Building Bridges Event: Cleaning up the Brazilian Gold Value Chain

Barbara graduated in Earth Sciences at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland and got her doctoral degree at the Universities of Lausanne and Fribourg in the field of archaeometry, a research topic which aims to solve historical or archaeological questions with extended mineralogical methods. She then worked at the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology and later on for the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health, Consumer Protection Division.  

Barbara is Privat Docent and currently a lecturer in the field of natural resource management and senior researcher at University of Lausanne. With her research, she aims to use mineralogical, geochemical and geostatistical tools to solve issues relating to the traceability of mined gold.   

Diana started her professional path at the International Committee of the Red Cross in the context of the first Russian-Chechen conflict. She then spent 14 years in Africa, Asia and Middle East by being involved in different humanitarian projects. From 2008 to 2018, as the CSR Manager at Chopard Group, she established and oversaw numerous sourcing, environmental, work-life balance and philanthropic initiatives of the group. Today, Diana leads the Swiss Better Gold Association, a pioneering network of industry, finance and service providers representing Swiss gold industry, which supports sustainable development of artisanal small-scale miners and facilitates establishment of responsible gold value chains from these operations to end market. 

Marcelo is a Principal with NatureFinance, co-lead of the secretariat of the Taskforce on Nature Markets and the head of Sustainability Itaúsa. Committed to the socio-environmental agenda and the alignment of global finance with climate/nature positive and equitable outcomes. Marcelo combines his role as head of sustainability at the investment holding Itaúsa with his participation on the board of directors of the international non-governmental organization Nature Finance. He worked at Greenpeace for 24 years in international positions and as executive director in Brazil. He also worked in philanthropy as the CEO of Arapyau Institute and Alana Foundation and today leads the Itausa Institute. He is currently a board member at WRI (World Resources Institute) Brazil, Conectas Human Rights and the Sovereignty and Climate Center. Co-founder of the Brazilian Coalition on Climate, Forest and Agriculture and member of the Sustainability Committee of Dexco and Marfrig. In addition, he is a partner at BlockC, a blockchain technology platform for decarbonization and traceability of environmental assets. He is a chemical engineer with a master’s degree in renewable energy. Member of the Sustainable and Healthy Food Network at the Columbia University Climate School.

Mark is a Senior Advisor with NatureFinance, and sits on the Leadership Group. Mark holds a degree from Tufts University in the US and a post-graduate degree in History from the University of Cambridge.  Following two years with the Diplomatic Secretariat of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) he has devoted his career to the environment and sustainable development, beginning with five years in the United Nations Environment Programme’s Policy Planning Division.  He spent four years in WWF-International’s Conservation Division, with responsibility for building its programmes in China and as conservation advisor to HRH The Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh.  There followed fourteen years at IUCN, first in the Conservation for Development Centre (integrated into IUCN as the Field Operations Division), then as Director of Development and, finally, as Director of Policy and Partnerships.  He left IUCN to establish the International Institute for Sustainable Development (Europe) which he directed until retirement in 2016 and where he remains a Senior Fellow.  Mark was a Senior Advisor to the UNEP Inquiry into the Design of a Sustainable Financial System for the four years of its mandate, taking special responsibility for developing countries.  Mark writes and lectures on the subject of sustainable development.  He chairs the Board of Trustees of TRAFFIC International and the Swiss NGO Aquasis and sits on the board of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network-Switzerland, the Committee on Sustainability Assessment (COSA) in the United States, the International Bamboo and Rattan Organization (INBAR) in China, and Sustainable Finance Geneva. 

Melina Risso holds a doctorate and a master’s degree in Public Administration and Government from the Getulio Vargas Foundation (FGV) and co-author of the book “Segurança Pública para Virar o Jogo”. She is currently research director at the Igarapé Institute and advisor to several non-profit organizations. She works and researches different topics on the public agenda, including environmental crimes, money laundering, climate security, public safety, cities, governance and digital rights. 
Melina was part of different national public policy councils. 

 Neidinha Suruí is an environmental and human rights activist, indigenist, historian, and project coordinator at the nonprofit Kandidé Ethno-Environmental Defense Association. She holds a Masters degree in Geography. 

Olivia Lipsky joined WWF Switzerland in 2021. Besides working on topics including Climate Action and Biodiversity Stewardship, in her capacity as Corporate Sustainability Manager, Olivia promotes more Sustainable Business Practices in the gold, watch and jewellery sectors. She holds a master’s degree in Sustainable Development from the University KU Leuven and is passionate about driving positive change in the realm of sustainability. 

Patrick Odier is Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Lombard Odier Group since 2023. He has been Chairman of the Board of Directors of Bank Lombard Odier from 2014 until 2023. He was Senior Managing Partner of the Lombard Odier Group (2008 2022). 

1982 he joined the Lombard Odier Group and became a Managing Partner in 1986. He holds an economics degree from University of Geneva and an MBA in finance from University of Chicago. 

Patrick is President of Swiss Sustainable Finance. He is Chairman of Building Bridges. He was Chairman of the Swiss Bankers Association (2009 to 2016). He was member of the Board of economiesuisse until last September. 

Xavier joined MKS PAMP in 2013, in the Legal & Compliance department. He then moved to a front position to become Head of Sales in 2019, covering all upstream and downstream clients. Prior to this, Xavier has worked for a law firm and EY in a Legal & Regulatory team dedicated to banks and financial intermediaries. He holds a master’s Degree in law from Lausanne University, was admitted to the Geneva bar and a DAS in Commodity Trading from Geneva University.