Carlo Stella

Managing Partner

Global Practice Leader, Sustainability

United Arab Emirates

Carlo is Manging Partner and Global Head of Sustainability Practice

Carlo Stella

Education

Politecnico di Torino (Italy),
Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering
University of Illinois at Chicago (USA)
Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering

Past Experience

CERN (Geneva)
internship

Country Grouping

Carlo Stella

Carlo is Managing Partner and Global Head of Sustainability Practice.

His main areas of expertise cover strategy definition, organizational design, transformation programs where he infuses sustainability as relevant for the clients. He has practiced his skills in several industries, such as postal, travel, private equity, FMCG, manufacturing and financial services before focusing more in latter years on utilities and public sector.

Accustomed to work with multicultural teams in different countries, Carlo started his career with Arthur D. Little in Italy, where he was involved in projects in several countries, e.g., Belgium, China, Croatia, France, Italy and Switzerland. In 2013, Carlo participated in the Arthur D. Little international mobility program, and then transferred permanently to the Dubai office.

Beyond his role as Global Practice Leder, Sustainability Practice Carlo is actively engaged in company development through his active participation in the internal ESG Steering Committee as well as in leading the ESG and Collaboration initiatives in ADL Middle East and India

Carlo is fluent in Italian, English and French, and has basic communication skills in Arabic.

Aluminum: The path to green
Aluminum: The path to green
Global aluminum consumption is on a path to reach 124 million tons by 2030, but growth comes at an environmental cost. Production of the silvery white element is energy-intensive, pumping out more CO2 than most other metals. In the context of decarbonization pledges, the onus is on the aluminum industry to build a greener future. This Viewpoint examines the many facets of green aluminum with a focus on the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and its potential to lead the change.
Seabed mining: A $20 trillion opportunity
Seabed mining: A $20 trillion opportunity
Seabed mining offers a unique US $20 trillion opportunity to extract critical minerals that are essential for batteries, electric vehicles (EVs), and other green technologies. This Viewpoint explores the economic potential and environmental impact of seabed mining as an alternative to traditional land-based mining, which faces challenges due to declining ore grades, stricter environmental regulations, and rising production costs.
Oil, petrochemicals & water: Finding a new equilibrium
Oil, petrochemicals & water: Finding a new equilibrium
Water is a vital resource for human life — and for many industrial processes. Water scarcity is a growing global trend, exacerbated by climate change and increasing demand. As major users of water, how can the oil refining and petrochemical sectors improve water management, guarantee supply, and protect the local environment? This Viewpoint explains the current context and outlines strategies to meet the industry’s current and future water challenges.
Successful private sector participation in noncore defense activities
Successful private sector participation in noncore defense activities
Defense entities are facing increasing complexity. While defense budgets are decreasing in real terms, the range of threats is widening. Managing the integration of technology and capabilities across land, sea, air, and space is ever more crucial. These challenges require an emphasis on core defense activities. Expanding private sector participation (PSP) in noncore defense services and assets is an option that improves focus, meets challenges, and frees up budgets for frontline activities.
Hydrogen
Hydrogen
While much of the focus on achieving net zero has been on green electricity, momentum is growing behind hydrogen within the energy transition, with the IEA predicting a four-fold increase in demand between now and 2040.
Water supply for mining industry
Water supply for mining industry: The Chile case
Government agencies, water and wastewater utilities, and engineering and mining companies are seeking to optimize water supply, decrease water consumption, and recycle water needed for sustainable production of critical metals and minerals. Recently, Arthur D. Little (ADL) took a deep dive into mining in Chile and studied the actions the industry there took to address the country’s water scarcity issues. Other parts of the world struggle with similar obstacles and may find guidance in this Viewpoint useful to help overcome them.
Taking demand-side response to the household level
Taking demand-side response to the household level
Within an extremely limited period and without a break, Europe — and the world as a whole — is undergoing the second consecutive major shock spanning geographies and industries. Both businesses and households alike are feeling the depths of the current energy crisis in their energy bills. However, this ongoing crisis will undoubtedly represent opportunities, too.
Overcoming the challenges to sustainability
Overcoming the challenges to sustainability
Exploring the state of sustainability & the challenges to adoption
Corporate sustainability – Using your ecosystem to sustain the ecosystem
It has been nearly 25 years since the Brundtland Report introduced the modern concept of sustainable development, highlighting its three fundamental components – the environment, the economy, and society. Yet since then, despite the many global, regional, and local goals, pledges, and initiatives, society has been largely ineffective in transforming discussions around sustainability into concrete and strategic actions.
An unprecedented opportunity for a new start
Rethinking corporations’ role for a sustainable future
Successful Public-Private Partnerships
Public-private partnerships (PPPs) are an essential tool to satisfy and advance infrastructure needs worldwide. If planned, designed and implemented properly, PPPs can contribute to national development and growth across all socioeconomic sectors, benefiting private- and public-sector players.
The forecourt of the future
The traditional forecourt model is at its inevitable end. Electric vehicles (EVs), autonomous cars, data analytics, and the Internet of Things (IoT) are only a few of the emerging technologies threatening the classic fuel-station customer experience. What will the next-generation forecourt scene be like? Transformation of the fuel retail business should not be underestimated. Its huge dimension (over 300,000 sites globally) implies that it will not only impact existing players, but also revolutionize its customers and adjacent markets.
Electric mobility impact on downstream oil business
Mobility has been dominated by combustion engines and fuelled by oil companies. Regulation, customer demand and technological development, are pushing electricity as a mobility power source, which will inevitably impact the downstream oil business. While the traditional business model is under threat, new opportunities arise. There is still uncertainty over the potential of electric mobility and the impact it could have on certain businesses, but we have deep-dived and estimated the impact on the downstream oil business.
The Lebanon municipal solid waste crisis
Most developed countries have established solid waste management practices to deal with different types of waste in economical and environmentally friendly ways, including industrial and hazardous waste, medical waste, construction and demolition waste, agricultural waste, waste-water sludge and special waste types such as tires, end-of-life vehicles, and electronic waste. However, Lebanon underwent a crisis in 2015 due to its difficulties in dealing with its municipal solid waste, which culminated in uncollected waste piling up in the streets and illegal open dumping and burning.
Electric vehicles and electric utilities
While several stakeholders are supportive of the widespread adoption of electric vehicles, we have looked specifically at electric utilities to understand the opportunities that such a change in the transportation landscape can generate, and define the key questions to be addressed in order to embrace them. We have identified four business models – by no means evolutionary – that can be looked at independently, and eventually combined to fit the company’s strategy and the specific market conditions (e.g., regulation, competition, ecosystem, customer readiness).
Utilities’ contribution to national fiber development
The ultra-broadband demand-supply balance remains an unsolved equation
Digital future of electrical networks
Digital transformation is one of the most important changes the utilities industry faces these days. This transformation is not limited to changing how companies interact with their clients, but also impacts the way they operate internally, as well as where and how value is created. In order to prepare for this landslide transformation, electricity companies must adapt their practices to facilitate such a change.

Carlo Stella

Carlo is Managing Partner and Global Head of Sustainability Practice.

His main areas of expertise cover strategy definition, organizational design, transformation programs where he infuses sustainability as relevant for the clients. He has practiced his skills in several industries, such as postal, travel, private equity, FMCG, manufacturing and financial services before focusing more in latter years on utilities and public sector.

Accustomed to work with multicultural teams in different countries, Carlo started his career with Arthur D. Little in Italy, where he was involved in projects in several countries, e.g., Belgium, China, Croatia, France, Italy and Switzerland. In 2013, Carlo participated in the Arthur D. Little international mobility program, and then transferred permanently to the Dubai office.

Beyond his role as Global Practice Leder, Sustainability Practice Carlo is actively engaged in company development through his active participation in the internal ESG Steering Committee as well as in leading the ESG and Collaboration initiatives in ADL Middle East and India

Carlo is fluent in Italian, English and French, and has basic communication skills in Arabic.

Aluminum: The path to green
Aluminum: The path to green
Global aluminum consumption is on a path to reach 124 million tons by 2030, but growth comes at an environmental cost. Production of the silvery white element is energy-intensive, pumping out more CO2 than most other metals. In the context of decarbonization pledges, the onus is on the aluminum industry to build a greener future. This Viewpoint examines the many facets of green aluminum with a focus on the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and its potential to lead the change.
Seabed mining: A $20 trillion opportunity
Seabed mining: A $20 trillion opportunity
Seabed mining offers a unique US $20 trillion opportunity to extract critical minerals that are essential for batteries, electric vehicles (EVs), and other green technologies. This Viewpoint explores the economic potential and environmental impact of seabed mining as an alternative to traditional land-based mining, which faces challenges due to declining ore grades, stricter environmental regulations, and rising production costs.
Oil, petrochemicals & water: Finding a new equilibrium
Oil, petrochemicals & water: Finding a new equilibrium
Water is a vital resource for human life — and for many industrial processes. Water scarcity is a growing global trend, exacerbated by climate change and increasing demand. As major users of water, how can the oil refining and petrochemical sectors improve water management, guarantee supply, and protect the local environment? This Viewpoint explains the current context and outlines strategies to meet the industry’s current and future water challenges.
Successful private sector participation in noncore defense activities
Successful private sector participation in noncore defense activities
Defense entities are facing increasing complexity. While defense budgets are decreasing in real terms, the range of threats is widening. Managing the integration of technology and capabilities across land, sea, air, and space is ever more crucial. These challenges require an emphasis on core defense activities. Expanding private sector participation (PSP) in noncore defense services and assets is an option that improves focus, meets challenges, and frees up budgets for frontline activities.
Hydrogen
Hydrogen
While much of the focus on achieving net zero has been on green electricity, momentum is growing behind hydrogen within the energy transition, with the IEA predicting a four-fold increase in demand between now and 2040.
Water supply for mining industry
Water supply for mining industry: The Chile case
Government agencies, water and wastewater utilities, and engineering and mining companies are seeking to optimize water supply, decrease water consumption, and recycle water needed for sustainable production of critical metals and minerals. Recently, Arthur D. Little (ADL) took a deep dive into mining in Chile and studied the actions the industry there took to address the country’s water scarcity issues. Other parts of the world struggle with similar obstacles and may find guidance in this Viewpoint useful to help overcome them.
Taking demand-side response to the household level
Taking demand-side response to the household level
Within an extremely limited period and without a break, Europe — and the world as a whole — is undergoing the second consecutive major shock spanning geographies and industries. Both businesses and households alike are feeling the depths of the current energy crisis in their energy bills. However, this ongoing crisis will undoubtedly represent opportunities, too.
Overcoming the challenges to sustainability
Overcoming the challenges to sustainability
Exploring the state of sustainability & the challenges to adoption
Corporate sustainability – Using your ecosystem to sustain the ecosystem
It has been nearly 25 years since the Brundtland Report introduced the modern concept of sustainable development, highlighting its three fundamental components – the environment, the economy, and society. Yet since then, despite the many global, regional, and local goals, pledges, and initiatives, society has been largely ineffective in transforming discussions around sustainability into concrete and strategic actions.
An unprecedented opportunity for a new start
Rethinking corporations’ role for a sustainable future
Successful Public-Private Partnerships
Public-private partnerships (PPPs) are an essential tool to satisfy and advance infrastructure needs worldwide. If planned, designed and implemented properly, PPPs can contribute to national development and growth across all socioeconomic sectors, benefiting private- and public-sector players.
The forecourt of the future
The traditional forecourt model is at its inevitable end. Electric vehicles (EVs), autonomous cars, data analytics, and the Internet of Things (IoT) are only a few of the emerging technologies threatening the classic fuel-station customer experience. What will the next-generation forecourt scene be like? Transformation of the fuel retail business should not be underestimated. Its huge dimension (over 300,000 sites globally) implies that it will not only impact existing players, but also revolutionize its customers and adjacent markets.
Electric mobility impact on downstream oil business
Mobility has been dominated by combustion engines and fuelled by oil companies. Regulation, customer demand and technological development, are pushing electricity as a mobility power source, which will inevitably impact the downstream oil business. While the traditional business model is under threat, new opportunities arise. There is still uncertainty over the potential of electric mobility and the impact it could have on certain businesses, but we have deep-dived and estimated the impact on the downstream oil business.
The Lebanon municipal solid waste crisis
Most developed countries have established solid waste management practices to deal with different types of waste in economical and environmentally friendly ways, including industrial and hazardous waste, medical waste, construction and demolition waste, agricultural waste, waste-water sludge and special waste types such as tires, end-of-life vehicles, and electronic waste. However, Lebanon underwent a crisis in 2015 due to its difficulties in dealing with its municipal solid waste, which culminated in uncollected waste piling up in the streets and illegal open dumping and burning.
Electric vehicles and electric utilities
While several stakeholders are supportive of the widespread adoption of electric vehicles, we have looked specifically at electric utilities to understand the opportunities that such a change in the transportation landscape can generate, and define the key questions to be addressed in order to embrace them. We have identified four business models – by no means evolutionary – that can be looked at independently, and eventually combined to fit the company’s strategy and the specific market conditions (e.g., regulation, competition, ecosystem, customer readiness).
Utilities’ contribution to national fiber development
The ultra-broadband demand-supply balance remains an unsolved equation
Digital future of electrical networks
Digital transformation is one of the most important changes the utilities industry faces these days. This transformation is not limited to changing how companies interact with their clients, but also impacts the way they operate internally, as well as where and how value is created. In order to prepare for this landslide transformation, electricity companies must adapt their practices to facilitate such a change.

More About Carlo
  • Politecnico di Torino (Italy),
    Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering
  • University of Illinois at Chicago (USA)
    Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering
  • CERN (Geneva)
    internship