Partner & CEO

Claudio founded BFP in Milan, Italy, in 2005, following 35 years of international experience in operational and general management within the agribusiness and biofuels sectors. Current Senior Industry Advisor for Private Equity & Credit to the EU fund, Ambienta SgR.
A pioneer in the European biofuels industry, Claudio was instrumental in establishing several key initiatives. As the former CEO of Novaol, the world’s first biodiesel plant based in Italy, and as a Director on the Board of Vertex Bioenergy, Spain’s leading bioethanol producer, Claudio has significantly contributed to the growth of biofuels in Europe. He also served as President of the European Biodiesel Board.
Earlier in his career, Claudio played a crucial role in developing the Green Chemistry strategy that led to the creation of Novamont, a global leader in biochemicals and bioplastics. His extensive background includes various business development roles with major agribusiness companies such as Cargill and Bunge.

Paolo is a Partner and Chief Operating Officer (COO) at BFP, bringing over 25 years of global expertise in biofuel, biomass, and energy. Current Senior Industry Advisor for Private Equity & Credit to the EU fund, Ambienta SgR.
With over a decade of experience at Clariant AG, Paolo held leadership roles in biotechnology, including Head of Business Development and Head of Sales and Marketing for the Cellulosic Biofuels and Derivatives division. His responsibilities span EMEA, the Americas, India, and Asia-Pacific.
Recognized expert in advanced bioethanol, renewable diesel (HVO), and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) technologies. His expertise extends to 2G feedstock utilization, biomass-to-power projects, sustainability management, and regulatory lobbying. He also plays a significant role in industry advocacy as a board member of ePure, founder of the Low Carbon Biofuels Forum, and a member of the European Waste-Based & Advanced Biofuels Association (EWABA).
Paolo holds a Master’s Degree in Industrial Engineering from the Politecnico di Milano.

Mladen brings over 20 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, where he has held diverse roles in downstream operations, including trade, logistics, planning and optimization, project management, and technology R&D. He previously served as Director at INA, the Croatian oil and gas company, where he led the transformation of a traditional oil refinery into a 2G biorefinery. His responsibilities included project development, sustainability management, biomass supply chain management, procurement, project financing, and securing EU funding for CCS, CCUS, and BECCUS projects.
As the founder and CEO of IMWAY Consulting, Mladen leads a team of experts that has conducted due diligence on biofuel plants and explored the feasibility of 2G ethanol, biogas, Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), and renewable diesel (HVO) production over the past three years.
Mladen holds a Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering and Technology from the University of Zagreb.

Gloria Gaupman is a seasoned public affairs professional and policy expert with nearly 20 years of experience in the biofuels and chemical industries. Trained as a political scientist, she has spent a decade leading government affairs for Clariant’s alternative fuels and bio-based chemicals division. Gloria has served as a Board member of the Bio-based Industries Consortium, led the renewable feedstock policy group for the German Chemical Industry Association, and chaired the Leaders of Sustainable Biofuels industry platform.
She previously served as the Deputy Secretary General of ePure and began her career as a policy advisor in the European Parliament.

Michele, an economist at Oxford University and INSEAD, has spent the last decade leading family investments in Cleantech SMEs. He successfully took one of these companies, focused on biomethane innovation, public on the Milan Stock Exchange as CEO. From 2007 to 2011, Michele was the founder and managing partner of the Infrastructure Fund at Generali Insurance, following a similar role with Macquarie Bank in London.
Earlier in his career, Michele held senior positions at BNP Paribas, where he served as Director of Corporate Finance, and at the IFC/World Bank in Washington, where he worked as a Senior Investment Officer, primarily focusing on the energy and water sectors.

Michele Rubino is a seasoned business executive based in the United States with an extensive track record in biotech and cleantech. His background covers the energy sector, cleantech, biotech, food and pharma. Throughout his career, he has been involved in multiple roles across different fields. His first expertise is in the area of renewable fuels, bio-based chemicals, synthetic biology, industrial biotechnology and carbon markets. He is passionate about enabling and deploying new technologies and solutions at the intersection between life sciences and sustainability. Michele holds an MS in Industrial Engineering from the Politecnico of Milan and an MBA from MIT Sloan School of Management.

Martin Mitchell is a global business development executive based in the USA having successfully conducted business in over 20 countries for advanced biofuel, renewable chemical, biotechnology and e-mobility companies such as Clariant AG, TurnOnGreen, Efficient Robotics, Kemin.  Martin holds an MBA from Iowa State University and supports The State of Iowa Economic Development Authority.

Luigi brings over 20 years of experience in environmental and sustainability assessments, working as a freelance professional and leading projects focused on sustainability improvement plans. His areas of expertise include sustainability advisory, supply chain traceability, compliance with major legislative requirements and certification standards for both agricultural crops and industrial processes, environmental due diligence, CO2 emissions inventory assessment, and risk analysis. Additionally, Luigi is qualified as an auditor and verifier with several certification bodies.

Delia holds an MBA and a degree in agricultural science from Bocconi Business School. She has extensive experience in the agribusiness sector, specifically in non-food applications of agricultural products. Delia has devoted much of her career to developing the biodiesel industry, holding various operational roles in product, market, and legislative framework development across Italy and Europe. Her deep expertise includes regulatory affairs within the biofuels sector.

Cristina has over 25 years of experience in top management secretarial and administrative support. As an employee of BFP since 2005, she has played a pivotal role in the company’s establishment and is responsible for overseeing all administrative and organizational activities within the company.