Dr. Marcelo de Andrade

Founder, Earth Capital Partners

Dr. de Andrade founded Pró-Natura International, one of the first international Sustainability Development Agencies based in the Southern Hemisphere. It manages sustainable development and conservation projects in 41 countries. He is also the founder of the Pioneer Society, a communications group dedicated to the innovative promotion of sustainable development successes. Dr. de Andrade went on to co-found the Terra Capital Fund, the first venture capital fund dedicated to investing exclusively in private-sector biodiversity businesses; Axial Bank/Axial Par, the first financial institution in South America dedicated to promoting investments in the sustainable development sector; and Eco Carbon, the first company to specialize in engineering aspects of forestry and agricultural carbon sinks. He co-founded Earth Capital Partners, private equity investor focusing on sustainability finance.

Dr. de Andrade has over 31 years of experience advising the mining, gas/oil sector on sustainable development. He has served as a member of the BHP Billiton Forum for Corporate Responsibility, DuPont's World Wide Biotech Panel, and he presently serves on the Procter & Gamble Sustainability Council.

Dr. de Andrade is currently working with industry, government, public and private financial institutions, academia, and the science community to scale up the Tijuca Centre for Applied Sustainability. The Tijuca develops replicable and scalable sustainable development solutions for impact investment. He remains active in rowing, mountaineering, and running following his eight-year membership of Brazil's Olympic rowing team and his leadership of the first Brazilian TV broadcasted expedition to the top of Mount Aconcagua in the Andes in 1985.