SEforALL appoints Stefano Marguccio as Deputy CEO

Press release

SEforALL strengthens its leadership through the appointment of its first Deputy CEO to work with the CEO through her second term (2025-2029) to drive accelerated action on SDG7.

Vienna, Austria  - June 27, 2024:  Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) announced today the appointment of Mr. Stefano Marguccio as its first Deputy Chief Executive Officer effective July 1st. The career diplomat is expected to play a key leadership role in strengthening SEforALL’s internal processes and operations through this period of accelerated growth.

Marguccio will work with Damilola Ogunbiyi, CEO of SEforALL, the organization’s Governance Board, staff and key partners to scale tangible progress in key countries and shape the international agenda for a just and equitable energy transition – all towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7) by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2050.

With just over five years to achieve SDG7, SEforALL has prioritized evidence-based support to in-country capacity building that is driving policy, project, and ecosystem action with sustainable energy solutions towards climate and development priorities.

The 2024-26 SEforALL Strategic Plan prioritizes three pillars of work:

  • Global advocacy and knowledge dissemination for SDG7 and a just and equitable energy transition
  • Scalable solutions and platforms that develop and provide replicable solutions to address common challenges to regional or global issues
  • Tailored country support to address country-specific needs for a just and equitable energy transition

Marguccio joins SEforALL at an important juncture where momentum has increased due to the tremendous impact achieved under the current CEO’s leadership:

  • USD 1.3 trillion in commitments expressed through Energy Compacts to support the achievement of SDG7. SEforALL, in partnership with UN-Energy, spearheaded the Energy Compacts, enabling the first-time capture of energy specific voluntary SDG7 commitments, aligned with Nationally Determined Contributions. 
  • 129,000,000 people have gained access to electricity and 22,000,000 people have gained access to clean cooking through Energy Compact commitments.
  • Raised USD 40 million as subsidy to bridge the gap for new mini-grid and high capacity standalone solar systems that supported Sierra Leone, Madagascar, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Benin and Nigeria through the Universal Energy Facility (UEF), a results-based financing facility and multi-donor platform managed by SEforALL.
  • 330 young women from the Global South trained in the sustainable energy sector and benefited from career development. 
  • Supported eight Presidencies of the G20 & COP – Saudia Arabia, Italy, Indonesia, India and Brazil under G20 and the UK, Egypt and the UAE under COP to advance just and equitable energy transitions.
  • Supported Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Barbados and Sierra Leone to develop Energy Transition and Investment Plans providing an opportunity for these countries to build energy systems that support economic and social development and achieve net-zero emissions.
  • Supported the development of national integrated energy plans (IEPs) to help direct resources effectively and efficiently to help achieve Malawi, Nigeria and Madagascar’s goals for electrification and clean cooking access.

Mr. Marguccio brings to this new role over 19 years of experience working as a diplomatic advisor to Italy’s Minister of Environment and in various roles with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in addition to diplomatic postings to the Council of Europe, Albania, Venezuela and the United Nations.

In his most recent role at the International Renewable Energy Agency, Mr. Marguccio provided managerial oversight and strategic support to the Director General on implementation of its priorities.

Stefano Marguccio, Deputy CEO, Sustainable Energy for All, said
“I am thrilled to be joining SEforALL, which is an important voice in the climate, energy and development space, amplifying the needs and leadership of developing countries. At this critical juncture, as we double our efforts to meet the urgent and looming 2030 deadline, I am looking forward to hitting the ground running and to working with the team to implement the organizational priorities under the ongoing strategic plan. More than ever, we have to leverage the amazing partnerships that Damilola built in recent years and make concrete impact.”

Damilola Ogunbiyi, CEO and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All and Co-Chair of UN-Energy, said:
“I am looking forward to working with Stefano to drive even greater ambition in our important pursuits of ending energy poverty and supporting governments to transition their energy systems in a just and equitable manner. SEforALL has grown rapidly to support countries around the world in advancing their energy transition, and as such Stefano joins us at a critical time as we strengthen ourselves to continue in our pursuit of enabling developing countries in benefiting from the energy transition, rather than merely being victims of the climate crisis.”

– Ends –

 

NOTES TO EDITORS


About Sustainable Energy for All

Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) is an international organization that works in partnership with the United Nations and leaders in government, the private sector, financial institutions, civil society and philanthropies to drive faster action towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7) – access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all by 2030 – in line with the Paris Agreement on climate. SEforALL works to ensure a clean energy transition that leaves no one behind and brings new opportunities for everyone to fulfill their potential. Learn more about our work at SEforALL.org.

Media Contact: 
Sherry Kennedy, Director of Communications: 

Sherry.Kennedy@SEforALL.org

 Media@SEforALL.org

 +43 676 486 2425