Philippe Joubert
Philippe Joubert | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 5, 1954 Saint-Étienne, France |
| Nationality | French, Brazilian |
| Occupation(s) | Business leader, sustainability advisor |
| Known for | Founder and CEO of Earth on Board; Senior Advisor and Special Envoy for Energy and Climate at WBCSD; former Deputy CEO of Alstom Group; Chair of the Prince of Wales’s Corporate Leaders Group |
Philippe Joubert (born 5 June 1954 in Saint-Étienne, France) is a business leader holding dual French and Brazilian nationality.
Joubert is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Earth on Board, serves as Senior Advisor and Special Envoy for Energy and Climate at the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), and leads the advisory board of the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, where he is also a Fellow. Additionally, he acts as Senior Advisor for International Development at the World Energy Council (WEC), providing guidance to governments and corporate leaders on sustainable growth. He occupies multiple Non-Executive Director positions. His previous roles include President of Alstom Power, Deputy CEO of the Alstom Group, and Chair of the Prince of Wales’s Corporate Leaders Group.
Early life and education
Originating from Saint-Étienne, Joubert earned his degree from ESSEC Business School, specializing in Finance and Economics. He further enhanced his expertise through programs at New York University, International Institute for Management Development, and Schumacher College.
His professional journey started in 1976 as Secretary at the Chamber of Commerce in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Between 1977 and 1982, he worked at Brazilian bank BFB, affiliated with Crédit Lyonnais, and in 1983 moved to the United States to become Commercial Vice-President of Crédit Lyonnais USA.
Earth on Board
Joubert established Earth on Board, an alliance comprising CISL, WBCSD, CDP, We Mean Business, Client Earth, and The B Team. The platform’s training programs are delivered in collaboration with the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership.
Alstom
In 1986, Joubert joined Alstom as Finance Director for GEC ALSTHOM Mecanica Pesada in Brazil. He advanced to President & CEO in 1991 and took on the role of General Delegate in 1992. By 1997, he was appointed Country President of GEC ALSTHOM Brazil.
In 2000, he assumed leadership as President of Alstom’s Transmission & Distribution division—responsible for transmission network products and solutions—with €3.2 billion in revenue and a workforce of 25,000 across 70 countries. He was part of the Group Executive Committee until this business unit was divested in 2004.
Starting February 2004, Joubert became Executive Vice-President at Alstom and led the Power Systems Sector, managing Alstom’s global operations. In March 2009, he was named President of the consolidated Alstom Power Sector, integrating power generation equipment and related services. This sector represented 60% of the Group’s operations, generating €12 billion in sales with 47,000 employees worldwide.
On July 4, 2011, Joubert was promoted to Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Alstom, overseeing Strategy & Development across Power, Grid, and Transport divisions; Environment & Sustainability initiatives; international affairs; and expansion within Asian markets.
While heading Alstom Power, Joubert launched the 'Clean Power Today' strategy aimed at broadening CO2-free technology deployment, improving plant efficiency and adaptability, and advancing carbon capture and storage solutions.
He stepped down from operational responsibilities on February 1, 2012, moving into an advisory role to the Chairman & CEO focused on environmental and sustainable development issues.
Sustainable development
In May 2012, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) appointed Joubert to the role of Senior Advisor.
Joubert is the founder and CEO of Earth On Board, serves as senior advisor and special envoy for Energy and Climate at WBCSD, and leads the advisory board at the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, where he holds a Fellowship. He also acts as an International Advisor to the World Energy Council (WEC) and previously held the position of executive chairman at the Global Electricity Initiative. Furthermore, Joubert is a trustee for Client Earth and sits on the advisory board of A4S (Accounting for Sustainability).
He provides counsel to government officials and CEOs of leading multinational corporations, participating on several boards including as a Non-Executive Director on Suzano Pulp and Paper’s Sustainability Committee and as a board member of Voltalia, where he also serves on the Audit Committee.
In earlier roles, Joubert chaired the Prince of Wales’s EU Corporate Leaders Group on Climate Change based in Brussels, was a board member and President of the Strategy and Sustainability Committee at Nexans, served on Nexans South America’s board, and was a Non-Executive Director at Electricity of Cameroun.
At the December 2014 United Nations Climate Change conference COP20 in Lima, Joubert delivered a presentation on the Global Electricity Initiative report, emphasizing the potential for electricity providers to promote a low-carbon future.
Leadership
Philippe is recognized as a keynote speaker and moderator specializing in topics such as Low Carbon Economy, Energy and Climate, Net Zero strategies, Carbon Capture and Storage, Sustainable Infrastructure, and Sustainable Cities. He champions innovative governance frameworks that incorporate natural and social capital while underscoring the fiduciary responsibilities of Boards during this transition.
His expertise has been showcased across prominent business and industry publications including The Economist, South China Morning Post, Nikkei, CNBC Africa, BusinessGreen, and edie. Philippe actively engages with audiences through Twitter and LinkedIn and contributes guest articles to platforms such as Huffington Post, Swiss Re's OpenMinds, and Business Green.