JAMES IRUNGU MWANGI, CEO and Founder, Africa Climate Ventures

James Irungu Mwangi is the founder and CEO of Africa Climate Ventures, where he is working to help build and accelerate transformative climate-smart and carbon-negative businesses across the continent. James is also the founder of the Climate Action Platform – Africa (CAP-A), a public benefit organization launched in 2021, to unlock Africa’s potential for inclusive prosperity through Climate Positive Growth. Previously, James co-founded the Dalberg Group, and over a 20-year period, led the Dalberg’s expansion into Africa, served as Global Managing Partner of Dalberg Advisors, and as Executive Director of the Dalberg Group. James serves as an independent director on several boards including the Skoll Foundation, the Global Centre for Pluralism, One Acre Fund, Old Mutual Limited and Koko Networks. James holds an AB in Economics from Harvard University and is a 2021 Yale University World Fellow. He is a 2009 Archbishop Tutu Leadership Fellow of the African Leadership Institute and a 2013 Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum. For his efforts to put Africa’s Climate Positive Growth potential on the global agenda, James received the 2022 Climate Breakthrough Award.

NICOLA GALOMBIK Executive Director, Yellowwoods Holdings

Nicola is a business leader and social innovator, driving multi-sector partnerships for systems change and inclusive economy. As Executive Director of Yellowwoods Holdings she leads the group’s efforts to drive system inclusion and sustainability through, and with, its portfolio of businesses that include financial services (e.g. Hollard Insurance), restaurants (e.g. Nando’s) and eco-tourism (&Beyond) businesses. Nicola also manages Yellowwoods’ innovative social financing and grant making. Under her leadership, Yellowwoods has incubated a portfolio of African non-profit social enterprises, including the Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator for which she won the Skoll Award in 2019 and the World Economic Forum Schwab Foundation 2020- Corporate Social Intrapreneur award. She is a McNulty Prize awardee for her work in the Aspen Global Leadership Network, a member of the Ministerial Task Team on Post School Education and Skills in the context of 4IR and sits on the Advisory Board of Africa Leadership Group. Nicola’s diverse career prior to Yellowwoods spans management consulting, senior executive positions in television broadcasting, policy and regulation and in education, being a business entrepreneur, and a documentary filmmaker and an anti-apartheid activist. Nicola was a Fullbright Scholar and holds an MA from New York University.