IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025 Exhibitor List

Myriam Patricia Lopez Yanez is a Dubai based architect and lighting designer specializing in biodiversity-conscious, low impact lighting strategies. With over 20 years of experience across the Middle East, Europe, and Latin America, she has served as Design Director for major developers such as Red Sea Global and Amaala (PIF), Emaar, and Eagle Hills, and now advises municipalities on lighting codes, dark-sky policies, and environmental impact.She curated the UAE’s first International Dark Sky Week, founded the UAE Night Sky Initiative, and contributes to the regional implementation of the IUCN Guidelines for Mitigating Wildlife Light Pollution. A Harvard Business School alumna, Patricia’s work has been featured by BBC Sky at Night, Discovery | Warner Bros., and the Harvard GCC sustainability network

Enrico Sorato is an Italian behavioural ecologist. He graduated in Biology from the University of Padova, Italy, and earned a PhD in Animal Behaviour and Evolution from Macquarie University, Australia. Before joining Ekthar, he held research positions in Austria, France, and Sweden.His research interests lie primarily at the interface between animal behaviour and ecology, applied to conservation biology. Dr Sorato serves as Ekhtar Principal Investigator (PI) in a collaboration with Khalifa University of Science and Technology for the development of AI tools applied to avian research and conservation.

Kathy Lene Cielo, also fondly known to colleagues as Kyle, is a wildlife biologist with over 10 years of experience in conservation science and environmental management. She holds a B.Sc. in Wildlife Biology and a Master's in Environmental Management, with a research focus on threatened species conservation and community-based ecological stewardship.Kyle is currently the Deputy Executive Director of Mindoro Biodiversity Conservation Foundation Inc. and a Senior Lecturer at the University of the Philippines Open University.Her work spans field research, policy development, and public engagement, and she has led numerous conservation initiatives aimed at addressing species at risk. Kyle has published in peer-reviewed journals and frequently collaborates with academic institutions, government agencies, and NGOs to bridge the gap between science and practice.In addition to her research, Kyle is a passionate science communicator and educator, dedicated to fostering sustainable, community-driven approaches to biodiversity conservation.

Wendy Yap is the Director for International Biodiversity Conservation at the National Parks Board of Singapore. She oversees regional and global cooperation on nature conservation and biodiversity, in particular with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).She is the alternate national focal point to the CBD and national focal points to its subsidiary bodies on scientific, technical and technological advice (SBSTTA) and implementation (SBI). Her previous experience includes being the Senior Officer for Environment for ASEAN and the Head of Conservation Policy at WWF Malaysia. She holds a masters degree in public policy and bachelor degrees in arts and law.

Karl Burkart has been at the forefront of scientific research that explores the connections between human systems, the natural world, and climate change. Formerly the Director of Science & Technology at the DiCaprio Foundation and Founder of the Nature Data Lab at One Earth, Karl brings together teams of scientists across disciplines, applying innovations in big data, earth observation, and artificial intelligence to support the transition towards a sustainable, resilient future for all. To date, One Earth has led or supported over 40 peer-review and technical papers, including the landmark paper “A Global Deal for Nature..” (Dinerstein et al. 2019) which introduced the 30x30 target in scientific literature and led to the creation of the Global Safety Net, an award-winning platform for accessing data about critical ecosystems.

Chetan brings in a strong track record of conducting and managing interdisciplinary research programs on environment and development issues. His work has mainly focussed on better understanding and practical application of research on broad range of issues such as forest-poverty link, conservation-development tradeoffs, role of ecosystem services in poverty alleviation and climate change adaptation. He has previously held positions at DFID as Research Specialist, University of Cambridge as Research Associate, Programme Officer at UNEP-WCMC, Project Coordinator at CIFOR and Research Associate at TERI. Chetan has managed knowledge support and capacity building programs at national, regional level and participated in global comparative studies collaborating with think tanks, academia, government agencies and donor organizations, particularly in South Asia. He has published widely including peer-reviewed journal articles, reports, working papers, policy briefs and short communication pieces. Chetan holds a B.Sc in Chemistry, Masters in Forestry Management, M. Phil. and Ph.D. in Geography from University of Cambridge. His PhD research was on understanding political ecology of deforestation in India.

Postdoctoral Researcher specialising in Area of Habitat (AOH) for terrestrial and freshwater systems, geospatial analysis of threats to species and metrics of species' threats to inform conservation action across sectors

Ishana Thapa is the CEO of Bird Conservation Nepal (BCN), leading the organization in its mission to conserve bird and biodiversity in Nepal. With a strong background in Zoology and environmental conservation, Ishana's leadership has been instrumental in driving initiatives to safeguard the nation's diverse bird species and the Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas. Her commitment to environmental sustainability is inspiring and impactful. She has been vocal on local empowerment and engagement in sustaining conservation initiatives, leading to the establishment of Nepal Bird Conservation Network benefitting many local conservation groups dedicated in bird conservation.

Yacine Aït Kaci is a visual artist and digital pioneer. Creator of ELYX, the UN’s first digital ambassador, he explores the fusion of art, innovation, and imagination through Archipel, an immersive universe where fiction reveals reality.

As an ecological artist who works together with leading scientists, Thijs Biersteker creates data-driven artworks that transform complex environmental research into immersive installations and experiences at museums and conferences worldwide, making the science reach both the heads of state and the hearts of the public.The work he and his team creates is grounded in scientific collaborations with UNESCO, WHO, LVMH, and many others. They weave together scientific data with recycled plastics, kinetic plants, large biodiversity datasets, and living trees equipped with sensors and AI—leading to artworks that help people imagine the impact on biodiversity and planetary health. The works created in the Woven Studio are built circular and sustainable, with a material passport attached at each installation.Biersteker’s work has been exhibited at major cultural institutions such as Fondation Cartier (FR) and the Barbican Centre (UK), and featured at global platforms like COP and the Montreux Jazz Festival. He is a strong advocate for combining facts and feelings to address the pressing issues of our time. Through his works, he aims to make complex environmental issues accessible, understandable, and personal.He has been a keynote speaker at the UN, delivered three TED Talks, and spoken at many other locations to advocate for the integration of a new way of science communication through interactive experiences. To do this, he founded the Woven Foundation.With the Woven Foundation, he is extending this vision to educate and create new forms of engagement between science, policymakers, and the public. Their approach—combining scientific fact with emotional resonance—is giving them a new voice at key conferences and world-class museums, advocating for scientific research to reach deep into culture and policy.Their work is being recognized for redefining the boundaries of art and science communication—and for inspiring a new generation of science communicators.

Michelle Anagnostou is a Banting Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Oxford researching how to better leverage anti-money laundering interventions to tackle illegal wildlife trade. Collaborating with law enforcement and intelligence agencies, Michelle has conducted fieldwork on illegal wildlife trade in Uganda, South Africa, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and Canada. In addition to her fellowship research, Michelle is a Research Consultant and Project Lead on the development of an AI solution to screen bookings and shipping documentation for mis-declared or undeclared wildlife products in maritime supply chains. She completed her PhD at the University of Waterloo, Canada, MSc (Distinction) in Conservation and the International Wildlife Trade at the University of Kent, UK, and BSc (Honours) in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Toronto, Canada.