Cevdet Yılmaz

Vice President, Republic of Türkiye

Cevdet Yılmaz is a Turkish politician and technocrat currently serving as the Vice President of Turkey. Born in 1967 in the eastern province of Bingöl, he has been a central figure in Turkey's economic management, strategic planning, and regional development over the last two decades.

Murat Kurum

Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change; COP31 President-designate, Republic of Türkiye

Murat Kurum is a prominent Turkish politician, civil engineer, and government official, serving as the Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change. Born in 1976 in Ankara, he has been a central figure in Turkey's urban development, mass housing projects, and disaster recovery efforts over the past decade.

Ajay Banga

President, World Bank Group

Ajay Banga is the President of the World Bank Group, beginning his five-year term on June 2, 2023. He stepped into the role with a clear mandate: to transform the 80-year-old institution into a faster, more efficient, and more impactful partner in development.

Carlos Torres Vila

Chairman, BBVA

Carlos was appointed Chairman of BBVA and the BBVA Foundation in December 2018. He joined BBVA in September 2008 as Head of Strategy and Corporate Development, and member of the bank's Management Committee. In March 2014 he was appointed Head of Digital Banking and in May 2015 he became Chief Executive Officer. Previously, he worked at McKinsey & Company for 12 years, and became a partner of the firm in 1997. He joined Endesa in 2002 as Corporate Director of Strategy and member of its Executive Committee, and became company Chief Financial Officer in 2007. He is a member of the International Business Council of the World Economic Forum, and he represents BBVA in several international fora as well as in non-for-profit organizations that support social, educational, cultural and scientific activities. Carlos graduated with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering (MIT) and a B.S. in Management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he later also earned a M.S. at the MIT Sloan School of Management. He also graduated in Law from UNED (Spain).

Harsh Pati Singhania

Chair, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)

Harsh Pati Singhania is the Chairman and Managing Director of JK Paper Limited and a prominent industrialist within the JK Organisation, one of India's leading business conglomerates. Born in 1961 to Bharat Hari Singhania, he is a key executive continuing the legacy of his family's established business empire.

Sadiq Khan

Mayor of London

Sadiq Khan was elected for a second term as Mayor of London in May 2021. He was previously an MP for Tooting, South London for 11 years and served as Shadow Secretary of State for Justice from May 2010 and Shadow Minister for London from 2013.

M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu

President, Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye (TOBB)

M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu is a prominent Turkish businessman and the long-serving President of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB). Born in 1959 in Ankara, he is a central figure in shaping Turkey's economic landscape and representing the Turkish private sector on the global stage.

Clara Barby

Senior Partner, Just Climate

Clara Barby CBE is a globally recognized leader in sustainable finance, impact investing, and climate action. She currently serves as the Senior Partner of Just Climate, a climate-led investment business dedicated to driving institutional capital toward solutions that generate high-impact climate mitigation. Early Life and Education Barby built a strong academic foundation before entering the financial and sustainability sectors. She earned a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Greats (Classics) from the University of Oxford. To complement her humanities background with advanced financial and strategic expertise, she later obtained a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from INSEAD, one of the world's leading business schools.Career and Industry Contributions Barby’s career has been heavily focused on integrating environmental and social impact into global investment markets. Early in her career, she worked on the Capital Markets team at Acumen, where she co-led the firm's renewable energy investment portfolio. She then spent several years at Bridges Fund Management, where she became a Partner and spearheaded the firm's impact measurement and ESG strategy. She gained major international prominence as the Chief Executive Officer of the Impact Management Project (IMP). In this role, she led a global network of standard-setters and financial institutions to establish a consensus on how enterprises and investors should measure, assess, and report on their environmental and social impacts. Building on the success of the IMP, she served as the Project Lead for the establishment of the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) under the IFRS Foundation. This landmark initiative was designed to create a comprehensive global baseline of sustainability-related disclosure standards for capital markets worldwide.Honors and Civic Leadership In recognition of her profound influence on the global financial system and corporate transparency, Barby was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2023 King's New Year Honours list for her pivotal services to International Sustainability Standards. Beyond her executive roles, she remains highly active in global environmental advocacy and serves as a Member of the Global Board of Directors for the World Resources Institute (WRI).