Dr. Katayoon Eghtedar is a distinguished leader in sustainable development, with a strategic focus on integrating sustainability and innovation into global economic frameworks. As a member of the World Economic Forum's Impact Circle for Strategy & Innovation, she lends her expertise in Sustainable Transition, Sustainability/ESG regulation & policy and Artificial Intelligence. Her role involves collaborating with peers to shape the future of these sectors by providing actionable recommendations.

As the CEO and Founder of GSS THINK, she advises on specialized 360-degree sustainable solutions for governments, financial institutions, and multinational corporations worldwide. Her leadership role in sustainable finance and the restructuring of clean energy projects and energy hubs exemplifies her commitment to sustainability. Katayoon's expertise in market entry, ESG/Sustainability regulatory compliance, and high –level stakeholder strategic partnerships has been instrumental in fostering sustainable economic development and public diplomacy initiatives across emerging markets.

At Yard Ventures, Katayoon serves as an Industry Expert, leveraging her Harvard alumni network to drive environmental and climate solutions. She is also recognized as a Reuters Insights Special Panel Expert, where her insights into sustainability and ESG practices are highly valued.

As an Advisory Board Member for Ontech Group, pioneers in Controlled Electromagnetic Field (CEMF) sensor technology aimed at advancing Smart Cities, sustainable consumer devices, health-tech robotics, and more.

Her strategic advisory role to prominent figures such as Lord Jacob Rothschild, Getty Family, sovereign wealth funds, governments, financial institutions and family offices underscores her significant influence in shaping sustainable economic policies and strategic investments.

At Macquarie Group and Jasper Capital, Katayoon played pivotal roles in advising on strategic investments and public-private partnership projects, contributing to societal and economic development across the Middle East. Her tenure at BMB Capital as General Counsel and Senior Advisor further highlights her expertise in fostering strategic relationships and partnerships in the Gulf region.

Through Gulf Strategies International, co-founded by Katayoon, she has significantly impacted public diplomacy and established Dubai as a leading financial hub in the Middle East.

She holds Public Moral Leadership Credentials from Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

Katayoon is a licensed attorney in the State of New York, Washington DC, Massachusetts.

Honors & Awards:

Katayoon has been Awarded Distinction designation in Public Moral Leadership from Distinguished Professor Christopher Robichaud, Senior Lecturer in Ethics and Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and Director of Pedagogical Innovation at the Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics at Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

Katayoon is a member of :

• World Economic Forum Impact Circle of Strategy & Innovation

• Climate Law & Governance Initiative, Climate Law Registry

• World Climate Foundation

• Reuters Sustainability Group of Experts

• HACE Harvard Alumni Association For Climate & The Environment

• Harvard Kennedy School Belfer Center Science and International Affairs (Future of Diplomacy and Climate)

• Harvard W3D: Women in Defense, Diplomacy, and Development

• Harvard Business Review Discussion Group member

Publications:

• Katayoon Eghtedar. "2023". Sustainability Regulation. Strategic Intelligence Map. World Economic Forum. https://intelligence.weforum.org/topics/59d2241a45c747669b626efa7c57c094

• "Accelerating Equitable 'Just' Energy". (Jul 3, 2023)

• "Addressing the Funding Gaps to a Future of Net Zero". (Jun 21, 2023)

• "Leveraging AI for Advancing Sustainable Investing: A Paradigm Shift towards ESG Integration and Decision-Making". (Jun 21, 2023)

Education:

Katayoon holds a public leadership credential from Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Juris Doctorate of Law (J.D.) from New England Law in Boston, Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in International Finance from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas