The UNEP FI Global Steering Committee provides executive direction on strategic, work programme and budgetary issues on a regular basis. The Global Steering Committee reports to UNEP FI’s Annual General Meeting, where all Members come together to make decisions on the Initiative’s overall strategic direction, structural issues and budget decisions.
2021 Global Steering Committee Members
Co-Chairs:
- Antoni Ballabriga, Global Head of Responsible Business, BBVA
- Jacki Johnson, Advisor Climate and Sustainability, Insurance Australia Group Limited and Co Chair Australian Sustainable Finance Initiative (ASFI)
Position 1: Europe – Banking (2021-23) and Co-Chair
Antoni Ballabriga
Global Head of Responsible Business, BBVA (Spain)
Antoni Ballabriga is Global Head of Responsible Business at BBVA. He reports directly to the Board of Directors. His mission is to ensure that people are systematically placed at the decision-making processes. He assists the CEO in proposing Responsible Banking policy and defines its plans, and is responsible for its implementation & monitoring. He works mainly as second line to challenge and give support to all areas to embed this policy in their operational models. This includes the design of customer solutions to marketing and sales, customer relations & complaints; sustainable finance integrating environmental & social opportunities & risks; reputation monitoring & risk management; integrated report; community investment.
He is CEO of Momentum Social Investment and professor at ESADE Business School. Former President of DIRSE, Spanish Association of CSR Professionals and Former President of SpainSIF, Spanish Forum for Socially Responsible Investment. Antoni holds a Degree in Business Sciences and MBA from ESADE Business School. He has studied at Harvard Business School and is First Mover Fellow at The Aspen Institute.
Position 2: Asia Pacific – Banking (2021-23)
Sung-hyun Park,
Chief Strategy & Sustainability Officer, Shinhan Financial Group (South Korea)
Park Sung-hyun was appointed as Shinhan Financial Group head of the strategy and sustainability in January 2020. Prior to that, he served as the head of Shinhan Financial Group’s strategic planning team, the head of Shinhan Bank’s institutional customer division, and the manager of Shinhan General Research Institute.
The Group CSO is responsible for both strategy and sustainability for the entire Group, including its Bank, Investment, Asset Management and Insurance subsidiaries, and takes the role as the leader in Shinhan’s ESG efforts. Under the leadership of the Group CSO, Shinhan Financial Group became the first Korean financial institution to declare and implement TCFD-aligned disclosures, proactively drafted and joined the Principles for Responsible Banking with its global peers, and stipulated the Shinhan Financial Group Action Principles towards Climate Change. In the year 2020, the Group CSO further pushed the Group towards sustainability by, for example, helping Shinhan Life Insurance join the PSI, promoting Shinhan Bank to join Equator Principles, supporting Shinhan BNP Parisba asset management to declare TCFD and fortifying the Group-wide governance system to promote ESG with the establishment of the CSO Council for Sustainable Management.
As the CSO of a financial institution in South Korea, Park Sung-hyun faces many challenges in promoting the Group’s eco-friendly financial strategy. “I truly believe that we need more domestic best practice cases in climate finances, and that we need to further elevate domestic standards so that it is well in line with global standards.” Shinhan’s mission is ‘Building a better World through Finance’. Based on this mission, he hopes to spread a positive influence and bring about positive changes for various stakeholders with UNEP FI.
Position 3: Latin America – Banking (2021-23)
Mauricio Velasquez
Coordinator of Environmental & Social Management Program for Financial Institutions, Corporacion Andina de Fomento, CAF (Ecuador)
Mauricio has over 8 years of experience as Principal executive of the Environmental and Climate Change Department at CAF (Latin American Development Bank). He has been the head of the Strategic Program of Environmental and Social Management for financial institutions (PGASIF). Moreover, since 2015 Mauricio has been co-chair of the Latin American Task Force UNEP FI, and promoter of the Protocol of Sustainable Finances of the Banking of Ecuador. His career has a remarkable background in terms of sustainability and environment protection. He has participated as member of the main group that elaborated the Management Plan for the Galapagos National Park and he worked at Galapagos National Park as a Coordinator of Investigation and Development Projects. Additionally, he was the Director of the Environmental Area at the Municipality of Guayaquil for over four years and the Sub-secretary of the Natural Capital Department at the Environment Ministry of Ecuador. He strongly believes on the necessity to create resilient and low carbon economies to improve the livelihood of the Latin American citizens. He holds a Master degree in Environmental and Forest Biology at SUNY (State University of New York). More of his biography here.
Position 4: Europe – Insurance (2019-2021)
Ulrike Decoene
Group Head of Communication, Brand and Corporate Responsibility, AXA (France)
Ulrike Decoene was appointed AXA Group Head of Communication, Brand and Corporate Responsibility in March 2019, Previously she held the role of Chief of Staff to the Group CEO as well as corporate secretary to the Management & Executive Committees of the Group.
Ulrike started working on sustainable finance over 10 years ago during her role at AXA Investment Managers. Working alongside our CEO Thomas Buberl, she supported the various teams concerned (Group CR, Group Investments, AXA IM) with the announcements made by AXA at the inaugural (2017) One Planet Summit, as well as assisted the CEO on his contribution to the different sustainable finance coalitions (eg. TCFD, WEF Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders, Climate Finance Leadership Initiative, Net Zero Asset Owner Alliance).
Of course, in her current role she actively supports AXA’s CR, investments and underwriting teams in advancing our sustainable finance strategy. For example she co-signed the latest TCFD report and actively supported the preparation of our new Climate & Biodiversity strategy, launched on November 27th 2019.
Position 5: Africa – Banking (2021-23)
Musa Salah
Group Manager, Environmental and Sustainability, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (Togo)
Musa Salah is the Group Manager and Head of Environmental and Sustainability Unit at the Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI), Lome-Togo with responsibility covering 36 countries in Africa. Prior to this, he was a Regional Account Manager, United Nations, Agribusiness and Climate Initiatives in the International Organisations Department of Ecobank. Before joining Ecobank in 2008, he worked in the United Nations systems in Ethiopia and Nigeria, from 2003-2008.
Musa served on the Ghana National Climate Change Committee (2010-2012). He has contributed to a number of Policy reports on the Environment and Sustainable Development nexus, including National Councils for Sustainable Development in Africa: A Review of Institutions and their Functioning, UNECA (2005); and Ghana Policy Advisory Series on Climate Change, Africa Adaptation Programme, EPA-Ghana (2011).
He holds MSc degree in Environmental Management, Sustainable Development option, from University of Surrey, UK. He was a Fellow at the UNEP Risoe Centre on Energy, Climate and Sustainable Development, Copenhagen, hosted by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2011); and Chairs the Bank of Ghana Sustainable Banking Principle Committee.
Position 6: Latin America – Insurance (2019-21)
Patricia Coimbra
Human Resources and Sustainability Director, SulAmerica Seguros (Brazil)
Patricia Coimbra is responsible for the overall Sustainability & HR strategy and operations, for ESG (Environment, Social and Governance) business integration, sustainability reports and R$ 6.5 MM social investment strategy. Responsible for International Finance Corporation reports and United Nations Global Compact voluntary commitment. She also share responsibility with SulAmérica Asset Management for PRI commitment.
One recent accomplishment is to be part of Dow Jones Sustainability Indices list for the first time and be part of FTSE4GOOD list again.
SulAmérica employee engagement level has been improving in the last 4 years. In 2015, our engagement level was 75 % in Hay Group survey against 57% in 2013. The percentage of women in executives´ position increased by 14% in the last 3 years.
Before SulAmérica, Patricia was HR Development Director for Oi telecommunications, supporting 1k executives, 25k employees and 30 k third parties (February 2011 – July 2013), in charge of leadership pipeline development, talent management, performance management, and technical training.Patricia has earned a bachelor’s degree in information technology at PUC-RJ and economics at Universidade Candido Mendes-RJ, post graduation in Marketing at PUC-RJ and international executive trainings in SC Johnson and Shell Headquarters.
Position 7: Asia Pacific – Insurance (2019-21) and Co-Chair
Jacki Johnson
Advisor Climate and Sustainability, Insurance Australia Group Limited and Co Chair Australian Sustainable Finance Initiative (ASFI) (Australia)
Jacki is passionate about the role finance can play in ensuring a sustainable and resilient Australia. Jacki started her career in health sciences, moved to safety and risk management and has spent the last 25 years in the insurance sector.
Jacki recently retired from her Group Executive role with Insurance Australia Group and is now an advisor to the Group on Climate, Sustainability and Resilience. In this capacity she holds the roles of Co Chair United Nations Environment Financial Initiative, Co-Chair Australia Sustainable Finance Initiative and Steer- co member Resilient Sydney. She is a Non Executive Director of Community First Credit Union and member of the CFCU Board Corporate Governance subcommittee.
She was CEO Insurance Australia Group New Zealand from 2010 to 2016. Her additional roles in NZ included President of the Insurance Council of NZ and Chair of the Christchurch Recovery Chief Executive Forums. During her career in NZ she was recognised as NZ Herald Executive of the Year.
Jacki is a former Non Executive Director of the NSW Workcover Authority and Personal Injury Education Foundation. She is a keen photographer and enjoys family time with her husband Michael and adult daughter Kirsten.
Jacki holds: BAppSc(OT), EMBA (AGSM) Grad Diploma Safety Science, FAICD
Position 8: Europe – Investment (2021-23)
Günther Thallinger,
Member of the Board of Management, Allianz (Germany)
Günther Thallinger joined Allianz Group in May 2009. He has been a Member of the Board of Management of Allianz SE since January 2017, responsible for Investment Management and the Center of Competence Life & Health. In January 2018 he additionally assumed responsibility for steering ESG topics within Allianz.
Until his appointment to the Board of Management, Günther Thallinger acted as CEO, and before CFO, of Allianz Investment Management SE and was Chairman of the Allianz Investment Management Board. Before joining Allianz, he was principal at McKinsey&Company.
Position 9: Universal position (2021-23)
Valerie Smith
Chief Sustainability Officer and Managing Director
Citigroup (USA)
Val Smith is Managing Director and Citi’s Chief Sustainability Officer. She joined Citi in 2004 and oversees Citi’s global sustainability initiatives, including leading the bank’s Sustainable Progress Strategy and $100 Billion Environmental Finance Goal. Val also serves as an advisor and spokesperson on sustainable finance, climate risk, stakeholder engagement, ESG integration and sustainability trends towards a low carbon economy.
Prior to joining Citi, Val spent a decade working in the environmental sector, including the National Audubon Society, Brainerd Foundation, and the Houston Advanced Research Center. She began her career with the U.S. Peace Corps, where she served for two years in Honduras. She serves on the boards of the UN Global Compact US Network and the New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund, and is a member of the Aspen Institute Leaders Forum. Val earned her MBA from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and her BA from the University of Virginia.
Position 10: Universal Position (2019-2021)
Chad Park,
Vice President, Sustainability & Citizenship, The Co-operators Group Limited (Canada)
Chad Park is the Vice President, Sustainability & Citizenship for The Co-operators. In this role he leads the co-operative’s efforts to embed and integrate sustainability principles throughout the organization, including in its investment strategy and underwriting practices. He also oversees The Co-operators nation-wide community investment and partnership programs.
Prior to joining The Co-operators in June 2020, Chad played a leadership role with several sustainability-focused organizations and initiatives. He served for five years as the Founding Director and Lead Animator of the Energy Futures Lab, a diverse coalition of innovators and partner organizations working together to advance solutions for a transformative energy vision for Canada. He has also served as Executive Director of The Natural Step Canada, a founding Board-member for the Future Fit Foundation in the United Kingdom, and a Board member of the Canadian Energy and Climate Nexus. Chad earned his masters degree as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar at the International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics at Lund University in Sweden and completed the Oxford Social Finance Programme at Oxford University’s Saïd School of Business.
Position 11: Appointed Position
Vacant
Position 12: Appointed Position (2019-2021)
Saker Nusseibeh, CBE
CEO, International at Federated Hermes
Saker is CEO of the international business of Federated Hermes, appointed November 2011, having joined in June 2009 as CIO. He is also a member of the Federated Hermes Executive team. Prior to this, Saker was Global Head of Equities at Fortis Investments, having previously been CIO Global Equities since 2005. Before this, he was CIO of Global Equities and Head of Marketing for SGAM UK. This followed SGAM’s acquisition of Trust Company of the West, where Saker was a Managing Director running global and international strategies, as well the London office. He started his career at Mercury Asset Management in 1987.
Saker is founder of the 300 Club and was an inaugural member of the CFA Institute’s Future of Finance Advisory Council from 2013 until 2019. He is a member of the IIRC Council, the FCA-PRA Climate Financial Risk Forum, the United Nations Environmental Programme Financial Initiative Steering Committee, the Banking Standards Board, the UK National Advisory Board on Impact Investing, and the advisory Board of the National Youth Orchestra.
In 2018, Saker was named CEO of the Year at the Financial News Asset Management Europe Awards. He has a BA and PhD in Medieval History from King’s College, University of London.
Saker was awarded a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the Queen’s 2019 New Year’s Honours list for services to Responsible Business and Finance.
Position 13: UNEP Representative
Ligia Noronha
UN Assistant Secretary-General and Head of UNEP, New York Office
Ligia Noronha is the UN Assistant Secretary-General and Head of UNEP, New York Office, an economist with over 30 years of international professional experience in promoting environmental sustainability.
She was appointed in April 2014 as Director of the UN Environment Programme, Division of Technology, Industry and Economics – now known as the Economy Division. The Division works to shift economies from brown to green with a strategic focus on decarbonizing, decoupling, and detoxifying. Ms. Noronha acted as Lead Director of two of the seven UN Environment’s sub-programmes, namely chemicals and waste, and resource efficiency, and leads the emerging agenda on Environment/Pollution and Health. Until 2018, she also led the climate change sub programme.
Prior to joining UN Environment, Ligia Noronha worked in The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) as Executive Director of Research Coordination and Director of the Resources, Regulation and Global Security Division. She has published on issues related to energy and resource security, climate change, India’s environmental and coastal policy, responsible mining, coastal tourism and resource and environmental federalism.
She holds a Masters in Economics from the University of Bombay, a Masters in Sea Use Law, Economics, and Policy, and a PhD from the London School of Economics.
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