Jessie Van Couwenberghe

Jessie Van Couwenberghe is the mission leader of the city of Leuven (European 100 Climate Neutral & Smart Cities). She sees her role primarily as 'connecting the dots': linking and amplifying people, energy, and purpose, both within the city administration and beyond. It's a bumpy road to a climate-neutral city. But in Leuven, there is a fantastic ecosystem to travel along this ambitious path: with searching and finding, trial and error... and bravely persevering. Because the reality - unlike a plan on paper - is messy.

At the Future Generations Conference, the Leuven of tomorrow will be envisioned and further shaped. This allows us to continue feeling and conveying that a climate-neutral future is a story of positive energy and connecting power. In which so many of us have a role to play. What we need for that is a warm heart and a persistent spirit. And leadership. As an entrepreneur, as a professional, as a parent, as a changemaker, as an investor. Each of us who steps into his or her leadership role, which is needed in so many places and moments to make this happen.