Saravanan is a soil scientist turned farmer with over 45 years of experience in agricultural research and practice. His early academic work focused on pollution remediation. As a former TNAU faculty member, he gained recognition for his research on recycling water hyacinth and managing soil compaction in rice fallow pulse crop.

In 2017, he returned to transform his 20-acre family farm into a certified organic farm cum training center for ecological agriculture. He developed bundle mulching, an innovative soil cover technique that rapidly boosts organic carbon and biodiversity in soil. This method  enhances crop quality, increasing phenol content and flavor leading to consumer preference.

Through Arms For Farmers Pvt. Ltd., Saravanan provides consultancy, training, organic inputs, and market linkages for eco-farm clusters. His work centers on agroecology and the socio-economic rejuvenation of farmers through a transition from quantity to quality-oriented agriculture.

Dr. She Nian is a globally recognised leader in sustainable water management. After earning his Ph.D. in Ecology from the Uni. of Washington he made significant contributions to urban stormwater management and low-impact development and won accolades such as the American Society of Landscape Architects Design Award and the NOVATECH Award and was appointed an expert on nature-based solutions by the United Nations.

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Dr. She has led numerous award-winning projects, including the Kunshan Huaqiao Business City Waterfront Filtration System, Ningbo Eastern Ecological New City, and the Zhenjiang City Old Community Sponge Project in China. He is now creating a bioremediation product that harnesses microbial symbioses to make aquaculture people- and nature-friendly.

Prof.  Vikineswary ventured into search, discovery and utilisation of indigenous microorganisms. Her research activities diversified, and while studying the potential of mushrooms and in particular the white - rot fungi in environmental biotechnology, she worked with mushroom farmers. She is well known for the research on systematic and bioactivity of marine actinomycetes, mushroom biology and their bioactive metabolites, phototrophic bacteria for bioremediation and as a live feed enhancer.

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She has collaboration with overseas scientists through CICHE, JSPS and EU programmes. She has published 265 papers in peer-reviewed journals, proceedings, bulletins, chapters in books  and  books.  In recognition of her contribution in microbiology and active participation as member of the Malaysian Society for Microbiology she was elected as the first woman President of the Society in 2001. Whilst he is now retired, she remained a highly respected figure in funghi research.

Dato’ Profesor Dr Nor Azazi Zakaria is currently an Honorary Professor at Universiti Sains Malaysia, Vice President of the Malaysian National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (MANCID), and former Vice Chairman of the Malaysian Stormwater Organization (MSO). He is the founder of the River Engineering and Urban Drainage Research Centre (REDAC), a Higher Institution Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Urban Stormwater Management.

He proposed the Bio-Ecological Drainage System (BIOECODS), an ecologically sustainable solution or nature-based solution (NbS) to solve the flooding and pollution problems using the "control at source" approach at the USM Engineering Campus, Penang. BIOECODS is the first national pilot project and can be seen as a prototype for the
development of new urban areas.

Daniel also holds a position of Principal Scientist at the Centre for International Forestry Research - World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF) and President of Indonesian Academy of Sciences (AIPI) for the period of 2023-2028; and more than 150 scientific articles published in peer-reviewed journals on climate change mitigation and adaptation, land-use change, global environmental policy, and wetlands ecology.

The awards/prizes he receive includes Doctor Honoris Causa from the University of Helsinki, Finland, in 2022; The Habibie Prize 2020; Achmad Bakrie Award of Science for Scientific Achievement and Promotion on Science-Policy Dialogues, in 2010; The Sarwono Award, and Nobel Peace Prize Winning IPCC as Lead Author of IPCC Reports in 2007. 

Daniel served the Government of Indonesia as the Deputy Minister of Environment (2000-2002) and the National Focal Point of the UNFCCC and CBD.​

Jeyanny is the Head of Soil Management Branch and leads the Soil Chemistry Laboratory of FRIM. She is a local and international expert in environmental soil science, sustainable soil management in forestry and agriculture, carbon stocks and fluxes in the natural and plantation
ecosystems and revolutionising new approaches in enhancing degraded environments such as NbS, remediation of soil pollution and promoting precision nutrient management.

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She is the current Vice- Chair of Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils under the Food and Agriculture Organization, Titular member of the Committee on Chemistry & Industry for International Union of Pure and Applied Sciences, the Scientific
Advisory Member for the East Asia Acid Deposition Network, a certified environmental professional with the Department of Environment and appointed as the Lead Author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Assessment Report 7.

Dato' Dr Mazlin Bin Mokhtar is an environmental scientist whose academic foundation in environmental analytical chemistry evolved into a distinguished career advancing sustainability in academia, public and private sectors. He is also the Co-Chair of the Science Panel for Borneo.

Dr Mazlin serves in various board and advisory roles, including advising the Ministry for Investment, Trade and Industry through Tourism Productivity Nexus initiatives on ecotourism, the Sime Darby Chair on Sustainable Development, the Ministry of Higher Education, and participation in the SDSN Malaysia Leadership Council.

He held several key positions in environmental governance and led major sustainability initiatives, including Malaysia’s Water Sector Transformation 2040, served as Chair of WWF Malaysia’s Conservation Committee, etc, while serving 37 years at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia in senior leadership roles.

Winner of Australian WA of Year Award, Dianne and Ian pioneered farming practice focusing on supporting diverse microbiomes in soil, plant, and animals – boosting immune system function, nutrient diversity and resilience.  

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Trust and appreciation in the wisdom of natural systems enable them to replace synthetic fertilisers with natural fertility processes, such as plant diversity, compost extract, worm liquids and the microbiome of ruminant livestock. In very dry and poor soil conditions, they’ve pioneered a farming approach that optimises water use and rebuilds soils, biodiversity and landscape function.

Working with 27,000 hectares, Dianne and Ian have demonstrated nature-farm viability at scale.

Tony carries forward the legacy of his father, Professor Kongjian Yu — a pioneer of China’s ecological civilization and a global thought leader in nature-based, water-adaptive urbanism. Tony is guiding Turenscape into a new era where AI and ecological wisdom converge to shape the future of climate-resilient cities and landscapes. Tony’s background spans robotics, computer vision, and machine learning.

Tony is pioneering the use of AI in landscape architecture—developing intelligent tools for rapid design iteration, ecological simulation, participatory planning, and climate-adaptive decision-making. His vision is to make Sponge City and Sponge Planet design accessible to all, enabling citizens, designers, students, and governments to collaboratively build water-adaptive, nature-based urban landscapes through AI-driven Platforms.

Under Tony’s leadership, Turenscape continues its global mission to restore degraded ecosystems, revive water cycles, and advance nature-based solutions as core strategies for climate adaptation. ​

Marco was WWF International Director General (2014-2022) and Special Envoy (2023). Marco’s experience and career ranges from ecological field research to high level advocacy and international policy, nature reserve management, integrated conservation and development projects, environmental education, NGO development, communications and campaigning. ​

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Marco is member of the China Council (CCICED), the UNILEVER Sustainability Advisory Council, the Board of Directors for the Fondation Prince Albert II of Monaco, the Board of Directors of the MedFund, co-chair of the Nature Action 100 Science Council, a Distinguished Fellow of the Hoffmann Centre for Global Sustainability, and more.

Marco is also the lead author of the recently published book “Becoming Nature Positive: transitioning to a safe and just future” (2025, Earthscan Routledge, London).

Dr. Fung Shin Yee is a devoted researcher and biochemist at Universiti Malaya. As principal scientist of the Medicinal Mushroom Research Group (MMRG), she pioneered explorations into Malaysia’s medicinal gem, the Tiger Milk mushroom (Lignosus sp.). Using multidisciplinary approaches, she translates her passion for natural compounds into "bench-to-bedside" applications, having earned the Prix Du Salon International Des Inventions De Geneva and multiple patents.

Beyond her role as CTO of Essenti Nutrien, she is President of the Malaysian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (MSBMB) and champions the wellness potential of Malaysian biodiversity. Driven by the belief that nature holds hidden solutions to human health issues, she focuses on unlocking the healing secrets of natural compounds to promote holistic wellness.

Dr Mohd Sapuan is a Fellow of Int' Society of Bionic Engineering, the World Academy of Sciences, SAE Int', Int' AI Industry Alliance, Academy of Sciences Malaysia, Int' Core Academy of Sciences and Humanities, International Society for Development & Sustainability, Plastic & Rubber Institute Malaysia, Malaysian Scientific Association and Institute of Materials Malaysia.

He is Founding Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Natural Fibre Polymer Composites. He published over 1019 journal papers, 75 books, and 270 chapters in book, and delivered 84 plenary and keynote lectures. He received ISESCO Science Award, Khwarizimi International Award, Professor of Eminence Award, Top Research Scientists’ Malaysia Award, SAE Subir Chowdhury Medal of Quality Leadership, International Society of Bionic Engineering Outstanding Contribution Award, The World Academy of Sciences Award, William Johnson International Gold Medal, Asian Scientist 100, and COMSTECH Best Scientific Book Award, and more.

Dr Chan specialised in sustainable flood risk management, climate adaptation and urban resilience in Asian coastal megacities. He is currently funded by the Chinese National Research Council as principal investigator on the RFIS-international talents awarded project on sustainable urban flood risk management (RFIS II) and microplastics and their impacts on urban rivers (RFIS I), he is involved in two international research projects in the Blue-Green Cities Consortium funded by ESPRC and British Academy from the UK Research Council.

He is a Principal Investigator on three municipal-funded projects to investigate typhoon-enhanced flood risk and the development of a “Sponge City” pilot study in Ningbo. With more than 100 publications in top-tier journals such as Nature, Nature Reviews of Earth and Environment, One Earth, Nature Ecology and Evolution, Cell Reports Sustainability, and Climate Action.

Dr. Yogi Chellappan supports and leads climate resilience programmes, focusing on nature-based solutions (NbS) and urban adaptation. Her work integrates public health, social inclusion-including vulnerable communities-and climate resilience into urban planning. She contributes to strengthening impact tracking and learning systems to support evidence-based decision-making and programme delivery. With experience leading complex projects
across the Africa region at WorldFish, and earlier work in the arts and culture sector managing creative
initiatives in performing and visual arts, she brings a multidisciplinary approach to advancing systems change, institutional capacity, and stakeholder collaboration.

Shah Redza is an economist-turned-conservationist with nearly 30 years of experience in nature conservation, sustainable development, and environmental protection.

He has held a number of leadership roles, including being the Executive Director of the Malaysian Nature Society, Director of Perak State Parks Corporation, where he led the establishment of Malaysia’s first royal tiger reserve, and more recently the CEO of the Malaysia Forest Fund. The WWF awarded him the 2020 Global Winner of the Dr Rimington Award for Tiger Conservation. He was appointed to the International Executive Committee of Conservation Assured Tiger Standard. He is also a Fellow of the Faculty of Science, University Putra Malaysia and sits on the board of the Perak State Parks Corporation and is a member of the IUCN-World Commission on Protected  Areas.

He focuses on nature-based solutions, innovative financing, and community-led conservation across Southeast Asia and Oceania.

Anand’s journey began at the age of 14 when he started regenerative farming single-handedly on his family’s land in Tamil Nadu. Under the guidance of Sadhguru, his early hands-on experience evolved into a mission to enable large-scale transformation for farmers in the region.

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Over the past two decades, Anand has played a central role in building one of India’s most comprehensive farmer-support ecosystems—spanning trainings, on-farm consultations, helplines, peer networks, and digital platforms. This has enabled the planting of 128 million trees and supported the transition of 248,000+ farmers to agroforestry and 9,700+ farmers to regenerative agriculture.

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Today, as part of the global Save Soil movement, Anand represents grassroots farmer realities at international platforms, including multiple United Nations Climate and Desertification COPs, bridging lived experience with policy and systems change.

Fabia leads the team and oversees the strategic objectives of the Sustainable Food Trust, a charity working to accelerate the transition to food and farming systems that nourish the health of people and planet.

Fabia has been responsible for the development of the SFT’s Global Farm Metric – a holistic framework designed to establish a shared understanding of whole-farm sustainability and facilitate its measurement for businesses, farmers, financial institutions, and policymakers.

Rajib is the IPCC CLA for Asia Chapter of Working Group 2 for 6th Assessment Reprot. His specialisation is disaster risk governance, urban resilience, climate change adaptation and emerging technologies in disaster and climate change. He is the recipient of Pravasi Bhartiya Samman Award (PBSA) of 2021 in Education Sector from the President of India. He also received United Nations Sasakawa Award for disaster risk reduction as a lifetime achievement and for his contribution to global disaster resilience initiatives in 2022.

Rajib is also the is co-founder of a Delhi based social entrepreneur startup, Resilience Innovation Knowledge Academy (RIKA), and is the chair of United Nations Asia Pacific Science Technology Advisory Group (AP-STAG) for disaster risk reduction. He published 86 books and over 450 research papers. His scholarly influence is reflected by over 31,000 citations and an H-index of 81 on Google Scholar, underscoring his global leadership in disaster resilience and sustainability studies.

Suhaini has spearheaded the development of Malaysia’s Forest Conservation Certificate (FCC) and the Forest Carbon Offset (FCO) protocols. She serves as a member in multiple technical working groups, including Malaysia’s Carbon Pricing Instrument (CPI) study, as well as the development of the Climate Change Bill (RUUPIN) and the National Carbon Market Policy (DPKK).

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On the international front, Suhaini serves as one of Malaysia’s negotiators and is currently the national focal point for Article 6.8 of the Paris Agreement under the
UNFCCC. She is also a member of the Working Group 4 under the Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP), a technical committee of the ICAO Council, for Carbon Offset and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA).

A former engineer turned to regenerative agriculture after acquiring 11-hectare farm for conventional coconut cultivation after observing declining soil fertility and rising input costs, Thiru developed a multi-layered agroforestry system integrating coconuts, timber species, fruit trees, spices, and intercrops. He emphasises soil regeneration, biodiversity enhancement, rainwater harvesting, mulching, and the use of organic bio-inputs. Through these practices, soil organic carbon on his farm improved from +- 0.52% to over 3.36% - restoring soil fertility and water retention. Coconut yields increased 100 to 160 nuts per tree, while diversified crops such as pepper, turmeric, bananas, and spices provide stable and resilient income.

Thiru was awarded Soil Health Guardian Award in 2024 by United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and spotlighted in the The UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies global database as a successful land restoration and regenerative agriculture practice.

Naima's uwork focuses on advancing blue carbon accounting in Asia, with particular attention to bridging scientific rigor with policy, practice, and climate‑resilient development pathways.

She works at the interface of research and implementation, supporting inclusive and regionally grounded approaches to nature‑based climate solutions.

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Dr A. Aldrie Amir is an Associate Professor at the Institute for Environment and Development (LESTARI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. He is the Coordinator of the Malaysian Mangrove Research Alliance and Network (MyMangrove), and a Commission Member of the IUCN SSC Mangrove Specialist Group.

He obtained his PhD in Marine Science (Mangrove Ecology), from The University of Queensland, Australia in 2011. He has extensive experiences in studying mangrove ecosystems in Malaysia and around the Indo-West Pacific region, specialising in mangrove habitat dynamics with major interests on mangrove socio-ecological system, including conservation, management and governance of this signature ecosystem of the tropics.

Jason studies the physiological demands associated with passive and exertional heat stress and how humans adapt to ensure optimum performance and survival. Jason was the past chair for the Scientific Committee on Thermal Factors at the International Commission on Occupational Health (2018 to 2024). He currently co-chairs the Heat Injury Clinical Practice Guidelines at the Ministry of Health, Singapore.

He is on the management committee at the WHO-WMO Global Heat Health Information Network (GHHIN) and leads the GHHIN Southeast Asia Hub to scale up efforts in managing the complex health risks posed by rising ambient temperatures.

Jason also serves on the Technology Advisory Panel for Temasek Trust and the Expert Advisory Group for the Rockefeller Foundation.

Dr Chee's research focuses on integrating ecological function into coastal and marine infrastructure to address climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation. Her work includes the development of eco-concrete for tropical marine environments and frameworks for implementing biodiversity-sensitive design in coastal projects, bridging ecological science with engineering applications.

She has published over 40 works across journals, proceedings, policy briefs, and media, supported by international, national, and industry funding. She holds two copyrights in eco-engineering and NbS, an industrial design and two patents for eco-concrete, which has received a Gold Medal and a Special Award from the Haller Pro Invention Foundation, Poland.

She is also an active consultant and speaker, contributing to industry and policy dialogues on
climate adaptation and sustainable development. 

Professor Mahamad Hakimi Ibrahim holds a Bachelor of Science (BSc) and Master of Science (MSc) from UMIST Manchester, and a PhD in Chemical Engineering from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). He served as a lecturer in the Environmental Technology Division, School of Industrial Technology, Universiti Sains Malaysia from 1982 to 2020.

Currently, he is actively engaged at Ecopro Training Centre, Kampung Nesam, Perlis. In recent years, he has been involved in developing sustainable agroecology and permaculture training modules, promoting zero-waste ecosystem approaches, and advancing zakat-based economic models (zakat maal) for community resilience.

His work also includes hands-on training, community capacity building, and advisory roles integrating environmental engineering principles with grassroots agricultural practices.

With extensive global experience across Asia, Europe, and the United States, Dr. Azim drives innovation in workplace solutions, integrating ergonomics, smart systems, and sustainable design. He has led advanced engineering and product development initiatives in the furniture and industrial sectors, including prior roles at Steelcase, Shimano and Sony.

He holds a doctorate specialising in plastics and advanced composite materials, with deep expertise in material performance, lightweight structures, and circular design strategies. His work focuses on human-centered design, adaptive systems, and the
development of intelligent, sustainable workplace environments.

He is also the Adjunct Professor at University Technology Petronas under Mechanical Engineering Department.

Cherie brings over 25 years of experience driving sustainability initiatives across diverse sectors to Kaleka, non-profit organization that strives towards the sustainable management of Indonesia’s landscapes and seascapes for the benefit of local and indigenous communities. Kaleka’s thematic strengths are in the areas of sustainable sourcing, conservation and restoration, agri-food systems, community development and environmental and social governance.

A systems thinker, Cherie focuses on regenerative agriculture, climate adaptation, and forging public-private partnerships. Cherie’s career spans leadership roles at  Bayer, Asia Pacific Rayon (APR), Unilever, WWF International, Rabobank, and Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA), with deep experience in field implementation, corporate engagements, and managing multi-stakeholder relationships. Passionate about building resilient food systems, Cherie leverages her extensive network and strategic insights to deliver meaningful impact.

Dr. Jap started his career as Water Resources Manager and Project Manager for Puncak Niaga Sdn. Bhd., monitoring the health of the Putrajaya Lake and Wetlands. Seeing a growing global need for better ways to manage water quality, he then earned a Master of Science at the University of Oxford and a Ph.D. at the University of Leeds. 

His academic career began in controlling harmful blue-green algae in Malaysian drinking water. His lab found natural solutions, such as using oil palm trunks to stop harmful algae growth, which supports zero-waste farming and local farmers. His research also covers using microbes to clean up chemical pollution and looking for unique microscopic life in Antarctica alongside the British Antarctic Survey. 

A core part of Dr. Jap’s career is his drive to teach the next generation. This passion naturally extends into his community work; for example, mangrove conservation with the Regional Centre of Expertise (RCE) Penang.

What began in 2020 as a deeply personal act of healing—planting a single hibiscus in memory of his late mother—has since transformed into one of Singapore’s largest community gardens, spanning a lush hillside and home to hundreds of plant and animal species.

More than just a green space, the garden has evolved into a vibrant hub for biodiversity, creativity, and social connection, where butterflies, birds and people coexist in a shared ecosystem. Rooted in resilience and “kampung spirit,” it offers a place of solace, learning and belonging, hosting community events, workshops and collaborations that bring together people from all walks of life.

Today, the Woodlands Botanical Garden stands as a living testament to how nature, when nurtured with purpose, can heal individuals while strengthening the fabric of a community.

Frances has extensive experience in organic standards development and farm verification. She participated in drafting and enhancing the Earth Tag Organic Standard to align with the IFOAM Family of Standards requirements. To date, she has consulted and audited more than 80 farmers, covering over 800 acres of agricultural land. Frances actively promotes organic systems and certification within the community.

She also serves as Chairperson of the Earth Tag PGS Committee, leading a community of over 170 members engaged in eco-nursery certification initiatives in Malaysia.

Passionate about nature, she advocates for toxin-free practices in agriculture and horticulture, striving to contribute towards a healthier, less toxic environment in Malaysia.

Chng Saun's  research focuses on urban heat island effects, air pollution, and climate resilience in tropical cities. He integrates geospatial analytics, environmental monitoring, and GHG emissions analysis to support carbon neutrality and sustainable urban transitions.

Dr. Fong leads interdisciplinary projects on urban climate risks, planetary health, and low-carbon development, and currently heads the Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction Research Interest Group under The Young Scientists Network-Academy of Sciences Malaysia.

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Catherine is a climate economist and advisor in corporate ecological, social, governance (ESG). She has held advisory and management positions in the financial and consumer goods sectors. Her experience includes managing global responsible and impact funds and developing national and global sustainability accounting and reporting standards.

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She is also an agroecologist, working with 50+ NGOs representing animal welfare, biodiversity, food security and sovereignty, human health, landworkers rights, and more, lobbying for food system transparency regulations and policies that support all stakeholders to transition to agroecology. In the UK, she is a steering member of the Department ofor Environment, Food & Rural Affairs' Food Data Transparency Partnership Eco-Working Group and the British Standards Institution's Data Driven Agrifood Systems Working Group.

Nurfitri Amir graduated from Universiti Sains Malaysia as a microbiologist in 2007 and started his career at the Veterinary Research Institute in Ipoh. He has been actively involved in civil societies on various sociocultural and socioeconomic issues. He is also the Secretary of the Malaysian Paddy Farmers Solidarity Association (PeSAWAH).

FKMM is a network comprising academics, professionals, NGOs, and associations of farmers, fishers, and livestock breeders. It is a discussion and action platform to strengthen food security and food sovereignty in Malaysia. FKMM promotes farmers' rights, agroecology-based agriculture, and the Community Seed Reserve Initiative (IRBK) - a seed-saving, sharing, and selling program.

Amir is also a documentary filmmaker.

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