Fernando Diaz-Lopez

Director Climate&Earth Center, HEC Paris

Fernando is the Executive Director of the S&O Climate and Earth Centre of HEC Paris. He has over 25 years of experience in education, research, and innovation, specialising in transformative climate resilience, circularity, and eco-innovation. He is also associate professor extra-ordinary of sustainability systems at Stellenbosch University (South Africa) and is holder of honorary research fellowships from the University of Ferrara (SEEDS Inter-University Centre) and the University of Alcala (INNOGREEN research group). Fernando currently serves as the co-lead of the executive team of Business School for Climate Leadership – a partnership between HEC Paris, Cambridge Judge, IE, IESE, IMD, INSEAD, London Business School, and Oxford Said Business School.

Fernando has a rich scientific background including past roles at EIT Climate KIC (European institute of Innovation and Technology), the Dutch Scientific Research Organisation TNO, and the University of East Anglia. During his time at TNO, he was the scientific director of the technology and knowledge transfer programme of climate innovation for Latin America and the Caribbean. At EIT Climate KIC, he was the director of research in charge of a portfolio of over 80 million Euros of R&I projects funded by Horizon Europe, the Research and Innovation (R&I) Programme of the European Commission. Prior to joining HEC Paris, Fernando was the coordinator of Pathways2Resilience, a €30 million flagship R&I project of the EU mission on adaptation to climate change under Horizon Europe.

Fernando has led many projects and initiatives funded by the European Commission, the World Bank/ IFC, UN Environment, the Inter-American Development Bank, National and Regional Governments, and has provided advisory services for companies in the private sector. His area of expertise is at the intersection between public policies and business strategies for climate innovation and entrepreneurship. For example, he co-led the study supporting the European Commission for the Impact Assessment of the Eco-Design and Sustainable Products Regulation. He was also instrumental in assisting the UN Environment programme in the design and implementation of the UN Global Project of Eco-innovation and Resource Efficiency for SMEs in developing countries. He currently advises the Inter-American Development Bank’s Green Innovation and Circular Economy programme and is a mentor and jury of different innovation and sustainability awards across Europe, the Americas and Africa.

Fernando holds a doctorate degree (PhD) in international economic development from the University of East Anglia (United Kingdom), a MPhil in economics and management of Innovation from Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana (Mexico), and a BSc in Chemical Engineering from Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Mexico (Mexico). He has also undergone professional education in strategic leadership from INSEAD (France).