ESG stands at a crossroad

On the one side, its very existence has become a new political battleground. On the other, it has come to be viewed as a sticking plaster discouraging more comprehensive reforms of the financial system.

Our annual in-person summit Ethical Finance Global 2023 will tackle these issues and more on Wednesday 20th September 2023 in Edinburgh, hosted by NatWest Group.

Across four core thematics of climate, nature, the S in ESG and leadership the summit will explore topics including overcoming greenwashing, climate justice, embedding sustainability skills, integrating nature, sustainable food systems and the incorporation of human rights.

  • In-person summit
  • Senior representatives from across finance
  • Open, frank discussion
  • Ample networking opportunities
  • Evening reception at Edinburgh Castle
Ethical Finance Global 2023: REGISTER NOW »

Speakers


Anshula Kant

Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer, World Bank Group

Anshula is responsible for financial and risk management reporting to the President. She has more than 35 years experience in banking

The Rt Hon Alok Sharma MP

COP26 President, UK Government

Alok was appointed full-time President for COP 26 in 2021. He has over 16 years of experience in banking before his career in politics.

Saker Nusseibeh CBE

Chief Executive, Federated Hermes Limited

Saker is Chief Executive of Federated Hermes Limited and is also a member of the Federated Hermes, Inc. Executive team.

Usha Rao-Monari

Under Secretary General and Associate Administrator, UNDP

Usha has over 30 years of investment experience and has held several senior positions, particularly in the infrastructure area.

Sarah Breeden

Executive Director for Financial Stability Strategy, Bank of England

Sarah is member of the FPC Committee and leads the Bank of England’s work on climate change, domestically and internationally.

Kathy Benini

Managing Director and Global Head of Environmental Products, IHS Markit

Kathy joined in 2009 and has been responsible for the development and growth of IHS Markit’s environmental businesses.

Thom Kenrick

Head of Social Strategy & Impact, NatWest Group

Thom is Head of Social Strategy and Impact at NatWest Group.  Thom’s team lead the bank’s approach to social issues and the UN SDGs

Simon Thompson

Chief Executive, Chartered Banker Institute UK

Simon was appointed in 2007 after working for ACCA and IFAC. Under his leadership, CBI is the largest professional body of bankers in the UK

David Pitt-Watson

David Pitt-Watson

Investor & Visiting Fellow, Cambridge University

David is a leading thinker & practitioner in responsible investment, and a former Chair of UNEP FI.

Michael Matheson MSP

MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport, Scottish Government

Michael was appointed Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport in May 2021.

Eva Cairns

Head of Sustainability Insights & Climate Strategy, abrdn

Eva is responsible for leading abrdn’s strategy for sustainability insights, climate change and the firm’s approach to net zero

Dame Susan Rice

Chair, Financial Services Culture Board and GEFI Global Steering Group

Dame Susan Rice is the Chair of the Financial Services Culture Board and Chairs the GEFI Global Steering Group

Omar Shaikh

Director & Co-founder, Global Ethical Finance Initiative

Omar is the Managing Director of the Global Ethical Finance Initiative

Chris Hayward

Chairman of the Policy Committee - City of London Corporation

Chris is a leading local government politician and commercial property investment specialist.

Alderman Vincent Keaveny

Lord Mayor of the City of London

Vincent advises arrangers, originators & rating agencies on structured finance, securitisation and derivatives transactions in UK & Europe

Julia Hoggett

CEO, London Stock Exchange

Julia Hoggett has been CEO of London Stock Exchange since 2020, having previously worked at the Financial Conduct Authority

Judith Cruickshank

Regional Managing Director, Scotland & North of England at Royal Bank of Scotland and NatWest

Judith has worked with NatWest for 14 years in a variety of roles, focused on customer solutions for both Retail and Commercial customers.

James Wilde

Chief Sustainability Officer, Phoenix Group

James has over 18 years’ experience in climate change and sustainability.

Romie Goedicke

Project & Technical Manager Nature, UNEP FI

Romie is an experienced senior program manager, with a demonstrated history in sustainable finance.

Will Goodhart

Chief Executive Officer, CFA Society of the UK

Will leads the Society's advocacy and engagement work and authored its 2016 report on the 'Value of the Investment Profession'.

Alessandra Mongiardino

Director of Financial and Strategic Risks, NatWest Group

Alessandra Mongiardino is the Director of Financial & Strategic Risk at NatWest Group and a member of Risk ExCo.

Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar

Chairman, MIFC Leadership Council

Azman was previously the Managing Director for Khazanah Nasional Berhad, Malaysia's strategic investment fund for over 14 years

Dr Sarah Ivory

Director, University of Edinburgh Business School’s Centre for Business, Climate Change and Sustainability

Dr Sarah Ivory is the Director of the University of Edinburgh Business School’s Centre for Business, Climate Change and Sustainability

Stephen Hibbert

Global Lead Energy Transition - Sector Coverage, ING

Stephen is a specialist in Energy and Climate Finance, with 35 years of international banking experience, based in the USA, Asia and Europe.

Allan Watt

Senior Advisor

Allan Watt is a Director at GEFI with wide experience in public, private and voluntary sectors in the UK and oversea

Zainal Izlan Zainal Abidin

Chairman, Capital Markets Malaysia

Datuk Zainal Izlan has over 30 years' experience in the financial services industry

Kaisie Rayner

Senior Advisor, Radical Old Idea, GEFI; Founder and Director, A Future Worth Living

Kaisie helps financial institutions understand sustainability & their role in the transition to a low carbon economy

Ivan McKee MSP

Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise, Scottish Government

Ivan was appointed Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise in May 2021

Amy Clarke

Co-Founder & CIO, Tribe Impact Capital

Amy is Co Founder & Chief Impact Officer of Tribe, an award winning wealth management firm and B Corps

Timothy Letter

Managing Director, Miller Investment Management

Timothy is a lifelong financial professional and enjoys partnering with clients to set, monitor, and achieve their diverse objectives

Bill McCall

Principal, McCall and Partners

Bill is an experienced international Company Director, Investor & Advisor, has worked with & for a range of private equity organisations

Tariq Shaikh

President RJ Fleming ME

Christof Kutscher

Chief Executive Officer, Climate Asset Management

Christof brings 31 years of experience in the asset management industry.

Dr Bandar Hajjar

Former President, IsDB Group

Dr Bandar drove the IsDB towards significant reform, making the organisation more globally facing.

Lauren Smart

Chief Commercial Officer, S&P Global Sustainable1

Lauren is a senior leader and global expert in sustainable finance

Dr Hayat Sindi

Founder & CEO of the Institute for Quality

Dr. Hayat Sindi is one of the world’s leading biotechnologists and a global champion of science and technology.

Hetal Patel

Head of Climate Investment Risk, Phoenix Group

Hetal had a rich background in institutional investments.

Kate McGrath

ESG Analyst - Fixed Income, abdrn

Kate has worked for abrdn within ESG for 4 years, and as a fixed income specialist for 2 years

Mr. Muhammad Aurangzeb

President & CEO HBL

Mr. Muhammad Aurangzeb joined HBL on April 30, 2018 as the President & CEO.

Irina Kurochkina

Portfolio Manager, Aegon Asset Management

Irina Kurochkina, Portfolio Manager, joined Aegon Asset Management in 2019. Irina focuses on the European sovereign portfolios.

Jesús Martínez

Senior Portfolio Manager, Aegon Asset Management

PhD, CFA, Senior Portfolio Manager, joined Aegon Asset Management in 2010.

Umer Suleman

Global Head of Risk, Wahed

10+ Years’ experience and qualified Governance Risk & Compliance professional with a global remit.

Sultan Choudhury OBE

Islamic Banking Executive, Director, Chairman, Advisor & Charity Trustee

Chartered Accountant, Executive Chairman of Waqfinity and former CEO of Islamic Bank of Britain and Al Rayan Bank

Omobolanle Victor-Laniyan

Unit Head – Sustainability, Access Bank

An executive member of the Access Women Network (AWN), Omobolanle is an advocate for youth and women empowerment.

Natalie Jackson

Consultant: SDG Platform and Research

Natalie is an Executive Manager at GEFI and sits on the Social Growth Fund Board at Social Investment Scotland

Dr. Hurriyah El Islamy

Executive Board, Foreign Investment and International Relations, BPKH

Member, Board of Trustees, RFI Foundation. Islamic Finance and Capital Market Expert with 24 years of experience.

Dr Joanna Macrae OBE

Head, International Nature Finance, DEFRA

Head, International Nature Finance of Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Seynabou Ba

Founder and CEO, ESG Africa

Agi Veres

Director, Representation Office, Geneva, UNDP

Director of the UNDP Office in Geneva, responsible for UNDP’s external relations and advocacy, UNDP’s Geneva-based policy and programme work

Catherine Flockhart

Head of ESG, Baillie Gifford

Catherine is a Partner and Head of ESG at Baillie Gifford.

Leon Kamhi

Head of Responsibility and EOS, Federated Hermes Limited

Reporting to the CEO of Federated Hermes Limited, Leon has led the firm’s Responsibility Platform since 2014.

Dr Alexis Moyer

Head of ESG & Spatial Finance, Space Intelligence

Dr Moyer is the Head of ESG & Spatial Finance at Edinburgh-based Space Intelligence.

Gail Hurley

Consultant

Gail Hurley is an international development and sustainable finance professional with over 16 years’ experience.

Andrew Young

ESG & Climate Change Research chez MSCI Inc.

Head of EMEA ESG & Climate Change Research team

Jennifer Schwalbenberg

Chief Governance Officer, DDCAP

Chief Governance Officer for the DDCAP Group. HM Treasury Women in Finance Charter Board Member.

Jeremy Lawson

Chief Economist and Head of the abrdn Research Institute

Chief Economist and Head of the abrdn Research Institute

Lindsay Law

Head of Audit Retail Bank, NatWest Group

Head of Audit, Fraud and Customer Engagement

Louise Heffernan

Head of Private Finance for Nature at Department, DEFRA

Head of Private Finance for Nature at Department, DEFRA

Miranda Beacham

Head of ESG, AEGON Asset Management

Head of ESG - Equity & Multi Asset at Aegon Asset Management

Rhona Turnbull

Climate, Environment and Emerging Issues Lead, NatWest Group

Climate, Environment and Emerging Issues Lead, NatWest Group

Tassilo von Hirsch

Head of Natura Capital, The Real Wild Estates Company

Head of Natura Capital, The Real Wild Estates Company

Dr Vanessa Collingridge

Broadcaster, Writer and Owner, Monster Media Productions

Broadcaster, Writer and Owner, Monster Media Productions

Tariq Fancy

Founder & CEO, The Rumie Initiative

Founder & CEO, The Rumie Initiative

Sir Ronald Cohen

Chairman of the Global Steering Group for Impact Investment

Chairman of the Global Steering Group for Impact Investment

The SDG Hive is a series of workshops and power roundtables being held with industry experts and global leaders alongside our flagship Ethical Global Summit 2023. Please register your interest here. Watch this space for more updates on topics and workshops.

Sponsors & partners


Interested in Sponsorship Opportunities?

There are an exciting range of sponsorship opportunities available to work with GEFI throughout the year, including at Ethical Finance Global 2023, and a range of other events and strategic campaigns. We are happy to work with you to tailor sponsorship packages to suit your marketing objectives and budget.

For partnership, sponsorship, endorser or media opportunities please contact chris@globalethicalfinance.org.

Watch this space for updates on confirmed speakers and agenda.In the meantime, follow us on LinkedIn orview speaker highlights from Ethical Finance 2022.