Panelists

Guilherme Collares Pereira, Director, A2E - Energias de Portugal, S.A (EDP)

Guilherme is the International Relations Director of A2E- Access to Energy, at EDP- Energias de Portugal S.A. and has represented the company at the ARE Alliance for Rural Electrification, Member of the Board (Brussels), Energy Access Practitioner Network of UN Foundation (Washington), SE4ALL Clean Energy Minigrids—High Impact Opportunity (NY), Network of Experts Access to Energy in EURELECTRIC—Electricity for Europe (Brussels), B Lab-Portugal, Member of the Advisory Board (Lisbon), and IES Institute of Social Entrepreneurship, Member of the Strategy Council (Lisbon). From 2007 until 2012, Guilherme was the Director of Social Innovation at EDP Foundation. He has also been a Member of the Board of Atitude—BVS Portuguese Social Stock Exchange and a Member of the Board of Turma do Bem Portugal, an NGO. He has 28 years of successful business experience with responsibilities at the level of general management, marketing and commercial, in competitive dynamic first-line sectors.

Luc Severi, Project Manager for Energy Access, United Nations Foundation

Luc Severi is working as a Project Manager on UN Foundation’s energy access activities, in particular in the health sector under the High Impact Opportunity ‘Energy for Women’s and Children’s Health’. Luc’s academic background is both commercial and social, holding a Master’s in Commercial Engineering from KULeuven and an MSc Development Management from the London School of Economics. Prior to starting his current work with UNF, Luc worked in Mozambique, Senegal and Liberia for several international NGOs and social enterprises, including SolarNow and Save the Children International. Throughout his career, he has been an active participant in the green and circular economy, working primarily with renewable energy solutions for off-grid and rural households, schools and health centres.

Isabela Cancela de Abreu, Executive Director, ALER

Isabel started at the creative start-up YDreams, where she was account and project manager of environmental education projects. She then joined APREN, the Portuguese Renewable Energy Association, where she was Director of Technical Department of the Association and was responsible for several EU-funded projects, engaging with all national and European stakeholders. Isabel was invited to spend one year in Brussels to work as a policy adviser at the European Renewable Energy Council (EREC). Her functions there included implementing the policy activities of the association, following the preparation of European energy legislation and coordinating with EREC’s embers, with the European institutions and EU Member States. In addition, Isabel was also a social volunteer in Niassa, Mozambique, did an internship with Grameen Bank and Grameen Shakti in Bangladesh to learn about their microcredit and solar home systems programs, and participated in the organization of the Global Solar Academy powered by Sun Aid. After coming back to Portugal from her European experience, Isabel decided to take advantage of her national and international experience in renewable energy associations, together with her interest in cooperation for development issues, to found ALER, the Lusophone Renewable Energy Association, where she now works as Executive Director.

Boris Atanassov, Director, GreenLight Projects, Ltd

Boris Atanassov is the founding director of GreenLight Lda, a Mozambican-based research and development company specializing in energy and environment. He has over seven years of experience in research, project management and business development. Boris holds a Master of Science from the Stockholm University, specializing in Energy Development. His focus areas include renewable energy, bio-energy, climate financing and market development. Boris holds strong experience in developing feasibility studies, business plans and managing projects within the mentioned fields. Notable projects include a cotton waste to electricity (2-MW) project in Cuamba district; a mini hydro electrification project in Niassa; the introduction of ethanol cook-stoves in the Mozambican market; solar home system market development; as well as a sustainable charcoal production business in Gaza province. His portfolio of clients includes the German Technical Cooperation (GiZ), The Mozambique Ministry of Energy (ME), the National Energy Fund (FUNAE), the Belgian Technical Cooperation (BTC), the European Commission, the Dutch Development Agency (SNV) and several private sector organizations.