Speakers

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  Richard Branson

  Founder and Chairman Virgin Group

  Sir Richard Branson is a successful international entrepreneur and is Founder and Chairman of the Virgin Group. Virgin is one of the world’s most recognized and respected brands and has expanded into everything from air and ground travel to telecommunications, health, space travel and renewable energy through more than 200 companies’ worldwide, employing approximately 50,000 people in 29 countries.

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  Craig Cogut

  Founder and Co-Managing Partner Pegasus Capital Advisors

  Craig Cogut is founder and Co-Managing Partner of Pegasus Capital Advisors and co-founder of Pegasus Sustainable Century MB, L.P. Since 1995, Mr. Cogut has executed over 70 transactions at Pegasus, and has assembled a world-class team of investment, operational and policy professionals.

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  Wesley Clark

  Co-Chair Growth Energy, Senior Fellow UCLA Burkle Center, and Chairman, Solar Energy Squared, LLC

  General Clark serves as Chairman and CEO of Wesley K. Clark & Associates, a strategic consulting firm; Chairman of investment bank Rodman & Renshaw; Co-Chairman of Growth Energy; senior fellow at UCLA’s Burkle Center for International Relations; Director of International Crisis Group; Chairman of City Year Little Rock; as well as numerous corporate boards. General Clark has authored three books and serves as a member of the Clinton Global Initiative’s Energy & Climate Change Advisory Board, and ACORE’s Advisory Board.

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  José María Figueres

  Former President Costa Rica

  As President of Costa Rica, José Maria Figueres created a comprehensive national sustainable development strategy, combining sound macroeconomic indicators, strategic human development investments, and a strong alliance with nature. In the international arena, President Figueres has pioneered the linkage between sustainable development and technology. He helped create and lead the United Nations ICT Task Force as its first Chairperson.

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  Sunil Paul

  Founder Spring Ventures and Gigaton Throwdown

  Sunil Paul has a track record of forming successful companies as well as making high performance investment decisions. He began cleantech investing in 2002 because he believed that the macro forces of environmental regulation combined with climate change and energy security are creating new pressures on the energy market.

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  Jigar Shah

  CEO Carbon War Room

  A renowned visionary committed to renewable energy, Jigar Shah launched SunEdison in 2003 based upon a business plan he developed in 1999 for a university class. That plan became the basis of the SunEdison business model: Simplify solar as a service. This model changed the status quo, allowing organizations to purchase solar energy services under long-term predictably priced contracts and avoid the significant capital costs of ownership and operation of solar energy systems.

• 

  Special Guest – Leadership Celebration: Gary Locke

  Secretary of Commerce

  Gary Locke was appointed by President Obama as the 36th Secretary of Commerce and sworn into office on March 26, 2009.

  At the Department of Commerce, Locke is charged with helping implement President Obama's ambitious agenda to turn around the economy and put people back to work.

  As the first Chinese-American to hold this post in a president's cabinet, Locke has a distinctly American story. His grandfather emigrated from China to Washington state, initially finding employment as a servant, working in exchange for English lessons. Locke's father, also born in China, was a small business owner, operating a grocery store where Locke worked while receiving his education from Seattle's public school system. His strong work ethic and determination eventually took him to the highest office in the state of Washington.

  Prior to his appointment, Locke helped U.S. companies break into international markets as a partner in the Seattle office of the international law firm, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP. There, he co-chaired the firm's China practice and was active in its governmental relations practice.

  As the popular two-term governor of Washington, the nation's most trade-dependent state, Locke broke down trade barriers around the world to advance American products. He helped open doors for Washington State businesses by leading 10 productive trade missions to Asia, Mexico and Europe, significantly expanding the sale of Washington products and services. He also successfully strengthened economic ties between China and Washington State. His visits are credited with introducing Washington companies to China and helping more than double the state's exports to China to over $5 billion per year.

  As part of his considerable trade and economic development efforts, Locke launched Washington's Competitiveness Council with business, labor and civic leaders working together to effectively position Washington State for success at home and around the world. During the eight years of the Locke Administration, the state gained 280,000 jobs.

  Locke earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Yale University and a law degree from Boston University. He is married to Mona Lee Locke. They have three children: Emily, Dylan and Madeline.