Mr. SAITO TamotsuChairman, New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO)

Mr. SAITO Tamotsu was appointed as Chairman of the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) in April 2023.

He joined Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries (currently IHI Corporation) in 1975, working in the aerospace business. In 2012, he began serving as IHI's Representative Director and President, later serving as Representative Director and Chairman from 2016. In 2020, he began serving as an advisor, and since April 2024, has served as a senior counselor.

His experience in major organizations includes his role as Vice Chairman of the Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Chairman of the Japan Industrial Machinery Manufacturers Association, Vice Chairman of the Japan Machinery Federation, Chairman of the Japan Shipbuilding Manufacturers Association, Chairman of the Fukushima Innovation Coast Initiative Promotion Organization, and Chairman of the International Human Resources Cooperation Agency. He is a special advisor to the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Vice Chairman of the ASEAN-Japan Economic Council.

Mr. Saito graduated from the Faculty of Engineering at The University of Tokyo in 1975.

Dr. Nuki Agya UtamaDirector for Energy Policy & Head of Asia Zero Emission Center (AZEC), ERIA
Former Executive Director, ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE)

Dr. Nuki Agya Utama is a distinguished energy and sustainability expert with deep experience in regional energy cooperation, transition policy, and pragmatic decarbonization pathways across Asia. Currently serving as the Director of the Asia Zero Emission Center (AZEC) under the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), he leads initiatives to support ASEAN and partner countries in crafting realistic, inclusive, and secure low-carbon strategies.

Dr. Nuki previously served as the Executive Director of the ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE), where he played a pivotal role in shaping energy policies and roadmaps for Southeast Asia, including on the ASEAN Power Grid, energy security frameworks, and regional energy outlooks.

He brings a strong commitment to solving the energy trilemma—security, affordability, and sustainability—through coordinated regional strategies, innovation in bioenergy and hydrogen, and the development of carbon pricing and transition finance mechanisms. His leadership spans cross-sectoral programs covering power systems, transport, and industry, with a focus on balancing economic growth and climate commitments.

Dr. Nuki is a frequent speaker at international energy forums and a key contributor to regional policy platforms. His recent work includes advancing decarbonization roadmaps, promoting green industrial zones, and facilitating the development of voluntary carbon market guidelines and clean fuel alternatives like sustainable aviation fuel and green hydrogen.

A passionate advocate for practical, country-tailored approaches, he emphasizes data-driven planning and inclusive stakeholder engagement to avoid “wrong” investments that risk undermining environmental and economic security in developing economies.

Dr. Timur GülChief Energy Technology Officer
International Energy Agency (IEA)

Timur Gül, a German national, was appointed Chief Energy Technology Officer of the International Energy Agency (IEA) in September 2023. In this capacity, he oversees the analysis of innovative new and emerging clean energy technologies and their supply chains across a range of sectors. Mr. Gül is also Head of the Energy Technology Policy Division, with responsibility for the IEA's technology flagship publication Energy Technology Perspectives and the IEA's Technology Collaboration network. Having joined the IEA in 2009, Mr. Gül previously was a lead author of the IEA's World Energy Outlook (WEO). Prior to his time at the IEA, he was a researcher at Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland.

Timur Gül holds a PhD from the Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology (ETH) Zurich in Switzerland. He also holds a Master degree in Environmental Engineering from the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) Stockholm, Sweden, and a Diploma in Environmental Engineering from Stuttgart University, Germany.

Dr. NASER ODEHPRINCIPAL FELLOW, KAPSARC

Dr. Naser Odeh is a researcher and advisor specializing in carbon management across the Circular Carbon Economy, with a focus on CDR, CCS, and CO₂ utilization and recycling. At KAPSARC, he leads techno-economic assessments of negative-emissions options, such as DAC, biochar, and waste-to-energy with CCS, linking costs, siting, and system integration to policy-ready insights for Saudi Arabia's Net-Zero 2060 pathway. His recent work quantifies capture potential and utilization routes in hard-to-abate sectors, notably cement and petrochemicals, and he has published on CO₂ recycling and CCU markets, highlighting where reuse delivers durable climate value and industrial competitiveness.

Dr. Odeh was recently appointed Review Editor for the IPCC AR7 Working Group III report for the Industry chapter. Previously, he worked in the UK as a consultant to the public and private sectors on industrial decarbonization, CCUS, and low-carbon technologies. As part of this role, he has also led the development of a patented hybrid CDR concept that integrates biomass-pyrolysis cogeneration with biochar production and CCUS. At KAPSARC, he regularly synthesizes global best practice into Saudi-relevant roadmaps, bridging technology readiness with investable timelines to reduce risk, lower costs, and accelerate deployment of CCE solutions.

Mr. MITSUOKA TsugioChairperson, Carbon Recycling Fund Institute

1980

Joined Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. (currently IHI Corporation)

2007

General Manager, Civil Aero-Engine Division, Aerospace Business Headquarters, IHI Corporation

2008

Deputy General Manager, Aerospace Business Headquarters, IHI Corporation

2013

Managing Executive Officer, Head of Aerospace Business Headquarters, IHI Corporation

2016

President and Representative Director, IHI Corporation

2020

Chairman and Representative Director, IHI Corporation

2024

Chairman of the Board, IHI Corporation (current)

June 2023

Appointed Chairman of the Carbon Recycling Fund, Inc.

Panelists
Mr. HASEGAWA HiroshiDirector, International Strategy on Energy Resources Office

Mr. Hasegawa joined METI in 2004. Since then, he has gained professional experience in various areas, including Small and Medium Enterprise Policy, Trade Policy, Public Relations at the Prime Minister's Office, National Space Policy at the Cabinet Office, and Manufacturing Industries Policies.

From 2019 to 2022, Mr. Hasegawa served as the Director for METI's Energy Demand and Supply Policy Office, Policy Coordination Division, Agency of Natural Resources and Energy. In this role, he spearheaded energy finance (dealing with EU taxonomy and launching transition finance), energy innovation (launching a 15-billion-USD energy innovation fund supporting clean energies including hydrogen and ammonia), and energy regulation (amending related laws concerning energy efficiency, electricity business permissions, and energy finance for hydrogen and ammonia).

From 2022-2025, Mr. Hasegawa served as the Executive Director, JETRO Dubai and Special Advisor to the Minister, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Japanese Government. He supported the Japanese government by facilitating VIP visits to the Middle East, providing analysis of global geopolitical issues from Middle Eastern perspectives, helping to realize energy projects including hydrogen, and facilitating financial cooperation between the Middle East and Japan.

As of July 2025, Mr. Hasegawa is the Director, International Strategy on Energy Resources Office.

Panelists
Dr. Anna StephensonThe Deputy Director for Engineering and Research at the UK Government Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

Dr Anna Stephenson is the Deputy Director for Engineering and Research at the UK Government Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, where she leads a team of specialist engineers, scientists and policy professionals to drive and inform the transition to a net zero energy system, and to lead the UK's contribution to key international energy innovation fora, including Mission Innovation, and IEA Technology Collaboration Programmes. This includes identifying and filling evidence gaps behind UK and international net zero energy policies, and working closely with academics and industry to disseminate the findings domestically and internationally. She is a chartered chemical engineer, having worked in UK Energy and Climate Departments in engineering roles for the past 15 years, as well as in the UK Foreign Office, advising on increasing access to sustainable energy in Africa. Previous to this she worked as a process engineer for an energy from waste company. Anna started her career in academia, completing her PhD and Post Doc at the University of Cambridge Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology Department, in the field of renewable fuels.

Panelists
Mr. TANAKA HiroshiExecutive Officer, General Manager of Carbon Neutral Transformation Department, Idemitsu Kosan Co.

April 1992

Joined Idemitsu Kosan Co.,Ltd. ("Idemitsu Kosan")

April 2009

Manager of Syndiotactic Polystyrene production plant, Polycarbonate production plant, Chiba facility

July 2013

Assistant General Manager of Production and Technology Department

April 2016

Plant Director of Petrochemicals (M) Sdn Bhd and Idemitsu SM (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd

October 2020

Deputy General Manager of Production and Technology Department

July 2022

General Manager of Carbon Neutral Transformation Department

July 2025

Executive Officer General Manager of Carbon Neutral Transformation (To Date)

Panelists
Ms. Rachma FitrianiSenior Researcher in New & Renewable Energy at Pertamina

Rachma Fitriani is a Senior Researcher in New & Renewable Energy at Pertamina, Indonesia. She has over 11 years of experience in research and development at Pertamina. Her expertise focuses on biofuels, nature-based solutions (NBS), and waste-to-energy. She has contributed to multiple decarbonization projects, including bioethanol feedstock development and non-edible vegetable oils for biofuel. Her work also includes converting used cooking oil (UCO) into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and green diesel/UCOME as a part of sustainable energy initiatives. Rachma has been involved in coal gasification projects to support national energy security. Her current research emphasizes carbon recycling and advancing renewable energy solutions.

Panelists
Dr. Mathilde FajardyEnergy Technology & Policy Analyst, International Energy Agency

Mathilde is an analyst working on carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCUS) at the International Energy Agency. Prior to this role, she was a research associate within the Energy Policy Research Group at the University of Cambridge. Mathilde holds a PhD in Environmental Policy and Process Systems Engineering from Imperial College, where she studied the role of bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) in mitigating climate change.

Panelists
Dr. OHISHI YoshihikoDirector in the Circular Economy Department at the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO)

Dr. Yosihiko Ohishi is a Director in the Circular Economy Department at the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), a leading public research and development (R&D) funding agency in Japan. Having previously worked at the Technology and Innovation Strategy Center (TSC) and the Biotechnology and Materials Department, he now oversees R&D projects in the area of carbon recycling in his current position.

Before joining NEDO, Dr. Ohishi worked for 14 years at Sumitomo Chemical, where he primarily developed and industrialized catalysts for producing key petrochemical feedstocks. From January 2023 to March 2025, he worked for the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), serving in the GX Investment Promotion Division and the Energy and Environment Innovation Strategy Office. There, he managed R&D projects related to carbon dioxide removal (CDR), including direct air capture (DAC), enhanced weathering, and blue carbon. He also engaged in studies to create a CDR market.

Panelists
Dr. Xiaozhou (Sean) ZhouCEO of Greenore

Dr. Xiaozhou (Sean) Zhou is the Co-Founder and CEO of Greenore. His research focuses on sustainable iron & steel making via carbon capture and utilization (CCU) which leads to the launch of Greenore. His doctoral research was funded by POSCO and U.S. DOE ARPA-E. He was the university senate candidate of Columbia Engineering 2012.

Greenore has been one of the pioneering companies translating a lab technology to an industrial solution. His team has designed and constructed the world's first-of-a-kind 3,000 metric tons slag/year carbon mineralization pilot plant. Also, the world's first commercial plant utilizing 20,000 carbon dioxide/year and 100,000 metric tons slag/year is commissioned and has achieved continuous production of calcium carbonate since Fall 2024.

Dr. Zhou and Greenore have received a number of professional awards and honors including 2021 MIT Technology Review 35 under 35 Asia Pacific, 2025 Global Cleantech 100 by Cleantech Group, 2025 Prix Galien Eco-health Award Nominee and etc.

Panelists
Mr. KOZAKAI NoriyukiManaging Executive Officer, Sumitomo Osaka Cement Co.,Ltd.

Mr. Noriyuki Kozakai is a specialist in cement- concrete-related building materials. Since joining Sumitomo Osaka Cement Co.,Ltd. in 1988, he has contributed to the development of process technologies and driven innovations across a wide range of building material products.

In 2021, during his tenure as Director of the Cement and Concrete Research Laboratory, the company established the Sustainability Department, a cross-functional team bringing together members from our various Departments. This new department plays a vital role in advancing our carbon neutrality initiatives.

Currently serving as Managing Executive Officer, Mr. Kozakai leads the Sustainability Department, focusing on the development of low-carbon materials, circular technologies, and infrastructure evaluation. His work leverages deep expertise in industrial marketing and circular business models.

In recognition of his contributions, he received the 2023 JGS Paper Award for his research on sinkhole risk assessment through full-scale testing.

Panelists
Mr. Marcus DaweFounder & CEO of MCi Carbon

Marcus Dawe is the Founder & CEO of MCi Carbon, an Australian clean technology company that converts CO₂ emissions into building materials and other industrial products. Under his leadership, the company has secured over AUD $50 million in funding from government, industry, and investors, built one of the world’s first mineral carbonation pilot plant, and is completing its flagship industrial demonstration plant, "Myrtle," in Newcastle, Australia.

He has attracted international investment from partners including Itochu Corporation, Mizuho Bank, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, Mitsubishi Ube Cement Corporation, and RHI Magnesita, which is supporting the company's first commercial plant in Europe. MCi Carbon now employs around 60 staff across Newcastle, Canberra, and Sydney, and its leadership team, including Dawe and COO Sophia Hamblin Wang, has been recognised in Australia's Top 100 Green Power Players list.

Panelists
Dr. OHNISHI HisaoExecutive Fellow, OSAKA GAS Co., Ltd.

Dr. Hisao OHNISHI joined Osaka Gas Co., Ltd. after earning his master's degree from the University of Tokyo in 1988 and later received his doctorate from the Graduate School of the University of Tokyo in 1994. He has been engaged in the technological development and R&D management of materials, devices, and system technologies for gas sensors, fuel cells, and catalysts within the R&D and product development divisions at Osaka Gas.

He is an Executive Fellow at Osaka Gas and serves as the Executive General Manager of the SOEC Methanation Technology Office at the Advanced Technology Institute of Osaka Gas. Currently, he is primarily leading the development of SOFC (solid oxide fuel cells), SOEC (solid oxide electrolysis cells), and innovative methanation technologies, and serves as the R&D Director of the Green Innovation Fund project, "SOEC Methanation Technology Innovation Project." He is also a Fellow of the Electrochemical Society of Japan.

Panelists
Mr. Nikolaus Boltzethyssenkrupp AG / Country Representative

Since 2010, Nikolaus Boltze has been the country representative for thyssenkrupp AG (Essen / Germany) in Japan. He studied aeronautical design in Munich and Hamburg and started his professional career as a sales engineer for an Osaka-based Japanese company in material handling. He was president of the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan from 2014 to 2018. Today he is a principal member of the EU Japan Business Roundtable. For many years he has been active in promoting projects in the field of "green transformation" between Japan and the EU/Germany. Nikolaus Boltze is married with four children.

Panelists
Dr. Maeda ShujiDirector of Policy Promotion, GX Promotion Division, Saga City

The Saga City Waste Management Plant is attracting national attention for its unique efforts to revitalize local industries and solve the challenges of decarbonization, such as separating and capturing carbon dioxide from exhaust gases and using it as a raw material for plant photosynthesis.

Our efforts still have room for further development, and we are currently recruiting companies that utilize carbon dioxide. We are also working to provide information on the challenges and effects of the process so that other regions and companies can take on the challenge.

Panelists
Dr. UKAI KenjiSenior Specialist, the Energy VC Company of AISIN Corporation

Dr. Kenji Ukai currently serves as Senior Specialist at the Energy VC Company of AISIN Corporation.

He obtained his doctoral degree from Waseda University, where he conducted fundamental research on carbon dioxide sequestration utilizing calcium carbonate. Following the completion of his Ph.D., he joined a leading gas company, contributing to the development of solid oxide fuel cell technologies.

In 2011, he joined AISIN Corporation, where he has been engaged in the development of fuel cell systems and energy management solutions. At present, he is actively involved in a strategic initiative aimed at establishing a novel business model that promotes regional carbon circulation by utilizing CO₂ recovered from industrial emissions as a valuable resource.

Panelists
Dr. Irmela KoflerHead of Research Area "Decarbonisation and Sectorcoupling", K1-MET GmbH

Steel is a key material of our society - it enables mobility, secure energy supply, modern cities, and everyday devices. At the same time, its production causes significant CO₂ emissions. These contrasts must be seen as an opportunity. With innovative technologies, closed carbon cycles, and cross-sector collaboration, energy-intensive industries can become sustainable. In this way, we safeguard quality of life, economic stability, and transform industrial sites into drivers of a climate-friendly future. Dr. Irmela Kofler is committed to shaping this transformation, driving progress with courage - for future generations and our quality of life. She studied technical chemistry and earned a PhD in process engineering. Since 2015, she has headed the research area "Decarbonization and Sector Coupling" at K1-MET.

Mr. Haryo Satriya OktavianoSr. Specialist II Downstream Research, PT Pertamina (Persero)

Haryo Satriya Oktaviano is a Senior Specialist Downstream Research with over a decade of experience. He possesses extensive knowledge in New and Renewable Energy (NRE), particularly in electrochemical-based energy storage and conversion technologies. He earned his Doctorate from the Tokyo Institute of Technology in 2013 and spent more than 6 years in academia across Japan and Indonesia before transitioning to industry. In 2020, he joined PT Pertamina (Persero) and was assigned to the Power Development and Storage Management Research division, where he focuses on the development of hydrogen and energy storage technologies. His research encompasses the development of PEMFCs for train applications, a reversible SOFC-SOEC system, waste-to-hydrogen, solid-state hydrogen storage, and CO₂ electrochemical reduction into formic acid, which can be utilized as a direct fuel or as an optimal hydrogen carrier. Beyond his professional role, Haryo actively contributes to knowledge sharing in the NRE field as a speaker, adjunct lecturer and a member of the National Technical Committee for Hydrogen Technologies.