Company/Organization Awards Judging Committee
Dr. Roger Achkar, PhD, HonD, FEI, FIoL
Founder and President, Global Waste Cleaning Network - GWCN, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England, United Kingdom
Dr. Roger Achkar is a distinguished global leader, engineer, and social scientist with over two and a half decades of experience driving environmental initiatives, sustainable energy strategies, and international development. As the Founder and President of the UK-based Global Waste Cleaning Network (GWCN), Dr. Achkar heads the world’s largest environmental and energy network, spanning over 2,100 member organizations across 187 countries. Under his executive leadership, GWCN actively bridges the gap between academic institutions, NGOs, and the private sector to catalyze definitive solutions for global waste management and climate challenges. A highly sought-after global speaker and vanguard environmental thought leader, Dr. Achkar developed the Integrated Waste Opportunity Cost (IWOC) metric—the world’s first metric designed to quantify the hidden cost of waste across financial, environmental, and systemic dimensions. He also pioneered the Digital Waste to Energy Protocol (DW2EP), an innovative framework that transforms wasted digital energy into measurable, tradable environmental value, bridging digital infrastructure with sustainability goals. In tandem with his non-profit mobilization, Dr. Achkar serves as General Manager for a prominent energy services company, directing high-impact engineering ventures that specialize in engine-based power generation and renewable energy projects. Dr. Achkar's technical and administrative acumen is heavily leveraged by national funding and innovation bodies. He serves as an Expert Assessor for Innovate UK, the UK’s national innovation agency, where he evaluates cutting-edge project proposals for funding. His elite academic foundations are supported by advanced credentials and studies from world-class institutions, including Harvard University, the University of Leicester, Cranfield University, and CentraleSupélec. His profound contributions to global industry have earned him top professional distinctions. Dr. Achkar holds prestigious Fellowships with the Energy Institute (FEI), the Institute of Leadership (FIoL), and the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies (OIES). He has also been awarded an Honorary Doctorate in recognition of his lifelong devotion to international environmental stewardship. An internationally decorated executive, Dr. Achkar is a two-time Silver Stevie® Award winner, notably securing the prestigious Thought Leader of the Year distinction. His measurable impact on corporate environmental standards has further been honored with the globally acclaimed SEAL Sustainability Leader Award. Through his interconnected roles in corporate energy execution, national project validation, and global network leadership, Dr. Achkar continues to systematically shape the future of international environmental policy and green energy systems.
Dheeraj Chinthalapelly
Director, Truist Securities, New York City, New York, United States
Dheeraj Chinthalapelly is a Director at Truist in New York, where he leads the strategic advisory and capital markets for healthcare companies. He is an experienced executive and has advised on multiple multi-billion dollar M&A, debt, and equity financing transactions. He regularly advises boards, CEOs, CFOs, and institutional investors.
Onur Incesu
Founder, INC. Translation Services, Istanbul, Türkiye
Onur Incesu is the Founder and Managing Director of INC. Translation Services, a Turkey-based language services company. Since 2018, he has led the company's growth by combining linguistic expertise with technology-driven operations. His expertise includes business development, customer experience, process optimization, and service innovation across diverse industries.
Burak Isik
Deputy General Manager, Yenikoy Kemerkoy Energy, Mugla, Türkiye
Sustainability and investment management executive with 20+ years of experience leading ESG, corporate communications, governance, quality management, and stakeholder engagement. Currently serving as Deputy General Manager at Yenikoy Kemerkoy Energy, driving sustainable business transformation aligned with global standards and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Pallawish Kumar
CEO & Head of Learning and Development, Ocean and Climatic Research Institute, Lautoka, Fiji
Pallawish Kumar is the Founder, CEO, and Head of Learning and Development at the Ocean and Climatic Research Institute (OACRI). He engineers CPD-accredited educational programs and actively drives global youth mobilization through #Y4CAP, seamlessly bridging the gap between complex scientific marine research, community climate resilience, and professional capacity building worldwide.
Ritesh Kumar
Quantitative Risk Researcher Commodity Risk Analytics, Balyasny Asset Management, Plainsboro Township, New Jersey, United States
Ritesh Kumar is an accomplished finance professional and has extensive expertise in all aspects of Energy Finance, Risk Management, Trading Analytics and Valuation. Ritesh Kumar has 18+ years of experience with large banks and Fortune 500 companies where he has held leadership roles. Ritesh Kumar holds a Master's degree in Finance.
Atul Punj
CEO, IBS Fintech, Bridgewater, New Jersey, United States
Atul Punj is an accomplished IT industry leader with over three decades of experience in global delivery, enterprise sales, and digital transformation. Based in Bridgewater, New Jersey, he currently serves as the CEO of IBSFINtech USA, leading the company's expansion into the U.S. market.
Shaheen Shah
Group Product Manager, LinkedIn, Fremont, California, United States
Shaheen Shah is a Group Product Manager at LinkedIn, specializing in monetization platforms, payments, subscriptions, and checkout systems that enable digital marketplaces to scale revenue globally. She has led high-impact initiatives across LinkedIn and Meta and is passionate about mentoring product leaders and recognizing innovation.
Alan Sienes
Dean, San Miguel School of Brewing; Manager, Technical Manpower Development San Miguel Corporation, Pasig City, Metro Manila, Philippines
With deep & wide leadership experience in brewing science and technology, operations management, people development, research and development, and quality management. Attended conferences & development seminars in the US, Europe, and the Philippines. Dean, San Miguel School of Brewing. Corporate Technical Executive. Featured speaker and communicator in conventions, meetings, and seminars.
Naveen Thangaraj
Delivery Executive, Capgemini Americas Inc, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Seasoned IT and business transformation professional with over a decade of progressive experience in delivery leadership, project/program management, and enterprise systems implementation. Currently serving as an Account Delivery Partner and Engagement Manager for a major customer, responsible for overseeing strategic IT delivery and client relationship management across complex digital ecosystems.