Paul Jacob Bins (1971) also known as “PJ”, has been instrumental in scaling Green Gold Label since 2016, guiding its growth from an early certification scheme into a globally recognized platform for verifying the sustainability of biomass. As former Chairman of the Foundation (2017–2021) and now Member of its Board, he is committed to maintaining the integrity and independence of GGL’s governance.

Paul Jacob plays a leading role in negotiations with the Dutch and Japanese governments and engages directly with the European Commission to align GGL with evolving sustainability regulations. He brings deep expertise in biomass certification and greenhouse gas emission regulations, with hands-on involvement in technical standard-setting for sustainability, market modularization across Europe and Asia, and the design of GGL’s full chain-of-custody and traceability models.

Beyond bioenergy, PJ’s broader focus lies in the decarbonization of global shipping — a complex, hard-to-abate sector increasingly linked to bio-based and renewable fuels, ISO14065-accredited certification of GHG emissions  and verification protocols of water discharges. Over the past 20 years, he has successfully led and scaled multiple ventures in certification, maritime and offshore services, including Vessel Performance Centre, VesselIQ, and DecomPartners. Earlier in his career, he was a McKinsey consultant specializing in energy production and CEO of Euroports and APM Terminals (AP Møller-Mærsk Group) businesses in Western Europe.

Cheng Zhaopeng is the General Manager of Shanghai Wenji  Biotechnology Co., Ltd. and has ISCC RFNBO training participation.
Mr Cheng is an expert from the Biomass Energy Branch of the China Association for the Promotion of Industry, he is engaged in high-value utilization of organic waste such as garbage and straw.  He has 20 years of corporate experience in development and investment in biofuels industry, such as bio methanol, electronic methanol, biogas, and biodiesel, especially in R&D on alternative fuels for ships and aircraft.

KK Wan brings more than ten years of marine fuel experience to his role as Head of Alternative Energy. A pioneer in the field, he led Hong Kong’s first marine biofuel bunkering in 2023 and recently directed the city’s first SIMOPS Green Methanol Bunkering operation. He continues to advance CPN’s supply of marine biofuel B24, B30, and B100, alongside green methanol, having set national records by executing China’s largest marine biofuel deliveries. As the region's top supplier of sustainable fuels, he remains dedicated to accelerating global decarbonization through the continued development of methanol and other low-carbon energy solutions.

Kelvin Lee is Head of Sustainability for the Asia-Pacific region at the International Air Transport Association (IATA). IATA is the trade association for the world’s airlines, representing some 340 airlines or 80% of total air traffic. IATA supports many areas of aviation activity and helps formulate industry policy on critical aviation issues. In his role, Kelvin looks after environment and sustainability matters for the region. He works with governments and the wider industry to support member airlines in the transition to Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) to achieve the industry goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Kelvin has extensive experience in the aviation industry and has served in both government and airline roles before joining IATA.

Rolf is a Business Development Manager at Sumitomo Corporation, driving project development and strategic investments in Tech-based Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) and Carbon Capture, Utilization & Storage (CCUS) projects across the United States, Canada, and the Middle East.

Since joining Sumitomo in 2011, Rolf has contributed to a broad range of social infrastructure and clean energy projects, including telecommunication, data center, water treatment, airport concession, renewable energy, and clean fuels. Leveraging his global experience and passion for innovation, Rolf has led regional CDR initiatives during his tenure in Dubai (2019-2024), including the investment in 44.01 - an Oman-based pioneer in in-situ carbon mineralization, as the Sumitomo’s first CDR-related investment. Currently, he is dedicated to shaping the global CDR ecosystem through project development, strategic partnerships, and market-building efforts, delivering impactful solutions for a sustainable future.

Joey Ng currently focuses on maritime decarbonisation and the fuel transition and has spent the last 7 years tackling the challenge from a variety of roles (finance, strategy and safety) across the value chain (ship owner, operator / line, cargo owner and broker). Despite starting his career in finance in the oil and gas and commodities industry, he found his way into shipping and has not looked back since and firmly believes that a green future for shipping is not only possible but can be made economically sustainable and attractive for the shipping companies.

Conor Madigan is the co-founder and CEO of Aether Fuels, a climate tech company developing flexible, economical, and highly scalable solutions for producing drop-in sustainable aviation fuel and sustainable marine fuel, leveraging Aether’s breakthrough Aurora technology.  He incubated Aether in 2022 together with Xora Innovation, a deep tech venture fund backed by Temasek.  Conor previously founded and ran Kateeva, one of the world’s leading suppliers of OLED manufacturing equipment, which helps make the screens on most Samsung smartphones and iPhones. He has a B.S.E. degree from Princeton, and M.S. and Ph.D degrees from MIT, all in Electrical Engineering.

Tsuyoshi Kitakado is the Founder and President & CEO of Biomass Power Technologies Co., Ltd., a Japan-based renewable energy developer specializing in sustainable biomass power generation and forestry-integrated energy systems. Since founding the company in 2015, he has led the development of regional biomass power projects designed to deliver stable, long-term energy solutions aligned with carbon neutrality goals.

Mr. Kitakado advocates for bioenergy as a practical infrastructure solution within Japan’s clean energy transition. He emphasizes that bioenergy can serve as a dispatchable and non-intermittent renewable baseload solution, capable of supporting reliable and stable power supply for energy-intensive infrastructure such as data centres. His work focuses on integrating decentralized biomass power into regional energy systems while strengthening energy security, grid stability, and local economic resilience.

Dr. Satoshi Murata received his Ph.D. from Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology in 2023, and currently serves as Assistant Professor at the same institution. His academic work reflects a strong grounding in sustainable energy systems and emerging bio-based solutions, positioning him among the next generation of researchers advancing low-carbon innovation.

His research focuses on the development of feedstocks for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), with particular emphasis on microalgae and Pongamia. He is also actively engaged in evaluating their greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction potential through life cycle assessment (LCA), contributing critical insights into the environmental performance and scalability of next-generation biofuels.

Maximilian Lehr serves as Technology Manager at ANDRITZ Fiber & Recycling, where he leads Steam-Ex and biomass leaching technologies. With a background in mechanical and process engineering and a PhD in chemical engineering, Maximilian brings extensive experience in R&D, project leadership, and sustainable technology development. He is based in Vienna, Austria, and is passionate about advancing customer engagement and the future of lignocellulosic biomass processing worldwide.

Wojciech Rogowski is an experienced manager in the energy sector, specializing in the biomass and renewable fuels market. He serves as the Biomass Department General Manager at G7 Group Sp. z o.o., a dynamically growing company operating in the wholesale distribution of solid fuels and biomass in both domestic and international markets.
 
In his work, he focuses primarily on the development and contracting of agro-biomass, with particular emphasis on PKS (Palm Kernel Shell), a by-product of the palm oil industry that is playing an increasingly important role in the decarbonization of European energy. He is responsible for building stable supply chains of exotic biomass from Southeast Asia, managing maritime logistics, and implementing long-term, certified solutions in line with sustainability principles and RED III regulations.
 
He is a graduate of the Academy of Physical Education (AWF). Wojciech combines a practical business approach with extensive market knowledge and actively participates in discussions on energy security, the globalization of the biomass market, and the role of agro-biomass in Europe’s energy transition.

Robert has executive-level commercial and engineering experience across a broad range of renewable energy, biofuels, and low-carbon technologies, including biomass gasification and pyrolysis, biomass hydrolysis, waste-plastics hydrolysis for advanced recycling and the circular economy, and direct coal liquefaction.

He spent over 17 years with the world-leading hydrothermal liquefaction technology company Licella in roles including Senior Technical Advisor, Technology Commercialisation Specialist, and General Manager, Technology. He also served as Technical Manager, Biofuel Development, for Canfor Pulp. For more than a decade, Robert led Licella’s, formerly Ignite Energy’s, Advanced Engineering Facility in Australia, driving development of the company’s unique Catalytic Hydrothermal Reactor, or Cat-HTR, system. He is currently Chief Technology Officer at Sustineri, Senior Technical Advisor to Licella, and Principal Consultant at Pocket Consulting, where he provides specialist services to help industry participants implement technology solutions and transition to a low-carbon economy.

Robert is named as an inventor on several patents and led a team that won a United Nations Association of Australia World Environment Day Award.  Robert served for seven years as a Director of Pacific Pyrolysis and as Managing Director of BEST Energies Australia, a pyrolysis and biochar company. From 2009 to 2016, he was an elected representative on the Board of Bioenergy Australia, a government-industry forum supporting the development of biomass for energy, liquid fuels, and other value-added bio-based products.

Robert is a Chartered Professional Engineer, a member of Engineers Australia, and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He holds a Master of Business and Technology from the Australian Graduate School of Management, as well as a Bachelor of International Business Management and a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering with Honours from the University of Queensland. He also completed the Leadership 21 program at Mt Eliza Executive Education, part of Melbourne Business School.

Chloe Hung is the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Greenchar Climate Solutions Singapore, a company building infrastructure for the emerging biochar and carbon removal economy.

A Singaporean entrepreneur working extensively in China, Chloe has been among the early pioneers developing biochar carbon removal projects in the region, transforming agricultural and industrial biomass residues into biochar, low-carbon materials, and durable carbon removal solutions.

Through Greenchar’s operations in Singapore and China, she works with industrial operators, agricultural networks, and technology providers to deliver integrated biochar project development solutions, covering biomass sourcing, technology deployment, and commercialization.

In parallel, Chloe is leading the development of a global marketplace and digital infrastructure for the biochar industry, designed to connect suppliers, biomass resources, technology providers, and international buyers. Greenchar has mapped over 5,000 suppliers across more than 100 countries, building one of the most comprehensive datasets on global biochar supply chains and biomass resources.

The platform also supports product standardisation, supply-chain monitoring, and data infrastructure, helping scale biochar commercialization and transform it from a niche climate solution into a viable global industry. Greenchar works with partners across Asia, Africa, Europe, and Latin America to support biochar project development and commercialization.

Yuhyeon Seo is the Head of Marketing at Biofuel Holdings, a leading biofuel feedstock company in South Korea. The company operates seven subsidiaries specializing in key biofuel feedstocks such as used cooking oil (UCO), food waste oil, and tallow, playing a significant role in supplying sustainable raw materials to the biofuel industry.

Amid the rapidly evolving global biofuel market, Mr. Seo has been actively developing and supplying certified feedstocks for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and bio-marine fuel, aligning with emerging policy and regulatory developments in South Korea and international markets.

Mr. Seo holds a degree in Metallurgical Engineering from Korea University. He began his career at SK Networks, a major Korean conglomerate, where he was responsible for domestic petroleum sales. He later served as Head of Marketing at JC Chemical, one of Korea’s leading biodiesel producers. Mr. Seo also served as Chairman of the Korea Bioenergy Association, contributing to the advancement of Korea’s bioenergy industry.

Joris Lak is Project Manager APAC Commodity Inspections at Peterson Control Union, based in Bangkok. Since starting in 2014 as a surveyor in the Dutch ports, he has built broad international experience across Europe and Southeast Asia, including leadership roles in Indonesia and Belgium.

He specializes in commodity inspections, loading and discharge supervision, and sampling of agricultural products, biomass, and edible oils. Known for his no-nonsense approach and sharp eye for detail, Joris brings a practical perspective on applying standards in real-world conditions. He is driven to work closely with clients, stakeholders, and industry peers to promote clarity, consistency, and fair execution across the inspection industry.

After graduating from the National University of Singapore with a degree in Chemical Engineering, Sing Liang worked at the Singapore Economic Development Board for 3 years, supporting the development of Singapore’s energy and chemicals industries before joining ExxonMobil in 2007.  During his 19 years with ExxonMobil, Sing Liang held positions of increasing responsibility in Sales, Pricing, Supply Chain Management, Planning, Strategy and Business Development, including a 5-year overseas assignment at ExxonMobil’s global headquarters in the United States. 
 

In 2026, Sing Liang joined Neste as Head of Renewable Fuels Sales for Asia Pacific, with overall responsibility for Sales and Business Development for Sustainable Aviation Fuel and Renewable Diesel in the region. He holds Master of Business Administration degrees from the University of California – Los Angeles and the National University of Singapore.

Gregor McMillan is the Executive Director of Venture Energy, a Wah Kwong Maritime Transport company, where he leads the procurement and trading of clean marine fuels such as methanol, connecting Chinese and international markets. His commitment to marine decarbonisation is further demonstrated through his position on the Board of Wah Kwong NatPower Holdings, driving investment and development in Asian shore-power, vessel-charging, and battery-swap infrastructure.

His background in a deep-tech aerospace start-up in Boston and shipping finance in Hong Kong charged him with expertise in high-growth, PE/VC-backed ventures and a blend of Eastern and Western commercial perspectives.

Mrs. Aimie Aiza Mohd Tusin currently serves as a Licensing Officer focussing on MyTLAS at the Malaysian Timber Industry Board (MTIB) under the Ministry of Plantation and Commodities Malaysia. She has over 12 years of experience in the forestry sector, including prior service with the Forestry Department of Malaysia before becoming actively involved in the implementation of the Malaysian Timber Legality Assurance System (MyTLAS).

She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Forestry and possesses knowledge and practical experience in forest resource management, timber legality compliance, and the implementation of systems related to monitoring and control of forest products. Her involvement in MyTLAS includes operational, compliance, and support functions to ensure the integrity and transparency of Malaysia’s timber supply chain. With a strong technical background and field experience, she is committed to supporting efforts in strengthening governance within the forestry sector and ensuring compliance with international trade requirements.

James has over twenty years’ experience in biomass, biogas, energy from waste and sustainable development. He founded England’s first wood pellet factory in 2008 and was voted onto the UK Government ‘Biomass Suppliers List’ Advisory Panel in 2018. He moved to Singapore in early 2022 and established his own consultancy with a focus on sustainable regional biomass supply chains. In this role he has gained extensive knowledge of Southeast Asia’s biomass sector working for clients such as CPM, Treehouz and Aether Fuels.

I am an IT infrastructure executive with over 25 years of experience in data center development, AI/HPC infrastructure, and GPU server strategy. I began my career in sales and marketing at Dell Japan and later at AMD Japan, where I developed expertise in product strategy and market expansion across both consumer and enterprise markets. 
 

I went on to find Bloomax Inc. in 2012 and WOODMAN Inc. in 2017, leading initiatives in modular and containerized data centers, high-density computing environments, and global supply chain optimization. As a founder of Morgenrot Inc., I have also been driving next-generation AI infrastructure projects by integrating hardware, software, and strategic partnerships to meet the evolving demands of the AI era.

Joined Hanwa Co., Ltd. in 2024, Gakuto is responsible for sales to power plants and electric utilities, as well as procurement of palm kernel shells (PKS).

Manages the sourcing and supply of over 1.4 million tons of PKS annually, procuring from diverse origins including Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.

Working closely with more than 15 suppliers, he plays a key role in supporting and expanding Hanwa’s PKS business and contributing to the development of sustainable biomass fuel supply chains in Asia.

Shin Yamaguchi is a renewable energy consultant with extensive experience in the biomass and biocoal sectors, including a distinguished career at Mitsui & Co., Ltd. He is an expert in the international supply chain of advanced fuels, previously serving as the Japan Representative for Airex Energy, where he focused on the development and promotion of black pellet technologies for the Japanese market.

Currently, through his firm, Shin & Co. Consulting, he provides strategic advisory services for various biomass sectors. He specializes in bridging international production projects with the Japanese energy sector, leveraging his deep expertise in feedstock procurement, the logistical value-chain, and the evolving markets in Asia—particularly Japan.

Ayano Tanitsu is a Manager at Arthur D. Little Japan, based in the Tokyo office, and a core member of the firm’s Energy, Utilities & Resources practice. She has nearly 8 years of experience across energy-focused climate change sectors. She has led projects covering energy transition such as hydrogen, biofuel, renewable energy, battery storage, as well as climate change adaptation area, with a focus on business strategy, investment due diligence, and go-to-market strategy.

She has supported a wide range of clients across industries, including energy, manufacturing, financial services, IT, and the public sector. In addition, drawing on her hands-on experience in infrastructure export projects at a trading firm, she brings a well-rounded and multidisciplinary perspective to the energy sector, with a strong ability to assess challenges from both strategic and execution standpoints.

Dr. Reza Azmi is the Founder and Director of Wild Asia, a Malaysia-based environmental and social enterprise established in 2003. He holds a PhD in Taxonomy and Ecology and has over two decades of experience in sustainable natural resource management. Dr. Azmi pioneered the Wild Asia Group Scheme (WAGS), one of the world's first RSPO group schemes, which now covers 35,000 hectares of independent oil palm production. He also leads the SPIRAL program, a global initiative supporting small producer inclusivity and resilience through partnerships with major FMCGs and value-chain actors. His current work focuses on scaling regenerative agriculture to improve soil health and combat climate change. Dr. Azmi has served on the boards of MSPO (Malaysian National standard for palm oil), and continues on FONAP (German Alliance for Sustainable Palm Oil), and the Sustainable Agriculture Network.

Clive Gibson is Senior Vice President, Energy & Chemicals Consulting.  He has been based in Asia for over 20 years and has travelled and worked extensively throughout the region covering oil & gas, petrochemicals and sustainability focused assignments.

Clive has over 30 years industry experience including over 25 years in the industry consulting sector.  During this time he has undertaken consulting assignments in more than 40 countries.  Typical assignments have included feasibility and investment appraisals, strategy studies, project financing and M&A transactions, on behalf of a wide variety of project sponsors and financial institutions.  In the project finance sector, he has acted as technical, environmental and/or commercial advisor to several multi billion dollar project financings involving export credit agencies, commercial banks and multi-lateral agencies.  Most recently this has included several renewable fuels related project financings.

Prior to joining NexantECA more than 25 years ago, Clive spent six years working for ExxonMobil at Fawley Refinery, the largest refinery in the UK, where he undertook a number of operational and commercial roles.

Clive graduated from the University of Nottingham, England with a First Class Masters degree in Chemical Engineering.

Vaughan is Senior Vice President of Biomass Sales and Logistics at Drax PLC based in London, UK and manages a global team stationed in the UK, Canada and Japan, overseeing the creation and servicing of a substantial world-wide biomass sales book. Vaughan joined Drax through their acquisition of Pinnacle Renewable Energy Inc. in 2021, where he was the executive in charge of commercial and sustainability activities.

Vaughan is the President of the Wood Pellet Association of Canada and has served on that Board since 2012. He is a past-Director of the London based Sustainable Biomass Program Ltd (SBP) and past-Chairman of the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters association, BC Division.

Vaughan has an extensive career in international business, particularly in the forest products industry. Previously, he spent almost 20 years with Sappi, a global pulp and paper company. As their executive in charge of their world-wide pulp sales, he was stationed in Hong Kong for 10 years before moving to Canada in 2007 and joining Pinnacle in 2011. Vaughan earned his BSc from the University of Natal and his MBA from the University of the Witwatersrand, both located in South Africa.

Paul is the co-founder of Rainbow Pellet, a Malaysia-based company specializing in sustainable forestry and large-scale biomass pellet production. He is currently leading the development of the world’s first commercial steam-exploded EFB pellet production facility. His work spans the full biomass value chain — from reforestation and feedstock development to pellet production and new energy project development.

With hands-on experience in biomass pre-treatment technologies, pellet quality optimization, and regulatory frameworks across multiple jurisdictions, Paul brings a practical, execution-focused perspective to the evolving biomass energy landscape.

Tan is the founder of Treehouz Asia and the Secretary General of the Malaysian Biomass Industries Confederation (MBIC). Over the last 15 years, he has led the engineering of commercially viable plants that transform biomass waste into valuable resources. His current work focuses on Integrated CHP & Biochar systems, specifically leveraging gasification technology to convert agri-residues into biochar, verifiable carbon removal and renewable power.

Tony McRae is the Director of Sales at Pinnacle Renewable Energy Inc, since 2011 and more recently part of the Drax Group since their acquisition of Pinnacle in 2022. Tony has been managing Pinnacle’s long term International 3rd party contract portfolio providing guidance and leadership throughout all aspects of this business including sales, logistics, and customer service and production initiatives.

Tony is also responsible for managing the company’s North American sales objectives and has over 35 years of work experience within the BC forest industry sector. Prior to joining Pinnacle Renewable Energy Group, he held various senior marketing, logistics, and distribution roles for many of BC’s major forest companies including Canadian Forest Products Ltd., Westar Timber Limited and Balfour Guthrie Forest Products Ltd. Tony also spent two years working in London, England for Westar Marketing UK Ltd., which was distributing Canadian forest products into the UK & Ireland.

As a graduate of Wood Products Manufacturing from the British Columbia Institute of Technology, Tony has extensive international sales & logistics background in all areas of lumber and biomass including manufacturing, woodland operations and production and distribution.

Jerome Dubuc is the regional director for Amandus Kahl in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
 
Since 1998, he has been assigned at different position from after sales and service team, to product development, and sales.
 
He is well experienced in pelleting technology for all kinds of regional and common international raw materials as: Rubber wood, Acacia, Eucalyptus, regional mixed woods, Empty Fruit Bunches, Oil Palm Fronds, Bagasse, Rice Husk, straws, softwoods, hardwoods, etc and also torrefied biomasses.
 
Jerome also has extensive experience with high efficiency wood pelleting plants with up to 750.000 tons per year capacity and higher and single machinery for wood and biomass pelleting.

From 2023, Park has been appointed as Product Development Manager at Hanwa Malaysia.

His role is to develop further on Hanwa’s presence over the South East Asia while managing overall sourcing and sales of biomass, biofuels and bio-carbon within the region.

In 2018, Park has joined Hanwa as a member of Renewable Energy Team after graduating from Waseda University with a dual degree with Beijing University in International Relations.

He was responsible for sales of biomass to Korea and Japan. Today, Hanwa is one of the leading biomass traders in Asia.

David has been an Executive Director of PIO Hardwoods since 2002 and an Executive Directive of Rainbow Pellet since 2016. He has 20 years’ experience of manufacturing and export of timber products to Europe and South Africa, and since 2014 has been involved in wood pellet production. 
 

David oversaw the construction of Rainbow Pellet’s four pellet production facilities, which make the company the largest wood pellet producer in Malaysia. Managing the export of wood pellets to Europe and Asia is amongst David’s responsibilities. 
 

Since 2019, David has been a committee member of the Timber Exporters Association of Malaysia. 
 

David has a BSc in Marketing and Finance from the University of Bradford, UK.

Naveen Sikka is the founder and CEO of Terviva, a company that produces sustainably-grown oil and protein on marginal agricultural land. Naveen holds degrees from UC Berkeley and Columbia University and has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Economist. Naveen also serves on the Board of Directors of Elemental Impact, an organization with over 150 portfolio companies that work on climate-related technologies. 

French executive and investor with 20 years in commodities and energy markets, now focused on biofuels, SAF, and carbon-backed regenerative agriculture.   Guillaume holds a Master of Engineering from ENSAE Paris and began his career in commodity derivatives.

Since 2016, he has co-led Canopy Energies as Deputy CEO, developing large-scale low-carbon feedstock and carbon projects across Sub-Saharan Africa, combining plantation development, SAF strategy, and blended carbon finance.

Regular speaker on pongamia and nature-based fuel transitions. While the role involves plenty of flights, he offsets them by retiring his own carbon credits alongside the Canopy team.

Yosuke Funaki is currently working for Idemitsu Kosan Co.,Ltd. in the role of Deputy General Manager of Carbon Neutral Transformation Department. In this senior managerial role, he carries out a range of tasks including but not limited to the development of biofuel supply chain including Pongamia plantation. 
 

With 37 years’ experience in the oil and gas industry, Yosuke’s career has seen him manage large-scale projects across Asia Pacific, North America and Middle East.  
 

He is attending Board meeting of Terviva Inc. and Jet Zero Australia as an observer.

Deepak Devendrappa is passionate about ESG—transition to low carbon economy, decarbonisation and sustainability.

An M.B.A from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and University of California, Berkeley in 2008, Deepak started his career at Methanex Corporation. He progressed through the roles of leading marketing in Asia and globally, business development in Asia/China, and operations and logistics in Asia. Deepak was later promoted to Global Director of Low Carbon Market Development, commercialising Methanol as a low carbon fuel. Since 2025, he has been focusing on commercialising clean fuels at Venture Energy.

In May 2025, Deepak enhanced his strategic sustainability perspective graduating from the Sustainable Leadership Programme for Senior Executives at INSEAD Business School.

Miho Okuno serves as the Sustainability Manager at Renova, Inc., where she leads the development and implementation of sustainable procurement policies for biomass fuel. In this role, she plays a central part in advancing responsible sourcing practices and enhancing sustainability across the biomass power generation sector.

Since 2025, Ms. Okuno has served as a Board Member of the Biomass Power Association (BPA) and as the Chairperson of the Agricultural Resources Certification Council in Japan. Through her leadership in these organizations, she contributes to industry-wide efforts to address critical policy issues related to biomass, while promoting sound and sustainable power generation practices.

Her work is dedicated to shaping the future of biomass energy through stakeholder collaboration, policy engagement, and the advancement of sustainability standards in the renewable energy industry.

Dr. Phuc Xuan To has a PhD in resource governance. He has been working extensively in the global academic and political arenas for more than 20 years. His work focuses on the dynamics of natural resource use and management in Vietnam and Southeast Asian countries. His research examines the dynamics of cross-border trade of forest-risk commodities such as timber, rubber, cassava. His recent work has been focusing on emission reductions in Vietnam.

Phuc works with Forest Trends as a senior policy analyst. He has provided policy advice to the governments of Vietnam, Laos, US, UK, among others in sustainable resource management and trade. He has been collaborating closely with private sector in Vietnam. In recent years, he has advocated for the transition from fossil fuel to biomass products including wood pellets. He strongly supported the establishment of the Vietnam Wood Pellet Association in 2022 and has been servicing as an advisor to the association since then.

John Teal is Vice President, Commercial, at TSI, a leading technology and equipment provider in the biomass industry. In addition to ensuring customers’ continued success with TSI’s dryers, heating systems, furnaces, and air pollution control equipment, he focuses on torrefaction and carbonization technology. John lives in Seattle and supports TSI’s customers around the globe.

Steven Bartholomeusz is the Head of Public and Regulatory Affairs, Asia Pacific at Neste, and leads all public policy and advocacy efforts in the company’s engagement with governments, public sector organisations, think tanks and other key stakeholders in the region.

Steven has been actively involved in advocacy and the development of policies related to sustainable aviation fuel and biofuels for the road transport sector in the region. With the need to advance acceptance of a wide feedstock base for biofuels as well as access amidst growing protectionist measures, he also supports the Feedstock Supply and Trading teams in the region.

Steven is an experienced public affairs professional with over 25 years of international, regional and local experience in oil and gas, hydropower and public utilities, and the food and beverage industry.  Steven has a Masters in Communication from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore with honors and a B.A in Mass Communication from Winona State University, Minnesota, USA.

Brock Harrington has spent more than 35 years  in the Biomass and Waste Industry. He has been the Global Sales Director for Alternative Fuels and Industrial at CPM for 18 months. Brock was previously the President of Scotia Machinery in Indianapolis, USA where he sold CBI Grinders and chippers. Brock sits on the Board of the IBTC. He resides in Alberta Canada.

After graduating from the National University of Singapore with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, Joseph Man built over 17 years of experience across the aviation and energy sectors, starting from the airline and MRO side in operations and procurement before moving into commercial roles. Through his time at Cathay Pacific Airways, Lufthansa Technik Component Services, and China Aviation Oil (Hong Kong), he developed a strong understanding of fuel sourcing, supply chain dynamics, and end-user requirements, having worked closely with both suppliers and airline stakeholders across Asia Pacific.
 

In 2023, Joseph joined Neste as Sales Manager, Renewable Fuels APAC, transitioning from a fuel buyer and end-user perspective to a supplier role. Based in Singapore, he now works closely with oil companies, fuel suppliers, airlines, and distributors to support the adoption of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and Renewable Diesel (HVO), bringing a practical, market-grounded perspective to advancing aviation decarbonization in the region.

Akito Usami is the General Manager of the Biomass Fuel Business Development Department at RENOVA, one of the largest biomass fuel consumers in Japan. With 30 years of experience at a major Japanese oil company, he has been deeply involved in the fuel business, including LNG, jet and marine fuels, as well as renewable energy and SAF. Leveraging his extensive knowledge and experience, he now leads the Biomass Fuel Trading Division at RENOVA.