Fernando J. Diaz Lopez
Fernando J. Diaz Lopez is the executive director of the Climate and Earth Centre of HEC Paris (Sustainability and Organizations Institute – S&O). He holds honorary appointments at Stellenbosch University, University of Ferrara and Universidad de Alcala, and is associate editor at the Journal of Cleaner Waste Systems (Elsevier).
With a rich background including past roles at EIT Climate-KIC (European Institute of Innovation and Technology), TNO and Nalco Chemical, he is a though leader in transformative climate resilience, circularity, and eco-innovation.
Thinking
With an h-index of 11 and over 1100 citations (google scholar), I have had a very productive research and advisory career with a value of over 90 million Euros since the year 1998. My portfolio includes over 60 research grants and advisory contracts, and it has been funded by: the European Commission (Horizon Europe, H2020, FP7, FP6, EuropeAid), UN Environment, Inter-American Development Bank, World Bank. I have also been an advisor to companies in the private sector with pressing ESG questions and green tech-transfer projects, including the KUO Group, Orbia, Savid Dominicana, P&G, and Rockwool Benelux.
In addition to being associated editor at Elsevier’s Cleaner Waste Systems Journal, I am a reviewer of different leading journals (Journal of Cleaner Production, Ecological Economics, Business Strategy and the Environment, Journal of Industrial Ecology, among others).
I have also been an evaluator for the European Commission Horizon Europe programme, the Dutch Research Funding Organisation NWO, the National Science Foundation of South Africa, the Mexican Science for Science and Technology, among others.
Teaching
MIT Professional Education
Circular Economy: Transition for Future Sustainability (learning facilitator)
Innovation for Sustainable Development Network
What is innovation for sustainable development? (course design, main facilitator)
Inter-American Development Bank
How to Drive the Transition to the Circular Economy through Science, Technology, and Innovation Policies (course design and course director)
Impact
Throughout my career, I have strived to create an impact on organisations and society at large.
At the international level, I have assisted United Nations’ Global Eco-innovation Project, the Inter-American Development Bank Green Innovation and Circular Economy knowledge programme and the RELAI Network of Innovation Agencies in their efforts to incorporate circular economy and climate action among decision makers in Latin America.
Before joining the Climate and Earth Centre of HEC Paris, I was responsible for setting up the research agenda of Climate KIC’s – the largest European climate initiative. A key milestone was the acquisition of over 120 million Euros in grants implementing the EU missions of climate adaptation and carbon neutral cities under Horizon Europe. My work at CKIC also included leading its science-policy lab, the Transitions Hub and the overall co-ordination of Pathways2Resilience (30 million Euros).