UNEP FI Regional Roundtable Europe: Speakers

Careen Abb
SDGs and Impact Lead, UNEP FI

Careen leads the SDGs and Impact team at UNEP FI. This initiative aims to catalyse the finance sector’s ability to finance sustainable development and the transition to a more inclusive and sustainable economy – as per the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted in 2015. At the heart of the Initiative lie the Principles for Positive Impact Finance and the belief that impact that impact-based business and financing models will be key to addressing the SDG financing gap.
This focus builds on close to 10 years at UNEP FI, during which Careen helped develop and expand the sustainable finance agenda in emerging markets, by supporting the development of strong in-country sustainable finance networks and the creation of a well-established training programme on environmental & social risk management. A strong believer in the need for simple communication tools for banking practitioners, Careen is also co-author of UNEP FI’s Guide to Banking & Sustainability.

Denisa Avermaete
Senior Policy Adviser, Sustainable Finance, European Banking Federation

Denisa Avermaete is a senior policy adviser at the European Banking Federation (EBF) currently in charge of sustainable finance. Joining the EBF in 2006, she held various positions in the fields of payments, accounting and prudential regulation, following and contributing to the development of several key legislations and financial reporting standards such IFRS 9. She started her career in Creditanstalt, an Austrian bank active in Eastern Europe. She left the position of deputy head of the International Payments Department to join the Slovak Banking Association. She holds a Master’s degree in banking and finance from the University of Economics in Bratislava.

Butch Bacani
Programme Leader, UN Environment Programme’s Principles for Sustainable Insurance Initiative

Butch Bacani leads UN Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Principles for Sustainable Insurance Initiative (PSI), the largest collaboration between the UN and the insurance industry. Endorsed by the UN Secretary-General and insurance industry CEOs, the PSI is a global framework and initiative for the industry to address sustainability issues—as risk managers, insurers and investors—and to build resilient, inclusive and sustainable communities and economies.

Butch leads activities supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals, Paris Agreement on Climate Change, and the Financial Stability Board’s climate risk disclosure recommendations (TCFD). These include a global initiative to develop “Insurance Sustainable Development Goals”, the largest gathering of insurers to pilot the TCFD recommendations, and working with the California Insurance Commissioner to develop the world’s first sustainable insurance roadmap. He co-led the development of the first global sustainability guide for the insurance business, led the creation of the Insurance Industry Development Goals for Cities, forged the PSI’s partnership with the world’s inclusive insurance community, and co-led the creation of UNEP’s Sustainable Insurance Forum for supervisors and regulators. Butch is involved in the InsuResilience Global Partnership, Vulnerable 20 Group of Finance Ministers, California Climate Insurance Working Group, Insurance Development Forum, and Microinsurance Network. In 2020, he was included in InsuranceERM’s inaugural list of the most influential people leading and shaping the insurance industry’s response to climate change.

Butch led the global process that created the PSI in 2012, and UNEP’s insurance and investment programmes from 2006 to 2010, including activities with the UN-supported Principles for Responsible Investment Initiative (PRI). He has shaped global insurance industry initiatives to address climate change, disaster risks, tobacco risks, illegal fishing and plastic pollution; and to protect natural and cultural UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Butch has authored pioneering studies on sustainable insurance and responsible investment. Previously, he was in the insurance industry for over a decade, working with leading insurers and reinsurers worldwide.

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.

Clara Barby
CEO, Impact Management Project

Clara has led the IMP since inception in 2016 and is on secondment from Bridges Fund Management, where she previously led the firm’s sustainable and impact investing strategies across all fund types. Clara also led the firm’s research and development efforts to promote the growth of the wider sustainable and impact investment sector.

Prior to Bridges Fund Management, Clara focused her career on investing in sustainable businesses – most recently on the management team of a healthcare chain in India and Acumen portfolio company. Clara previously worked for Acumen’s Capital Markets team where she played a lead role in designing an innovative investment vehicle and later co-led the Acumen renewable energy portfolio.  Clara grew up between the Bahamas, France and the UK. She has since lived and worked in Bogota, New York, Mumbai, Paris, Yangon and London. Clara holds a BA (Hons) in Greats from Oxford University and an MBA from INSEAD.

Hans Biemans
Head of Sustainable Markets, ING

Hans Biemans MSc MiF (1966) is Head of Sustainable Markets at ING AG. He has previously worked at Rabobank since 2002 and has integrated sustainability in the mainstream business of the group (capital markets, retail and wholesale finance, private banking, private equity, leasing, and real estate). Furthermore, he has also explored business development opportunities in areas such as renewable energy, bioeconomy, green building, climate change, and brownfield remediation. Biemans holds a Master in Molecular Sciences from Wageningen Agricultural University as well as a Master in Financial Economics from Tilburg University (Tias), and studied Ethics at Utrecht University, the Netherlands. Until 2002, Biemans was vice president of the structured reinsurance department at Eureko Reinsurance and sales manager for Interpolis (Achmea Group) corporate clients.

Robert E. Bopp
Associate Partner, CBS Director, Co-Lead Sustainable Finance, Financial Services, Ernst & Young

Robert supports the implementation of regulatory initatives at large multinational financial institutions. Currently, he is the Director, Financial Services, Sustainable Finance at Ernst & Young.  In his daily business, he focuses on governance, risk and compliance management. Robert Co-leads EY FSO Germany activities and is currently involved in various national / international working groups. Against the background of the EU Action Plan, his focus is on sustainable finance.

He is a lecturer at the EBS Executive School and regularly writes articles in magazines and newspapers (Börsen Zeitung, Handelsblatt, FAZ, etc.) on climate change and sustainability issues as well as on reputation and the impact on a carbon-sensitive industrial transformation. Most recently, Schäffer-Poeschel published “Sustainable Finance – Impacts of Climate Change on the Risk Management of Banks”.

Robert studied in Mainz, Stuttgart, Boston and Paris. Robert holds an M.S. in Multinational Commerce from Boston University, Boston/MA, USA and an M.A. in International Relations and Diplomacy from AGS in Paris, France.

Daniel Bouzas
Europe Regional Coordinator, UNEP FI

Daniel Bouzas is the Regional Coordinator for Europe at the UNEP Finance Initiative.

Prior to his current role, he was a policy adviser at the European Banking Federation where he coordinated the work on Business Lending and access to finance, Sustainable Finance and Export Credits under the broader umbrella of European banks’ actions to finance the economy. His main focus resided on assessing the core policy areas affecting the financing of EU companies through banking and financial market channels, having a specific focus on the critical needs of SMEs (increasingly of innovative, high-growth companies) and export credits to support the internationalization of EU corporates. With regards to sustainable finance, he coordinated synergies between the sustainable finance agendas of different international regulators (EU, OECD, UN…), the core financing and risk management activities of banks and initiatives surrounding the Sustainable Development Goals.

Daniel holds a M.A degree in International Relations and Diplomacy studies from the College of Europe in Bruges, focusing on political economy and political risk management. He has worked on different areas of EU policy-making and international affairs management, with varied expertise on financial services, development cooperation, Multilateral Bank financing and regional development.

Jennifer Coleman
Social Policy and Emerging Issues Lead, Sustainable Banking, NatWest Group

Jennifer Coleman is the Social Policy and Emerging Issues Lead in the Sustainable Banking team of NatWest Group. Leading the co-ordination of the bank’s signatory to the Principles for Responsible Banking, Jennifer also co-ordinates the bank’s approach to Modern Slavery and Human Rights and the embedding of Sustainable Development Goals in line with strategy and purpose. Previous roles at the bank include Stakeholder Engagement Lead, Consumer Affairs Manager, and Community Programmes Manager running the bank’s MoneySense for Schools programme. Jennifer is also a Board member at her local Citizens Advice Bureau and has volunteered as a Generalist Advisor helping people who have found themselves in vulnerable situations.

Lucile de la Jonquière
Director, Public Affairs, Société Générale Group

Lucile is the Director of  Public Affairs of  Société Générale Group, based in Paris. In her current role, Lucile engages with EU policy makers on regulations relating to sustainable finance in Europe with a particular focus on ESG reporting.

Before joining Société Générale in 2018, Lucile previously worked at Crédit Agricole CIB in their Global Market Division where she was responsible of the optimization of market infrastructure regulations.

Lucile also spent several years at BlackRock in their Government Relations and Public Policy team, based in London. She graduated from EDHEC business school in 2010.

Johanna Dichtl
Sustainability Expert & PRB Implementation Support Manager, UNEP FI

Johanna supports banks in implementing the Principles for Responsible Banking (PRB), such as analyzing impact and target setting in the identified areas of most significant impact, and in meeting their commitments as signatories. Prior to joining UNEP FI, she used to be in charge of ESG integration as a CSR manager at a cooperative bank, and has several years of experience in sustainability management in both banking and insurance.

Johanna studied Economic Geography at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich/Germany and Lund University/Sweden, and holds a PhD in Sustainable Finance.

johanna.dichtl@un.org

Elodie Feller
Policy Officer Sustainable Finance, DG FISMA, European Commission

Elodie Feller joined the UNEP Finance Initiative in January 2013 as the Investment Commission Coordinator responsible for the UNEP FI investment work programme. Prior to that Elodie joined Lombard Odier Investment Managers’ graduate programme in 2010 where she worked as a product specialist and ESG analyst for the Fixed Income department. She graduated in International Relations from the Graduate Institute in Geneva, Switzerland.

Remco Fischer
Climate Lead, UNEP FI

Remco Fischer joined UNEP FI in October 2006 and coordinates the Initiative’s activities on climate change (through the UNEP FI Climate Change Working Group). These aim to increase the understanding of both the implications of climate change on financial performance and the roles of the finance sector in addressing climate change; as well as to advance the integration of climate change factors, both risks and opportunities, into financial decision-making. Activities include research, advocacy, awareness raising, capacity building and the development of guidelines and tools for financial institutions.

Prior to joining UNEP FI, he worked as an investment management assistant for the German Development Finance Institution (DEG; KfW Group of Banks), designing structured deals in infrastructure project finance (predominantly renewables).

He holds a British BA Honours in Business Administration and Economics from Napier University in Edinburgh, a Spanish Licenciatura from Alicante University and a German Diploma (MSc equivalent) from Aachen University of Applied Sciences.

Linda Freiner
Group Head of Sustainability, Zurich Insurance Group

Since 2016, Ms. Freiner is responsible for global strategy and integration of sustainability across the Zurich Insurance Group. She also oversees management of the Z Zurich Foundation. Ms. Freiner joined Zurich in 2013 to set-up the Zurich Flood Resilience Program.

Prior, she was a Global Leadership Fellow at the World Economic Forum from 2007-2013 where she served as Head of Financial Services Strategic Partnerships and Head of Engagement Global Risks. Before joining the WEF, she worked for the CFI Group and Procter & Gamble.

She holds a M.Sc. in Economics from the Stockholm School of Economics.

Karin Greve-Isdahl
Executive Vice President, Sustainability, Communications and Industry Policy, Storebrand

Karin is a Norway-based sustainability and corporate communications executive with a profound interest in sustainable finance and insurance, corporate governance, international relations and digital business transformation. She currently serves as Executive Vice President of Sustainability, Communications and Industry Policy at Storebrand. 

Her responsibilities include influencing portfolio companies in a sustainable direction, and developing an ambitious climate policy for the Storebrand Group. Karin also works with her CEO to leverage Storebrand’s involvement in the Net Zero Asset Owner alliance, and the Nordic CEOs for Sustainable Future initiative as well as other strategic alliances.

Before joining Storebrand, Karin occupied the following functions:  VP and global spokesperson for Opera Software, Communication Director for SN Power, and TV reporter for CNB in London, Bogota and New York. Karin hold a master’s degree in international relations and journalism from Bond University in Australia.

Renaud Guidée
Group Chief Risk Officer, AXA

Renaud Guidée started his career in the French Finance Ministry’s Inspection Office from 2007 to 2011, notably serving as Sherpa to Michel Camdessus, the former IMF Managing Director. He joined Goldman Sachs in London as Executive Director in 2011 and was appointed Managing Director in France in 2015.

He was appointed AXA Group Chief Risk Officer in July 2019.

Pilar Gutierrez
Acting Head of the Reporting and Transparency Unit, European Banking Authority

Within the European Banking Authority (EBA), Pilar Gutierrez is leading the reporting and transparency unit, responsible for the definition of the supervisory reporting and the Pillar 3 frameworks for EU banks, including prudential disclosures on ESG risks. She represents the EBA in several EU and international working groups on disclosure, including the Basel Disclosure Expert Group, the Basel workstream on climate related disclosures, which she co-leads, or at EFRAG, work on sustainability reporting.

Prior to this, Pilar has led the EBA work on Pillar 3 (including ESG) as team leader and Senior Policy Expert, and beforehand she worked as a Senior Bank Sector Analyst, in the risk analysis and stress testing unit, where she coordinated the EBA EU wide stress test work. Before joining the EBA in 2011, She worked in the Bank of Spain for more than 6 years, as a banking supervisor in the Directorate General of Banking Supervision.

Prior to that, Pilar worked in the financial services consultancy sector, first in Accenture and then as a manager in Everis. Pilar Gutierrez holds a Master’s degree in law and a Master’s degree in business administration, all from ICADE – Comillas Pontifical University (Madrid).

Luc Hendrickx
Director, Competitiveness of Enterprises, External Relations, Legal Affairs, SMEunited

Since 2000, Luc Hendrickx is Director of Enterprises, External Relations and Legal Affairs at SMEunited, the European employer’s organisation representing the interests of crafts and SMEs at EU level. SMEunited represents through its 64 member organisations over 12 million enterprises with nearly 55 million employees across Europe. In his function, Luc is responsible for SME policy, better regulation, legal affairs, internal market issues, accounting, retail, tourism, ICT, trade, corporate social responsibility, and external relations.

From 1997 until 2000 he was member of cabinet of the Flemish Minister of Environment and Employment. In 1989 he joined UNIZO, the Belgian SME organisation, as Legal Counsellor. Between 1992 and 1998 he was also professor at the Flemish Economic High School (VLEKHO) in Brussels. He started his career in 1986 as salesman in his sister’s do-it-your self shop.

Luc Hendrickx has a Law degree from the Catholic University of Leuven (B), a Diploma from the Institut Européen des Hautes Etudes Internationales of Nice (F) and a Master in European Studies from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (S).

Andreas Hoepner
Professor Operational Risk, Banking & Finance, University College Dublin

Professor Andreas G. F. Hoepner, Ph.D., is a Financial Data Scientist working towards the vision of a Conflict-Free Capitalism. While the vision is unlikely fully achievable, Andreas’ view is that anyone can strive to make a regular contribution to reducing abusive conflicts of interests and thereby enhancing the fairness of our society’s financial system.

Formally, Andreas is Full Professor of Operational Risk, Banking & Finance at the Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School & the Lochlann Quinn School of Business of University College Dublin (UCD), serves on the schools’ management team as Vice Principal (VP) for Research, Innovation & Impact (2021-), served as VP Equality Diversity and Inclusion (2019-2021), and is a named supervisor for UCD’s SFI Centre for Research Training in Machine Learning. Prof.

Hoepner is serving as Head of the Data Subgroup on the European Union’s Platform on Sustainable Finance (PSF) as one of five independent members (i.e. appointed in personal capacity instead of representing a legal entity). Prior to PSF, Andreas served as independent member on the Technical Expert Group (TEG) on Sustainable Finance. In his TEG role, he co-invented ‘EU Climate Transition and EU Paris-Aligned Investing’ (EU Regulation 2020/1818) by aligning investment strategies across asset classes with the IPCC’s 1.5°C trajectory (with no or limited overshoot) and contributed to environmental, social and governance (ESG) disclosure regulation for benchmark statements (EU 2020/1816) and benchmark methodologies (EU 2020/1817).

Werner Hoyer
President, European Investment Bank

Dr Werner Hoyer is the President of the European Investment Bank. He was appointed on 1 January 2012 and was re-appointed for a second term in office, with effect from 1 January 2018.

Dr Hoyer has overseen a significant expansion and transformation of the Bank. One of the most notable successes under his tenure has been the European Fund for Strategic Investments, a key initiative to foster job creation and economic growth in the EU. Under Dr Hoyer’s leadership, the EIB has also consolidated its position as the leading multilateral provider of climate finance worldwide. In 2019, the EIB set a world precedent in the fight against climate change by announcing that it will end financing for fossil fuel energy projects by the end of 2021 and support €1 trillion of climate action and environmentally sustainable investment in the decade to 2030.

Gemma James
Senior Lead, Environmental Issues, Principles for Responsible Investment

Gemma joined the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) as a Manager in the Investor Engagements team in 2015. Between 2019 and 2021, she was Head of Environmental Issues and was responsible for overseeing investor initiatives, research and engagements on environmental themes. She established the PRI Plastics Investor Working Group in 2018 and published The Plastics Landscape series. Gemma previously worked for the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM). She worked on water, biodiversity and climate change issues with mining companies to develop and share good practice. Gemma holds an MA in Environment, Politics and Globalisation and a BA in Geography, both from King’s College London.

Nathalie Jaubert
Group Corporate Social Responsibility, Deputy Head, BNP Paribas

Nathalie Jaubert has joined the Corporate Social Responsibility of BNP Paribas in 2010 and is deputy head of since 2014. CSR is a team of 30 persons and a network of 150 correspondents. She is more specifically in charge of promoting environmental and social dimensions in risk analysis and banking product; relation with stakeholders and extra-financial data. Before joining the Group, she has been working as an internal auditor in Société Générale and as a relationship manager in structured finance, specialized in commodities in SG and in BNP Paribas Switzerland.

Ambika Jindal
Global Lead, Climate & Wholesale Banking Group Sustainability, ING Bank NV

Ambika leads ING’s climate action and the integration of all relevant sustainability topics into ING’s Wholesale Banking (large corporate) business. She drives ING’s efforts to meet its sustainability commitments in an environment which is increasingly demanding and works closely with ING’s peers, stakeholders and client facing, risk, finance and other sustainability teams.

Prior to this, Ambika was seconded for 2.5 years by ING to the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs to lead a Dutch Prime Minister sponsored UN and World Bank initiative to value water. She focussed on solutions to transform how bankers and investors integrate water risks in core decisions and policies. Within ING, she has also worked with the Corporate Credit Risk Management department where she gained an in-depth understanding of capital drivers, risk measurement and risk managements actions aimed at mitigating risks.

Ambika has her Master in Sustainability Leadership from Cambridge University which helps her to lead change and effectively respond to the economic, social and environmental challenges facing the world. She has an International Business degree from the U.S. and has worked in sales for a Wall Street forex company. She has also been a financial journalist for Bloomberg in Mumbai, India.

Email: ambika.jindal@ing.com

Charlotte Kaiser
Managing Director, NatureVest, The Nature Conservancy

Charlotte oversees NatureVest, The Nature Conservancy’s conservation investing division, whose mission it is to create and transact investable deals that deliver conservation results and financial returns for investors. To achieve this mission, NatureVest sources and structures investment products that support TNC’s global conservation strategies, raises capital for these investments, and shares its knowledge and experience with the investment and conservation communities to amplify its efforts in this emerging area.

Charlotte started her career at The Nature Conservancy developing the Conservation Notes, which have raised more than $50M of debt capital for TNC from impact investors. A former community development banker, Charlotte holds a BA from Harvard University in Environmental Science & Public Policy, a Masters in Environmental Science from the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, and an MBA from the Yale School of Management.

Tracey McDermott
Chair, NZBA and Group Head Conduct, Financial Crime and Compliance, Standard Chartered

Tracey has been the Group Head Conduct, Financial Crime and Compliance since January 2019.  She originally joined the Bank as Group Head of Corporate, Public and Regulatory Affairs in March 2017 subsequently adding Brand and Marketing to her portfolio in December 2017 and Compliance in March 2018.

Prior to joining the bank, Tracey served as Acting Chief Executive of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) from September 2015 to June 2016. She joined the then Financial Services Authority (FSA) in 2001 where she held a number of senior roles, including: Director of Supervision and Authorisations, and Director of Enforcement and Financial Crime. Tracey also served as a Board Member of the FSA from April 2013, as a member of the Financial Policy Committee of the Bank of England, and as Non-Executive Director of the Prudential Regulatory Authority (PRA) from September 2015 to June 2016. Prior to joining the FCA, Tracey worked as a lawyer in private practice, having spent time in law firms in the UK, USA and Brussels. In 2016, Tracey received a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) for her services to financial service consumers and markets.

Tracey is a board member of UK Finance; a member of the International Regulatory Strategy Group (IRSG) Council; and chairs the Conduct and Ethics Committee of the Fixed Income, Currencies and Commodities (FICC) Markets Standards Board (FMSB)

Anna Monticelli
Head, Circular Economy Desk, Intesa Sanpaolo

Anna Monticelli (f) has been working since 2015 at Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center, an Intesa Sanpaolo Group company dedicated to innovation. She is Head of the Circular Economy Desk which provides specialist support in the analysis of innovative projects of companies and start-ups as well as promotes the development of new products and services in the Circular Economy area. Previously she worked in the area of Investor Relations and then for over ten years in the field of Corporate Social Responsibility (focus on environmental sustainability of large infrastructure projects and human rights). Graduated in Philosophy, she holds a Masters in Philosophical Counseling and is currently engaged in a PhD in Innovation and Circular Economy

Manuel Perez de Castro
Group Risk VP, Enterprise Wide Risk Management, Banco Santander

Manuel is a Telecommunications Engineer with over 18 years of international banking experience split between the two main Spanish banks.

As part of his role within the Enterprise Wide Risk Management function at Banco Santander, he is the entry point for ESG matters in the Risk Division and leads the implementation of Climate Risk practices in Santander. He is coordinating the risk participation in the main climate scenario analysis exercises, including the ‘EBA EU-wide pilot exercise on climate risk’ and the ‘SSM 2022 climate stress test’. He also chairs the ESG Risk Task Force at the European Banking Federation.

Finally, Manuel is also the Head of Risk Communications to External Stakeholders (including rating agencies, investors, regulators, etc.), and Risk Regulatory Assurance in Santander. He cooperates and is a lecturer in several Masters for different Universities and Business Schools.

 

Michal Piechocki
CEO, Business Reporting - Advisory Group

Since 2007 Mr. Piechocki serves as a chair and CEO to the Business Reporting – Advisory Group, strategically advising authorities across capital markets, banking and insurance industries as well as business registers and government agencies in 20 jurisdictions on RegTech and SupTech topics. As a Board Member of the non-profit Eurofiling Foundation he coordinates financial regulatory policies, data and technology initiatives between the European Central Bank, the European Securities and Markets Authority, the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority, the European Banking Authority, the Single Resolution Board, the European Commission, 15 central banks, over 10 national authorities as well as over 30 vendor organizations.

Since 2014 Mr. Piechocki chairs a data standards discussion forum among EU regulators, hosted by the ECB. He has served over 10 years as a Board Member and Steering Committee Member of XBRL International, a global digital reporting standard-setting organization, advancing its educational and certification activities, building technology fit for the digital age and driving adoption across more than 60 jurisdictions world-wide. Since 2007 Mr. Piechocki has served as a member in diverse groups advising on strategic, data, financial reporting and technology-related aspects for the Institute of Management Accountants, International Organisation for Standardisation, IBM and the IFRS Foundation.

Corinne Raux
Senior Advisor on Taxonomy, UNEP FI

Corinne is currently a Senior Advisor to the UN Environment Programme for Financial Institutions (UNEPFI) on the EU Taxonomy. In this capacity she chairs the Banking Subgroup on Data availability and Usability of The Platform on Sustainable Finance, a permanent expert group of the European Commission which assist in developing sustainable finance policies, notably the further development of the EU taxonomy. She is the lead author of a report on “Testing the Application of the EU Taxonomy to Core Banking Products” which was published in January 2021 by the European Banking Federation and the UNEP FI.

Prior to this Corinne was Head of Sustainable Finance for Wholesale Bank at Standard Chartered Bank, and Head for Environmental and Social Risk Management globally. She first worked on sustainable finance at HSBC with a similar focus. She started her career at the French Ministry for the Environment over 20 yrs ago. Corinne holds a Msc in Economics and Political Science (Sciences Po) and also an M.Sc. in Environmental Policy and Regulations from the London School of Economics. She is an Expert Panel member of the Advisory Panel to Accounting for Sustainability, a programme of The Prince of Wales’s Charitable Foundation for the inclusion of sustainability in financial accounting.

Gillian Rutherford-Liske
Head Reinsurance Sustainability, Swiss Re

Gillian Rutherford-Liske is Head of Sustainability of Swiss Re’s Reinsurance business unit. She is a passionate environmental scientist with over 20 years’ experience in scientific research and application, including a 14-year track record at Swiss Re in roles ranging from product development to risk management to strategy for global client engagement. Her main focus is bringing Swiss Re’s sustainability strategy to life and to partner with clients to support resilient communities and address sustainability challenges over the long-term.

Originally from New Zealand, where she studied Plant Ecology with a focus on wetland ecosystems, she moved to Switzerland in 1998. She completed a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Environmental Sciences at the ETH Zürich modelling land use change in Switzerland from agriculture to forest regeneration, and has worked for Swiss Re ever since.

Jessica Smith
Nature Lead, UNEP FI

Jessica Smith leads work on nature at UNEP FI.

For the past 7 years she has directed a consultancy firm undertaking environmental finance project development and evaluation, and leading secretariats for the Equator Principles Association (environmental and social risk in Project Finance for 100+ financial institutions) and the Cross-Sector Biodiversity Initiative (applying IFC performance standard 6 on biodiversity in oil & gas, mining, and finance). Jessica has worked extensively to mobilise and evaluate environmental finance, globally and across Africa.

Jessica’s areas of interest are mobilising pro-poor private and blended finance for ecosystems and nature-related risks in banking and investment.

Massimiano Tellini
Director, Global Head Circular Economy, Intesa Sanpaolo

With more than 18 years of banking activity, of which 10 spent between London, Hong Kong and the US, he has been involved in different fields spanning from credit analysis to trade finance in the UK, from project finance to innovation in Asia Pacific. He currently reports to the GM of the Innovation Center of Intesa Sanpaolo Group, the company devoted to the promotion of innovation and the creation of the Italian innovative ecosystem.

He leads the strategic initiative on Circular Economy designed to support the distinctive positioning and ad hoc business activity of one of the most relevant European Financial Institutions in its capacity as Financial Services Strategic Partner of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. His team is responsible for, among other activities, the validation of eligibility criteria under the €6bn CE linked Credit Plafond and the open innovation projects of the CE Lab in Milan, in collaboration with Cariplo Factory.

On behalf of Intesa Sanpaolo, he has been designated to be part of the Circular Economy Financing Expert Group created by the European Commission in the context of the Circular Economy Finance Support Platform. He is also the author of ‘Re-think’ (2013) – a documentary about the need to reframe present global business models & the discourse about Climate Change. His personal goal: to manage to “reduce the risk of tomorrow” by reconnecting Business & Society. He holds an MBA from the Hong Kong University of Science & Technology and a post MBA Master in Advanced Management from Yale University

Guenther Thallinger
SE Board Member, Allianz & Chair, UN convened Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance

Guenther Thallinger joined Allianz Group in May 2009.

He has been a Member of the Board of Management of Allianz SE since 2017, responsible for Investment Management and the Center of Competence Life & Health. In 2018 he additionally assumed responsibility for steering Sustainability topics within Allianz.

He is the chairman of the United Nations-convened Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance (AOA).

Until his appointment to the Board of Management, Guenther Thallinger acted as CEO, and before that as CFO, of Allianz Investment Management SE and was Chairman of the Allianz Investment Management Board.

Before joining Allianz, he was principal at McKinsey&Company.

Born in Austria, Guenther Thallinger graduated with a BSc from the Technical University Graz and a MSc from the Technical University Vienna in technical mathematics. He holds a PhD in applied Mathematics from the Technical University Vienna.

Eric Usher
Head, UNEP Finance Initiative

Eric Usher currently heads the UN Environment Programme Finance Initiative, UNEP FI, a global partnership bringing together the UN with 230 banks, insurers and asset managers working to develop the sustainable finance and responsible investment agendas. Eric oversees governance, strategy and day-to-day management of UNEP FI’s work programme and global network development. Over the years UNEP FI has established some of the most important sustainability oriented frameworks within the finance industry, including the Principles for Responsible Investment (2006), the Principles for Sustainable Insurance (2012) and work now underway on the establishment of Principles for Responsible Banking. Since joining in 2015, Mr. Usher has focused on accelerating the deep integration of sustainability risks into financial practice, including addressing climate change, natural capital loss and human rights abuses, as well as building out the frameworks for positive impact finance needed to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Eric sits on several industry bodies including as UN representative on the Board of the Principles for Responsible Investment, as a member of the Evaluation Council of the French sovereign green bond, as Director for the impact fund REPP Africa and founder of the Seed Capital Assistance Facility.
Prior to leading UNEP FI, Mr. Usher has over twenty years of experience in the low carbon sectors, spanning technology commercialisation in Canada, solar rural electrification in Morocco and financial sector development across emerging markets. During 2011, Mr. Usher worked on the establishment of the Green Climate Fund and led efforts to create its Private Sector Facility. Eric has been an editor of the Global Trends in Renewable Energy Investment report published annually with Bloomberg and was lead author for finance of the IPCC Special Report on Renewable Energy Sources. Before joining the UN, Eric was General Manager of a solar rural electrification company based in Morocco.

Helena Viñes Fiestas
Commissioner, Spanish Financial Markets Authority, Comisión Nacional del Mercado de Valores

Presently, Helena is the Commissioner of the Spanish Financial Markets Authority of the Comisión Nacional del Mercado de Valores (CNMV). In 2018, Helena joined the European Commission as Member of the EU Technical Expert Group on Sustainable Finance, and is currently the Co-Rapporteur of Subgroup 5 on Data and Usability for the EU Platform on Sustainable Finance.

From 2011 to 2021, Helena worked at BNP Paribas where she occupied the following roles: Head of Sustainability Research, Deputy Global Head of Sustainability, Head of Sustainability Research and Policy, Global Deputy Head of Sustainability, Global Head of Stewardship and Policy, and more recently Senior Policy Adviser on Sustainable Finance.

Prior to joining BNP Paribas, Helena led Oxfam’s advocacy work on responsible investment and engagement with institutional investors in support of poverty reduction, led the Better Returns in a Better World project, as well as the organisation’s private sector policy on access to medicines and the pharmaceutical industry. Before Oxfam, Helena worked as an SRI analyst and also for Global Witness.

Helena holds an MSc in Development Studies from London School of Economics, another one in Latin American Economics and a BA in Economics from the University of Barcelona.

Shelagh Whitley
Chief Sustainability Officer, Principles for Responsible Investment

Shelagh is currently Chief Sustainability Officer at Principles of Responsible Investment (PRI). Prior to this, she was Director of ESG and SDGs  leading PRI’s teams on Environmental, Social and Governance issues, and on sustainability outcomes.

Before joining PRI, Shelagh was Head of the Climate and Energy Programme at the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) where she led ODI’s research on fossil fuel subsidies, green fiscal policy and private climate finance. Shelagh has also worked in the private sector and within civil society on carbon market development and climate finance, this has included working with Camco, a carbon project developer, on the origination, execution and financing of carbon projects, and with The Climate Group, a non-profit organisation dedicated to advancing business and government leadership on climate change.

Shelagh has a Master’s Degree in International Environmental Policy and Finance from the Fletcher School at Tufts University in the United States, and a Combined Honours BSc in Biology and International Development Studies from Dalhousie University in Canada.

Oliver Withers
Biodiversity Lead, Credit Suisse

Oliver Withers is the biodiversity lead within the Sustainability Strategy, Advisory and Finance Group at Credit Suisse. He works with colleagues across the firm to integrate biodiversity considerations into the firm’s business activities and decision-making with an ambition to play a proactive role in protecting precious biodiverse planetary resources and making the case for natural capital financing solutions. Oliver was previously the head of conservation finance and enterprise at the Zoological Society of London, with responsibility for projects and programmes across both the blue and green economies. Oliver began his career in financial services, where he ultimately became the head of asset management for a pan-African investment bank before pursuing a career in sustainable and biodiversity finance.