The Big Transition – A Call to Action (and the Opportunities)

Mike Berners-Lee is an international keynote speaker on sustainability, climate change and on how we can each address this urgent and overarching 21st century challenge. His approach includes high level thinking about policy and best practices along with innovative views on how AI and other tech innovations can be a force for ‘net good’ in this work. In his talks, Mikes combines cutting edge science, pragmatic solutions to building a better world and he delivers always with enthusiasm, positivity and passion. Spring 2025 sees the publication of his latest book ‘A Climate of Truth: Why We Need It and How to Get It‘. In this book, Mike calls for radically-higher standards of honesty in politics, media and business as a catalyst to achieve change. He look at this challenge from new angles, to gain perspective, digging deeper under the surface to uncover the root causes, joining up every element of the challenges we face and learning from our failures so far.

Andrew W. Mitchell is an international thought leader on sustainable finance and natural capital. Through his consultancy, Equilibrium Futures, he provides strategic advice to the finance sector on environmental risks and opportunities. He is Senior Adviser to Oxford think tank, Global Canopy, which he founded in 2001, and is now a leading provider of data on supply chain risk and deforestation. As Founder and Senior Adviser to the Natural Capital Finance Alliance, he has helped to design screening tools for central banks, investors and insurers and is Senior Adviser to several impact investment funds. Andrew helped to create the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosure (TNFD) and is currently the Vice Chair of the TNFD Stewardship Council.

Helen Avery is a Director of Nature Programmes (GFI Hive) within the Green Finance Institute. She leads the Institute’s work on supporting the mobilisation of private sector finance into nature restoration, and the transition to an economy that values and invests in the natural environment. The Institute also hosts the Secretariat for the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures and GFI Hive oversees the UK TNFD Consultation Group.

Mark founded the International Institute for Sustainable Development – Europe in 1998 and was CEO until 2016. He was subsequently Senior Advisor to the UNEP Inquiry into the Design of a Sustainable Financial System for the four years of its mandate, taking special responsibility for developing countries. He helped establish and is Senior Advisor to the international network of Financial Centres for Sustainability (FC4S), where he led on development of the emerging programme on biodiversity finance. He is also a Senior Advisor to the NatureFinance foundation. Mark sits on the board of the Building Bridges Foundation in Geneva.

Elena Amirkhanova is a Partner in Sustainability Strategy Practice in PwC UK. With over 20 years of experience spanning sustainability consulting and international development, Elena has held various senior roles including the Global Sustainable Finance Lead and EMEA Banking and Development Finance Director. Elena has actively engaged with various players within the financial ecosystem, providing expert guidance on investor ESG requirements. Her involvement with industry forums and associations such as the Equator Principles Association, City of London, IPFA, UN PRI, ICMM, IPIECA, and SPE has been instrumental in advancing ESG strategies for numerous clients. Her recent work has focused on embedding sustainability into companies' strategies, operations, and investment processes. Elena's diverse background includes short-term engagements with a gold mining company, UNEP, and UNDP. She holds a Master's in Geography and an Executive MBA from Warwick Business School.