SPEAKERS

Luca Pedretti is a seasoned entrepreneur in the renewable power sector. As Co-Founder and COO of Pexapark, he has helped build the industry’s leading price-intelligence platform for clean energy, supporting hundreds of market participants across Europe and the United States. With nearly two decades of experience in trading, origination and renewables, he is recognised for his business-building mindset, deep expertise in risk management and clear thought leadership.

He is also a keynote speaker, podcaster and writer, sharing practical insights on PPAs, storage and the evolution of the next-generation IPP.

Laurent Villiers is a dynamic energy professional at Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, serving as Associate Director in Global Procurement – Energy Sourcing Lead. Amongst other responsibilities, he specialises in global energy procurement and sustainability strategy, managing complex sourcing programmes across Europe and advising colleagues globally. He shapes renewable power contracts aligned with Merck’s decarbonisation roadmap.

Known for his negotiation skills, analytical rigour, and visionary leadership, Laurent leverages data-driven insights to develop innovative strategies and anticipate future challenges. His forward-looking approach balances creativity with awareness of short-, mid-, and long-term impacts, fostering agility and sustainable outcomes. 

Laurent’s career spans industrial and high-tech sectors, including procurement roles in manufacturing, IT, pharmaceuticals, and biotech. He holds an Executive Master in Energy Management from ESCP London (2022), a Clean Energy Solutions certificate from MIT (2024), and a Master in Business & Management earned in the mid-1990s.  

Based in Lyon and married, Laurent enjoys the arts, as well as swimming and badminton. A skilled handy person, he works with various materials, restores vintage cars, and rides his motorbike for track. He is a proud father of three, with his children working in Vancouver or pursuing their studies in Maastricht and Toulouse.

Jasmin is an experienced energy consultant with over four years at E&C Group, where she plays a key role in both the Belgian and German teams. She supports clients across Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, and also serves as the coordinator for several large international accounts. In her work, Jasmin advises companies on energy procurement strategies, and the implementation and execution of those.

She holds a Master’s degree in Sustainability Science, Policy and Society from Maastricht University, which has equipped her with a strong understanding of the broader environmental and policy context in which today’s energy challenges unfold. While her professional focus is on energy markets and risk management, she remains passionate about integrating long-term, responsible thinking into client strategies.

In addition to her consulting role, Jasmin serves as a CSR Champion within the company—leading internal initiatives related to corporate social responsibility and promoting employee well-being through sports and health-related activities.

Outside of work, Jasmin is a dedicated sports enthusiast with a background as a semi-professional soccer player. She now enjoys running, Pilates, and yoga. A passionate advocate for healthy living, she enjoys cooking and baking plant-based meals and recently earned a certificate as a health coach to share this passion with people around her and promote holistic well-being.

Sol González is Carbon & Sustainability Consultant at the E&C Business Unit Apala by E&C. She leads the design and implementation of high-integrity decarbonization and carbon market strategies for companies, governments, and financial actors. Her work focuses on translating climate science, policy, and market mechanisms into practical solutions that deliver measurable climate and social impact while creating strategic value for companies through risk mitigation, cost optimization, and credible transition planning.

With more than eight years of experience in climate change and sustainability, Sol has worked across corporate, NGO, and multilateral contexts, bridging climate policy, corporate goals, and nature-based solutions. Prior to joining Apala Group, she served as a Targets Validator at the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), where she verified corporate climate targets and acted as a key contributor to the Forest, Land and Agriculture sector, strengthening consistency and rigor in target setting. Earlier in her career, Sol held leadership roles in climate strategy and voluntary carbon markets, advising governments and private clients on emissions inventories, Nationally Determined Contributions updates, and climate mitigation strategies, including projects for the Mexican Ministry of Environment in collaboration with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ).

Sol holds a Master’s degree in Global Sustainable Development from the University of Warwick, with a specialization in climate policy, a Postgraduate Diploma in Environmental Economics and a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering for Sustainable Development. She brings a strong analytical foundation combined with hands-on experience in stakeholder engagement, climate justice, and project finance.

Having worked extensively across Latin America, Europe, and international contexts, Sol thrives in multicultural environments and is deeply motivated by collaborative approaches that center local communities. Currently based in Mexico, she remains actively engaged in advancing equitable pathways to net zero that align environmental integrity with social development. 

Dina Karamarko is a dynamic and results-driven energy professional who has been with E&C since 2015. Specializing in international energy procurement and energy transition, she has expertly managed both European and global accounts. In 2024, Dina took on the role of Lead Partner, where she drives the strategic development and deployment of E&C’s innovative energy transition services.

Dina is known for her creativity, strategic planning, and strong time management, balancing complex projects while delivering impactful, solutions-oriented results. She thrives on new challenges and fosters a collaborative approach to problem-solving. At the core of her leadership is a deep commitment to motivating others and cultivating a positive attitude.

Passionate about empowering the next generation of consultants, Dina is equally dedicated to championing women in the energy sector. As an advocate for diversity and inclusion, she believes in the transformative power of a diverse workforce and actively works to create opportunities for women to step into leadership roles within the industry.

Her academic background includes a master’s degree in business management from the University of Zagreb and a second master’s in sustainable development from the University of Utrecht. Dina’s international perspective is further enriched by living in several European countries. Now based in the Netherlands, she continuously seeks new travel experiences that inspire both her personal growth and professional endeavours.

Outside of her work in the energy sector, Dina finds balance in creative activities such as cooking, gardening, photography and interior design, passions that provide relaxation and fuel her drive for excellence.

Jens Lievens is since 2026 CEO of the E&C Group. While he defines the general strategy of the company together with Benedict, he supervises the daily operations with a focus on business development. Since August 2025, Jens is based in Toronto, Canada, to ensure the constant growth of E&C in North America.

After securing a bachelor's degree in French and English in 2006, Jens pursued his childhood dream into the professional handball arena, playing in Germany, France, and as the captain of the Belgian National Team. Returning to Belgium in 2015, Jens seamlessly transitioned his knowledge of languages and competitive spirit into a role as international business developer at E&C.

Jens is passionate about translating E&C’s visionary insights into clear and compelling presentations and messages. Whether he's addressing internal teams, a client's boardroom or a conference, Jens has become a sought-after speaker, leaving everyone both enlightened and uplifted.

When he's not shaping the future of E&C, Jens finds joy in spending quality time with his family. He also hits the gym a few times a week, embodying the same energy that he brings to the business arena.

Carolina is currently the Team Leader of the Consultants team and Lead Partner at E&C, with a deep passion for the energy sector and an insatiable curiosity for continuous learning.

She joined E&C in 2016 as a consultant for the Iberian and Latin American markets. Since then, she has played an active role in expanding E&C’s presence in these regions, contributing significantly to its growth into a global energy consulting firm.

For the past four years, Carolina has been leading the global team of consultants with a proactive, open-minded, and flexible approach. She places great importance on communication and people management, consistently fostering a positive and productive team environment. Carolina is driven by the opportunity to inspire others and guide them toward achieving shared goals.

Her academic background includes a Master’s degree in Energy and Mining Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Madrid, and a second Master’s in Leadership Principles from Harvard Business School. Her engineering education has equipped her with a solid analytical mindset, enabling her to solve complex challenges with creativity and efficiency.

Carolina thrives in multicultural environments, leveraging diverse cultural insights to develop innovative and tailored solutions. Based in Madrid and traveling extensively for both business and personal enrichment, she finds inspiration in diversity−through discovering new cultures, countries, and people. In her free time, she enjoys exploring new sports, artistic activities, and restaurants, always eager to step out of her comfort zone and try something new.

With a Bachelor of Science degree under her arm, Kathleen Peters started her journey at E&C Group 9 years ago. Primarily focusing on the Dutch and German markets, she extended her portfolio to the UK and Ireland clients after only one year as a result of her excellent performance.

Over these 9 years, Kathleen has made impressive strides in the roles and tasks she has undertaken. Starting as a country consultant, Kathleen stepped up to coordinate international clients before expanding and intensifying her expertise in green energy. She led the first PPA tender for Germany, and, since 2023, has embraced a full-time focus on energy transition at E&C.

This interest in sustainability is reflected in the part Kathleen plays in the execution of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility, an area in which Kathleen is constantly innovating to introduce initiatives aimed, on a smaller scale, at reducing our negative impact on the planet.

German native, Kathleen lives in The Netherlands, where she enjoys spending her time hiking.

Cyriel serves as E&C’s IT Product Owner, blending his extensive knowledge of energy markets with a passion for technology to guide the IT team in developing impactful software solutions tailored to large energy consumers.

After earning his second master’s degree in Business Economics from the University of Ghent, Belgium, Cyriel joined E&C as an energy consultant in 2017. Over five years, he supported clients across the Benelux, UK, Ireland, Scandinavia, and Australia. In 2022, he transitioned to the IT team, where, alongside Zhanna, he played a pivotal role in scaling the team to five times its original size. Together, they’ve spearheaded the development of innovative software tools that enhance E&C’s offerings for its clients.

Outside of work, Cyriel channels his creativity and energy into refereeing rugby games, playing golf, woodworking, and experimenting with microcomputers to design intricate escape room puzzles. Simply put, he embraces his inner nerd with enthusiasm!

A valued E&C team member since 2018, Alexander is an experienced Energy Procurement and Sustainability Consultant with a passion for the sector.

He has a strong background in both North American and European energy markets. As Team Coach and Product Owner North America, he is an authority on US and Canadian energy markets.

Alexander holds a Master of Science in Civil Engineering and has developed in-depth knowledge of North American market dynamics. He has a clear track record of advising clients on integrating these into coherent and practical business risk management strategies.

Bart Verest has and educational background in International politics & diplomacy and Energy law at Ghent University, Belgium.

He has worked at E&C for more than 11 years as International energy procurement and sustainability consultant, coordinating European and global accounts. In the meantime he’s lead partner within E&C Group, responsible for energy policy and regulatory affairs. In this context, he’s involved in the ongoing regulatory evolution of the renewable and natural gas markets and the establishment of EAC’s for renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBO’s).

In addition, he is co-founder of Navitas, an energy cooperative based in Belgium.