Melanie Nakagawa, Chief Sustainability Officer at Microsoft, gave the Conradin von Gugelberg Memorial keynote at the GSB's Climate, Business & Innovation Summit on March 6, 2024.

Melanie brings nearly two decades of experience at the intersection of policy, business, and technology to her role. In her current role, Sje spearheads Microsoft's comprehensive efforts to achieve carbon negativity, water positivity, and zero waste status. Previously, she occupied the role of Special Assistant to President Biden and Senior Director for Climate and Energy on the National Security Council, focusing on crucial climate and energy issues. Before her tenure at the White House, Melanie was instrumental in establishing Princeville Capital's first global growth equity climate technology fund, aimed at investing in companies with groundbreaking solutions to combat climate change.

The annual Conradin von Gugelberg Memorial honors a member of the MBA Class of ’87, and was founded by his peers to foster environmental responsibility among business students. The annual Climate, Business and Innovation Summit brings GSB students, alumni, and the wider Stanford community together to explore the challenges and opportunities presented by climate change.