WAITRO Summit 2022
Speakers
Keynote Speakers, Presenters & Moderators
The WAITRO Summit 2022 brings together experts and high-level speakers from all over the globe.
OPENING REMARKS AND KEYNOTES

HRH Princess Sumaya bint El Hassan
President of WAITRO, President of the Royal Scientific Society, UNESCO Special Envoy for Science for Peace
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Dr. Raghunath Mashelkar
Former President of Indian National Science Academy and of Global Research Alliance
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M.Sc. Nienke Buismann
Head of Unit for International Cooperation, Directorate General Research and Innovation, European Commission
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Prof. Eugene Cloete
Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies, Stellenbosch University
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Dr. Victor Konde
Scientific Affairs Officer, TCCNRMD-Green Economy Innovations & Technologies Section, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA)
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HRH Princess Sumaya bint El Hassan
President of WAITRO, President of the Royal Scientific Society, UNESCO Special Envoy for Science for Peace
Keynote Speaker at the Opening Ceremony
HRH Princess Sumaya bint El Hassan is a leading advocate for science as a catalyst for change. She is a dedicated science enabler in the Arab World, where so many challenges urgently need science-based solutions. The Princess has worked for more than a decade to help foster an environment in which home-grown solutions may be found for pressing issues facing Jordan and the region.
Dr. Bismark Tyobeka
Vice Chancellor, North-West University
Keynote Speaker at the Opening Ceremony
Chief Accounting Officer responsible for the execution of the University’s core business, namely, teaching and learning, research and innovation, as well as community engagement. The North-West University is the third largest university in South Africa and is ranked amongst the top seven universities in the country.
Dr. Raghunath Mashelkar
Former President of Indian National Science Academy and of Global Research Alliance
Keynote Speaker at the Opening Ceremony
Dr. Raghunath Mashelkar is known for his own world class scientific research, transformative science, and innovation institution leadership, pioneering different Indian movements ranging from traditional knowledge protection to creation of strong yet balanced IPR systems, to inclusive innovation movement based on the concept of Gandhian Engineering that he pioneered. He has been an influential thought leader in shaping Science, Technology & Innovation policies in post liberalized India.
M.Sc. Nienke Buismann
Head of Unit for International Cooperation, Directorate General Research and Innovation, European Commission
Keynote Speaker at the Opening Ceremony
Deputy Director Global Approach and International Cooperation in Research and Innovation since 2021 and Head of Unit International Cooperation Policy in the European Commission, Directorate-General Research & Innovation since 2019. Nienke Buismann is in charge of developing and implementing the ‘Global Approach to Research and Innovation’, Europe’s strategy for international cooperation, specifically focusing on Africa, Asia, the Mediterranean, the Middle East as well as science diplomacy.
Dr. Victor Konde
Scientific Affairs Officer, TCCNRMD-Green Economy Innovations & Technologies Section, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA)
Keynote Speaker at the Roundtable on SDG 17: How can WAITRO contribute to revitalizing the global partnership for sustainable development
Victor Konde is the founder of the African Technology Development Forum (ATDF, Geneva/Switzerland) and a Fellow of the World Academy of Arts and Science. He has developed and managed various institutional and country programs and seeded and overseen the development of firms. His current areas of interest include promotion of innovation and entrepreneurship policies and strategies, intellectual asset management, and the development of business models, especially for the youth.
Mamati Tembe
Head of Public Affairs Science and Sustainability, Africa, Bayer AG
Keynote Speaker at the Roundtable on SDG 17: How can WAITRO contribute to revitalizing the global partnership for sustainable development
Mamati Tembe has over 22 years international experience in agribusiness, food systems, public affairs, sustainability and general management; in both private and public sectors. Spent the first decade of career working extensively with farmers in the field, as agronomist, worked in marketing, as well as market development facilitating commercialization and access of high technology products (crop protection, seed and biotechnology traits) to farmers. As consultant, worked with several organizations engaged in food systems or using agricultural products as raw materials, provided business and technical advice on agriculture, biotechnology and biosafety.
Prof. Eugene Cloete
Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies, Stellenbosch University
Keynote Speaker at the Opening Ceremony
Microbiologist and water expert Prof. Eugene Cloete has been the Deputy Vice Chancellor: Research, Innovation and postgraduate studies at Stellenbosch University for the past ten years. During his tenure as DvC, Stellenbosch University became internationally recognised as a leading research-intensive university. Before taking up this position in September 2012, Prof. Cloete served as the Dean of the Faculty of Science at Stellenbosch University.
ROUNDTABLE ON REVITALIZING GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT





Dr. Paul Burrows
Vice President Overseas Cooperation, Jiangsu Industrial Technology Research Institute
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Dirk Saseta Krieg
Director General, Area of Promotion & Management, Leitat Technological Center
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PANEL DISCUSSION ON FINANCING INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR THE SDGS

Keiron Brand
Bankable Nature Solutions Advisor at WWF-Netherlands; African Regional Lead for the Dutch Fund for Climate Development
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CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS





Roger Short
Former Senior Advisor to the South African Department of Water and Sanitation related to implementing IWRM (the Water Act)
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Tshiamo Matabane
Clinical Psychologist, Former worker of the Department of Water Sanitation (DWS)
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Chuqiao Dong
Project Support, WAITRO Office China, Jiangsu Industrial Technology Research Institute
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Dr. Jo Barnes
Senior Lecturer Emeritus, Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University
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Saijil Singh
Central Metallurgical Research and Development Institute
Presenter at the Workshop: Enabling Small-scale Spare-parts Production in Developing Countries
Prof. Khaled M. Ibrahim
Central Metallurgical Research and Development Institute
Presenter at the Workshop: Enabling Small-scale Spare-parts Production in Developing Countries
Jean-Marc Champagne
Founder and Director Seneca Impact Advisors
Moderator at the Panel Discussion on Financing Innovative Solutions for The SDGs
Graduated from Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York, Jean-Marc spent 7 years at WWF as the head of Bankable Nature Solutions for the Asia-Pacific region. In his role, he incubated and developed scalable bankable projects with positive environmental and social impact. He also co-established the Climate Impact Asia Fund, a long-only equity fund, and sits on its investment advisory committee. Jean-Marc recently established Seneca Impact Advisors, a firm which focuses on developing innovative financial solutions for scalable nature-based projects.
Dirk Saseta Krieg
Director General, Area of Promotion & Management, Leitat Technological Center
Moderator at the Roundtable on SDG 17: How can WAITRO contribute to revitalizing the global partnership for sustainable development
Dirk Saseta Krieg has 17 years’ experience track record working in public and private RTOs. He worked as project manager at the Meadowlands Environmental Research Institute from the New Jersey State Government. Since 2009 he joined Leitat as Project Manager in the environmental technologies and renewal energies areas, and in 2013 he was named Director for international affairs.
Prof. Nnenesi Kgabi
Director Research Support, North-West University
Panelist at the Roundtable on SDG 17: How can WAITRO contribute to revitalizing the global partnership for sustainable development
Nnenesi Kgabi is an Extraordinary Professor in the Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management at the NWU; and Affiliated Professor in the Centre for Environmental Management at the University of the Free State (UFS). Previously served as UNESCO Chair on Sustainable Water Research for Climate Adaptation in Arid Environments, Programme Coordinator, Deputy Dean and Acting Dean at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST).
David Tveit
EVP, Energy and Climate Division, Danish Technological Institute
Panelist at the Roundtable on SDG 17: How can WAITRO contribute to revitalizing the global partnership for sustainable development
Executive Vice President at the Danish Technological Institute (DTI). David has considerable leadership and management experience in Research and Technology Organizations (RTOs), as well as a background in energy. He is in charge of the Energy & Climate division, which is a major player in implementing Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency and Smart Grid technologies in Denmark.
Dr. Hussam Hussein
Executive Director Partnerships, Royal Scientific Society
Panelist at the Roundtable on SDG 17: How can WAITRO contribute to revitalizing the global partnership for sustainable development
Dr. Hussam Hussein is the Executive Director of Partnerships for Development of the Royal Scientific Society (RSS) of Jordan. In this capacity, he is responsible for National Outreach – building partnerships with local stakeholders, governmental agencies, embassies, donors, and civil society – and International Science Relations – building relations and cooperation with international partners.
Jaime Arboleda Palacio
Deputy Director, Centro de Ciencia y Tecnología de Antioquia
Panelist at the Roundtable on SDG 17: How can WAITRO contribute to revitalizing the global partnership for sustainable development
Jaime Arboleda Palacio is manager of the Center’s Innovation and Productivity branch, author and co-author of several publications on productivity, technology and innovation, some of them, published by the CTA Publishing House.
Dr. Paul Burrows
Vice President Overseas Cooperation, Jiangsu Industrial Technology Research Institute
Panelist at the Roundtable on SDG 17: How can WAITRO contribute to revitalizing the global partnership for sustainable development
Keiron Brand
Bankable Nature Solutions Advisor at WWF-Netherlands; African Regional Lead for the Dutch Fund for Climate Development
Keynote Speaker at the Panel Discussion on Financing Innovative Solutions for The SDGs
Keiron Brand joined WWF in 2018 to focus on engaging financial institutions on water and climate, and on developing Bankable Nature Solutions in the Freshwater space. He is currently the WWF Regional Lead for Dutch Fund for Climate and Development, which enables private sector investment in projects aimed at climate adaptation and mitigation in developing countries.
Andrew Da Costa
Private Equity Specialist
Panelist at the Panel Discussion on Financing Innovative Solutions for The SDGs
Andrew da Costa has 15 years of investment experience of which the last 10 years have been in Private Equity. Andrew started his career in Private Equity at Capital works, one of South Africa’s premier private equity firms.
Laura Eck
Consultant at WWF focusing on NbS; Prior Strategy Consultant at McKinsey
Panelist at the Panel Discussion on Financing Innovative Solutions for The SDGs
As a consultant for WWF’s Blue Heart of Africa initiative, Laura leads the Nature-based Solutions (NbS) hub aiming to originate and implement opportunities for large-scale NbS across Africa. Currently, her work centers around solving 4 pressing climate change challenges in South Africa, Uganda, Kenya, and Tunisia as well as creating a NbS incubator to better finance and scale these solutions.
Fungai Musana
Corporate Engagement Manager, WWF
Panelist at the Panel Discussion on Financing Innovative Solutions for The SDGs
Fungai Musana is a dual infrastructure and climate finance/investment professional with over 10 years of transaction advisory experience. He is currently working as the Green Finance Lead at WWF Zambia. Financial and investment structuring, economic/financial analysis and modelling, programme management and advisory, feasibility studies, due diligence, and successful financial close and post-financial close implementation are all part of his expertise.
Wesley Okeke
CEO CUBIO Innovation Center, CEO Headway Idea Labs
Panelist at the Panel Discussion on Financing Innovative Solutions for The SDGs
Wesley’s key strengths are focused in the areas of Business and Technology Strategy with global initiatives. With a degree in engineering and computer science, Wesley has a deep understanding of the foundations of technology. He supported 3 global divisions in the areas of marketing and product development for Asia, Europe and The Americas.
Andreas Kleinn
Lecturer, EnTechnon/KIT
Moderator at the Workshop: From R&D to Commercialization – A Focus on Entering International Markets
Andreas Kleinn is researching about international entrepreneurship and gives seminars on technology entrepreneurship. He established a successful venture in China and is advising German and Chinese companies on market entry and sales strategies. In the scope of his work at KIT and JCI he promotes international cooperation and collaboration.
Joy Owango
Executive Director, Training Centre in Communication
Presenter at the Workshop: Traditional and Innovative Government Funding for Sustainable International Cooperation – Potential, Pitfalls and Strategies
Joy Owango is an experienced award-winning Founding Director of the Training Centre in Communication (TCC Africa), and award-winning Trust registered in Kenya set up in 2006 and is the first African-based training centre to teach effective communication skills to scientists.
Joseph Njogu
Chief Executive Officer, Research Beeline
Presenter at the Workshop: Traditional and Innovative Government Funding for Sustainable International Cooperation – Potential, Pitfalls and Strategies
Joseph Njogu is a co-founder and current Chief Executive Officer of Research Beeline Ltd, an African based social enterprise that supports researchers, research institutes and Universities in Africa with research funding information across all areas of research.
Julia Wiethüchter
Program Manager, WAITRO Office Germany, Fraunhofer Gesellschaft
Presenter at the Workshop: Traditional and Innovative Government Funding for Sustainable International Cooperation – Potential, Pitfalls and Strategies
Julia Wiethüchter has been working for Fraunhofer and WAITRO since 2018. Since 2020 she is working on her doctoral thesis on “We are all in this together – The role of funding regulations for equitable international collaborative research projects for sustainable development” as part of the graduate school on science management and science communication, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research and Education
Roger Short
Former Senior Advisor to the South African Department of Water and Sanitation related to implementing IWRM (the Water Act)
Presenter at the Workshop: Project Cycle Management/Results Based Management – A Focus on Monitoring and Evaluation in the Context of the Inter-Connectivity of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Rights Based Approach. A South African Case Study.
Roger Short was the WAITRO Secretary-General from 1988-1991 when the Secretariat was based at the Jutland Institute of Technology. Since then, he has been, among others, the Construction Industry Expert for the UN International Labour Office, a senior consultant for the European Commission for country and project programming and evaluations in the former Soviet Union, Caribbean and various African countries.
Tshiamo Matabane
Clinical Psychologist, Former worker of the Department of Water Sanitation (DWS)
Presenter at the Workshop: Project Cycle Management/Results Based Management – A Focus on Monitoring and Evaluation in the Context of the Inter-Connectivity of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Rights Based Approach. A South African Case Study.
Tshiamo Matabane is currently working within the health sector providing advocacy for mental health for all while also providing mental health services. Her passion for community development, policy development, research, empowerment through engagement, support and participation were nurtured while working for the then Department of Water Affairs. Engaging communities through the Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM), Catchment Management Agencies (CMA’s) and Water Boards provided a rich platform to ensure the implementation of the National Water Act 36 of 1998 and to meet global environmental goals.
Knud Erik Hilding-Hamann
Senior Specialist, Danish Technological Institute
Presenter at the Workshop: Benchmarking to Identify Best RTO Management Practices
Knud Erik has been with DTI for almost 25 years and has held management positions before turning his focus on innovation and sustainability R&D and advisory services. He has previously on behalf of WAITRO conducted workshops, webinars and benchmarking of RTO SME innovation services and has been part of the team developing the WAITRO benchmarking system.
Chuqiao Dong
Project Support, WAITRO Office China, Jiangsu Industrial Technology Research Institute
Presenter at the Workshop: Benchmarking to Identify Best RTO Management Practices
Dr. Jo Barnes
Senior Lecturer Emeritus, Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University
Presenter at the Workshop: SDG 3: Good Health and Wellbeing – A Convenient Motivation or a Neglected Outcome Assessment?
Dr. Jo Barnes is an epidemiologist with a PhD in Community Health. She has extensive experience in research on the health impact and further consequences of pollution from failing sanitation in urban areas and pollution reaching rivers arising from using the water for drinking and irrigation of edible crops and livestock.
Prof. Emad Ewais
President, Central Metallurgical Research and Development Institute
Presenter at the Workshop: Enabling Small-scale Spare-parts Production in Developing Countries
Dr. Emad Ewais is the Secretary-General of the Arab Association of Materials Science and Nanotechnology (AAMSN). His association was awarded the best scientific association for the year 2020. He was appointed as a member of the Board of Directors of the Alexandria Co. for Refractories (ACR), then as non-executive chairman. He has been appointed as a member of the Board of Directors of the General Co. for Ceramic and Porcelain Products (SHEENI).
Dirk Lehmann
Pitch Coach & Innovation Advisor
Presenter at the Workshops: The Networking Pitch & The Project Pitch
Over 10 years in corporate roles as well as the startup ecosystem taught Dirk Lehmann the importance and winning secrets of great pitches the hard way – so you don’t have to do it yourself. At the beginning of his corporate career, Dirk often failed to get support and enrollment for his ideas. After many years of coaching, research, and hard lessons on stage, he mastered the skill of pitching himself. Today, he shares all his learnings with hundreds of founders and executives every year, so you will get the results you want from your pitch right away.
KICK-OFF SESSIONS FOR THE WAITRO SDG WORKING GROUPS


Dr. Ursula Schließmann
Head of Business Field Environment and Climate Protection and Vice Director of Fraunhofer Innovation Platform for the Water-Energy-Food Nexus
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Prof. Daniel Ayuk Mbi Egbe
Chairperson, African Network for Solar Energy e.V., Jena Germany & Johannes Kepler University Linz
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Prof. Ashmore Mawire
Director of Material Science Innovation and Modelling, North-West University
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James Devitt
Head of Corporate Policy (Research and Innovation), University of Huddersfield
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Marcelo Prim
Executive Representative of SENAI in Europe, Serviço Nacional de Aprendizagem Industrial
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Dr. Sandi Darniadi
Researcher, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN)
Moderator of the Kick-off Session: Working Group on SDG 2
Dr. Sandi Darniadi works as an associate researcher at the Research Center for Appropriate Technology (RCAT)-BRIN. Food processing and food product development are his primary research interests. He earned his doctoral degree in food science and nutrition from the University of Leeds, England. He spent seven years working for the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research and Development Agency before joining RCAT-BRIN.
Dr. Ursula Schließmann
Head of Business Field Environment and Climate Protection and Vice Director of Fraunhofer Innovation Platform for the Water-Energy-Food Nexus
Moderator of the Kick-off Session: Working Group on SDG 6
Dr. Ursula Schließmann has been at Fraunhofer IGB for almost 30 years and is currently head of the Business Unit Environment and Climate Protection. Her scientific work focuses on the development of new processes for wastewater treatment, recycling of nutrients, wastewater and biowaste as a resource especially in the urban context, and research on water at the interface with energy issues and agriculture.
Dr. Almoayied Assayed
Director Water and Environment Centre, Royal Scientific Society
Moderator of the Kick-off Session: Working Group on SDG 6
Dr. Almoayied Assayed has more than 20 years’ experience in water management, water resilience, climate change, water and food nexus, sustainable and green solutions. He is currently leading a total of $1.5Million donor-funded research projects, focusing on water innovative technologies, safe and sustainable wastewater reuse, and circular economy.
Prof. Daniel Ayuk Mbi Egbe
Chairperson, African Network for Solar Energy e.V., Jena Germany & Johannes Kepler University Linz
Moderator of the Kick-off Session: Working Group on SDG 7
Prof. Daniel Ayuk Mbi Egbe is an organic chemist whose research focus is the design of semiconducting materials for organic solar cells and other optoelectronic applications. He has published more than 130 peer-reviewed articles (H-index 37) and has co-organized more than 35 scientific events worldwide.
Prof. Ashmore Mawire
Director of Material Science Innovation and Modelling, North-West University
Moderator of the Kick-off Session: Working Group on SDG 7
Prof. Ashmore Mawire is the principal researcher in the solar thermal group of the Material Science Innovation and Modelling (MASIM) focus area. His research interests include electronic instrumentation, renewable energy systems, heat transfer, solar cookers, and solar thermal energy storage technology.
James Devitt
Head of Corporate Policy (Research and Innovation), University of Huddersfield
Moderator of the Kick-off Session: Working Group on SDG 17
Head of Corporate Policy for Research, Innovation and Knowledge Exchange at the University of Huddersfield. James is responsible for providing strategic insights and intelligence relating to the development of the University’s areas of specialist research interests and the development of strategic research partnerships between industry and academia.
Dr. Colin Venters
Reader in Software Engineering, University of Huddersfield
Moderator of the Kick-off Session: Working Group on SDG 17
Dr. Colin Venters is a founding member of the Sustainability Design Alliance and co-author of the Karlskrona Manifesto for Sustainability Design. In addition, he is also a software engineer at the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) associated with the ATLAS experiment; the largest general-purpose particle detector experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).
Marcelo Prim
Executive Representative of SENAI in Europe, Serviço Nacional de Aprendizagem Industrial
Moderator of the Kick-off Session: Working Group on SDG 17
Marcelo has a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Federal University of Santa Catarina and a master’s degree in Aeronautical and Mechanical Engineering from the Aeronautical Technological Institute. He is currently a PhD student at ITA. He is also a visiting researcher at the Fraunhofer IPK Institute in Berlin.
WAITRO Summit Organisers

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