João is Executive Director of the Hydropower Sustainability Alliance, the multistakeholder standard setting organisation that manages the HS Standard.Over the past six years, João lead the sustainability work of the International Hydropower Association, championing environmental stewardship and social equity in the sector. In this period, he delivered numerous projects in the field of international development, played a pivotal role in the creation of a new sustainability certification system, and led the foundation of the new HS Alliance.His work focuses on high-level engagement with development agencies, NGOs, financiers, and governments to scale up the use of sustainability principles in a fair energy transition – by embedding the HS Standard in financial mechanisms, industry processes, civil society expectations, and government regulations. His prior experience included working on various international projects, including hydropower and other infrastructure initiatives in the UK, Portugal and the Middle East. João holds an MPhil in Engineering for Sustainable Development from the University of Cambridge and a Masters in Civil Engineering from the Instituto Superior Tecnico of Lisbon.