13/06

DUBROVNIK, CROATIA

BLUE
NATURAL
CAPITAL
SUMMIT
2025

Reimagining the Ocean Economy. Restoring Nature. Revitalizing Communities.

From Dubrovnik to the World

The official summit of global leaders advancing the regenerative Blue Economy, hosted in Dubrovnik – a UNESCO World Heritage City at the frontlines of ocean innovation.
The Blue Natural Capital Summit 2025, held in Dubrovnik, gathered global pioneers in sustainability, finance, ocean science, and governance to champion a transformative vision for the Blue Economy.

Together, we launched the Dubrovnik Manifesto on the Blue Economy – a moral and strategic commitment to align climate action, economic prosperity, and ocean stewardship.

This summit marks a new chapter for cities and coastal nations, offering bold solutions rooted in regeneration, resilience, and nature-based value.

BLUE NATURAL CAPITAL SUMMIT

What is the Blue Natural Capital Summit?

The Blue Natural Capital Summit 2025, held in Dubrovnik, gatheres global pioneers in sustainability, finance, ocean science, and governance to champion a transformative vision for the Blue Economy.

Together, we launched the Dubrovnik Manifesto on the Blue Economy – a moral and strategic commitment to align climate action, economic prosperity, and ocean stewardship.

This summit marks a new chapter for cities and coastal nations, offering bold solutions rooted in regeneration, resilience, and nature-based value.

SPEAKERS

Meet the Visionaries

The official summit of global leaders advancing the regenerative Blue Economy, hosted in Dubrovnik – a UNESCO World Heritage City at the frontlines of ocean innovation.
The Blue Natural Capital Summit 2025, held in Dubrovnik, gathered global pioneers in sustainability, finance, ocean science, and governance to champion a transformative vision for the Blue Economy.

Together, we launched the Dubrovnik Manifesto on the Blue Economy – a moral and strategic commitment to align climate action, economic prosperity, and ocean stewardship.

This summit marks a new chapter for cities and coastal nations, offering bold solutions rooted in regeneration, resilience, and nature-based value.

ANDREJ PLENKOVIĆ

Prime Minister of Croatia

Andrej Plenković is the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia, a seasoned politician, diplomat, and lawyer born in Zagreb on April 8, 1970. He holds a Master’s degree in International Law and a Bachelor of Law from the Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb. Plenković began his career in the Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1994, serving in various diplomatic roles including Deputy Head of Croatia’s Mission to the EU and Deputy Ambassador to France. He was a Member of the European Parliament (2013–2016) and the Croatian Parliament (2011–2013) before becoming Prime Minister in 2016, a position he has held through successive mandates. He has been the President of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) since 2016. Plenković speaks English, French, Italian, and German, and has a strong background in European integration. He is married with three children and is a former President of The European Law Students' Association. His interests include basketball.

Teresa Ribera Rodríguez

Vice-President, European Commission

Teresa Ribera serves as the Executive Vice-President for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition in the European Commission (2024–present). She is responsible for ensuring that Europe remains on track with the goals of the European Green Deal, while driving the decarbonisation and industrialisation of the economy. Her mandate includes coordinating the Clean Industrial Deal, unlocking investment, boosting clean technologies, and enabling competitive growth conditions for European industry. She also guides the implementation of EU climate legislation to meet 2030 targets, prepares the post-2030 climate framework, and leads efforts to reduce energy prices, phase out fossil fuel dependencies, and promote clean energy infrastructure. Additionally, she ensures financing for a just and inclusive transition through dedicated funds and tax measures. In the realm of competition policy, Ribera is responsible for modernising frameworks to support innovation and global competitiveness.

Her tasks include developing a new State aid framework for clean energy deployment and industrial decarbonisation, revising Merger Control Guidelines to reflect strategic and security considerations, countering predatory foreign acquisitions, and enforcing antitrust and digital market rules.Her distinguished career includes serving as Third Vice-President of the Spanish Government and Minister for the Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge (2021), Fourth Vice-President and Minister (2020–2021), and Minister for Ecological Transition (2018–2020). She was a Member of the Spanish Parliament in 2019 and previously held senior roles including State Secretary for Climate Change and Biodiversity (2008–2011) and Director-General of the Spanish Climate Change Office (2004–2008). Between 2013 and 2018, she worked at the Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI), where she served as Director and advisor on energy and climate programs.

Tonči Glavina

Minister of Sport and Tourism Croatia

Tonči Glavina is a Croatian politician and expert in business economics, born on December 30, 1980, in Split. He holds a Master’s degree in Business Economics with a focus on executive management and strategic business leadership from Wesley College in the United States, where he also completed his undergraduate studies in business economics and marketing. He began his professional career in the U.S. as a project manager and director of student housing, later continuing in Croatia as a strategic management director and head of a business incubator. From 2017 to 2024, he served as State Secretary at the Ministry of Tourism and Sport of the Republic of Croatia. Glavina is actively engaged in political and economic life through the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), where he holds various positions at both local and national levels, including Vice President of the HDZ Entrepreneurs and Craftsmen Association. He has also served as a member of the Split-Dalmatia County Assembly and is the founder of his own family farm. Glavina speaks English fluently, is married, and has two children.

Alejandro Agag

Co-founder & Chairman of UIM E1 World Championship

Alejandro Agag is a pioneer of sustainable motorsport. Through his extensive connections in the motorsport industry and vision for a sustainable future, he was able to develop two electric race series from scratch: Formula E and Extreme E. The E1 Series is his latest venture in electric motorsports.

Ed Russo

Chair of Federal Environmental Advisory Task Force

Ed Russo is an American environmental consultant and entrepreneur known for his long-standing involvement in sustainable development and clean water advocacy. He has served as an environmental advisor to high-profile figures, including former U.S. President Donald Trump, and has played a key role in bridging environmental protection with private sector development. As Chair of the U.S. Environmental Advisory Task Force, Russo has championed initiatives aimed at improving air and water quality, protecting coastal ecosystems, and promoting renewable energy solutions. He has been recognized for his work in reconciling business growth with ecological responsibility, emphasizing practical environmental solutions that benefit both the economy and the planet. A vocal advocate for bipartisan environmental action, Russo continues to contribute to national and international conversations on climate resilience, sustainable coastal development, and the future of environmental policy.

Mato Franković

Mayor of Dubrovnik

Mato Franković was born on February 23, 1982, in Dubrovnik. He completed his high school education at Centerburg High School in Ohio, USA, in 2000, and later obtained an Associate in Applied Science degree in 2003 from the Rochester Institute of Technology. He began his professional career at the travel agency Generalturist Dubrovnik, where he worked from 2005 to 2009. During that time, he served as branch manager, and from 2007 to 2009, also as Executive Director of Lanta Generalturist in Budva, Montenegro. Since 2009, he has held the position of Director of ACI Marina Dubrovnik, and between 2013 and 2014, he also served as Regional Nautical Coordinator for the Southern Adriatic.

Franković held the position of President of the HDZ Youth of Dubrovnik-Neretva County for four terms, and served one term as National Vice President of the HDZ Youth. From 2012 to 2014, he was also Secretary of the County Board of HDZ Dubrovnik-Neretva County. He served two terms as a county councilor in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County Assembly. In 2014, he was elected President of the HDZ City Committee of Dubrovnik, and following the extraordinary local elections in 2015, he became President of the City Council of Dubrovnik. He was elected Mayor of Dubrovnik in 2017, won a second term in 2021, and secured a third term in 2025.

Dr. Dinko Lucić

Phd, President of the Management Board at Privredna banka Zagreb 

Dinko Lucić is the President of the Management Board of Privredna banka Zagreb (PBZ) since February 2018, bringing over two decades of experience in the banking sector, primarily within PBZ and the Intesa Sanpaolo Group. Prior to this role, he served as a Member of the Management Board of PBZ from 2009 to 2018, overseeing the Retail Division, and earlier as a Board Member responsible for Retail Banking at VUB, a member of the Intesa Sanpaolo Group. His professional journey began at Raiffeisen Bank before joining PBZ in 2000, where he held leadership positions in marketing, product development, and corporate communications. Mr. Lucić earned a Phd and Master’s degree in Economics from the University of Zagreb and has completed extensive executive training in banking, finance, and management across Europe. He is fluent in English and Italian, and currently serves as President of the Supervisory Board of PBZ Card d.o.o.

Nikolina Trojić

President of Dubrovnik County Chamber, Croatian Chamber of Economy

Nikolina Trojić is the President of the Dubrovnik County Chamber of Commerce, where she champions sustainable economic development, innovation, and youth entrepreneurship in the region . A graduate of the University of Dubrovnik, she has been actively involved in fostering partnerships between academia, industry, and government—most notably through a decade-long collaboration with the University of Dubrovnik on the WebPoSt project, which empowers local small businesses by supporting student-driven website development. Trojić has also represented the Chamber at numerous international forums, including the 12th Congress of Women’s Entrepreneurship in the Adriatic–Ionian region, where she has advocated for increased support, recognition, and networking opportunities for women entrepreneurs. With a strong focus on digital transformation and smart city strategies, she continues to work on enhancing the economic ecosystem of Dubrovnik through innovation, inclusivity, and international collaboration.

Carlos Duarte

2025 Japan Prize Laureate fields of Ecology/Environment, Distinguished Professor at KAUST; E1 Chief Scientist
Blue Natural Capital: The Scientific Foundation of Ocean Finance

Carlos M. Duarte (Lisbon, 1960) is Ibn Sina Distinguished Professor of Marine Science at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), in Saudi Arabia, and CEO of the Global Coral R&D Accelerator Platform. Duarte was Director of the Oceans Institute at The University of Western Australia and held positions in Spain, Norway and Denmark. Duarte’s research addresses the effects of global change on marine ecosystems and the development of ocean-based solutions to global challenges. He developed evidence-based strategies to rebuild the abundance of marine life by 2050, and leads efforts to solve the coral reef crisis. Building on his research showing mangroves, seagrasses and salt-marshes to be globally-relevant carbon sinks, he developed, working with different UN agencies, the concept of Blue Carbon as a nature-based solution to climate change. His research, across all oceans, depths, organisms and ecosystem types, has led to more than 1.100 scientific papers. Duarte is ranked as the top marine biologist and the 12th most influential climate scientist worldwide (Reuters), and has received multiple accolades. On April 16 2025, he was presented by the Emperor of Japan with the Japan Prize 2025 for his “contribution to our understanding of marine ecosystem in a changing earth, especially through pioneering research on Blue Carbon”. He serves as Chief Scientist at E1 and is heavily involved with sustainability in sports.

Rodi Basso

Co-founder and CEO of UIM E1 World Championship Promoting the Development of the Blue Economy through Technology and Innovation

Rodi Basso is a Naples-born engineer with a passion for nature and sustainability. His work with NASA, led to him working alongside some of the biggest names in motor racing, such as Ferrari and Red Bull Racing. He later moved on to other projects focusing on business performance and development for Magneti Marelli and McLaren Applied Technologies. He is now realising his vision of applying his business and technological expertise into a groundbreaking sporting championship.

Gabrielle Lemaire

Vice President of Didier Drogba Foundation, official Social Impact Partner of E1; CEO of Barons Agence Consil En Communicatio
Sport and Social Purpose: Building Resilient and Inclusive Communities

Born in Abidjan, Gabrielle Lemaire is an Ivorian-Belgian entrepreneur and dedicated philanthropist. She leads several high-level initiatives and serves as Vice President of the Didier Drogba Foundation, where her role as a senior executive places her at the heart of a global network of excellence. Recognized as a powerful advocate for Africa’s development, she continues to shape conversations and strategies across the continent and beyond. Gabrielle holds a law degree from the Université Libre de Bruxelles, studied communications at the European Communication School in Brussels, and earned a Master’s degree (MA) in Marketing and Political Crisis Management from Westminster University in London. Her strong academic background led her to work with companies such as GDF Suez in Brussels and D8 News. In 2012, Gabrielle Lemaire was appointed Head of Communications for the Ivorian branch of the French bank BNP Paribas (BICICI), covering five countries within the ECOWAS region.

Building on this experience, she launched her own strategic consulting and lobbying firm in 2015: Agence Conseil Barons. Under her leadership, the agency has played a pivotal role in shaping communication and institutional strategies for several Ivorian ministries. She advised high-level officials across a wide range of sectors, including transport, oil & energy, water& forest, budgets etc..among others. Actively engaged in both the political and business spheres, within the Ivorian “patronat” and as a member of the European Business Chamber, Gabrielle Lemaire contributes to strengthening meaningful dialogue between Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. Her multicultural background allows her to move seamlessly across diverse environments and to build strategic partnerships with key stakeholders. Her unwavering commitment to women's empowerment has positioned her as a key driver in the promotion and development of female entrepreneurship in Côte d’Ivoire. Her commitment to sustainable development, particularly in Africa, led her to serve as advisor to the Minister of Water and Forests and later to the President of COP15.

Sandra DamijaN

School of Economics and Business University of Ljubljana; Founding Partner Red Queen Sustainability; Board Member of Croatia Powerboating Club
Blue Natural Capital as Croatia’s Economic Strategy

Sandra Damijan is an economist, professor and researcher at the School of Economics and Business, University of Ljubljana. Her academic work specializes in innovative financial models, financial management, sustainable finance, and international trade. In recent years, her research and consulting efforts have increasingly focused on the blue economy, exploring the valuation of natural capital, the economics of marine and coastal ecosystems, and the role of regenerative investment models in driving sustainable development. Beyond her academic career, Damijan plays an active role in various international networks.

She is a co-founder and partner at Red Queen Sustainability, where she advises on sustainable finance, and a partner at Redifin SpA, an impact investment firm based in Milan. She also serves on the Board of Sport4Impact, where she leads initiatives connecting impact investing with sports and development. She served as a Senator at the World Business Angels Investment Forum (WBAF), where she chaired the Smart Finance Committee, and served as Senior Advisory Board Member for Europe at Sigma Ratings (Fitch Group). Damijan is the founder of the European Ethics Bowl, a pan-European interuniversity competition in business ethics, and is a member of the Strategic Council for the Economy at the Government of the Republic of Slovenia. Before her academic and professional achievements, she was a professional tennis player. Competing in the NCAA Gulf South Conference, she was recognized as an All-Star Player.

Ralph Chami

Founder of Blue Green Future, Member of the White House Task Force on Clean Air and Enviornment under Trump Administration, former Deputy director at IMF

Ralph Chami has over 32 years of experience as a financial economist, with 25 years at the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He has also served as a consultant for the World Bank and for the private sector. He is the Co-founder and CEO of Blue Green Future and Rebalance Earth, and holds visiting professor position at Williams College. He is an expert in a range of macro-financial topics including remittances, fragile states, financial inclusion, financial market development, banking regulation and risk management. Ralph is currently working on climate change and nature and biodiversity loss, developing a new framework for valuing natural capital, fauna and flora, to build an equitable and nature-positive economy. He has developed the new field "Science-Based Finance℠,” and is leading and advising on projects around the globe, working with SIDs, indigenous peoples in South Pacific and Native American tribes in the US, as well as governments in Indonesia, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, among others.

He has been invited to join the White House Environmental Advisory Task Force by the Chairman Ed Russo, to advise on natural capital. Ralph is a sought-after speaker on developing nature-positive markets. His work on valuing natural capital has been featured at TED2022, TEDx Florence, NPR, CNN, New York Times, National Geographic, Financial Times, The Economist, The Washington Post, World Economic Forum, among others, and in peer-reviewed journals. He is the recipient of the IMF 2104 Operational Excellence Award, 2020 Hermes Platinum Award, and 2024 MadBlue Five Oceans Award. Ralph is a member of Planetary Guardians and IAPB, is Chief Economist for WAVE, and serves as senior advisor to a number of companies and NGOs including Colossal and Moananui Sanctuary. Ralph has a BS from the American University of Beirut, an MBA in Finance and Statistics from the University of Kansas, and a Ph.D. in Economics from The Johns Hopkins University. Ralph is a professional musician and songwriter. His latest musical collaboration “Moana.”

Dinah Nieburg

Co-Founder, COO and Strategy Director at Blue Green Future

Dinah is a Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer for Blue Green Future (BGF). As a dedicated conservationist, she helped inspire and launch the original research on the economic valuation of the great whales in 2019 (Nature’s Solution to Climate Change – Finance and Development, December 2019) and has promoted this work across media outlets, and by building outreach and partnerships with NGOs, conservationists, IFIs, and the private sector. She has collaborated on the expansion and development of the work on valuing natural capital for the last 8 years. She is a co-author of Towards a Nature-Based Economy published in Frontiers in Climate April 2022, which captures the new economic paradigm, giving a vision for how to transition to a regenerative human-nature relationship and tackle the dual threats of climate and biodiversity loss. In the ocean and marine space, she has worked on legal personhood for whales and co-authored How legal personhood and markets can partner to help save the whale – Frontiers in Ocean Sustainability November 2024. Dinah has also had a long career as an executive coach and psychologist with over 25 years of experience working with international leaders tackling global issues. She has coached leaders at the IMF, as well as many UN organizations working on the front lines, including UNHCR, UNEP, UNDP, and DPKO.

Mateo Ivanac

CEO of Digital Innovation HUB Innovamare, the EIB Blue Champion Award Winner for innovative marine technologies

Mateo Ivanac is the CEO of Digital Innovation HUB Innovamare, a flagship Croatian initiative driving the digital transformation of the blue economy through advanced marine technologies. Under his leadership, Innovamare was awarded the prestigious European Investment Bank »Blue Champion Award« for its pioneering role in sustainable maritime innovation. Over the past decade, Mateo has developed and implemented more than €40 million worth of EU-funded projects focused on innovation ecosystems, advanced technologies, and strengthening the competitiveness of the blue economy across Europe. His work bridges policy, innovation, and sustainability, making him a key figure in the European marine tech landscape. He is currently pursuing a PhD in International Relations, researching »Institutional Contribution to the Blue Economy in the Context of Enhancing the Competitiveness of European Countries.« His academic insights further inform his strategic vision for institutional and cross-sectoral collaboration.

Oliver Avramovski

Regional Director of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Eastern Europe and Central Asia (ECARO)

Oliver Avramoski is the Regional Director of the IUCN Regional Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia. With over three decades of experience in environmental sciences, conservation biology, and policy, he leads IUCN’s work across a diverse region encompassing critical biodiversity landscapes and coastal ecosystems. Throughout his career, Dr. Avramoski has collaborated closely with governments, scientific communities, and civil society to shape integrated conservation strategies aligned with global frameworks, including the IUCN Green List, the Convention on Biological Diversity, and World Heritage Conventions. Under his leadership, IUCN ECARO has expanded its engagement in advancing nature-based solutions, protected area management, and regional cooperation across Eastern Europe and Central Asia. He has a strong track record of promoting cross-sectoral partnerships and leveraging IUCN’s scientific expertise to support sustainable development agendas.

Sladjana Ćosić

Head of the European Investment Bank Group Office in Croatia

Sladjana Ćosić is the Head of the European Investment Bank (EIB) Group Office in Croatia. Her current responsibilities include representing and promoting the EIB Group and its activities and interests to a wide network of state, regional and local stakeholders in the country. Sladjana has over 15 years of operational experience in financing projects from the private and public sectors, in particular on sustainability aspects, in various sectors and regions including the European Union, the Western Balkans, Africa, South and Eastern Asia and the Middle East. In her previous role at the EIB, she focused on issues related to sustainable finance, ESG standards and practices, just transition and she also worked as an expert on the development of new European sustainability reporting standards for the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG) as well as on the development of a social taxonomy for the European Commission’s Platform on Sustainable Finance.

Prior to her 10-year career at the EIB, she worked at the headquarters of the World Bank, focusing on sustainable development operations in the East Asia and Pacific region. Her previous experience includes working on migration-related issues for International Centre for Migration Policy Development in Vienna. He holds two Master’s degrees from the University of Vienna and Johns Hopkins University of Washington, DC, in the fields of social sciences, international relations and economics.

Ana Agostinho

Sustainability Lead Westbrook Racing Team, European Climate Pact Ambassador, and Expert in Blue Carbon, Regenerative Tourism & Sustainable Finance

Ana Agostinho is a Sustainability Leader and European Climate Pact Ambassador with a strong track record in carbon markets, aviation, maritime industries, and the intersection of sports and sustainability. She is the founder of OverSea Business Consulting and a partner of the New York-based E-Fast Ferry company, managing high-impact portfolios focused on clean technology, compliance, Conservation and environmental stewardship. Ana has worked closely with international and intergovernamental institutions to shape sustainable strategies and policies. She is an Ocean Advocate, a member of The Explorers Club, and also currently serves as Sustainability Lead for Westbrook Racing, where she is developing and implementing the team’s sustainability strategy for E1’s Blue Impact Championship.

BLUE NATURAL CAPITAL SUMMIT 2025

WHY DUBROVNIK? WHY NOW?

As the inaugural model city of the regenerative Blue Economy, Dubrovnik is setting the stage for clean marine tech, sustainable tourism, and ocean literacy. Its leadership inspires a new league of cities committed to climate resilience and coastal prosperity.

SCHEDULE

BLUE NATURAL CAPITAL SUMMIT 2025

High-Level Opening Session

10:30 – 11:30
  • Mr. Andrej Plenković – Prime Minister of Croatia

  • Mrs. Teresa Ribera Rodríguez – Vice-President, European Commission (Video address)

  • Mr. Tonči Glavina – Minister of Tourism and Sport, Republic of Croatia

  • Mr. Alejandro Agag – Co-founder & Chairman, UIM E1 World Championship

  • Mr. Ed Russo – Chair, U.S. Federal Environmental Advisory Task Force (Video address)

  • Mr. Mato Franković – Mayor of Dubrovnik

  • Dr. Dinko Lucić – President of the Management Board, Privredna banka Zagreb

  • Mrs. Nikolina Trojić – President, Dubrovnik County Chamber, Croatian Chamber of Economy

Keynote Addresses

11:30 – 12:15
  • Prof. Carlos Duarte – 2025 Japan Prize Laureate; KAUST Distinguished Professor; E1 Chief Scientist
    Topic: Blue Natural Capital: The Scientific Foundation of Ocean Finance

  • Mr. Rodi Basso – Co-founder & CEO, UIM E1 World Championship
    Topic: Promoting the Development of the Blue Economy through Technology and Innovation

  • Mrs. Gabrielle Lemaire – Vice President, Didier Drogba Foundation
    Topic: Sport and Social Purpose – Building Resilient and Inclusive Communities

  • Prof. Sandra Damijan – School of Economics and Business, University of Ljubljana
    Topic: Blue Natural Capital as Croatia’s Economic Strategy

High-Impact Panel Discussion

12:15 – 13:00
  • Prof. Ralph Chami – Founder, Blue Green Future; former Deputy Director at IMF

  • Mrs. Dinah Nieburg – Co-Founder, COO and Strategy Director, Blue Green Future

  • Mrs. Martina Markov – Associate Professor, University of Zadar

  • Mrs. Ana Škevin – Director, Regional Office Split, Croatian Chamber of Economy

  • Mr. Jakov Bešlin – Assistant Minister for Climate and Energy, Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development

  • Mr. Nikolina Brnjac – Former Minister of Tourism and Sport

  • Mr. Maro Kristić – CEO, Luka Dubrovnik

  • Moderator: Mr. Igor Zidić – Director, Adriatic Ionian Euroregion

BLUE NATURAL CAPITAL SUMMIT 2025

Endorse the Manifesto

Join the movement. Endorse the Dubrovnik Manifesto.
Croatia Powerboating Club is a sports and event organization based in Dubrovnik, Croatia, dedicated to promoting innovation in marine sports. As the official host of the E1 World Championship race in Dubrovnik, the Club brings together cutting-edge electric powerboat racing with a strong commitment to sustainability and the preservation of our coastal environment. Alongside racing events, the Club also organizes the Blue Natural Capital Summit, fostering dialogue on blue economy, innovation, and ocean conservation.

CONTACT US

[email protected]
Croatia Powerboating Club
Ulica na skali 4, Komolac, Dubrovnik
OIB: 61138211784
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