathways for Low-Income Settlements” programme in cities of Odisha.

As a Research Associate on the multi-country OPTIMISM project, his work focused on promoting low-carbon transportation solutions in two Indian cities. At ICLEI South Asia, he spearheaded efforts towards driving climate action across various cities through initiatives like “Promoting Low Emission Urban Development Strategies in Emerging Economy Countries (Urban LEDS)”, “SE4ALL Building Efficiency Accelerator program (BEA)”, “Earth Hour City Challenge (EHCC)”, “Rajkot Solar City Program” and “Development of Climate Adaptation Financing Guidebook”.

Bandish has an MBA in Energy and Environment from Symbiosis Institute of International Business and a BA in Political Science and Economics. In his free time, he likes to read books, play badminton and has a keen interest in Ayurveda.

Urmila Sudhindra is the C40 Regional Officer for the South and West Asia region, and is based in Bengaluru. Urmila joined C40 after working as a Reporting and Documentation officer at Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled where she was responsible for the education department. She has also worked with other organisations like Medecins Sans Frontieres and KHUSHII. She has a Masters and Bachelors in Psychology from the University of Stirling and Birmingham. She is passionate about community well-being. In her free time, she enjoys travelling, cooking, trying new hobbies and spending time with her family.

Joselyn is C40’s Transport Project Manager, Zero Emission Freight program in Latin America. She has more than 10 years of experience working as an expert in the design and evaluation of public policies, with emphasis on urban and transportation planning, women’s empowerment, and social impact.

Before joining C40, she held several positions in non-governmental organizations including WRI, the Iberoamerican University, and the federal government of Mexico. She has assisted several Latin American cities in their transition to electric public transportation by participating in the planning of projects like the BRT and cable car systems, which were financed by international agencies like the World Bank and GIZ.

Joselyn holds a PhD in Public Policy from the Center of Economic Research and Teaching (CIDE), a Master’s in Urban Studies from the College of Mexico (COLMEX), and graduated as a Sociology major from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).

Guilherme Macieira serves as C40’s Project Assistant for the Zero Emission Bus Rapid-Deployment Accelerator (ZEBRA) project, led by C40 Cities and the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT). In this role, Guilherme supports the coordination and delivery of the programme, through administrative tasks, communication activities, and sharing best practices for deploying zero-emission buses in Latin America.

Before joining C40, Guilherme worked as an Institutional Relations and Advocacy intern at ICLEI South America, where he developed a keen interest in urban climate action, supporting the engagement of mayors and city representatives at COP26 and other international forums and implemented projects focused on climate justice and climate action. Guilherme has also worked at Solidarity Center, an international workers’ rights organisation, implementing cooperation projects with local unions to strengthen the collective voice of workers, especially underrepresented groups, around the world.

Based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Guilherme holds a B.A. in International Relations from the Federal University of São Paulo, where he focused on international public policies and cooperation.

Pongsatorn is C40’s City Advisor, Breathe Cities, Bangkok. He is a part of the Breathe Cities Regional Team and the ESEAO team to advise and support Bangkok in implementing Breathe Cities on the ground to deliver ambitious priority air quality actions to meet clean air goals.

Prior to joining C40, Pongsatorn was an Advisor at GIZ (Thailand) where he worked on climate change mitigation in the transport sector by providing technical support for fuel economy policies and the electric vehicle roadmap for the Thai government. From 2021 to 2023, he worked as Chief of Staff to the Prime Ministerial candidate of the Move Forward Party in Thailand.

Pongsatorn is living in Bangkok with his wife, Thun, and raising a one-year-old Blenheim Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy named Zuko

Sandra Sarahí Aguirre is C40’s Senior Manager, Government Partnerships & Programmes. She contributes to shaping and delivering C40’s evolving government fundraising strategy by fostering strong relationships with key stakeholders and collaborating across C40’s teams to develop tailored, high-impact pitch decks and grant proposals.

With a degree in International Relations and a specialisation in International Cooperation for Development, Sandra brings over eight years of experience in international development. She most recently served as the City Adviser for Guadalajara in the C40 UCAP Climate Action Implementation (CAI) Programme, where she played a key role by supporting two high-impact actions: implementing Mexico’s first low-emission zone and establishing a roadmap for energy efficiency in public buildings in Guadalajara.

Before joining C40, Sandra was the Technical Manager of International Cooperation at the Institute for Planning and Development Management of the Metropolitan Area of Guadalajara (Imeplan). A highlight of her career was coordinating the Metropolitan Area of Guadalajara’s participation in COP26, where the team received a UNFCCC Climate Action Award for their unique governance model in developing the Climate Action Plan.

Sarika is the Director of Implementation (South & West Asia) for the Regional & Mayoral Engagement team at C40 Cities, bringing nearly two decades of cross-sectoral expertise to the role. At C40, she spearheads efforts to translate high-level climate commitments into tangible projects across multiple cities.

Previously, Sarika was the Team Lead for the GEF7-funded UrbanShift Country Project at the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA). While there, she also led the land, shelter, and transport sectors for the seminal Master Plan for Delhi – 2041, guiding the development of strategic frameworks for sustainable, equitable, and inclusive urban growth. Her policy contributions included the Land, Transit-oriented Development (TOD), and Regeneration policies for Delhi.

An architect with a Master’s degree in housing from the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi. Sarika has also worked with organizations such as UNICEF and contributed to projects funded by multilateral agencies, including the World Bank, JICA, and DFID. Beyond her professional commitments, she enjoys outings with her family or simply unwinding in her free time.

Kevin Mutia is Urban Planning Senior Manager, Africa. He is an urban professional specialized and committed to fostering sustainable and inclusive cities, and he collaborates with public and private sector stakeholders to drive impactful urban transformations across Africa. With extensive experience across various spatial scales and rapidly urbanizing environments, Kevin has contributed to several projects in Africa, working alongside community-based organizations, self-help groups, and local and international NGOs.

His expertise includes developing urban frameworks, advancing nature-based solutions and public open spaces, supporting policy formulation, and leading capacity-building initiatives. At the core of his work is a dedication to enhancing the quality of life for all urban residents, ensuring equitable and resilient urban development.

Agung is C40’s Regional Adaptation Manager for East and Southeast Asia and Oceania (ESEAO), bringing extensive experience in policy research, stakeholder engagement, and program implementation. With a Master of Science in Environmental and Infrastructure Planning from the University of Groningen, Agung combines academic expertise with practical experience in driving climate adaptation strategies across complex governance landscapes.  

Before his current role, Agung served as a Program Officer for Climate Change and Urban Resilience Initiatives at Kota Kita Foundation, where he supported cities in developing community-based flood resilience plans. His work involved conducting vulnerability assessments, promoting climate mitigation strategies, and fostering collaboration among local governments, communities, and research institutions. His experience with the Global Center on Adaptation further enriched his understanding of international climate policies, particularly in addressing urban heat stress and advancing nature-based solutions.  

In addition to his climate-focused roles, Agung has a track record of influencing national policy. As a Substance and Research Coordinator at the Indonesian Ministry of Communications and Informatics, he played a key role in shaping digital transformation policies, leading research efforts on telecommunication strategies, and facilitating partnerships with global institutions such as Cornell University and the University of Cambridge. His ability to bridge policy research with real-world implementation makes him a valuable leader in the adaptation space.  

Anais Alfieri is C40’s Regional Coordinator for Europe. She plays a key role in supporting the regional team, overseeing the communication with European member cities, coordinating the delivery of projects across the region and ensuring the effective engagement of our cities.

Before joining C40, Anais worked as a project manager on urban development projects with diverse stakeholders. At the neighbourhood level, she creatively engaged citizens to better care for their local environment and public space, and at the municipal level, she worked on the concept of inclusive and smart cities, developing projects and supporting cities with their strategies through participatory processes. She is passionate about collectively transforming our modern urban world into a more sustainable future.

Anais holds a B.Sc. in Urban Planning from HCU Hamburg and a M.Sc. in Urban Design from the Technical University of Berlin. During her undergraduate degree, she also spent a year studying at ESTAV, Barcelona.

Eduardo Siqueira serves as C40’s Project Manager for the Zero Emission Bus Rapid-Deployment Accelerator (ZEBRA). In this role, Eduardo supports accelerating the electric bus deployment in Latin American cities by engaging with key stakeholders, facilitating project implementation, and advancing enabling policies and financing mechanisms.

Before joining C40, Eduardo worked at the World Resources Institute (WRI), where he developed urban mobility projects focused on improving the energy efficiency of public transport fleets. He contributed to initiatives in cities across Brazil, Colombia, and Africa. His experience also includes travel demand management and corporate mobility strategies.

Based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Eduardo holds a BSc in Civil Engineering and an MSc in Transport Engineering from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul. He also completed an academic exchange in Transport Engineering at Politecnico di Milano (Italy) and is pursuing an MBA in Data Science at the University of São Paulo.

Kaveri, based in Bengaluru, is the Manager for Resilience within the Regions and Mayoral Engagement team at C40 Cities, where she supports cities across South and West Asia.

Before joining C40, she worked with the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA). She led the development of the Jamnagar City Climate Action Plan and contributed to climate planning across multiple Indian cities, including Pune, Leh, and Junagadh. She also played a pivotal role in India’s G20 Urban 20 (U20) engagement and provided strategic support to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation.

An urbanist and trained architect, Kaveri holds a Master’s in Urban Planning from CEPT University and a Bachelor’s in Architecture from MGM’s Jawaharlal Nehru Engineering College. She brings over four years of experience in climate action planning, disaster management, policy advocacy, stakeholder engagement, and resilience-building across diverse geographies.

Diego Blanc serves as the City Advisor for Rio de Janeiro, Breathe Cities, a new initiative delivered by Bloomberg Philanthropies, C40 Cities, and Clean Air Fund. The initiative aims to clean our air, reduce carbon emissions, and enhance public health in cities around the world.

His background and expertise include over a decade of service within the City Government of Rio de Janeiro. He played key roles in fostering international collaborations and spearheading projects in several domains such as urban development, mobility, and city branding. His contributions to the Mayor’s Office and the International Relations Department helped advance the Municipality’s global initiatives and strategic partnerships. This included Rio’s Sustainable Development Program. Additionally, he has worked successfully in public administration, governmental agencies, and national and multinational companies, specializing in international & public affairs, economics, trading, and logistics.

Diego’s involvement in high-profile events demonstrates his ability to thrive in dynamic environments and deliver results on a global stage. These include the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Urban 20 Sherpas Meetings (Tokyo 2019 and Riyadh 2020), and Rio+20 – UN Conference on Sustainable Development.

Diego holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from La Salle University. He also holds a postgraduate Certificate in International Administration from the COPPEAD Graduate School of Business, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ).

Smrithi Prasad is the Manager, Urban Planning – India, within the Region and Mayoral Engagement team at C40. She brings extensive experience in sustainable urban mobility and planning, with a strong focus on climate action and inclusive urban development.

Before joining C40, Smrithi worked with the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP). In Guidance Tamil Nadu, she supported the implementation of the state’s Electric Vehicle Policy. Additionally, she led coordination with over 45 cities and 70 startups across India for the Transport4All (T4A) Digital Innovation Challenge, an initiative of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), Government of India. This scheme aimed to improve public transport systems.

She has previously worked with GIZ, supporting state-level experts in Tamil Nadu on GIS-based master planning for AMRUT cities. She also contributed to the review of the Tamil Nadu Development Control Regulations (DCR).

Based in Chennai, Smrithi leverages design thinking and strategic planning to foster the development of low-emission, resilient cities. Her work centers on sustainable mobility, urban planning, and policy implementation to advance effective climate strategies across cities.

Desi is the Regional Officer for East, Southeast Asia, and Oceania (ESEAO). She provides administrative support to the ESEAO Regional Director and the core regional team, and is responsible for coordinating with internal C40 teams and liaising with city staff across the region.

A seasoned administrative specialist, Desi brings extensive experience from the non-profit sector and the civil engineering industry. Before joining C40, she worked remotely for a research institution in Myanmar, where she managed administrative operations and led the social media communications team. She has also worked as a freelance translator and a Bahasa Indonesia tutor.

She holds a Bachelor’s degree in French Studies from Universitas Indonesia. In her free time, she enjoys cooking for her family, photography, and working out.

Naim Keruwala is the Regional Director for South and West Asia. With an experience of over 16 years in policy and social impact, he works at the intersection of sustainable urban development, development finance, participatory governance, and climate action.

Before joining C40, Naim led the City Investments to Innovate, Integrate & Sustain (CITIIS) Program as a Program Director at the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA). CITIIS is a flagship initiative of the Government of India with a blended finance portfolio of approximately EUR 500 million, aimed at building climate-resilient urban infrastructure across Indian cities. The program is supported by the French Development Agency (AFD), German Development Bank (KfW), and the European Union through bilateral loans and technical assistance grants.

Over the years, he has collaborated with a range of global stakeholders and renowned academic institutions, including UNEP, WRI, the World Economic Forum, GIZ, Efficacity, Cerema, Sciences Po Urban School, and the Columbia Climate School, reflecting his deep commitment to advancing sustainable and inclusive urban transformation.

In addition, Naim has been a Senior Fellow and Visiting Faculty at Symbiosis International University, where he has taught urban economic development to postgraduate students for over eight years. He is a Salzburg Global Fellow, an associate fellow of the Royal Commonwealth Society and an alumnus of the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) by the U.S. Department of State.

Bien serves as the Engagement Manager for Ho Chi Minh City. With a robust background in consulting, Bien previously worked with major firms in Vietnam, including AMPERES and RCEE NIRAS. His extensive experience has equipped him with a deep understanding of the energy transition landscape in the country, making him a valuable asset in the pursuit of innovative energy solutions.

He began his career in oil refining, gaining firsthand experience in the traditional energy sector before transitioning to renewable energy. Throughout his career, Bien has engaged in fruitful collaborations with prominent partners, such as USAID, GEAPP, GIZ, PetroVietnam, and Petrolimex. These partnerships underscore his commitment to driving meaningful change within the energy sector, focusing on sustainable practices that benefit both the environment and local communities. His role also involves providing technical support to various local authorities, including the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, where he has honed his skills in navigating the complexities of government operations and policy-making.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Hanoi University of Science and Technology and a Master’s in Sustainable Energy and Entrepreneurship from the University of Nottingham (fully funded by the Chevening Scholarship). Bien is deeply passionate about raising awareness of renewable energy among the youth in Vietnam. He actively organises workshops in schools, aiming to foster a new generation that is informed and engaged in sustainable energy practices.

As C40’s Regions & Mayoral Engagement Officer, Gowri supports day-to-day operations and global milestone events of the cross-regional mayoral network through stakeholder engagement, communication, and data management.

Prior to joining C40, Gowri worked as a Research Assistant in Sustainability and Resilience at UCL Consultants, where she was involved in the World Road Association (PIARC) project on road transport resilience and decarbonization strategies. At the Centre for Policy Research (CPR), she interned with the Scaling City Institutions for India Initiative (SCI-FI), supporting city authorities in developing sustainable water and sanitation solutions for urban poor areas.

A Commonwealth Master’s Scholar, Gowri holds an MSc in Urbanisation and Development from the London School of Economics and a BA (hons) in Sociology from the University of Delhi.

Anthony serves as Regional Director for Africa and leads C40’s strategic engagements across the region. He is part of C40’s Senior Leadership Team.

Anthony is a seasoned regional executive leader with experience in stabilising operations and programs across the African social and development arena. Anthony has a deep technical background in affordable housing, health, and climate change.

Anthony’s experience includes leading organisational change, securing large funding from donors, and building strategic partnerships. In his last assignment as the National Director at Habitat for Humanity Kenya, he developed a successful redesign and organisational change strategy that reversed challenges and boosted the budget of the organization by nearly 300%. He has long-established donor and government connections across Africa that have allowed him to broker policy reform and market systems development.

Caio Raposo serves as C40’s Senior Manager, Waste (Brazil) within the Climate Solutions & Networks department, supporting the Brazil Multilevel Implementation Program.

Caio has experience in waste and methane mitigation policy across Belize, Brazil, Chile, Grenada, Guyana, and Uruguay. His work includes policy design, regulatory analysis, and capacity-building for national and subnational governments. He joins C40 from the Center for Clean Air Policy (CCAP), where he worked on the Recycle Organics Program, supporting organic waste management and methane reduction initiatives in Brazil and the Caribbean.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUC-RS) and a specialisation in Environmental Management from the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) – COPPE.

Jim Durán Mayerstein is the Senior Manager, Zero Emission Buses, for Latin America. He manages technical assistance, consultancies and relationships with cities and national governments working on the deployment of e-bus fleets.

Previously, Jim served as City Adviser for Mexico City in C40’s UCAP CAI program, where he supported the city in developing the first technical guidelines for e-buses and trolleybuses, which were the first of their kind nationwide. He also worked on tailored demand studies for public transport corridors subject to fleet renewal. Before joining C40, Jim served at the Mexico City Ministry of Mobility and the Public Works Department, leading multiple public transport, infrastructure and active mobility projects.

Jim holds a Bachelor’s in Transportation Engineering from Mexico’s National Polytechnic Institute.

Kanika is a highly experienced urban development professional with over a decade of leadership in inclusive, sustainable, and climate-resilient urban initiatives across India. Her expertise spans policy advisory, programme design, research, and capacity building, delivered in close partnership with national and state governments, multilateral institutions, and leading think tanks. She brings deep expertise in universal design, gender and disability inclusion, inclusive sanitation, and climate resilience. Kanika has been instrumental in leading the development of major frameworks, including the Harmonised Guidelines and Standards (2021), the Inclusive City Framework, and the ABLE India Framework. She has also successfully supported the mainstreaming of social and economic inclusion across urban planning initiatives.Kanika is dedicated to strengthening institutional capacities, having trained more than a thousand practitioners on inclusive planning and embedding participatory, stakeholder-driven approaches in urban programmes. Kanika holds a Master’s degree in Environmental Planning and a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture. She has previously held roles with the National Institute of Urban Affairs and the Delhi Development Authority, among others. She is also a recipient of the prestigious Centre for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) Fellowship Cohort 2023-24 for her project on inclusive disaster resilience.

Robert Stupka serves as Head of Climate Action Implementation for North America, supporting the delivery of C40’s technical assistance in Canada and the United States.

He joined C40 in 2022 and is based on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Robert is a professional engineer with over 15 years of experience working with municipal governments, public utilities, and private sector partners on the integrated delivery of sustainable transportation and energy solutions. From this experience, he brings direct insight into the technical and political challenges and opportunities of implementing climate solutions.

Robert holds a Master of Civil Engineering degree from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Engineering from the University of Ottawa.

As Climate Resilience Advisor, Philip serves as C40’s technical and facilitation lead on adaptation in Lagos, working within the municipal office of Lagos to accelerate the delivery of climate action, unlock barriers and strengthen institutional capacity in the city.

Philip has 10 years of experience working with international development organisations, NGOs and government partners, including serving as Nigeria Country Coordinator with Resilient Water Accelerator (RWA) – WaterAid, Program Manager with Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), and other previous roles at Pact West Africa, TechnoServe and GIZ.

Philip brings experience leading climate resilience projects, coordinating multi-stakeholder platforms, managing government engagement, and providing technical and policy advisory on climate resilience in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa.

Philip led the design and establishment of the Lagos Water Partnership, a PPP platform that now leads the development and implementation of Lagos’ water investment agenda.

Lunga Motsa joined C40 Cities in June 2024 and currently serves as the City Advisor in Johannesburg for the Breathe Cities Programme. In this role, she leads the delivery of city-level sustainability initiatives and provides strategic and technical support across stakeholder partnerships, policy development processes, and implementation of technical assistance projects.

Lunga is an environmental and air quality specialist with over 18 years of experience leading environmental management, climate action, air quality, and sustainable urban development initiatives across the public, private, non-governmental, and international development sectors.

She brings extensive expertise in environmental governance, policy development, climate resilience, urban sustainability, air quality management, and stakeholder engagement within the South African context. Throughout her career, she has supported national and local government institutions in developing and implementing environmental strategies, regulatory frameworks, monitoring systems, and sustainability programmes that contribute to improved environmental and public health outcomes.

Lunga holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Wits Business School and a Master of Science (MSc) in Environmental Studies from the University of the Witwatersrand.

Crispus Nyaundi is the Project Manager for the African Cities for Clean Air (AC4CA) initiative within C40’s Air Quality Programme, supporting 12 African cities in designing and implementing evidence-based air quality policies and connecting them with the financing needed to deliver clean transport projects.

Prior to his current role, Crispus served as Climate Change and Air Quality Monitoring Officer at Nairobi City County Government, where he supported the drafting of the city’s Air Quality Regulations, coordinated the expansion of Nairobi’s air quality monitoring network with international partners, and served as the focal point for donor-funded climate programmes with C40, the World Bank, WRI, and UNEP. His work contributed to the development of Nairobi’s comprehensive city-led air quality governance systems.

Before entering the climate and air quality space, Crispus spent eight years as an Environmental Health and Safety Officer in Kenya’s private sector, where he designed and implemented integrated management systems and led environmental compliance programmes. He has also conducted environmental and social impact assessments across multiple sectors in East, West and the Horn of Africa.

Crispus holds a Master’s in Environmental Studies (Climate Change and Sustainability) from Kenyatta University and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP). He is fluent in English, French, and Swahili.

Shruti serves as the C40 Regional Officer for South and West Asia and works closely with the Regions and Mayoral Engagement team. She supports delivering the regional team’s engagement with member cities across South and West Asia.

Shruti joined C40 from Transitions Research, where she served as Learning Designer and Research Associate, developing fellowship curricula for public-sector officials on climate action, adaptation and resilience. Prior to this, she worked with the World Resources Institute (WRI India) on the Leaders in Climate Change Management programme, contributing to a multi-year capacity-building initiative for urban local body officials. She has also taught Environment and Ethics as Visiting Faculty at Krea University, and philosophy at Miranda House, University of Delhi.

Shruti is completing a PhD in Political Philosophy at the University of Delhi, with a dissertation on climate governance and duties of global justice. She holds an MPhil and an MA in Philosophy from the University of Delhi and a BA (Hons) in Philosophy from Miranda House, University of Delhi.

María Alejandra Palacio currently serves as Programme Manager for UCAP CAI Latin America at C40, supporting the delivery of the UCAP CAI 2.0 programme through cross-departmental coordination, programme management, and quality assurance across climate action workstreams.

Before joining C40, María Alejandra worked as a Project Analyst at ICLEI Colombia, supporting local governments across the Andean region in developing and implementing projects on climate change mitigation and adaptation, circular economy, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable urban development.

María Alejandra holds a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Sustainable Finance and Climate Change.

Khodani Mulaudzi is the Senior Manager, Climate Resilience and Knowledge Management in C40’s Regions and Mayoral Engagement team. Based in Johannesburg, she serves as the technical and facilitation lead on adaptation, inclusive climate action (ICA), and knowledge management for the UCAP Climate Action Implementation (CAI) programme. In this role, she supports African and global CAI cities in accelerating equitable, high-impact urban adaptation interventions aligned with C40’s best practice standards.

With 14 years of experience spanning climate change mitigation, adaptation, and just transition initiatives across Africa, Khodani previously served as the C40 City Advisor for the City of Johannesburg. During her tenure, she successfully spearheaded the implementation of the city’s Climate Action Plan, mainstreamed climate KPIs into annual business plans, and established its climate finance mobilizing steering committee. Her prior experience includes low-carbon and energy access roles at the Carbon Trust and WWF South Africa. Khodani holds an MSc in Climate Change and Development from the University of Sussex (Mandela Scholar) and is a Certified Expert in Climate Adaptation Finance from the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management.

Chariya Senpong serves as the Engagement Manager, Energy Transition at C40 Cities, based in Bangkok. In this role, she leads stakeholder engagement for city-level climate and energy transition initiatives in collaboration with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, aligning efforts with the Bangkok Master Plan on Climate Change 2021–2030 and its greenhouse gas reduction targets. She focuses on building multi-stakeholder coalitions across city agencies, utilities, business, academia, and civil society, while designing inclusive consultation frameworks that bring stakeholders into urban climate planning.

Chariya brings over 20 years of experience in environmental and climate governance, civil society engagement, and multi-stakeholder policy arenas. Prior to joining C40, she served as Team Leader for the Thailand Energy Transition Campaign at international non-governmental organisations, Co-Founder and Research Lead at Social Enterprise, and Secretary to the Parliamentary Energy Committee at the House of Representatives, Parliament of Thailand. She has also co-founded civil society platforms such as the Thailand Solar Fund and served on parliamentary sub-committees on energy, climate, and coal phase-out. She holds a PhD and M.A. in Environment, Development and Sustainability from Chulalongkorn University, as well as an LL.B. from Thammasat University.

Kanupriya is Senior Manager, Engagement and Communications for South and West Asia. She works with different teams across C40 to plan and implement activities in the South and West Asia region.

Before Joining C40, Kanupriya worked at Edelman, a global PR firm, where she was the lead for Microsoft India. She comes with an extensive tech and corporate communications background. A few of her notable projects include Satya Nadella’s India Visit (2023), Cybershikshaa expansion, a Tech for Good initiative by Microsoft, and Brad Smith’s India Visit (2022). Some of her past clients include Qualcomm, Airbnb, smallcase, FDC, and ITC Hotels. She graduated from Delhi University and enjoys reading, visiting the various monuments peppered in Delhi, cooking and writing in her spare time.

Dhiraj Santdasani serves as C40’s Technical Advisor, Waste and Methane, leading the delivery of the Global Methane Hub project in India and exploring avenues to expand our waste work in the region. He is a passionate environmentalist, dedicated to working in climate action planning. Before joining C40, he served as an Associate at NITI Aayog, the Indian government’s top policy think tank, for four years leading flagship projects focused on knowledge creation and capacity building, such as the Waste-Wise Cities report, Sustainable Urban Plastic Waste Management handbook, and a best practice report on Urban Sanitation business models in India. Additionally, he worked with the team responsible for designing the Circular Economy Mission at NITI Aayog, and also collaborated with stakeholders to establish the Circular Economy Committee for Solid and Liquid Waste under this mission. Dhiraj has represented India at several international youth forums. Dhiraj holds a Master’s degree in Environmental Engineering & Project Management from the University of Leeds, UK, as the recipient of the university’s Dean International Scholarship and a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Construction from CEPT University in Ahmedabad.
Dhiraj loves playing cricket, swimming, and cooking a variety of pasta dishes.

Hazirah serves as the Senior Manager of Engagement and Partnerships for East, Southeast Asia and Oceania. She is responsible for supporting C40 Vice Chairs in their leadership and assisting mayors across the region to amplify their voices and raise their profile across various platforms. This also includes building stronger partnerships in the region and engaging with various key stakeholders, crucial to member cities’ delivery of their climate action and advocacy priorities.

Hazirah was a city official at Kuala Lumpur City Hall, who assisted Mayors and Executive Directors as Special Officer. She has been highly involved with city networking for Kuala Lumpur City Hall since 2014 and was the focal point for international relations in the Mayor’s Office. Prior to joining C40, she was the Head of the Service Competency Unit, where she provided training and examinations for newly recruited city officials. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in English Language and Literature (majoring in Linguistics) from the International Islamic University Malaysia and a Master’s from the University of Seoul in Urban and Administrative Planning.

Jacqueline serves as Manager, Regions & Mayoral Engagement. Prior to joining C40, Jacqueline worked with the International Renewable Energy Agency’s (IRENA) Office of the Permanent Observer to the United Nations. At IRENA, she became well acquainted with the UN System while also conducting research on renewable electricity access in Least Developed Countries and Landlocked Developing Countries.

Jacqueline holds an MA in Near and Middle Eastern Studies from SOAS, University of London. There, she specialised in economic development and the energy transition in North Africa. In London, Jacqueline worked with SUFINDA (Sustainable Finance Data) to research climate change technologies in the Nationally Determined Contributions of countries in the Global South.

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Elizabeth is an experienced urban professional with extensive experience managing and financing medium-large scale urban development projects and programs in the private and public sectors. Her most recent experience was at the Nairobi County Council, where she provided technical assistance on program management of the restoration of public spaces within Nairobi CBD. Prior to that, she worked at KPMG, where she provided technical assistance to support municipalities under the investment attraction for sustainable economic development program to develop and implement investment promotion strategies that draw in investment from the public and private sectors. In this role, she played an instrumental part in leading a team to set up bankable climate-resilient value chains.

Elizabeth is currently undertaking an Executive Master’s degree in cities at the London School of Economics and Political Science and recently participated in a fellowship for Sustainable Infrastructure and Development Finance- at Schulich Business School. In her spare time, she also loves to hike and cook.

Gabriela is C40’s Head of Zero Emission Vehicles, leading regional efforts to accelerate the adoption of zero-emission transport across cities in Latin America. She led the Laneshift Initiative, in partnership with The Climate Pledge, focused on freight decarbonization, and supported the ZEBRA Partnership, to zero-emission buses adoption in major cities across the region. She joined C40 and served as the Senior Programme Manager for zero-emission freight, supporting six cities in the region by coordinating and overseeing programme implementation. 

Before joining C40, she led the “TUMI E-Bus Mission” at the World Resources Institute (WRI), supporting cities in Mexico and Colombia to scale up e-bus adoption from an inclusive approach, focusing on the social and health benefits for women drivers, workers and users. She served as Research and Gender Policy Lead at the IMEPLAN (Metropolitan Planning Institute) in Guadalajara, where she integrated gender and social inclusion into metropolitan planning policies and programs. In 2014, she collaborated with Mexican artist Gilberto Aceves Navarro on the urban art exhibition “Las Bicicletas,” which promoted urban cycling and the development of healthy and safer cities in Mexico and the United States. 

With over 14 years of experience, Gabriela has worked closely with local governments in Mexico and Latin America to shape sustainable mobility policies, metropolitan governance and promote sustainable transport systems, always with a strong emphasis on gender equality and social inclusion. 

Gabriela holds a Master’s in Governance, Development and Public Policy from the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) at the University of Sussex, and a Bachelor’s in International Relations from ITESO University. She is also a fellow of the “Leadership, Urban Mobility and Gender” program for women leading change in Latin America. Her passion for literature written by women, music, and design inspires her vision of more resilient and equitable cities, where culture plays a central role in urban transformation. 

Anantha serves as theC40 Head of Mobility, in India, supporting electrification of freight and passenger transport, and inclusive climate action in cities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and climate risks.

Anantha has almost 15 years of experience in sustainable transport, air quality, electric mobility, public transport, multi-modal integration, non-motorized transport, shared mobility, climate action and policy. She has actively worked with diverse stakeholders involving government, private organisations, academic institutions and international organisations on various climate change and sustainable transport projects. Prior to joining C40, she worked with the World Bank as a consultant, where she supported the development of transport sector implementation strategies for clean air management projects. She previously worked as a Research Scientist with the Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy in the climate environment and sustainability sector, supporting energy, environment, and sustainability projects.

Anantha holds a PhD in Engineering specialising in sustainable mobility – urban public transport systems sustainability assessment from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore (IISC) and a Master’s degree from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IITD) in Transportation Engineering.

Gabriel Lewenstein serves as Senior Manager for North American Communications and Public Affairs at C40. In this capacity, he works with mayors and cities to use communications tools to advance climate action. This includes liaising with mayoral communications teams, identifying opportunities for action and leadership, and highlighting case studies and stories on climate leadership by cities.

Before joining C40, Gabriel worked in city and state government, serving as Chief of Staff to a state legislator, where he managed a legislative portfolio addressing environmental issues, criminal justice reform, and LGBTQ rights. Prior to that, Gabriel worked at the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy, coordinating with cities around the globe to highlight and advance the creation of sustainable cities.

Gabriel graduated from Tufts University with a degree in International Relations and a focus on urban environmental issues. He is passionate about creating sustainable, equitable, and vibrant cities. In his spare time, he enjoys puns, board games, and baking, and has a lifelong passion for elephants.

Gabriel Tenenbaum is C40 Director of Implementation for Latin America and holds twelve years of experience working with climate action and sustainability in the region. He has a Masters in Transport Engineering from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and in Generalist Engineering from École Centrale de Lyon, France.

Gabriel is responsible for the operations of all regional programmes, including UCAP CAI, Laneshift, Breathe Cities, ZEBRA, TUMI, and for ensuring that regional work is coordinated with C40’s global strategy, increasing C40 technical support to cities effectively.

Before this role, Gabriel was C40’s Head of Zero Emission Vehicles, managing The Climate Pledge Laneshift Initiative for freight decarbonisation and the ZEBRA Partnership for zero-emission bus implementation in the region. Gabriel’s relationship with C40 started in 2018 when he joined the organization as Mass Transit Network Manager, and then as the ZEBRA Programme Manager in 2019. He spent 2 years at the Rio de Janeiro Transport Department from 2021 to 2023, leading the promotion of governance reform in the city public transport system before returning to C40. Before C40, Gabriel worked at other public, non-profit and private sector organisations focusing on transport and infrastructure.

Abigail is C40’s Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion Manager. She is responsible for C40’s work in developing ED&I strategy through C40’s programmes and workstreams and monitoring its progress within C40’s internal workforce and culture.

Prior to C40, she served on a special assignment as Programme Specialist for the G20 EMPOWER & Women20. Both groups focus on women’s advocacy under the G20 Indonesia 2022 Presidency.

An advocate for women’s rights, she founded Girls Can Lead in her early 20s; a social initiative established to catalyze the growth of leadership skills among young women in Indonesia, especially those living in rural and conflict-prone areas. Through her work with GCL, she was chosen by the US State Department to join the Young Southeast Asia Leaders Initiative Academic Fellowship in Illinois and Washington D.C., USA.

Abigail obtained her Master’s degree in Public Policy from the University College London as a Chevening Scholar and spend one semester during her Bachelor’s degree as a Temasek Scholar exchange student at the National University of Singapore.

Abigail is currently based in Bali, Indonesia. In her spare time, she enjoys practising yoga, playing tennis & badminton, walking by the beach, as well as collecting books to satisfy her needs as an avid reader.

Gloriela is the C40 Manager of US Health, Climate, and Equity. In this role, she collaborates with six US cities working on initiatives at the intersection of public health, climate change, and social equity to facilitate peer learning and co-create public-facing deliverables to amplify implementation lessons.

Before joining C40, she co-led and co-designed evaluations of social service programs and provided technical assistance to improve service delivery for low-income people at MDRC as a qualitative social policy researcher. Her work experience covers multiple institutions, including public housing authorities, community colleges, financial counselling centres, and philanthropic organizations. She also served as the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Advocacy Council Chair working with organizational leadership and employees to set and advance goals towards improved workplace practices and equity-centred research methods.

Gloriela has a degree from the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor in Public Policy with a focus on Environmental Justice and Health Policy at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy.

Outside work, she loves dancing, practising yoga and mindfulness, walking in nature with friends and family, and being anywhere in her beloved Puerto Rico.

Guillermo is the Technical Head for Breathe Cities in Latin America, responsible for coordinating the programme implementation in Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro and Bogotá. Before this role, he was the Inclusive Climate Action Senior Manager, UCAP CAI/CFF, supporting the integration of inclusive climate action across different C40 programmes.

Before C40, he worked in different public sector roles in Mexico and Australia. He lived over six years in Melbourne (Australia) where he studied urban planning and had the opportunity to work in designing sustainable transport policies across different government settings, including the Victorian Parliament, Glen Eira City Council, and the Victoria State Government.

In Mexico, he worked for over five years in the departments of the environment at Guadalajara City Council and Jalisco State Government across different policy areas, including waste management, climate change, and air quality.

Guillermo holds a Master’s in Urban Planning from the University of Melbourne and a Bachelor’s in Environmental Engineering from ITESO University (Guadalajara, Mexico).

Ragene (or Jean) is the Climate Adaptation and Resilience Advisor for Quezon City under the Resilient Urban Futures (RUF) Programme. In this role, she leads and facilitates the city’s technical work on adaptation and the mainstreaming of resilience in delivering climate action. She previously served as the Senior Manager for Inclusive Climate Action and Engagement in Southeast Asia, where she led the strategy development and implementation of mainstreaming equitable and inclusive actions in Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, and Quezon City.

Prior to C40, Jean was an urban researcher and development consultant. She has worked on urban informality, the climate-migration nexus, women and gender in climate adaptation, local economic development, and disaster rehabilitation with various UN agencies (including UN Women, IOM, UN-Habitat, and UNDP) and other international groups. Jean has published and presented various works about urban affairs, including feminist cities, urban inequality, care in cities, and public life and spaces.

Jean completed her MA in International Planning and Sustainable Development at the University of Westminster, London, as a Chevening scholar. She has represented the Philippines in professional fellowships and regional workshops and serves as a mentor for aspiring planners and young scholars. She enjoys learning languages, caring for animals and green flowering spaces, and flaneuring.

Marina serves as Senior Manager, Regional Engagement, and provides support to the Regional Director and Regional Deputy Director in Latin America in ensuring the delivery of the Brazil Program is aligned with C40’s Regional Business Plan and delivers C40’s strategic and programmatic priorities across the 13 cities in the region, and particularly with the C40 cities in Brazil, while also making sure to align engagement efforts with GCoM cities.

Marina joined C40 in 2023 as part of the CFF team, where she served as Knowledge Manager. In this role, she supported the structuring and roll-out of CFF’s landmark City Academy on Finance and Equity (CAFE), the Financing Inclusive Climate Action Academy (FICAA), and other key support activities for our cities. She was also a key member of CFF’s Equity and Inclusion working group, supporting the mainstreaming of this approach in city projects. In addition, she recently served as CFF’s Regional Engagement Manager for Latam, supporting the city selection process in the region for CFF’s fourth phase.

Before joining C40, Marina was the Technical Director of Despacio.org in Colombia, where she led consultancy projects that promote urban development and sustainable urban transport in Latin America. She co-founded the Mujeres en Movimiento – Women in Motion (WIM) Initiative in 2018 and has coordinated it since then to strengthen women’s leadership through training, network building, and research. She has also worked in Brazil at FGV Projetos and ISER on regional and participatory urban planning.

Marina holds an M.Sc. in Urban Management from the Technical University of Berlin, and a BA in International Relations from PUC-Rio.

Xian Zhou serves as the Regional Officer in C40’s China office. In this role, she helps coordinate and facilitate the delivery of the Central East Asia regional team covering member cities across the specified regions.

Xian has rich experience in working in a multi-cultural and cross-functional environment, including diplomatic missions and representative offices of foreign government agencies in China. Before joining C40, Xian worked as a Senior Immigration Officer for the New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment, where she built cooperative relationships with internal and external stakeholders to develop trust and mutual understanding of relevant policies and procedures. Before that, she worked for Lesotho Embassy to China focusing on partnership development and executive support. Xian also planned and managed high-profile events at China World Trade Center. Xian holds a Master’s Degree from Beijing Institute of Technology.

Jophillene serves as C40’s City Advisor, Climate Change Mitigation for Dar es salaam City in Tanzania. His role involves engaging city officials in implementing the Climate Action Plan, focusing on Mitigation/GHG reducing actions and fulfilment of C40 Leadership Standards.

Prior to C40, he worked with Climate Action Network (CAN) Tanzania striving to engage the private sector, marginalized groups, civil society organizations, the national government and relevant stakeholders to advocate for climate actions in Tanzania. Recently, as a member of several National technical committees, Jophillene ensured reflection and alignment of climate change related international frameworks while developing the National Climate Change Response Strategy (NCCRS) 2021-2026; National Five Years Development Plan 2021-2026; the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) and the Bagamoyo District Renewable Energy Action Plan (2020-2025).

For more than 11 years, Jophillene worked with various organizations in Tanzania and Sub-Saharan countries such as Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, Ethiopia, Togo, Namibia, DRC, Djibouti and Zimbabwe to articulate social and environmental sustainability aspects. Jophillene holds a MSc. (Environmental Science and Engineering) from the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology and a BSc. (Wildlife Science and Conservation) from the University of Dar es salaam.

Fantu is C40 City Advisor for Addis Ababa, based in Addis Ababa.

Prior to joining C40, Fantu worked as Climate Change mainstreaming Team Leader and Senior Ecosystem/Biodiversity Researcher, Environmental pollution researcher and Project Monitoring and Evaluation Officer at Addis Ababa Environmental Protection Authority. In these roles, she coordinated the mainstreaming activities of climate change adaptation and mitigation actions into the city sector’s action plan, and delivered training for city officials in different departments and sectors.

Fantu is a focal person for C40’s air quality technical assistance programme, performing different researches on biodiversity and Environmental pollution. She has published research on the assessment of heavy metal accumulation capacity of selected plant species for phytoremediation along the little Akaki River, case of Addis Ababa. Fantu has worked on additional research to be published on impacts of climate variability on vegetable production nexus climate-smart agricultural technologies long the little Akaki river of Addis Ababa.

Fantu also served as Reform Officer at Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute and as a high school teacher in a private school in Addis Ababa. Fantu holds an MSc in Environmental and Climate Change Management from Civil Service University, a BSc in Biology from Addis Ababa University and a Diploma from Kotebe College of Teachers Education.

Lusanda is the Director of Implementation for the Africa Region at C40, overseeing the delivery of various programmes like Climate Action Implementation, Breathe Cities, Zero Emission Bus Acceleration (ZEBRA) and others. She was recently the global manager and coordinator of the Laneshift Zero Emission Freight project, working closely with regional teams in India and Latin America, and with Transport and Climate Action Implementation teams on project delivery oversight, partnerships and stakeholder engagement.

Lusanda is an urban and transportation Planner, with over two decades of experience in transport infrastructure development, transport policy and regulation, public transport planning and operations (bus and informal transport), and coordination and delivery of mega-event transport projects such as the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup, the 2011 African Cup of Nations, both held in South Africa, as well as for a number of Bus Rapid Transit and other infrastructure projects in different cities. Lusanda holds a BSc (Urban and Regional Planning) as well as a Master’s in Urban Management from Wits University, and followed an Executive Development Programme at the South African National School of Government.

Jess Kavonic is C40’s Head of Implementation for Africa. In this role, she supports the African region cities in accelerating the implementation of the most impactful climate actions, and in facilitating learning from their peers across other C40 cities. She works closely with teams across C40 as well as other city and climate organisations in the region to ensure cities have access to the most relevant and effective technical assistance. Jess oversees all C40 led delivery programmes offering technical assistance in the region, working with the CSN, CAI, CAPI, Climate Finance and the Business teams.

With an MSc degree in Climate Change and Sustainable Development from the University of Cape Town, her work with local governments started at the City of Cape Town and later with ICLEI Africa where she spent seven years as part of the Climate Change, Energy and Resilience workstream.

She has a background in atmospheric science with more specialised knowledge of climate change and its relationship with a sustainable approach to development. In particular, Jess has managed an array of climate adaptation programmes in African cities, working to improve urban human well-being, build climate resilience, strengthen local sustainability and protect the urban natural asset base in cities through influencing development policies and planning systems.

Njenga serves as the C40 Deputy Regional Director for Africa, supporting the Regional Director and the C40 Steering Committee cities to ensure C40 is responsive and provides effective assistance to its member cities in Africa.

Prior to his current role, he worked as the City Advisor for Nairobi, as part of C40’s UCAP Climate Action Implementation (CAI) Programme. Through engagement with city officials and other key stakeholders, he was responsible for driving the implementation of Nairobi’s Climate Action Plan (CAP) and mainstreaming climate priorities into policy.

With a background in urban planning and city governance, he has experience in government relations, strategic partnership building, climate advocacy, and project management.

Njenga holds a Master’s in City Planning and Real Estate Development from the University of Glasgow and a Bachelor’s in International Business Administration from United States International University – Africa.

Benjamin serves as Head of Implementation for South and West Asia, after working as C40 Senior Manager for Climate Implementation and C40 City Adviser to Chennai and Bengaluru. His work with Chennai and Bengaluru includes helping both cities prepare their climate action plans and further support the implementation of the city CAPs across various sectors like Energy, Transport, Land Use Planning etc. Before joining C40, Benjamin worked with the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) where he focused on the preparation of the Master Plan of Delhi 2041. With Dutch consultancy firm Royal Haskoning DHV (RHDHV) Benjamin worked on the Revised Master Plan of Bengaluru 2031 as well as on greenfield urban extension master plans for Surat and Aurangabad.

By training, Benjamin is an architect with a double Master’s in urban regional planning and urban design from CEPT, Ahmedabad. Over the last 12 years, his work has focused on strategic planning with outcomes focussed on mitigating climate change and improving quality of life. In his free time he likes cooking for his family and playing musical instruments.

Nikhil serves as Senior Manager, Climate Implementation, and works closely with the C40 Regions and Mayoral Engagement team. He supports Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Amman cities with their C40 engagements and overall other strategic regional initiatives. 

Nikhil has prior work experience focused on climate and low-emission development strategies. He joined C40 from ICLEI, South Asia, where he was involved in GHG emission inventories, climate risk and vulnerability assessments, low emission development strategies, climate action planning, integrated water management, on-ground implementation of pilot projects and stakeholder engagements. Prior to this, he also worked with Ambuja Cements Ltd as an Environmental Engineer and with the Indian Institute of Technology (Mumbai) as a Research Engineer.

Nikhil holds a Master of Technology (M.Tech) in Environmental Engineering from Mumbai University, and he completed a number of professional courses on environmental management.

Kate Johnson serves as the Regional Director for North America leading C40’s work with cities in Canada and the United States. She joined C40 in 2022 and previously led C40’s engagement with the US government and national partners. Kate is based in Washington, DC.

Prior to joining C40, Kate served for eight years at the Washington D.C. Department of Energy and Environment where she led an interdisciplinary team charged with achieving D.C.s goal to be carbon neutral and climate resilient.

Prior to her government service, Kate worked for the American Council for Energy-Efficient Economy where she launched a program focused on affordable housing and helped to create the City Energy Efficiency Scorecard. Earlier in her career, Kate held a variety of roles advocating for national climate policy at the Sierra Club and Environment America. Kate holds a Master of Public Administration degree from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

Zarina serves as Head of Implementation in Africa, within the Regions & Mayoral Engagement Team, and leads in the region the C40’s UCAP Climate Action Implementation (CAI) Programme. In this role she works with seven C40 African cities to develop ambitious and robust long-term climate action plans that are compatible with the ambitions of the Paris Climate Agreement.

Prior to this, Zarina worked as a C40 City Adviser to Durban, where she supported the City to develop their Climate Action Plan. Before joining C40, Zarina worked at the National Business Initiative (NBI) South Africa as a project manager for climate change mitigation, where she managed work on the CDP climate change and water programmes in South Africa. She also worked with companies to build capacity and provide best practice guidance on greenhouse gas reporting. Previously, Zarina also worked as a Programme Officer for environmental, water and energy projects at the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), where she managed a low-carbon cities project, focusing on the City of Durban.

Zarina holds an MSc in Environmental Science and a BSc Honours in Environmental Management from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

Wenwen Chen serves as Operations Manager, China Office. In this role, she is responsible for managing the Corporate Services deliverables within China.

Prior to joining C40, Wenwen worked as a Program Operation Manager for Peking University’s Guanghua School of Management. Before that, Wenwen served as Vice Director for the International Cooperation Department of the Dragon Design Foundation, where she led the Sino-EU collaborations and activities on sustainable design and green technology. She also worked for the first local Fair Trade organisation in China earlier in her career.

Wenwen holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture and Ecology from South China Agriculture University and an International MBA from Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management, including one semester exchange programme at ESSEC Business School.

Ms. Ying Gao is the Head of Regional Coordination and Partnerships, China. She will take the lead to engage with Chinese cities, support the development and delivery of our China strategy and coordinate from both operation and city engagement perspective to build cross-team synergy to support C40 cities in China. Ying has over ten years of experience in the field of sustainable development, on government partnership development, project management and organizational operation. Prior to joining C40, she worked at Ellen Macarthur Foundation to lead the food initiative in China. She also worked for Chinese Foundation – the Qiaonyu Foundation as well as WWF China where she supported the CEO and Chief Conservation Officer in strategic partnerships development, strategy development, social impact investment, projects management and provided trainings on project management for both internal and external colleagues. She holds a Master’s degree from ESC Rennes School of Business. She is also a member of Conservation Coaches Network.

Yuping Qiu is a Programme Officer, C40 China Buildings Programme, supporting the development and implementation of ambitious citywide building energy efficiency initiatives. Prior to joining C40, Yuping worked as an Advisor at the Danish Energy Agency, part of the Danish Ministry of Energy, Utilities and Climate, where she focused on collaboration with the Chinese government supporting UN sustainability goals. Based in the Department for Global Cooperation, Yuping was in charge of energy policy monitoring, report drafting and policy analysis. In addition, she brings experience from the Royal Danish Embassy in China, where she worked with consular affairs. Yuping holds a master’s degree in International Studies from Aarhus University, Denmark.

Simon Sambou is the C40 Regional Technical Advisor for Air Quality, West Africa. He engages with cities to identify local priorities and needs, and to develop high-impact clean air technical assistance projects, through the African Cities for Clean Air (AC4CA) Initiative.

Prior to this role, Simon served as Climate Action Planning (CAP) City Advisor for Dakar, providing technical assistance to the city in developing its Climate Action Plan to identify and deliver high-impact mitigation and adaptation actions, in line with the Paris Agreement.

Before joining C40, he worked as a research associate in climate change, nature-based carbon sequestration and environmental sustainability at the Institute of Environmental Sciences (ISE) of Dakar. He also worked in the consultancy space as a climate advisor and technical coordinator for carbon management projects. Simon also served at the NGO Catholic Relief Services (CRS), as climate resilience program officer coordinating the USAID Climate Information Services Research Initiative (CISRI) in Senegal, where he engaged with multi-level stakeholders, local municipalities and advised on the development of the national scale Green Climate Fund program.

Simon holds an MSc in Agro-climatology from the Geography Department, an MSc and a PhD in Environmental Science at Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar.

Shuang serves as the Senior Manager of Communications and Strategic Engagement in C40’s China office, to develop the communications function and strengthen the engagement with member cities. In this role, she advocates C40’s impact on external partners and stakeholders, identifies communication opportunities and approaches, leverage two-way communications of cities’ best practices between China and the global audience. Before joining C40, Shuang worked as Program Manager of Giti Group United in Diversity Foundation for 8 years.

She engaged cross-sector leaders to jointly step forward and take on sustainable development challenges through “Innovative Dynamics Education and Action for Sustainability (IDEAS)” leadership programmes with Chinese government, MIT Sloan and Tsinghua University. She also led communication and partnership engagement work from China side for major events hosted by the foundation, identify pathways for the foundation for pre-development of programmes, advocate programme outcomes to relevant government partners. Previously, Shuang worked in the WWF China office for policy research and advocacy, focusing on promoting the Ecological Footprint concept and Green Economy to policymakers as well as wide stakeholders. Shuang holds an MA in International Development from University of East Anglia and a BA from China Agricultural University.

Shruti Narayan is the Managing Director of Regions and Mayoral Engagement at C40, and previously served as C40 Regional Director for South and West Asia. She is based in New Delhi, India, and works closely with city leadership to sustain and scale up C40’s regional efforts.

Before joining C40, she was an Upstream Officer with the International Finance Corporation’s (IFC, World Bank Group) Asia Pacific Cities Platform and has also led the IFC’s Green Building programme in South Asia. Shruti has almost 20 years of global work experience specialising in energy efficiency and sustainability. Her work experience also includes Will Alsop Architects in London, Arup in San Francisco and USAID ECOIII in New Delhi, where she has worked with diverse clients such as corporates, developers, institutions, policymakers and donor agencies to identify, design, incorporate and implement sustainable solutions with the goal of reducing resource consumption and maximising efficiency.

In addition, she has also been a faculty member in sustainable design with educational institutions globally, such as Stanford University, USA, California College of Arts, USA, and the School of Planning and Architecture in India.

Stelios Diakoulakis joined C40 in April 2018 and he is based in Athens. He is the Deputy Regional Director for Europe and closely works with the Regional Director in providing support to European member cities regarding their overall participation in C40 activities ensuring they benefit from their membership – both at political and technical level – and also comply with C40 Participation Standards. He is responsible for the delivery of projects of strategic importance for C40 such as the cities’ commitment to ambitious climate targets as well as the development and implementation of Deadline 2020 compliant climate action plans. Prior to joining C40, Stelios worked as Senior EU Policy and International Affairs Advisor to the Mayor of Athens. He has significant experience in European policies and institutions having offered his services for many years in the European Parliament and the Greek Foreign Ministry while he has also worked as a consultant at a private company specialised in the development of strategic regional programs and impact assessments in the EU Cohesion Policy framework. He has studied Economics at the Athens University of Economics and Business and holds a master’s degree in European Studies from the University of Reading, UK. He speaks English, French and Greek.

Omar serves as Global Head of UCAP Climate Action Implementation Programme, within the Climate Action Implementation Team. In this role, he is responsible for providing overall programme management support and guidance to the three regions participating in the programme: Latin America, Southeast Asia and Africa.

Prior to joining C40, Omar worked with INGOs such as Mercy Corps, Institute for Sustainable Communities and World Vision, as well as UNEP and UN-Habitat. He worked for several years in South and South East Asia, providing technical support to sub-national level governments on projects related to climate change mitigation, resilience building and green growth. Previously, Omar worked in Eritrea on an initiative to reforest the desert and produce food with seawater crops, planting over a million mangroves along the Red Sea for animal fodder and carbon credits.

Omar has a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from ITESO University in Guadalajara, Mexico, and a Master’s degree in Environment and Sustainable Development from University College London.

Paula serves as City Adviser for Medellín, Colombia, as part of C40’s UCAP Climate Action Implementation (CAI) Programme.

Prior to joining C40, Paula worked in the public administration for Medellín City as an Environmental Engineer in the Environment Secretary, working to coordinate International cooperation. Previously, Paula worked within the energy sector, developing small hydroelectric plants in Antioquia, Colombia. Paula has experience with sustainable projects such as: environmental education, carbon footprint calculation and research on the impacts of climate change on high mountain ecosystems water supply in Natural National Park Los Nevados, Colombia.

Paula is an Environmental Engineer from EIA University, holds a Master’s degree in Hydro Science & Engineering from the Technische Universität Dresden, Germany and an Advanced International Training Program “Climate Change – Mitigation and Adaptation”, Sweden.

Cristina Argudo serves as C40’s Deputy Regional Director in Latin America, after having worked as Vice Chair Engagement Manager and City Adviser in Quito for the development of the city’s Climate Action Plan.

Before C40, Cristina was an environmental analyst in the climate change department of the Secretary of Environment in Quito where she worked very closely with sustainability and climate change city networks, tracking the city´s international commitments and facilitating access to technical assistance programs and finance for the implementation of climate action. Cristina has additional experience in project management and coordination working in international organizations such as the UNDP, and local NGOs.

Cristina holds an MSc in Environment and Development from the University of Edinburgh, a BSc in Biology and Environmental Sciences from Trent University in Canada and a graduate specialization degree in Cities, Climate Change and Leadership at FLACSO University in Ecuador.

Marie-Josée Houénou is the City Adviser for Abidjan.

Before joining C40, she worked as a senior legal consultant on the implementation of the Nationally-Determined Contribution (NDC) in Côte d’Ivoire focusing on the legal, institutional and financial climate change framework. Prior to that, she supported francophone negotiators during international negotiations – Conference of Parties (COP), related to climate change and biodiversity, in the Francophone Institute for Sustainable Development (IFDD), in Quebec. She has been involved in environmental projects with World Resources Institute as a fellow, with UNESCO, the Ivorian Ministry of Environment, and NGOs.

Passionate about development and empowering communities, she implemented environmental activities related to public sensitization, women and youth engagement, climate change and green initiatives in Africa and other global south countries. These include the Green Pepite Community and the LCOY, local conference of youth on climate change which was accredited by YOUNGO, the youth constituency of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

She holds a Master’s degree in International and Comparative Environmental Law, a Master’s degree in Business Administration, and a Bachelor’s degree in business law from Universities of Limoges and Poitiers in France. Marie-Josee is a recipient of the Mandela Washington Fellowship in Public management in University of Madison, and a beneficiary of the international volunteer program of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie.

Jingjing Jiang serves as the Sectoral Policy Officer of the C40 China office, within the Regions and Mayoral Engagement Team. In this role, Jingjing mainly works on supporting Chinese cities in developing Green & Thriving Neighborhoods (Net Zero Communities), and she will also supports the team to explore other key sectoral topics in C40 China Region, such as transportation and adaptation.

Jingjing started her journey with C40 in July 2020 and worked as the Project Officer of CAP China Programme for two years, during which she provides a variety of support to Chinese cities of Qingdao and Hangzhou in developing their Climate Action Plans. She also leads the Inclusive Climate Action analysis and events organization for CAP China cities.

Jingjing holds a Master of Environmental Management degree from Yale University and a Master of Science in Environmental Engineering from Tsinghua University. Before C40, Jingjing worked as a Brand Consultant with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in China, where she worked on the coordination and implementation of public engagement campaigns about climate change and biodiversity conservation. Jingjing has also worked as a Chinese social media producer with Yale Program on Climate Change Communication (YPCCC), where she facilitated the planning and organization of YPCCC’s side events during COP23 and helped to promote their work in China on social media.

Júlia López Ventura is C40 Cities’ Regional Director for Europe since 2015. Her work focuses on supporting top political decision makers to fight climate change in global megacities, from mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions to adaptation to the already present climate change effects, as well as the regional coordination of city diplomacy work to influence climate policy of supranational actors like the UN or the European Commission. Before joining C40, Júlia worked for over a decade for the city of Barcelona, including the IT International Office, which she headed from 2013-2015. She helped Barcelona develop collaborative relationships with institutions such as the European Comission and the World Bank, and she developed an international urban knowledge transfer strategy by co-leading Barcelona’s candidacy for the first European Innovation Capital (which Barcelona won). Júlia has lectured at several universities, including the Polytechnich University of Catalonia Foundation in Barcelona and the IE Business School in Madrid, with courses on City Strategy and Governance. She is a fluent speaker of English, French, Spanish, Italian and Catalan and holds an MSc in Telecom engineering from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia and Master’s Degree in Sociology from UOC in Spain.

Ilan serves as Regional Director for Latin America, after having worked as Deputy Regional Director and C40 City Adviser to Rio de Janeiro, helping the city implement its climate action plan in multiple areas and setting the first sustainability office in Latin America. Ilan successfully launched the C40 Clean Energy Network, which now has over 30 cities from various C40 regions.

Ilan previously worked at the China-Brazil Center for Climate Change, where he worked with government agencies, energy companies and NGOs in bilateral projects related to biofuels, clean energy innovation policies, electric vehicles and carbon capture and storage.

Ilan holds a BA in International Relations from PUC-RJ and a Master’s degree in Environment and Development from the London School of Economics.

Jana plays a central role in supporting the Regions & Mayoral Engagement Managing Director and the wider team through mayoral engagement coordination, geopolitical analysis, mayoral policy priorities, and strategic thinking. She helps ensure that regional context and mayoral priorities are reflected across the organisation for a high-impact and regionally aligned delivery of C40 work.

Previously at C40, Jana helped build the new Business Planning & Reporting Department to streamline the organisation’s data frameworks and coordinated the Deadline 2020 Programme. She also managed strategic funding relationships and fundraising. She has held other roles in the Regions and Global Initiatives teams where she contributed to the delivery of major C40 events, including the past three C40 Mayors Summits, helped produce sectoral Good Practice Guides, assisted with C40 workshops, and strengthened engagement with Chinese cities and partners.

Jana is a double MSc graduate from the London School of Economics and Sciences Po Paris, including a year at the University of California. Before joining C40, Jana worked at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, London, where she co-authored the 5th edition of the Global Climate Legislation Study. Jana is proficient in English, French, Mandarin, Spanish, Czech, Russian, and Slovak.

Irma Carranza serves as Regional Officer. In this position, she provides administrative support to the Director of Initiatives and Regions, the Regional Director of Latin America, and the Regional Director of North America. Before joining C40 Cities, Irma was a partner in the City of Santa Monica’s Cradle to Career Initiative looking at and measuring youth well being. Prior to this, she worked at the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy as an organiser working to bring good jobs into underserved communities. Prior to LAANE, she worked over ten years in several clerical and administrative support roles with the City of Santa Monica, including serving the Civil Engineering and Architecture Division staff. Irma attended Santa Monica College and Los Angeles Trade-Tech.

Fernanda serves as Programme Manager for the Climate Action Implementation team. In this role, she supports the design and delivery of the Accelerated Implementation strategy and facilitates internal coordination across global and regional teams. Previously, Fernanda acted as Programme Manager for the Climate Action Planning Programme in Latin America, supporting the 9 cities of the region in delivering Paris Agreement-compliant plans. Prior to joining C40, Fernanda worked as National Coordinator to the Governors’ Task Force for Climate and Forest in Brazil, supporting the nine states of the Brazilian Amazon in the international and national climate agenda. She also worked as Executive Secretary to the Conservation Finance Alliance. Fernanda holds a BA in International Relations from PUC-Rio and an MSc inDevelopment Studies from the London School of Economics.

Emilie Hvidtfeldt serves as the Director of Government Partnerships & Programmes within the Regions & Mayoral Engagement department at C40. The GP&P team oversees relationships with C40’s government funders, as well as the development, setup, and management of major government-supported initiatives. A key example is the Resilient Urban Futures Programme, which is supported by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Currently based in South Africa, Emilie previously led the C40 Copenhagen office. She has been with C40 since 2016, holding various roles, including Director of Climate Action Engagement in the Climate Solutions & Networks, Head of the C40 World Mayors Summit 2019 and positions in the Executive Directors team. Before joining C40, Emilie’s career focused on cities and climate action in the City of Copenhagen, Danish ministries, and the Danish green think tank Monday Morning. She holds an MSc in Political Science from the University of Copenhagen and an MA in Urban Geography from Kings College London.

Christina is the Urban Climate Resilience Manager at C40 Cities, where she works within the Water, Heat, and Nature programme management team to drive the delivery of C40’s climate resilience portfolio.

Prior to this role, she served as Regional Officer for East, Southeast Asia, and Oceania (ESEAO), and earlier as Regional Coordinator for both ESEAO and South and West Asia (SWA). Before joining C40, Christina worked at Eco-Business, contributing to operations, events, and global innovation challenges that addressed climate change and sustainable development across the Asia-Pacific region.

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Life Sciences from the National University of Singapore, with a specialisation in Environmental Biology and a minor in Aquatic Ecology.

Andrea Bizberg serves as the City Adviser for Mexico City for Breathe Cities, supporting the city to implement the Breathe City strategy (2024-2026).

Prior to joining C40, Andrea has worked for more than five years on air quality, climate change and public health issues in several countries in Latin America and Europe, most recently working as an international consultant for the United Nations Development Programme to support the update of the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC).
Before this, she has worked from a public policy perspective across different sectors. With the NGO, the Nature Conservancy she has worked as a strategic consultant to increase the ambition of the NDCs of priority countries in LATAM, with the inclusion of Natural Climate Solutions (NCS). She has also contributed to the development of a green finance taxonomy in Mexico with the Green Finance Advisory Council of the Mexican Stock Exchange. Finally, she has provided policy research and technical advice to the Economist Intelligence Unit, Harvard University and the Mexican Ministry of Public Health regarding air quality and public health issues.
Andrea holds a Master in Environmental Policies from Sciences Po, a Master in Environmental Sciences from Sorbonne Université (Université Pierre et Marie Curie) and a Bachelor in Science, Technology and Health from the University Paris-Saclay (Université Paris-Sud XI).

Boping is the Regional Director for East Asia (China) of C40. She is responsible for leading C40’s work in China to support Chinese member cities to further advance their climate ambition and lead the transition towards an urban ecological civilization.

Before joining C40, Boping was the China Director of the World Future Council (WFC) and helped WFC to establish and develop its office in China. Previously, she was the Director of Policy and International Strategy of WWF China, leading WWF China’s policy research and advocacy work to influence China’s high-level policy framework for stronger environmental targets in its development policy. Earlier in her career, Boping had experience with both private sector and government programs. She provided consultancy on climate change and renewable energy for investments in China, served for Dexia bank on public and project finance and started her career with the EU-China Natural Forest Management Project under the State Forestry Administration of China, which inspired her to pursue a career in sustainable development.

Bo Sun acts as the Project Manager in the CAP China team, based in Beijing.
Prior to C40, Bo worked in the Ministry of Ecology and Environment in China, where he worked on the implementation and management of Chinese Projects of Montreal Protocol on Ozone Depleting Substances. He was also involved and coordinated in the national greenhouse gas HFCs phase-down strategy development.
Bo holds a Master of Sociology from Brown University.

Alissa serves as the Deputy Regional Director for East, Southeast Asia, and Oceania, supporting regional initiatives and maintaining strong relationships with C40 member cities.

Prior to her current role, she worked as the Senior Manager for Climate Action Planning as well as the City Adviser for Kuala Lumpur, where she facilitated the development of a Paris Agreement compatible Climate Action Plan for the city.

With a background in environmental sustainable design consulting, she contributed to optimizing building and masterplan designs for sustainable certification and carbon emission reductions in projects across Malaysia. She notably assisted in the development of Kuala Lumpur’s Carbon Management Plan for council-owned assets. Her experience also includes corporate consulting, including sustainability strategy and reporting for locally listed companies.

Alissa holds a Bachelor’s degree in Architectural Studies as well as a Master of Environments from the University of Melbourne.