Executive Director, ICSU (and TFM 10-Member Group)

Dr. Heide Hackmann is currently the Executive Director of the International Council for Science, following eight years as Executive Director of the International Social Science Council. Heide holds a M.Phil in contemporary social theory from the University of Cambridge, UK, and a PhD in science and technology studies from the University of Twente in the Netherlands. She has worked as a science policy maker, researcher and consultant in the Netherlands, Germany, the United Kingdom and South Africa. Before moving into the world of the international councils, Heide worked as Head of the Department of International Relations and Quality Assessment of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences. Her career in science policy dates back to the early 1990s when she worked at the Human Sciences Research Council in South Africa. Heide holds membership of several international advisory committees and boards, including the Scientific Advisory Board of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany, the Swedish Research Council’s Committee for Development Research, Sweden, and the Board of Cape Farewell in the UK. She is a South African and German national.

Co-Facilitator of the negotiations on the post-2015 development agenda and Permanent Representative of Kenya to the United Nations

Macharia Kamau is the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Kenyan Mission to the United Nations. Along with the Irish Ambassador to the United Nations, Mr. Kamau is the cofacilitator for the intergovernmental negotiations on the post-2015 development agenda and was the co-chair of the UN Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Director, Trade and Competitiveness, World Bank

Klaus Tilmes is Director of the Trade & Competitiveness Global Practice at the World Bank Group. In his position, Klaus oversees the deliery of solutions in two regions (the Middle East in North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa). Tilmes oversees the global teams on Trade & Competition Policy, Innovation & Entrepreneurship, and the PMSO.

Prior to his current position, Klaus was the Director of the Financial and Private Sector Development (FPD) Network at the World Bank, a position he held from 2010 to 2014. Tilmes has a Master’s degree in Public Administration focused on Development Economics and Public Sector Management from Harvard University, and a Master’s in Economics from the University of Mannheim.

Ms. Nina Harjula, Chairman of the board, Nordic Innovation Accelerator, Co-founder and board member, Global Cleantech Cluster Association /GCCA), CMO Visedo Ltd.

Director, Climate Action and Resource Efficiency, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, European Commission

Dr. Kurt Vandenberghe, EC Belmont Forum Co-chair, is Director Policy Development and Coordination at the EC's Research & Innovation Directorate General. He previously was director Climate Action and Resource Efficiency and worked as head of the cabinet of European Commissioner in charge of science and research (2008-2009) and of environment policy (from 2010). Since he joined the EC in 1996, Dr Vandenberghe was in charge of various programmes in the fields of research, transport and relations with the European Parliament. Before entering the Commission, Dr. Vandenberghe worked four years as a Manager at Ernst & Young Association Management. After obtaining a degree in French and Italian literature at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL) and a degree in Public and International Affairs at the University Catholique de Louvain-la-Neuve (UCL), Dr Vandenberghe gained a MA degree in International Relations at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies in Bologna, Italy and Washington DC, US.

Chief, Policy Analysis Branch, Division for Sustainable Development, UN-DESA

Shantanu presently heads the policy and analysis branch in the Sustainable Development Division within the UN's Department for Economic and Social Affairs. He is is a micro-economist with interests in poverty, health and sustainability. A particular area of focus in his current position is enhancing the impact of science, technology and innovation in advancing sustainable development.

Prior to this, he led the research unit of UNDP’s Human Development Report through two report cycles, preceded by a stint as head of UNDP’s global MDG policy work. In that position, he worked with national planning, finance and sector ministries in many countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Some of his most interesting experiences during this period were in Indonesia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Ghana, Togo and Yemen.

Shantanu began his career with the Indian Government in various areas of development policy planning, implementation and finance.

He earned a PhD in Economics from Princeton University in 2006, and also holds advanced degrees in Public Policy and Physics.

GCCA Board Member, Nia Ltd. President, Finland

Ms Harjula is one the pioneers in the cleantech business development in Finland and co-funded in 2010 the GCCA association to facilitate the networking of cleantech clusters around the world. Through her international network and long list of activities, she is quick to identify trends and adapt them to boost the industry.
She has MSc in Business Administration and background in digital media and digital marketing strategies. Her ambition is to use her marketing skill set and understanding of digital concepts to boost the cleantech ecosystems.