Speaker
Professor Rachel Kyte
Dean, The Fletcher School, Tufts University
Rachel Kyte is the 14th dean of The Fletcher School at Tufts University, the first woman to lead the United States' oldest graduate-only school of international affairs. Prior, Professor Kyte served as special representative of the UN Secretary-General, and as CEO of Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), a public-private platform created by the UN and World Bank. In her UN role and as CEO of SEforAll, Professor Kyte led efforts to promote and finance clean, reliable, and affordable energy as part of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. She served as co-chair of UN Energy. She previously was the World Bank Group vice president and special envoy for climate change, leading the run-up to the Paris Agreement. She was also vice president at the International Finance Corporation responsible for ESG risk and business advisory services.
Professor Kyte is a member of the UN Secretary-General’s high-level advisory group on climate action and an advisor to the UK presidency of the UN climate talks. As well, she is co-chair of the Voluntary Carbon Markets Integrity Initiative (VCMI), and chair of the FONERWA, the Rwanda Green Fund. She serves on the boards of the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG), the Climate Policy Institute, and CDP. She advises investors, governments, and not-for-profits on climate, energy, and finance for sustainable development. A British citizen, Professor Kyte earned degrees from University of London and the Fletcher School. She has received numerous awards for leadership in climate and sustainable development and was named by Time magazine as one of the 15 Women Leading the Fight Against Climate Change.