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Federico Perez
Founder & CEO at Selvitas | Natural Capital | Social Impact | Yale
Federico Perez is a Colombian entrepreneur and the Founder and CEO of Selvitas, a company focused on environmental and social impact initiatives. He is also a member of the Youth Advisory Group at the Social Enterprise World Forum (SEWF), where he contributes to ensuring that the forum's plans and programming are inclusive and relevant for young social enterprise leaders globally.13
In addition to his role at SEWF, Federico is recognized as a Keynote Speaker, Board Member, and an IUCN Young Changemaker. He has been involved in various initiatives aimed at scaling forest restoration in Colombia and integrating smallholder farmers into global value chains. His academic background includes studies in development economics, supply chain management, and tropical forest landscapes, which inform his advocacy for climate action and sustainable leadership.23
Federico's involvement in international forums, such as COP28, underscores his commitment to driving impactful environmental stewardship and influencing public policies related to climate resilience and sustainable development.2
Highlights
🌿 Delighted to announce that I’ve completed the Tropical Forest Landscapes certificate program at Yale School of the Environment. Over the past year, this valuable experience not only deepened my understanding of ecosystem conservation and restoration but also provided opportunities to expand my impact through Selvitas.
📖 I was honored to be featured by the university discussing how the program has helped refine our community-driven restoration and conservation efforts. This educational journey also enriched my participation in activities like COP28, where I applied the insights gained as a public speaker and joined the university’s programming.
🎓 Special thanks to Gillian Bloomfield and the Yale University faculty for their guidance, and heartfelt gratitude to the Three Cairns Group for their generous scholarship support.
🔎 Stay tuned for exciting updates as I continue my academic journey at Yale and engage as a member of the TFL Alumni Committee Leaders.
🌐 Thrilled to share my recent experience as a delegate and speaker at the ECOSOC Youth Forum at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. I was honored to present at the rostrum during the "SDG 17 - Working with Youth as Full-Fledged Partners: Youth and the Future of Work" session and the "Innovate and Lead" side event, alongside ECOSOC's President, H.E. Paula Narvaez.
🚀 During these sessions, I shared insights from my successful collaboration with the UN's International Trade Centre and its youth platform, the Ye! Community. We are dedicated to empowering young leaders to catalyze significant impact through entrepreneurship, especially in our collective efforts to address climate change.
⚡ The passion displayed by the participants was truly inspiring. The real value of such forums lies in genuine engagement—connecting with like-minded individuals and entities, and finding effective ways to contribute. These experiences underscore the importance of creating platforms that offer more than just speeches; they must foster meaningful collaboration and impact.
🤝 Many thanks to the International Trade Centre's Youth and Trade Programme (Mayara Louzada - Milena Niehaus) and the World Intellectual Property Organization – WIPO for their support. Forums like these must go beyond ceremonial acknowledgments of youth participation, empowering us to significantly influence policies, resolutions, and the mechanisms that drive international agendas.
