The Executive Team runs EIT Climate-KIC operationally. It is led by an Executive Board comprising members including Kirsten Dunlop and Marc Weissgerber.
Dr Kirsten Dunlop
Chief Executive Officer
Dr Kirsten DunlopChief Executive OfficerDr Kirsten Dunlop joined EIT Climate-KIC in January 2017, from Suncorp Australia, where she was Executive General Manager Strategic Innovation.
At Suncorp Kirsten founded and led a bespoke division focused on managing and responding to strategic risk through innovation, transforming core business and industry models from within.
Prior to roles in Second Road, KPMG and Suncorp, Kirsten worked in the UK and Italy for 15 years.
Marc WeissgerberChief Financial OfficerMarc was previously CFO and Managing Director of Veolia, Deutschland. He has great experience working in complex finance organisations and brings in-depth knowledge of working in both public and private organizations. Marc has strong political interests and is a Founding Member of the Advisory Group on Energy and Climate (Wirtshaftsforum der SPD). He acts as an advisor and coach to social business start-ups and holds an MBA (finance) from the University of Cambridge.
Dominic HofstetterActing Chief Operating OfficerDominic is the acting Chief Operating Officer, responsible for operations. Before being appointed to this role, he held the positions of Director of the DACH Geography and Chairman of the Start-Up Programme Board. Having started his career in the financial services industry, Dominic joined EIT Climate-KIC in 2015 from a renewable energy start-up. He holds an MSc in Environmental Change and Management from Oxford University and an MBA from the University of Chicago.
Mike CherrettDirector of External PartnershipsMike is responsible for EIT Climate-KIC’s relationships with the European Union and its agencies and for developing EIT Climate-KIC’s international relations. He joined EIT Climate-KIC in 2014 following a career in engineering and the British Diplomatic Service, including spells in Seoul and as Britain’s Deputy High Commissioner to New Zealand.
Gina LovettActing Director of CommunicationsGina Lovett is a climate change communications specialist, whose experience spans content and outreach, journalism, campaigning and education. Prior to EIT Climate-KIC, she worked for the Royal College of Art in London, integrating sustainability into design education. She holds a MSc Environmental Geography (cum laude) from the University of Amsterdam. Her published work includes the Handbook of Climate Change Communication Vol.2 (Springer).
Anna WhiteGeneral CounselAnna is responsible for Legal and Compliance at EIT Climate-KIC. Her expertise spans corporate governance and core contracts through to risk, regulatory and privacy/DPO arrangements. With 14 years of experience, Anna is a multi-jurisdictional specialist and triple qualified (England and Wales, New York and NSW). She has a Master of Laws from Yale Law School.
Mary RitterInternational AmbassadorMary Ritter has had extensive experience in senior management at Imperial College London, and is currently Emeritus Professor of Immunology. She held the posts of Pro-Rector for Postgraduate Affairs (2004-2005, Pro-Rector Postgraduate and International Affairs (2005-2007) and Pro-Rector for International Affairs (2007-2011).
Line Gry KnudsenActing Director of EducationAs acting Director of Education, Line focuses on ensuring competence development opportunities for students, professionals and future entrepreneurs addressing climate change challenges. She holds a PhD degree in University-Industry collaboration from Copenhagen Business School. With a background as senior consultant in the Copenhagen based education think tank, DEA, Line has gained a deep insight in the European educational landscape and its dynamics.
Sira SaccaniTheme Director, Sustainable Production SystemsSira and the Sustainable Production Systems team are building a new foundation for Europe’s industry, fostering innovation that decouples economic growth from unsustainable resource use and greenhouse gas emissions.
Previously, through her work at Siemens Gigaset and BMW Group Designworks, Sira developed expertise in innovation management, business development and environmental sustainability.
She holds a postgraduate Masters Degree in non-profit administration.
Riyong Kim BakkegaardActing Director, Decision Metrics and FinanceRiyong is a natural resource economist, with a PhD in valuation of environmental goods and services in the Congo and Amazon basins. She has worked with the UN, World Bank, Center for International Forestry Research, and IUCN in developing metrics and innovative valuation methods for land use and REDD+. From Australia, Riyong’s in-country work experience spans Brazil, DRC, Indonesia, and East Timor, and she is now based with her two kids in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Sean LockieTheme Director, Urban TransitionsSean is a surveyor by profession with a focus on sustainability. He was the Global Head of Sustainability at Atkins, one of the world's leading design, engineering & project management consultancies. At Atkins, he managed a global network of 100 people. Sean joined Atkins from the Building Research Establishment (BRE) in 2001 where he had worked on the Energy Efficiency Best Practice Programme. He is a fellow of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors.
Daniel ZimmerTheme Director, Sustainable Land UseDaniel Zimmer has a background in Agricultural Engineering and in Hydrology. He spent the first 15 years of his career at Cemagref, the French Agricultural and Environmental Engineering Research Centre (today IRSTEA). Daniel became the Director of the World Water Council for eight years, an international institution based in Marseilles, France. After a short period of work as a Consultant for the UN and other international institutions, he joined EIT Climate-KIC in 2010.
Tom BakkumDirector, Climate-KIC BeneluxTom returned to Europe in 2011 with his family and worked with the Utrecht Sustainable Institute as senior cluster manager water and integrated projects, set up the European HQ of The Energy and Resources Institute with it global HQ in New Delhi. Tom decided in 2013 to join EIT Climate KIC where he became Director for the Benelux in July 2016. He is an avid sailor and adventurer.
Susanne PedersenDirector, Climate-KIC NordicSusanne Pedersen is the Director of Climate-KIC Nordic Aps. Before joining Climate-KIC, Susanne provided strategic leadership to organizations such as GGGI, a major philanthropic organisation, as well as to governments, regions, and municipalities within energy and environment sectors. She has also held honorary posts in Nordic and European organizations. In addition, she has senior-level managerial experience as a board member.
Thanh-Tâm LeDirector, Climate-KIC FranceA classical concert violinist, mathematician and engineer, Thanh-Tâm joined EIT Climate-KIC in 2013 as Director for France and, since 2016, for the Mediterranean. He had previously set up the Ecole Polytechnique’s Graduate School (Doctoral and Master’s Directorates, Careers, Internships & Academic counselling) and become its first Director. Prior experience includes a Ph.D. in 4D topology, followed with positions as Lecturer and Dean at SUPAERO (Toulouse).
Tom MitchellDirector, Climate-KIC UK & IrelandWith 15 years’ experience of working on climate change policy and research, Dr. Tom Mitchell has a PhD in climate and disaster risk management and has published widely on climate resilience. Before joining EIT Climate-KIC, Tom led the climate change team at the Overseas Development Institute, supported UN policy on disaster risk reduction and served as a coordinating lead author of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Angelica MonacoDirector, Climate-KIC ItalyAngelica Monaco has been the Director of EIT Climate-KIC Italy since February 2016. With a degree in International Political Science and a Master in Entrepreneurship she has over twenty years of experience in the management of regional and international programs dedicated to innovative start-ups, technology transfer and enhancement of innovation in SMEs.
Jose-Luis MunyozDirector, Climate-KIC SpainJosé-Luis Muñoz-Bonet has a Masters Degree in Industrial Engineering, a Masters of Advanced Studies in Innovation Projects and more than 25 years of professional experience in environment, water and energy management, innovation and international cooperation. He has had executive responsibilities in companies such as IBM and public bodies such as the FCVRE based in Brussels.
Meret BrotbekActing Director, Climate-KIC DACHMeret joined EIT Climate-KIC in April 2016 from Unilever, where she worked in the Sustainable Procurement Team to transform smallholder farmer supply chains. Earlier in her career, she worked in Paris in the area of security and crisis management for Technip and the French Foreign Ministry. Meret holds an MBA from the University of St Gallen and a Master degree in Law and Political Science from the University Paris XI.
Caroline ReganHead of Business Planning & Grant ManagementCaroline joined EIT Climate-KIC in March 2015. She is a key relationship contact with our main funder, EIT, and responsible for managing our annual EIT Business Plan and Reporting activities.
Caroline brings a unique range of experience in grant management, programme delivery and business development having worked at organisations including Forum for the Future, Energy Saving Trust and Clifford Chance. In 2016, she was awarded MSc Sustainable Development in Practice.
Marco van der ReeHead of Business DevelopmentMarco has multi-sector work experience having worked in partnership with governments, the UN, civil society organisations, the private sector, foundations and academic institutions. From 2010-2015 he was Chief Partnerships of UN Volunteers leading a team on global fundraising, partnership and outreach. Most recently he has been running his own company from Spain, Brokering Solidarity, bringing organisations and communities together to build a more sustainable world.
Felicity Creighton SporsExecutive OfficerPrior to joining EIT Climate-KIC, Felicity was employed as Senior Carbon Finance Specialist with the Carbon Market and Innovation Group at the World Bank, where she led the work program on Results Based Climate Finance, managed knowledge dissemination and duplication for the $123 million Carbon Initiative for Development fund, and managed the offset and crediting activities under the Partnership for Market Readiness technical program.
