TOP 10 Most-Read Thought Leaders of 2024 in Energy

Discover also our 2024 rankings of the Most Read Thought Leaders in Carbon, Climate Change, Energy Transition, Environmental Sustainability, ESG, Green Tech, Nature, Social Responsibility, Sustainable Business and Sustainable Finance and Overall. Explore how this year’s leaders compare to the most influential energy voices of 2023 and 2022!

We are proud to present the most-read thought leaders on Energy worldwide, as recognised by illuminem, the leading platform in sustainability information and the largest expert network in the industry with 500,000+ loyal users and 1,500+ engaged Thought Leaders.

The authors listed below, comprising business leaders, academics, and policy-makers, are exemplary leaders and experts in the field of Energy, all bound by a common mission: crafting innovative energy solutions that leverage renewables, hydrogen and battery technologies to foster a more resilient environment and empower current and future generations to fulfil their needs sustainably without endangering the health of the planet. 

Please help us congratulate the TOP 10 Sustainability Thought Leaders in Energy!

1️⃣ Nicola de Blasio - Senior Fellow of Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center
Country: Italy 🇮🇹
Most-Read Thought Piece: The colours of hydrogen
Profile: Nicola de Blasio is Senior Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School, where he leads research on energy technology innovation and the transition to a low carbon economy. He also serves as board member and adviser to various companies and startups. Previously, Nicola worked at Columbia University, the Center on Global Energy Policy, and leading energy company ENI. Nicola is an expert in navigating the challenges of strategic development toward sustainable commercial success. 

2️⃣ Riad Meddeb - Director of the Sustainable Energy Hub at UNDP
Country: France 🇫🇷
Most-Read Thought Piece: Building smarter, cleaner energy storage with AI
Profile: Riad Meddeb is Director of the Sustainable Energy Hub at UNDP, leading a global team of experts and practitioners to support countries in achieving their energy and climate goals, as well as advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. With more than 20 years of experience in international development, he has a proven track record of delivering high-quality policy advice, strategic guidance, and technical assistance to UN agencies, governments, and partners on a range of issues related to trade, investment, migration, and technology innovation.

3️⃣ Angela Wilkinson - Secretary General and CEO of the World Energy Council
Country: United Kingdom 🇬🇧
Most-Read Thought Piece: Redesigning energy for people and planet - the next steps
Profile: Dr. Angela Wilkinson is the 6th secretary general and CEO of the World Energy Council, a diverse community network of over 3,000 member organisations that has been instrumental in promoting better energy developments in over 100 countries for nearly 100 years. Dr Wilkinson has previous experiences at the University of Oxford, The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and Shell.

4️⃣ Alessandro Blasi - Special Advisor to the IEA Executive Director
Country: Italy 🇮🇹
Most-Read Thought Piece: The silent revolution
Profile: Alessandro Blasi is a strategic advisor to the International Energy Agency Executive Director. He is in charge of assigned priority projects and maintaining relationships with the private sector. Before he co-lead work on IEA’s World Energy Investment Report and contributed as a senior analyst to the World Energy Outlook. Before joining the IEA, he worked in Italy's Prime Minister office, World Energy Council and Eni Group.

5️⃣ Kanni Wignaraja - UN Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Assistant Administrator
Country: Sri Lanka 🇱🇰
Most-Read Thought Piece: Powering human development: why Asia Pacific needs a different approach to meet its energy needs
Profile: Kanni Wignaraja is UN assistant secretary-general and UNDP assistant administrator. She has been overseeing the UNDP's Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific since November 2019. With over 25 years of UN and UNDP experience, she spearheads sustainable development efforts, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region. With expertise in policy, program, and management, she has contributed significantly to research and conferences on public policy, institutional reform, capacity development, human rights, and leadership.

6️⃣ Antoine Rostand - President and Co-Founder of Kayrros, fmr. President & Founder of Schlumberger Business Consulting
Country: France 🇫🇷
Most-Read Thought Piece: Road to COP29: What can we expect from this year's climate conference?
Profile: Antoine is the President and co-founder of Kayrros, an innovative intelligence company that leverages satellite imagery and machine learning to offer environmental insights. Antoine serves as a Board Member of the Kearney Energy Transition Institute, previously known as the Schlumberger Energy Institute, established in 2007. Before launching Kayrros, Antoine founded Schlumberger Business Consulting, the largest management consulting firm specialising in energy.

7️⃣ Venera N. Anderson - Strategy Advisor and Author – Sustainability and Climate, The Harvard Business Review Advisory Council
Country: Japan 🇯🇵
Most-Read Thought Piece: Begin at the beginning (I/V): nexus-integrated policies for clean hydrogen production and integration into high-priority heavy industry sectors in Japan
Profile: Dr. Venera N. Anderson is a global strategy advisor and published author on sustainability and climate issues. She is the co-author of "Touching Hydrogen Future", a visionary book investigating how the hydrogen economy will shape our future in the years 2030 and 2040. She is also a member of the Harvard Business Review Advisory Council and an International Expert at Women in Green Hydrogen, a global network that strives to amplify the voices of women working in the green hydrogen sector.

8️⃣ Sebastian Bonilla - Associate Professor and Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellow at the University of Oxford
Country: Colombia 🇨🇴
Most-Read Thought Piece: New solar cells break efficiency record
Profile: Ruy Sebastian Bonilla is an associate professor and royal academy of engineering research fellow at the University of Oxford. He specializes in the materials science of dielectric-semiconductor interfaces and their application to electronic devices. He has held multiple research fellowships, including those from the Research Council and Wolfson College. His academic work has included collaborations and research visits at several internationally leading institutes in applied physics and materials science.

9️⃣ Lamé Verre - Director for Net Zero of Crown Estate
Country: United Kingdom 🇬🇧
Most-Read Thought Piece: Is BRICS grouping key to enabling a just energy transition?
Profile: Lamé Verre is Director of Net Zero of Crown Estate, driving the decarbonisation agenda across the enterprise portfolio and contributing to the UK Net Zero and Energy Security. Additionally, she’s board of trustees of Green Alliance, an independent think tank and charity focused on ambitious leadership for the environment. She also sits on the Global Future Council - The Future of the Energy Transition at the World Economic Forum.

🔟 Thaddeus Anim-Somuah - Global Senior Manager Sustainability of Philips and Board Member of the World Energy Council Future Energy Leaders
Country: United Kingdom 🇬🇧
Most-Read Thought Piece: Stop silently killing: The urgent sustainable action needed to save lives
Profile: Engineer, innovator, environmentalist and humanitarian, Thaddeus Anim-Somuah is global senior manager sustainability at Philips and board member future energy leaders at World Energy Council. He also has held several board and advisory positions at engineering associations, universities and startups.

To the most read sustainability thought leaders in energy, congratulations on your well-deserved recognition. Your commitment to excellence has set a high standard for us all, and we are excited to see the continued growth and innovation that will undoubtedly define the future of sustainability initiatives in 2025.

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