Speakers:

Andrew Francis: the FCDO’s Head of Climate Diplomacy- a role that includes overseeing all climate diplomatic strategy, running HMG’s global climate attaché network, and leading FCDO planning for the last COP Summits. Immediately prior to this, Andrew was the FCDO’s Head of Communications for Europe & Central Asia, overseeing the department’s communications across the region. This included leading the department’s global Brexit communications. After graduating from the London School of Economics with a masters in the History of International Relations, he began his career in communications for the UN Refugee Agency during the Arab Spring. He joined the UK Government in 2012, firstly as a Policy Advisor developing the Government’s new digital strategy, then moving to the Prime Minister’s Office & Cabinet Office as a Senior Media Advisor. In this role he planned communications for various major events, including multiple Queen’s Speeches and the birth of the royal baby. Andrew was also Official Spokesperson for the official inquiry into the Iraq War, successfully overseeing global media for publication of the 2.5 million word report. He has advised a number of governments around the world on their strategic communications planning and implementation.

Professor Benito Müller: Managing Director of Oxford Climate Policy (a not-for-profit company aimed at capacity building for developing country climate change negotiators), and Director of the European Capacity Building Initiative (ecbi), an international initiative for sustained capacity building in support of international climate change negotiations. He has been serving as Adviser to the LDC Group Chair (2011-12) and the Africa Group Chair (2012-13). He participated in the deliberation of the Transitional Committee (TC) for the Green Climate Fund (GCF) as Adviser to the LDC TC members, who he has also been advising on the GCF Board and the UNFCCC Standing Committee on Finance. Professor Müller received his doctorate (D. Phil.) in Philosophy from the University of Oxford and was formerly a Research Fellow at Wolfson College and a Lecturer in Logic at the Queen’s College, Oxford. He has a Diploma in Mathematics from the Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) in Zürich, Switzerland.

Kaya Axelsson: research fellow and Head of Policy and Partnership at Oxford Net Zero where she leads a team to translate research into resources, policy, and standards for defining and achievements net zero. After years working as a community organiser, Kaya moved to Oxford to work on connecting climate action communities internationally. She has earned distinction for research on politically unlikely renewable energy coalitions. Her current research and engagement focus is on the emerging net zero governance and regulatory landscape. Kaya has served as a strategic advisor to the UN-backed Race to Zero campaign and as a technical author on the International Standard Organisation’s Net Zero Guidelines. With 15 years of experience in social and environmental sustainability, she convenes and works regularly with organisations and policy leaders on their net zero strategies.