Global Leaders at NYC Summit Tackle Energy Transition

The energy transition is arguably the most important factor in achieving net zero carbon emissions and halting global warming.

As one of the hottest topics in boardrooms and for governments, it is the subject of a key panel at Sustainability LIVE: Climate Week NYC on 22 September at Convene, 360 Madison Avenue, NYC.

Hundreds of c-suite sustainability leaders will gather for the landmark event, hoping for new ideas on how to accelerate the energy transition.

The Future of energy transition, sponsored by Siemens

Automation Machinery Manufacturing giant Siemens is sponsoring the panel, which will be introduced with a keynote by Stacy Mahler, US Head of Sustainability.

Stacy has more than 15 years of experience in the industrial and energy sectors.

As Head of Sustainability for Siemens Smart Infrastructure (SI) in the US, she engages organisations on their sustainability journey.

Her work includes helping them with infrastructure enhancements that improve energy efficiency, integrate renewable energy and enable electrification of transportation and facilities. Stacy also supports the carbon reduction roadmap for Siemens SI's carbon footprint in the US.

She holds a degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Florida and an MBA from Northwestern University.

Three major themes

While the panellists are likely to cover a broad range of aspects to the energy transition, three in particular are expected to feature:

Decentralisation of Energy Systems

The future of energy is moving from centralised, fossil-fuel power plants to decentralised networks of renewable generation. Solar rooftops, wind farms, microgrids and virtual power plants (VPPs) are among the technologies designed to increase resilience against blackouts, reduce transmission losses and democratise access to clean energy.

Companies are pioneering distributed solutions, while governments are updating regulations to accommodate peer-to-peer energy trading. Decentralisation also supports rural electrification, particularly in emerging economies, where microgrids can leapfrog traditional grid infrastructure.

Electrification of Transport and Industry

Hard-to-abate sectors transport and heavy industry are attempting to electrify to cut reliance on oil, coal and gas. Electric vehicles (EVs) are scaling rapidly, with many global automakers committing to phase out combustion engines. In heavy industry, processes including steelmaking and cement production are increasingly using renewable power.

The challenge lies in ensuring that grids can handle increased demand without compromising reliability – meaning energy storage, demand response and grid modernisation will be crucial.

Green Hydrogen and Alternative Fuels

Green hydrogen, produced through renewable-powered electrolysis, is emerging as one of the keys of the energy transition. It offers a solution for sectors where direct electrification is difficult, such as aviation, shipping and heavy industry.

Companies including Air Liquide, Siemens Energy and bp are investing heavily in hydrogen infrastructure. Alongside biofuels and synthetic fuels, hydrogen promises to help decarbonise global trade and transport. But scaling requires massive investment, cost reductions and supportive policies.

Leaders from NVIDIA, Oracle and EEI

Stacy will be joined on the panel, moderated by BizClik Group Broadcast Director Neil Perry, by:

Josh Parker, Head of Sustainability, NVIDIA

An engineer and a lawyer, Josh believes following the data wherever it leads is critical for an effective sustainability programme. He previously led sustainability at Western Digital, a computer storage company, and practised patent law at the law firm Baker Botts.

Jennifer Ruch, Energy & Sustainability Director, Oracle

Jennifer is an energy strategy and sustainability leader focusing on cloud and hyperscale data centre deployments globally. She is responsible for elevating energy strategy, renewable energy procurement and sustainability globally at Oracle Cloud Infrastructure.

Jennifer also leads efforts to embed sustainability in site selection, portfolio management and data centre design. Before Oracle, she spent almost a decade at Equinix, a global colocation data centre company, building its global power procurement strategy.

Eric Holdsworth, Managing Director, Edison Electric Institute

Eric Holdsworth is a leading expert on the issue of global climate change, with over 30 years of experience in the field. He is the Managing Director of Climate Programs at the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), where he oversees EEI’s involvement in climate change and clean energy issues.

He directs the development and execution of strategies to shape national climate and clean energy policies.

Themes at Sustainability LIVE: Climate Week NYC 2025

With a focus on climate leadership, innovation and measurable impact, the event will cover core themes including:

• Net zero strategies and Scope 3 reduction
• Decarbonisation of supply chains
• Climate finance and green investment
• Circular economy models and material innovation
• Climate-tech and AI for sustainability

Sustainability LIVE is designed to foster insight-sharing and collaboration, and those attending will gain practical takeaways for climate action, alongside access to some of the most impactful voices in the global sustainability space.