Political scientist and economist specializing in industrial policy, international finance, and the energy transition in Africa and Latin America. Former Postdoctoral Researcher at Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy and Climate School. Holds a BA, MSc, and PhD from the University of Oxford. Has worked as a consultant for the World Bank, African governments, and the Brazilian government, and previously conducted research in emerging markets macroeconomics at Goldman Sachs in London.
Journalist and Communications Specialist, specializing in business and innovation with a focus on sustainability, ESG, and climate action solutions. As a reporter, she published in the largest business publications in the Brazilian press. As a strategic communications consultant, she worked on projects for the United Nations Development Programme and the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ).
Alexander Csanadi is a Junior Research Scientist at NYU Africa House where he conducts research on agriculture systems in rural Ghana, with an emphasis on climate resilience and poverty reduction. Previously, he was a Research Analyst in the Africa Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace where he worked at the intersection of foreign policy and economic development as it relates to Africa. At Carnegie, his work focused on the energy transition, especially novel mechanisms of international climate finance and the potential for “critical” minerals to spur economic transformation. He holds an MA in Economics from NYU and BAs in Economics and International Relations from American University.
LL.M. Candidate in Energy Law and Climate Change at Queen Mary University of London, Chevening Scholar and Lemann Fellow. Works in climate advocacy and the analysis of clean energy regulatory frameworks in Latin America and the Caribbean. Served as a consultant on risk assessment and holistic security projects for international civil society organizations during COP30 in Belém. Currently provides consultancy support to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development on mining projects in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Ricardo Lopes Kotz is a PhD candidate in Public and International Affairs at the City University of Hong Kong. He holds two master’s degrees: one in Chinese Politics (LL.M.) from Renmin University of China, and another in International Relations from the Federal University of Santa Catarina (Brazil). Ricardo previously worked for four years as a junior researcher at a think tank (CEIRI) and has published on topics including technology, innovation, energy, and China’s relations with Latin America.