Ottó Toldi graduated as an ecologist from the Kossuth Lajos University of Sciences in Debrecen in 1988 and spent 20 years working as a biotechnologist at the Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center in Gödöllő, progressing through the ranks from PhD student to Deputy Director General. His work has taken him to numerous countries worldwide, including a year and a half in Finland and nearly three years in England at the University of Sussex in Brighton as a Royal Society Fellow. During this time, he co-authored thirty-six English-language journal articles, two internationally published textbooks, six invited book chapters, and thirty-one conference abstracts. In 2010, he made a significant career shift, transitioning into public administration. As a biotechnologist, he had already been deeply interested in the use of biomass as a renewable industrial raw material and energy source. Initially, he pursued this field from a different perspective at the Ministry of National Development. Later, as Deputy Head of Department, he led a small but dedicated professional team responsible for developing the National Energy Strategy, which was adopted by the National Assembly in 2011, along with its related action plans. Even after that, he remained involved in drafting nearly all major strategic documents, including the new National Energy Strategy, the National Energy and Climate Plan, and the National Clean Development Strategy, in various capacities. His contributions were recognized with the Bólyai Prize from the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in 2002, and in 2013, he received a ministerial award. On March 1, 2021, he joined the Climate Policy Institute as a research manager, aiming to become a valuable member of this young and ambitious team while contributing to shaping its scientific direction.