The 2025 Arctic Circle Business Forum will take place during the Arctic Circle Assembly at the Reykjavík EDITION Hotel, Iceland, October 16 - 18.

The Business Forum was launched during the 2024 Arctic Circle Assembly, taking place during the three Assembly days. The Arctic Circle Business Forum participants benefit from a wide range of sessions and multiple networking events. A key element of the Forum is to highlight sustainable business development and industry best practices.

The 2024 Arctic Circle Business Forum took place on October 17-19, in the Reykjavik EDITION with 90+ speakers including H.E. Kalistat Lund, Minister of Agriculture, Self-Sufficiency, Energy and Environment, Greenland; H.E. Høgni Hoydal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign affairs, Industry and Trade, Faroe Islands; H.E. Dennis Holm, Minister of Fisheries and Infrastructure, Faroe Islands; H.E. Liu Zhenmin, Special Envoy for Climate Change, the People's Republic of China; H.E. Adnan Z. Amin, CEO of COP 28; Director General Emeritus, IRENA and more!

Minister of Agriculture, Self-Sufficiency, Energy and Environment, Greenland

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign affairs, Industry and Trade of the Faroe Islands

Høgni Hoydal was first elected to the Faroese Parliament in 1998. He has been leader of the Republican Party (f. Tjóðveldi) of the Faroe Islands since 2000.

Former cabinet positions in the Faroese Government include: Deputy Prime Minister from 1998-2003 and in 2008; Minister with special responsibility for the Faroese independence process 1998-2003; Minister of Judicial Affairs and Nordic Cooperation 1998-2003; Minister of Culture and Education 2000, 2002 and 2019; Minister of Foreign affairs and Nordic Cooperation 2008; and Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture 2015-2019.

Minister of Fisheries and Infrastructure, Faroe Islands

Special Envoy for Climate Change, the People's Republic of China

Mr. Liu Zhenmin, China's Special Envoy for Climate Change (since January 2024). Previously, he served as the UN Under-Secretary-General (2017-2022, for economic and social affairs), Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of China(2013-2017), Permanent Representative to United Nations Agencies in Geneva(Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, 2012-2013), Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs (2010-2011), Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations (Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, 2006-2010), Director-General of the Department of Treaty and Law (2003-2006) , Counsellor and Deputy Director-General of the Department of Treaty and Law (1996-2003).

In his more than 40 years of experience in the diplomatic service, he has a strong focus on the promotion of bilateral, regional and global issues. He was deeply involved for more than 10 years in multilateral climate change negotiations including the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement,the Dubai conference on the first Global Stocktake. He also widely participated in the international activities on the protection of our planet including Antarctica, Arctic and the oceans. As the UN Under-Secretary-General, he led efforts to coordinate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and global action on climate change. This includes support for the United Nations High-level Dialogue on Energy, the Second United Nations Global Sustainable Transport Conference and the Second United Nations Ocean Conference.

Mr. Liu started his career at the Foreign Ministry in early 1982. He worked in the Department of Treaty Law, the Permanent Mission to the United Nations and the Permanent Mission to the United Nations Agencies in Geneva until the end of 1995. Mr.Liu graduated from Peking University with a master's degree in law at the end of 1981.

CEO of COP 28; Director General Emeritus, IRENA

H.E. Amin is a diplomat and development economist with a focus on sustainable development. In December 2022, Mr. Amin was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the 28th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP28). In his role, he has overall oversight and responsibility for supporting the COP28 President, leading the COP28 Office, and delivering COP28. H.E. Amin was the first Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) based in Abu Dhabi. Prior to this, H.E. Amin has worked in a variety of senior positions within the United Nations system in fields related to environmental policy, sustainable development and renewable energy. He held the positions as the Director of the New York Office of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Special Representative of the UNEP Executive Director. He was born in Kenya in 1957 and graduated with a master's degree in development studies at the University of Sussex. 

Vice Governor, Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan

Head of Communications, KSAT Kongsberg Satellite Services

CEO, NunaGreen, Greenland: Opportunities for Renewable Power Development in Greenland

Former Chair, U.S. Arctic Research Commission; Treadwell Development; Board Member and Former President, Pt Capital, USA

The Business Forum is held within the Assembly area at the Reykjavík EDITION Hotel. All Forum participants can also attend the full Assembly Program in Harpa and make use of the various Assembly area facilities. 

Any ideas, suggestions or questions? Contact our Director of the Arctic Circle Business Forum, Friðrika Hjördís Geirsdóttir fridrika[at]arcticcircle.org

Arctic Circle Business Forum 2024

The Business Forum builds on ten years of Arctic Circle's successful operations, during which many businesses and financial institutions have credited their participation as instrumental for development and success. 

Follow us

Arctic Circle Business Forum

2025 Business Forum

2024 Arctic Circle Business Forum

Speakers have included

Location

Have an idea? Contact us!

Follow Arctic Circle on Social Media

Follow Arctic Circle on Twitter and join the discussion.

Follow Arctic Circle on LinkedIn and join the discussion.

Follow Arctic Circle on Facebook and join the discussion.

Follow Arctic Circle on Instagram and join the discussion.

Follow Arctic Circle on YouTube and join the discussion.

Arctic Circle Flickr photos