Eiichiro Adachi
Counselor and Head of ESG Research Center, The Japan Research Institute, Limited

After graduating from Hitotsubashi University in Japan in 1986 with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics, Mr. Adachi joined The Japan Research Institute, Limited (JRI) in 1990. Currently Counselor at JRI, he previously served in the Management Consulting Department and Technology Research Department. He is mainly engaged in conducting industrial analysis and corporate evaluations from the perspective of corporate social responsibility. He played a significant role in issuing the 15th Corporate White Paper by the Japan Association of Corporate Executives in 2003-4. Subsequently, he served as a member of the Japan Association of Corporate Executives’ Committee for Promotion of CSR Management working group between March 2005 and May 2009. He was also one of the experts in the Japanese delegation to the ISO/Social Responsibility Standards (ISO 26000) Working Group (March 2005-May 2009). He has co-authored numerous books including CSR Management and SRI (Kinzai, 2004), Businesses That Grow with Global Warming (Toyo Keizai Inc., 2007), Introduction to Environmental Management (Nikkei Publishing Inc., 2009), Ten New Things to Know about Environmental Management: From Carbon Risk to Natural Capital (Nikkei Publishing Inc., 2015), Introduction to Natural Capital: The Challenge of the Nation, Local Governments, and Companies (NTT Publishing, 2015) and ESG Reader for Investors and Business persons (Nikkei Business Publications Inc, 2016). Currently, Mr. Adachi is a member of the Mitsubishi Corporation’s CSR & Environmental Affairs Advisory Committee and The Research Institute for Local Public Transport’s advisory board.

Esther An
Chief Sustainability Officer, City Developments Limited (CDL)

A pioneering green building and sustainability advocate for over two decades, Esther has been instrumental in establishing CDL’s leadership in sustainability. It is ranked top real estate company on the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World since 2020. It became the first real estate conglomerate in Southeast Asia to sign the World Green Building Council’s Net Zero Carbon Buildings in February 2021. Named by Reuters as one of 25 trailblazing women leaders in climate 2023, Esther’s pioneering ESG initiatives include publishing the first sustainability report in Singapore in 2008 and issuing the first green bond by a Singaporean company in 2017.

The chairperson of the Sustainability Report Advisory Committee in Singapore, she also sits on board the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Supervisory Board, GRESB Foundation Board, and UN PRI Real Estate Advisory Committee. She chairs the World Green Building Council Corporate Advisory Board; the Asia Pacific Real Estate Association’s ESG Committee; and co-chairs the Urban Land Institute Singapore’s Sustainability Product Council.

A forerunner in embracing the UN SDGs, Esther was conferred 2018 SDG Pioneer for Green Infrastructure and A Low Carbon Economy by the UN Global Compact. A G20 Empower Advocate in 2022, Esther recognizes that youth engagement and female empowerment is crucial for sustainable development. She founded the Women4Green network in 2017 and the Youth4Climate initiative in 2018.

Butch Bacani
Insurance Lead

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 on a healthy planet.  

 Butch leads initiatives that contribute to achieving the Paris Climate Agreement, Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These include creating the Net-Zero Insurance Alliance, supporting the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ), convening the world’s leading insurers to pilot the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), championing nature-positive insurance, aligning insurance portfolios with the SDGs, creating a Sustainable Insurance Facility with V20 finance ministers for the most climate-vulnerable countries, 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 ESG guides for non-life and life & health insurance business, the creation of the UN-convened Sustainable Insurance Forum for regulators and supervisors, and forged the PSI’s partnership with the world’s inclusive insurance community. Butch was part of 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 Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI). He has shaped global insurance industry initiatives to address climate change and disaster risks, nature loss, plastic pollution, environmental pollution liability, illegal fishing, and tobacco risks; and to protect UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Butch has authored pioneering studies on sustainable insurance and responsible investment. Prior to the UN, he was in the insurance industry for over a decade, working with leading insurers and reinsurers worldwide.  

 Butch is also involved in the UNFCCC’s work on loss and damage, InsuResilience Global Partnership, Insurance Development Forum, California Climate Insurance Working Group, Microinsurance Network, European Commission’s Climate Resilience Dialogue, and World Benchmarking Alliance. 

Chandan Bhavnani
Executive Vice President, Responsible Banking, YES BANK

Chandan is a sustainability professional with about 10 years of experience in the areas of sustainability strategy, management frameworks, low carbon growth and ESG risk management. He has worked with national and international organizations and standards such as GRI reporting, IFC performance standards, ISAE3000 and AA1000.

At YES Bank, he is responsible for supporting climate finance and CSR activities including developing new avenues of mainstreaming climate and sustainable finance, CSR project conceptualization & implementation and supporting triple bottom line management. He leads the knowledge and policy advocacy work for the Responsible Banking vertical of the Bank. He is also responsible for handling key relationships for the Bank in the Environment and Social domain.

Rosemary Bissett
Head of Sustainability Governance & Risk, National Australia Bank

Rosemary is Head of Sustainability Governance & Risk at the National Australia Bank. She has responsibility for coordinating the integration of ESG (Environmental, Social & Governance) Risk into the NAB Group’s risk management framework. Her work includes a focus on climate change and climate risk disclosure as well as supporting NAB’s work on natural value. Rosemary is also currently a director on the Boards of North East Water, Moreland Energy Foundation and Sustainable Business Australia. She is a member of the UNEP FI Banking Committee and advisory bodies for the Natural Capital Finance Alliance, the Natural Capital Coalition, the Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute and the Australian National Environmental Science Programme Threatened Species Recovery Hub.

Tatiana Bosteels
Director Responsibility and Head of Responsible Property Investment at Hermes Investment

Tatiana Bosteels, Director Responsibility and Head of Responsible Property Investment at Hermes Investment Management leader in responsible investment for almost thirty years managing £24.1 bi AUM (March 2016).
In 2015 Tatiana has integrated the Responsibility team with the task to develop Hermes carbon risk strategy and to support integration of ESG across private markets: real estate, infrastructure and private equity. In addition, since she joined in 2008, as Head of responsible Property investment she is in charge of the integration of ESG in real estate investment and asset management practices to protect and enhance asset value over time.
Chair Property Programme Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change (IIGCC) and Board member Investment Commission UNEP Finance Initiative, she has been an active contributor to public policy and sector engagement. Tatiana is also active member of the Better Buildings Partnership, she sits in the British Property Federation’s sustainability committee and the advisory boards of the Building Performance Institute Europe and the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark.
Tatiana has previous experience developing innovative sustainability programmes through public private partnerships. At the London Climate Change Agency, where she advised the London Deputy Mayor, she developed and delivered the Better Buildings Partnership (BBP), and contributed to the establishment of the first London ESCO. Her previous work covered UK and international climate change policy, carbon markets and instruments, and third party energy efficiency financing.
She holds an MSc in Environmental Management from Imperial College UK, an MSc in Mechanical Engineering from UCL Leuven Belgium, is an alumni of the LSE Development Institute and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Tomáš Bravenec
Deputy CEO, Golomt Bank of Mongolia

Mr. Tomas Bravenec of the Czech Republic is an international banking professional with over 25 years track record with leading European and global banks as well as International Financial Institutions.
His main areas of expertise include investment, corporate and commercial banking, risk management as well as development banking. He gained majority of his experience with Bank Austria Creditanstalt, Citigroup and the EBRD, covering developed as well as emerging and frontier markets, while working in New York, London, Vienna, Prague, Almaty and currently Ulaanbaatar. His project finance, development impact assessment and green/sustainable financing skills and expertise were forged, among others, through direct involvement in the implementation of EBRD’s Sustainable Energy Financing framework in Kazakhstan in late 2000’s.
Currently, he holds Deputy CEO role at Golomt Bank of Mongolia, with primary responsibility for Finance, Treasury, Financial Markets and Funding.
He is proficient in five languages, including intermediate level of Mongolian.

Paul Clements-Hunt
CEO, The Blended Capital Group and Partner, Inflection Point Capital Management

For 25 years Paul has been central to break-through developments in responsible investment and sustainable finance. In 2011-2012, he supported Former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown in his work on financial stability and sustainability for the UNSG. While Head of staging.unepfi.org from 2000-2012 his team conceived and delivered: the Principles for Responsible Investment (2005); the Principles for Sustainable Insurance (2011); and the Natural Capital Declaration (2012). In 2017 the PRI is backed by 1800 investors (AuM USD 80 trillion+).  Paul was a UNPRI Board member for six years.

Paul’s career has spanned business, the UN, and the media. After leaving the UN in 2012, he established The Blended Capital Group, a private equity firm focused on deals in Sub-Saharan Africa and became a Partner in Inflection Point Capital Management.

Paul established one of the first environmental strategy and technology consultancies for Southeast Asia while based in Bangkok (1991-1998). During this period he worked to promote greater environmental & social disclosure on the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) . In 1994 Paul took his business inside the world’s largest testing, inspection and verification group, the Swiss multinational SGS. From 1998 to 2000 he was the Senior Energy and Environment Policy Manager for the Paris-based global business organisation, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).In the mid-1980s he was a UK-based journalist specialising in environmental business issues.

Tumurkhuu Davaakhuu
Vice President of the Mongolian Bankers Association (MBA) and CEO of Arig Bank

Mr. Tumurkhuu Davaakhuu is the Vice President of the Mongolian Bankers Association (MBA) and CEO of Arig Bank. He also serves as the Chairman of the Steering Committee of the Mongolian Sustainable Finance Initiative (MSFI), a voluntary initiative which aims at promoting green and inclusive lending practices in the Mongolian banking sector. The initiative resulted in the launch of the Mongolian Sustainable Finance (ToC) Principles and Sector Guidelines which were endorsed by all 14 banks of Mongolia starting from January 2015.
Mr. Tumurkhuu plays a key leadership role in these achievements and is now pioneering the establishment of the Mongolian Green Credit Fund, a national green finance vehicle.
Prior to joining Arig Bank, Tumurkhuu was a Relationship Manager at Wainwright Bank, Boston, Advisor at Smith Barney, Boston, Managing Partner at DJ Properties, New York City.
Tumurkhuu earned his MBA in Financial Management at Pace University, New York City, and his BA in Applied Linguistics at Otgontenger University, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

Simone Dettling
Co-Head of Banking (on maternity leave)

Simone leads the Banking Team of the UN Environment Finance Initiative (UNEP FI), a global partnership between the UN and more than 200 banks, investors and insurers. As such she manages leadership initiatives with banks from over 60 countries around climate-aligned, sustainable finance. Formerly, Simone managed the German Government’s Emerging Markets Dialogue on Green Finance, under which she and her team worked with financial institutions from G20 Emerging Markets and Europe to integrate environmental costs into financial decision making and product development. As expert on green finance at the German International Cooperation (GIZ), she furthermore advised projects in emerging economies worldwide on renewable energy and energy efficiency financing, incorporation of natural capital considerations in financial decision making, as well as innovative approaches for green economic development. Simone holds an MA in International Economics from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, D.C. and during her career has lived and worked in various developing countries, such as Bangladesh, Lebanon, Syria and Malawi. Before joining UNEP FI she completed a half-year cycling trip from Germany to Iran.

Gregory Elders
Senior ESG Analyst, Bloomberg

Gregory Elders, Bloomberg Intelligence Senior ESG Analyst, has fifteen years’ experience valuing environmental, social and governance risks and opportunities.
He leads Bloomberg’s investment research on ESG, and has spear-headed development of its ESG valuation and analytic tools. His research efforts include financial impacts and opportunities of a low-carbon transition; analysis of company and country governance and corruption control; extractive industries safety and performance link; water scarcity impacts on business operations; activist investor targets and defenses.
He has held the roles of Fixed Income Research Analyst at Merrill Lynch in New York, Head of Research at Trucost in London, and Program Manager at the Global Reporting Initiative in Amsterdam. Gregory has an MSc in Environmental Policy from the London School of Economics and a BA in Economics from Cornell University.

Elodie Feller
Global Policy Lead

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.

Keiko Fukuda
Corporate Officer - Head Marketing/ CRM & Communication, AXA Life Insurance Co., Ltd.

Jonathan Gilman
Regional Policy Coordinator, Asia Pacific, UN Environment

Jonathan Gilman has worked with the United Nations for 18 years. His assignments have included working in the peace keeping mission in East Timor as an Environmental Affairs Officer and two postings in New York headquarters focused on sustainable development policy development. In recent years Jonathan has worked in Asia Pacific region including as Special Assistant to the Head of the UN in Indonesia where he coordinated the preparation of UN Recovery Framework for Aceh and Nias after the tsunami in 2004. He has also served as Regional Economist for UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s avian influenza programme in Asia. Jonathan is currently Regional Policy Coordinator for the UN Environment Asia Pacific Office based in Bangkok. He graduated with a Master’s degree in Environmental Economics from University College London, UK.

Peiyuan Guo
Chairman of SynTao Green Finance and UNEP FI Advisor in China

Dr. Guo Peiyuan, who holds a Ph.D. in Management from Tsinghua University, is the general manager of SynTao and chairman of SynTao Green Finance. Dr. Guo Peiyuan continuously focuses on research and practices about corporate social responsibility (CSR) and socially responsible investment (SRI), with abundant experience on research, training and consulting services. Now SynTao has become a leading CSR consulting company in China with offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu and Washington D.C. SynTao Green Finance is a founding member of Green Finance Committee of China Society for Finance and Banking. It is also the first CBI approved green bond verifier from China.
Dr. Guo Peiyuan has served for over one hundred companies, governments, and social organizations home and abroad, including China Mobile, China Pacific Insurance, Amway China, Volkswagen, International Finance Corporation (IFC), World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), etc. He has served as a judge in multiple CSR awards. Now he also teaches MBA course Business Performance and Sustainability in School of Economics and Management, Tsinghua University, and teaches international student course Social Innovation and CSR in School of Social Development and Public Policy, Beijing Normal University.
He also serves as consultant, trainer or member in many organizations, including UNEP FI advisor in China.

Hiroki Hachiya
General Manager, Private Banking Department, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank

Hachiya joined Mitsui Trust and Banking (current Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Banking) in 1986.

Hachiya graduated from Kyushu University with a master degree of law.

After experience of corporate finance department, examination department, the branch manager of many branches, Currently works in the private banking business department. As a specialist in the field of adult guardianship system and of private trust, promote the sound development of trust in the aging society.

Makoto Haraguchi
Special Producer for Open and Collaborative Innovation CSR & Environment Sec. Risk Management Dept. 3rd InterRisk Research Institute & Consulting, Inc

Pioneered consulting on “business and biodiversity” in Japan since 2000.

Supported numerous Japanese companies to analyze risks and opportunities on biodiversity and provided various concrete solutions to tackle biodiversity issues.

Now striving to mainstream the concept of “Green Resilience” to pursue “national resilience” and “regional revitalization” at the same time through utilizing local natural capitals.

Ryu Hihara
General Manager, Credit Investment Department, Nippon Life Insurance Company

Mr. Hihara joined the company after graduation in 1990 and experienced varieties of roles　including global fixed income investment, fund investment, risk management, asset allocation and ALM etc. He obtained a B.A. in Science and Engineering from Waseda University. He is a CPA (Certified Public Accountant, Japan), CMA (Chartered Member of the Securities Analysts Association of Japan) and CIIA (Certified International Investment Analyst)

Etsuya Hirose
Managing Director, Head of ESG Research Center QUICK Corporation

Etsuya Hirose is a Managing Director of QUICK Corporation. He established its ESG Research Center in April, 2014, and also leads as its Head, appointed to a Director in 2013 and a Managing Director in 2016. In 2014 he was in charge of the study of “Stewardship and ESG investment in Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF)　～　How they should be ～ “ entrusted by GPIF as a head supervisor. He dedicated himself to consulting services based on QUICK’s Information Terminals for Sell-sides, Institutional Investors and Capital Markets from 2005 until 2011 when he was assigned to General Manager of Sales Department. Before that, he was responsible for sales, marketing, customer relations and development for asset management business at the wholesale team for more than fifteen years.
Prior to joining the wholesale team, he worked in Zurich as a branch manager of QUICK Europe, and also as a marketing manager in London, where he was working on business development and planning of the solution for European asset managers and pension funds.
He started his business career at Quotation Information Center K.K. (at present: QUICK), in 1984. In PRI, RIAsia2014, 2015, 2016, CDP, and seminars for institutional investors and corporates, he has delivered a number of lectures on ESG.

Shunichi Honda
Programme Officer, International Environmental Technology Centre, Economy Division, United Nations Environment Programme

Dr. Shunichi Honda is Programme Officer in charge of international waste management programme at United Nations Environment Programme. He currently works for hazardous waste management and multilateral environmental agreements including the Basel and Minamata conventions, as well as for national and city waste management strategies with Asia countries. His latest publication is Regional E-waste Monitor 2016 East and Southeast Asia developed with the United Nations University.
Prior to the current position, he had worked for the Japanese Ministry of the Environment, including Researcher at the National Institute for Minamata Disease and Chief in charge of multilateral environmental agreements, including the Basel and Minamata conventions. Also he was Vice Chair of the Committee Administering the Mechanism for Promoting Implementation and Compliance with the Basel Convention (the Basel Convention Compliance Committee) and Vice Chair of the Environmental Network for Optimizing Regulatory Compliance on Illegal Traffic for the Basel Convention (ENFORCE).
He holds a PhD in Environmental Science from the University of Shizuoka, Japan, and he completed a postdoctoral course in Tsinghua University, P.R.China.

Masaki Hori
Deputy General Manager, Real Estate Dept. Facility Management Group, The Dai-ichi life Insurance Company

Hori is leading the team which is responsible for the corporate real estate strategy and management of Dai-ichi. After graduation from the Dept. of Architecture at Tokyo Metropolitan University, started professional career in 1997. Over 20 years, devoted to maximize financial/ non-financial value through corporate real estate asset as an in-house manager at Dai-ichi and GE. Also worked for Nikken Sekkei and DEGW in New York City as a consultant. Completed the Master program of Engineering in Construction Engineering and Management at University of Michigan, Ann Arber in 2005. With First Class Architect, Certified Facility Manager at IFMA/JFMA, Affiliated Financial Planner.

Ryuichi Horie
Co-founder and CEO, CSR Design Green Investment Advisory, Co., Ltd.

Horie is Co-founder and CEO of CSR Design Green Investment Advisory, Co., Ltd., which focuses on advisory on ESG integration in the real estate and infrastructure sector as well as research on policy and market with respect to green buildings. He has extensive experience in finance – he worked for IBJ and Merrill Lynch, and also served as Managing Director responsible for structured finance including renewable energy funds at Deutsche Bank.

Horie is a graduate of The University of Tokyo’s Faculty of Law, and obtained an MBA from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley. He holds a LEED AP O+M and a CASBEE AP for Real Estate. He is also a Lecturer at J.F. Oberlin University, and has been a member and working group chairperson of several committees with regards to green building and green finance hosted by Japanese Ministry of Land Infrastructure Transport and Tourism (MLIT) and Ministry of the Environment (MOE). Horie is also a chairperson of the Property Working Group and Infrastructure Working Group of PRI Japan Network, and serves as a member of global Advisory Group of UNEP FI Property Working Group and a member of the Benchmark Committee of GRESB.

Sabina Timco Iacazzi
Lead, Social Issues and Human Rights, UNEP Finance Initiative

Sabina Timco Iacazzi is leading the human rights and social issues activities at UNEP Finance Initiative since 2013. Sabina has more than ten years of experience working on sustainable business development and human rights issues with the United Nations and civil society. Other than UNEP FI, where she was also the European region coordinator between 2012 and 2015, she worked on technical assistance implementation, policy development and stakeholder engagement at the International Trade Centre, the United Nations Children’s Fund and the Geneva-based International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights. Sabina holds a Post-graduate degree in international law from University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne.

Hiroyasu Adam Ichikawa
Manager, Sustainable Management Department, SOMPO Holdings

Hiroyasu Adam Ichikawa is Manager of Sustainable Management Department of SOMPO Holdings. He was born in Washington D.C. and brought up in U.K. and Japan. After graduating Faculty of Business, Yokohama City University of Japan, he joined Sompo Japan Insurance (then Yasuda Marine & Fire Insurance) in 2000 and was appointed to the insurance claims department in Japan, specializing in automobile and fire insurance and was in charge of countermeasure headquarter for swift insurance survey towards natural disaster such as typhoons. Since 2010, he started his role in promoting sustainability initiatives as a practitioner and has been responsible for Sustainability/ESG communication, engaging with internal and external sustainability initiatives. In 2017, he was appointed as manager and previously has an additional role in investing in ESG startups with the aim to drive purpose-driven organizations. SOMPO has been selected A list for CDP Climate Change 6 times and included in DJSI World Index a total of 21 times.

Masato Ito
Associate General Manager, Head of Sustainable Property Promotion Team Real Estate Advisory Department Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, Limited.

After graduating from the Law Department of Waseda University, Tokyo, Mr. Ito joined The Sumitomo Trust and Banking Co., Ltd. in 1983. He began his real estate career in the bank as a licensed real estate appraiser, engaging in real estate appraisal, real estate trust services, as well as national property research, among others.
In 2005, an article entitled ” A note on environmental value added for real estate” that he entered for selection to commemorate the tenth founding anniversary of the Tokyo Association of Real Estate Appraisers won the top award.
While engaged in the management of sustainable real estate promotion, he is conducting research on the additional value of sustainable real estate.
He is also a member of the UNEP Finance Initiative Property Working Group (UNEP FI PWG) and an organizer of CASBEE Property Appraisal Subcommittee.

Ramana James
IAG

Ramana has a long career in sustainability and shared value. Previous to IAG he led sustainability and shared value teams across the telecommunication and property industries with Vodafone and Stockland. He has experience working across Europe and Asia and has extensive experience in developing integrated and embedded approaches to sustainability that support strategic priorities and commercial success of organisations. He joined IAG in mid 2014 as the Head of Group Shared Value and now leads a diverse team that is responsible for developing, executing and enabling IAG’s organisational wide shared value activity. This approach has a strong focus on executing on IAG’s purpose of ‘making your world a safer place’ and supporting commercial opportunities through this work. Ramana was recently recognised as a ‘Shared value trailblazer’ at the BOSS Magazine shared value awards.

Ick Jin
Director General, Economic Analysis Department, the National Assembly Budget Office

Ick Jin, Ph.D./CFA/CIPM is currently the Director General for the Economic Analysis Department of the National Assembly Budget Office. He undertakes financial analyses on the effect of public expenditures and economic programs.

Before joining NABO, he worked at the Korea Insurance Research Institute, Korea Capital Market Research Institute, and the Bank of Korea.

Mr. Jin holds a Ph.D. from Rice University at Houston, a CFA designation, and a CIPM designation. His primary research interest includes ESG investing, climate finance, climate technology, and sustainable development. Mr. Jin has authored academic papers and policy reports: including “Analysis of the impact of achieving NDC on public climate finance”, “Is ESG a systematic risk factor for US equity mutual funds?”, “ESG-screening and Factor-risk-adjusted Performance: the Concentration Level of Screening Does Matter,” “Systematic ESG risk and passive investing,” “Systematic ESG risk and decision criteria for optimal portfolio selection,” “Market price of systematic ESG risk,” “Measuring Cross-Cutting Factors Influencing Institutional and Innovation Efficiency for I4R”, “Circular Economy Policy in Korea”, etc.

Jacki Johnson
Group Executive, People, Performance & Reputation, Insurance Australia Group (IAG)

Jacki Johnson was appointed Group Executive, People, Performance & Reputation in January 2016, responsible for functions that come together to drive performance through organisational agility. These include: people and culture, corporate and government affairs, shared value and the IAG Foundation.
Jacki was previously Chief Executive for IAG’s New Zealand business. She led her team in the disaster recovery following several disasters, including the Christchurch Earthquakes, and doubled the size of the company during her 5 years in the role. She is a Non Executive Director of Community First Credit Union, a member of the Community First Corporate Governance Committee, UNEP FI Global Steering Committee and of Chief Executive Women. Former roles include President of the Insurance Council of New Zealand, Chair of the Christchurch Recovery Chief Executives’ meeting, and Executive Director IAG NZ.
Jacki has held several senior positions since joining IAG in 2001, including as Chief Executive Officer of IAG’s business partnerships division, now part of CGU. She also led organisational effectiveness and group strategy functions, and managed the integration of IAG and CGU’s workers’ compensation business. Jacki established IAG’s online start up business, The Buzz, which received the Australia Business Award for outstanding achievement in Innovation.

Masato Kaizaki
Deputy General Manager, Real Estate Finance Dept, Development Bank of Japan Inc.

Masato Kaizaki is Deputy General Manager of Real Estate Finance Dept at Development Bank of Japan Inc. He is currently in charge of real estate finance and investment in overseas and domestic market. He joined DBJ in 1998 and has developed his experiences and careers mostly in international structured finance, ranging from real estate, project financings to aviation/ship financings, for 20 years. He holds a BA of law from the University of Tokyo and an MBA from INSEAD.

Tsukasa Kanai
Chief Sustainability Officer, Corporate Planning Department, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank

Kanai entered Sumitomo Trust and Banking(current Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank) after graduating from the school of Law of Osaka University in 1983. He has been in charge of CSR and covered the whole sustainability issues of the bank since 2005. He also worked for the London branch from 1986 to 1990. He was a member of the steering committee for Principle for Financial Action towards Sustainable Society and also the chairperson of its Community Support Working Group. He is a co-author of CSR related books such as “CSR Management and SRI” and “Introduction to Natural Capital”.

Lloyd Kavanagh
Chair and Partner, MinterEllisonRuddWatts

Lloyd is a highly regarded opinion-leader on corporate governance and financial services. He advises a wide range of financial institutions and boutiques on directors duties, regulatory issues, transactions, specialising in public offers, M&A, and restructuring projects. He deals regularly with the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand and the Financial Markets Authority, which are supervisors under relevant regimes in New Zealand. Lloyd is ranked Band 1 for Investment Funds by Chambers Asia-Pacific.
Lloyd has completed the International Directors Programme at INSEAD and the Advanced Management Program at The Wharton School. He holds a Certificate in Corporate Governance from INSEAD, and in Financial Management from eCornell. He graduated LLB from Otago.
Lloyd was recognised for his work on financial markets law reform by being made a Fellow of the Institute of Finance Professionals New Zealand Inc. (INFINZ), the first lawyer to be given that accolade.
Lloyd has served on boards in NZ and overseas, including AMP Services (NZ) Limited, and the Securities Commission of New Zealand.

His principal areas of practice are Corporate Governance, Financial Services, Funds & Asset Management, Financial Services Regulatory

Arisa Kishigami
Head of ESG, Asia Pacific, FTSE Russell

As Head of ESG, Asia Pacific, Arisa is responsible for FTSE Russell’s Environmental, Social and Governance services across the Asia Pacific region. Arisa works closely with institutional investors and other clients to provide a comprehensive range of products and data to support them in reaching their investment decisions.
She has been working as an expert in ESG and Sustainable Investment since 2007, including managing corporate engagement programmes, ESG indices and ratings, and supporting stewardship implementation by asset owners. Arisa relocated to Tokyo in 2015 to take up her position as Head of ESG for the region. Prior to this she was based in London, a key hub for ESG investments.
Arisa has contributed to the wider debate on ESG and long term investment through various international committees including the UNPRI Assessment Technical Committee, and is a bridging spokesperson between Japan and globally including as a member of the Management Committee member of J-SIF (Japan Sustainable Investment Forum) and working group member of AIGCC (Asia Investor Group on Climate Change).
Arisa holds an MSc in African Studies at the University of Oxford, UK, and a bachelor’s degree in Policy Management from Keio University, Japan.

Tadateru Kitaoka
Head of Research and Marketing Department, Mitsubishi Corp.- UBS Realty Inc., Mitsubishi Corp.- UBS Realty Inc.

Tadateru Kitaoka has over 10 years career in J-REIT market after he joined UBS Asset Management, and now he led sustainability activities on the asset management company, Mitsubishi Corp.-UBS Realty Inc. as a sustainability committee member. He is also a member of the UNEP Finance Initiative Property Working Group (UNEP FI PWG). Before he joined UBS Asset Management, he worked as an accounting consultant at Deloitte Tohmatsu Consulting.
He has a Master’s degree in Business and Commerce from Keio University, and has completed Doctoral course in Graduate School of Business and Commerce of Keio University.

Yuriko Koike
Governor of Tokyo

Yuriko was born on July 15, 1952, in Hyogo Prefecture. He holds a BA in Sociology from Cairo University (October 1976). His career path looks as follows:

• July 2016 Elected Governor of Tokyo
• October 2011 Director, Committee on Budget, House of Representatives
• September 2010 Chairperson, General Council, Liberal Democratic Party
• July 2007 Minister of Defense
• September 2006 Special Advisor to the Prime Minister for National Security Affairs
• September 2004 Minister of the Environment and Minister of State for Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairs
• September 2003 Minister of the Environment
• July 1993 Member of the House of Representatives
• July 1992 Member of the House of Councillors

Nobuyuki Koinuma
Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility Division, Corporate Planning Dept. Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd.

Nobuyuki Koinuma has been Manager of Corporate Social Responsibility division at Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire since April 2015. He has engaged in environmental management and promoting ISO14001 as secretariat. Prior to his current position, he worked at Japan Centre for International Finance (a public-purpose research institution specializing in sovereign risk analysis) as General manager of China Dept. for 3 years. He was engaged in duties of Investor Relations at Tokio Marine Holdings,　Inc from 2008 to 2010.He was stationed in Singapore, Sydney and Hong Kong as Chief Representative of Nichido Fire & Marine Insurance (current Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance) from 1993 to 2001.He graduated from Keio University in Japan with a Bachelor’s degree in Law and obtained a MBA degree from Tokyo　Metropolitan University.

Hiroshi Komori
Senior Director, Stewardship & ESG, Public Market Investment Department Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF)

Before he joined GPIF, he established IR Consulting service at Sumitomo Trust to bridge the gap between Japanese companies and non-Japanese institutional investors in the field of ESG. In May 2009, his efforts brought Financial Services Agency (FSA) to invite him to“the Corporate Governance Study Group”, letting him introduce his insights and expertise he learned from mainstream global investors. The Study Group became a great catalyst later for the introduction of Stewardship Code in 2014 and Corporate Governance Code in 2015 initiated by FSA.

He joined GPIF in December 2015 and has been leading its Stewardship activities at Stewardship & ESG Division which was established in October 2016. He holds MA in International Relations (Economics) from The International University of Japan.

Benel Lagua
Executive Vice President, Development Bank of the Philippines

EVP Lagua has been serving the Philippines through DBP for four years now as the Chief Development Officer and Head of the Development Sector. His pivotal role is to ensure that DBP covers its four priority thrusts — Infrastructure and Logistics, Environment, Social and Community Development and mSMEs. Before joining DBP, he used to spearhead the Small Business Corporation as their President and Chief Operating Officer. He joined SB Corp after the merger with the Guarantee Fund for Small and Medium Enterprises (GFSME) in 2001, where he served as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer.
At present, he is also the Chief Executive Officer and Governing Board Member of the Industrial Guarantee and Loan Fund (IGLF), a government-owned credit program administered by DBP under NEDA that assists the Filipino entrepreneurs. He sits as one of the Board of Directors of SB Corporation, and the Local Government Unit Guarantee Corporation (LGU-GC). As finance executive, he was an active member of the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (FINEX) and the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP). He represents DBP in the United Nations Environment Program- Finance Initiative (UNEP-FI). He is likewise a Fellow of the Institute of Corporate Directors.

Steve Lambert
Executive General Manager, Corporate Finance, National Australia Bank

Steve Lambert is Executive General Manager, Corporate Finance. Steve leads a group of professionals that support the debt and equity financing needs of NAB’s Corporate & Institutional clients globally. This includes all bilateral and syndicated loans, all forms of specialised finance and capital market instruments, equity and hybrid product and in the creation of new investor driven financing product.

Steve joined NAB in 1998 in Hong Kong and his career has spanned 34 years in banking, in both Australia and offshore. Steve has had a variety of roles in debt capital markets, interest rate, commodity and credit derivatives, multi-asset structured products, specialised finance & leasing and in new product development.

Qi Lan
Senior Project Manager, German International Cooperation (GIZ)

Ms. Qi Lan, works for of Emerging Market Dialogues on Finance (EMDF) of GIZ and engages in sustainable finance topics. She joined GIZ in 2008, and had been fully responsible for diverse international cooperation projects, including financial stability, capital market investor protection, finanical stability, RMB internationalization, consumer protection, digital finance and green finance topics. The cooperation partners include both public and private financial and economic sectors in China and Europe. Moreover, Qi Lan was the Project Director of Sino-German Center of Finance and Economics of GIZ from 2015 to 2016.
Between 2005 and 2008, Ms. Qi Lan worked for Ernst & Young Beijing, as the manager of Transaction Advisory Service Department, engaging in the NPL transactions and M&A transactions.
In 1992, she started her career in China Venturetech Investment Corporation (CVIC), a state-owned non-bank financial institution.
Qi Lan obtained a B-Com degree from Royal Roads University of Canada, and a MBA degree on Strategic Management from Sauder Business School, University of British Columbia (UBC), Canada.

Fusheng Li
Managing Director, Silkroad Obor Fund Management Co.

Fusheng Li, Managing Director, Silkroad Obor Fund Management Co. He has worked for the Chinese government and official export credit agency for more than 20 years. His previous posts are involved in export credits, Chinese overseas direct investment and cross border M&A. The area covers South East Asia, Africa and Latin America and the emerging markets such as India and Russia while the industry includes manufacturing, mining, power plants, oil and gas. As a managing partner, he managed the China-Europe M&A fund which was invested by China Eximbank, China Development Bank and one of key European banks. Some projects which he participated were financially syndicated by the World Bank and other international financial institutions.
His research interests include the country risks control in belt and road regions, the relations between international projects and sustainable development. The publications: (author), (translator).
He received PhD degree at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and business management degree at Stanford university.

Robert Li
Investment Strategist, China Asset Management Company

Robert is an Investment Strategist at China Asset Management Company, one of the largest asset manager in China with 984 Billion RMB in AUM and one of the first UNPRI signatories in China. Robert has 10 years of professional experience in the global capital markets and is responsible for strategy and product development at ChinaAMC. Prior to joining the firm, Robert held progressive investment and product development positions at alternative investment firms in Canada. Robert holds an MBA degree from the University of Toronto.

Greg Lowe
Global Head of Resilience and Sustainability, Aon

Greg Lowe is Global Head of Resilience and Sustainability at Aon plc, the leading provider of risk management, insurance and reinsurance brokerage, and human resources solutions and outsourcing services.  Greg is focused on leveraging Aon’s leading proprietary analytics platforms to meet the needs of clients looking to address disaster risk, climate finance, and the global protection gap. Heading Aon’s strategy on sustainability and systemic risk, Greg leads dialogues with clients, investors, and regulators on global environmental issues. He’s collaborated with organisations as varied as the United Nations, OECD, and Urban Land Institute. Prior to working at Aon, Greg was an Executive Director at Willis Towers Watson, having begun his career in investment banking at UBS. Greg holds and MSc in Environment and Development from the London School of Economics and a BA in Political Economy from the University of Maryland.

Jeremy McDaniels
Senior Policy Advisor, Sustainable Finance, Institute of International Finance

Jeremy McDaniels serves as Senior Policy Advisor, Sustainable Finance, in the IIF Global Policy Initiatives department. In this role, Jeremy is responsible for the IIF’s Sustainable Finance Working Group (SFWG), leading projects on climate risk assessment, disclosure, terminology and definitions. Jeremy also supports the IIF’s engagement on sustainable finance policy and regulatory issues with international standard-setting entities (e.g. BCBS, IAIS, IOSCO), leadership coalitions (e.g. NGFS, SIF, IPSF), governments, regulators, and multilateral entities.

Prior to joining the IIF, Jeremy worked with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), where he led a portfolio of strategic programs on sustainable finance issues. While at UNEP, he served as Head of Secretariat of the Sustainable Insurance Forum (SIF), and was co-founder of the International Network of Financial Centres for Sustainability (FC4S). As a member of the UNEP Inquiry on Sustainable Finance, Jeremy supported the G20 Green Finance Study Group, and contributed to the development of sustainable finance strategies in over 10 countries. Prior to joining UNEP, Jeremy worked as a management consultant and an academic researcher, publishing research on climate risks and stranded assets.

Jeremy holds an M.S. in Environmental Management (Dist.) from the University of Oxford, where he specialized in energy economics. He received his B.A. from the University of British Columbia, majoring in Economic Geography.

Ben McQuhae
Founder and co-chair of the Hong Kong Green Finance Task Force; partner at international law firm Jones Day

Ben McQuhae is a founder and co-chair of the Hong Kong Green Finance Task Force, a signatory to the 2017 Casablanca statement on financial centres for sustainability at the first ever international meeting of financial centres for sustainability, committing to promote green and sustainable finance and to the launch the new international network.

A partner at the international law firm Jones Day specializing in energy M&A and projects, Ben has almost 20 years of experience advising investors in energy projects and assets across the globe. During this time, he has experienced first-hand the numerous challenges facing the old and the new energy sectors.

He is also a member of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific’s Taskforce on Green Business.

Michiyo Morisawa
Head of Japan, Global Networks and Outreach, PRI

Dr. Michiyo Morisawa is Head of Japan, Global Networks and Outreach at PRI. She works leading the PRI signatory network in Japan. She is also Head of the CDP Japan office, guiding the initiative since CDP’s global expansion in 2006. Dr. Morisawa has a PHD in Environment from Tokyo University. She has been a member of several committees under the Ministry of Environment. She has prior experience in international business development of financial services having worked with Citibank, amongst others, reducing settlement risk.

Hideki Murai
Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Financial Services Member of the House of Representatives

Hideki Murai graduated from the University of Tokyo, Faculty of Liberal Arts in 2003. In 2008, he studied in the master’s program at the Harvard Graduate School and was Research fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School.

He was at the Ministry of Finance (MoF) from 2003 to 2011. In 2012, he was elected to the House of Representative (HOR) for the first time (46th Election). In 2013 he became Member of the Committee on Health, Labour and Welfare, HOR as well as Member of the Special Committee on Promotion of Science and Technology, and Innovation, HOR.

In 2015, he became Member of the Special Committee for Investigation of Nuclear Power Issues, HOR
Deputy Director, Treasury and Finance Division, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Acting Director, Economy, Trade and Industry Division, LDP. He also started as Chairman at the Committee on Organizations Involved with Commerce, Industry and Medium and Small Enterprises, LDP as well as Deputy Director, Agriculture and Forestry Division, LDP.

In 2016, he was Director of the Special Committee on Promotion of Science and Technology, and Innovation, HOR and Member of the Commission on the Constitution, HOR as well as Member of the Committee on Financial Affairs, HOR. In addition, he acted as Deputy Secretary-General, LDP and Acting Director, Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Division, LDP.

He became Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Cabinet Office as well as Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Financial Services in 2017.

Masaaki Nagamura
General Manager International Initiatives, Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd.

Masaaki Nagamura has been in charge of various international initiatives related to disaster risks, climate change, and sustainability issues at Tokio Marine since April 2018, after serving as Division Head of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) between August 2011 and March 2018.

On disaster risks, he has been assisting the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)’s Finance Ministers’ Process (FMP) by serving as Sherpa for the Asia-Pacific Financial Forum’s Disaster Risk Financing and Insurance (DRFI) Workstream, since January 2015.

On climate change, he served the Financial Stability Board’s Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) as a member between January 2016 and July 2017. Having left the TCFD as a member, he continues to promote the implementation of the TCFD recommendations in the Japanese business sector as a steering committee member of the TCFD Consortium of Japan. In parallel, he is actively involved in The Geneva Association’s Climate Change and Emerging Environmental Topics (CC+EET) Working Group, ever since it originated in 2008.

On sustainability, he was deeply involved in the making of the UN Environment Finance Initiative’s Principles for Sustainable Insurance (PSI), which was launched in 2012 and served as its Board Member between 2013 and 2014.

At Tokio Marine, he functioned as a governmental relations expert on international harmonization of insurance regulatory issues between 2004 and 2011, prior to which he was stationed in the U.S. city of Chicago as an Account Executive between 1997 and 2004. He joined Tokio Marine & Fire Insurance in 1986, after graduating from Waseda University in Tokyo.

Daniel Neale
Director, CHRB

Dan is the new Programme Director of the Corporate Human Rights Benchmark (CHRB). Previously he worked as a social-performance consultant, largely with the extractives and renewables industries. He focused on improving company systems and performance; social and human rights risk and impact management; security and human rights; socio-economic development and grievance management. Dan will be refining the CHRB methodology, expanding it to new companies and industries in the future and is keen to engage with interested parties and investors wanting to better understand company human rights performance.

Mathew Nelson
Global and Asia Pacific Leader, Climate Change and Sustainability Services, EY

Mat is Global leader for EY’s Climate Change and Sustainability Services team, responsible for our global network of over 1,000 climate change and sustainability professionals. The network has teams in over 40 countries and 75 offices delivering services related to sustainability, nonfinancial reporting, climate change and energy, outcomes measurement and valuation and environment, health and safety.
In this role he advises businesses and government on how to build long-term value by responding to broader societal, environmental and economic challenges and assisting business to understand and evaluate the broader value impacts associated with their organisation, operations, programs and projects.
Mathew has also been a leading mind of sustainability policy in the Asia-Pacific region, working closely with government and the private sector during the development and implementation of sustainability and climate change related policy and programs – most recently joining business and government leaders in the Bali Process round table discussions on eradicating modern slavery in the Indo-Pacific region.
Mathew is currently a Board member for Earthwatch Institute and MEMS-MIDP Industry Advisory Board, and was previously a Board Member of Carbon Markets Institute.

Assel Nurakhmetova
Director of Green Finance Department, Astana International Financial Centre Authority

Assel Nurakhmetova works as a Director of Green Finance Department at the Astana International Financial Centre Authority. She has 8 years of work experience in the sphere of politics, trade, economy and finance, including 5 years of experience in public service and 4 years in leadership position. Assel also worked as a Division head at the central bank of Kazakhstan, responsible for international cooperation and organisation of international conferences. Previously she worked at the Trade Committee of the Ministry of Economy and Budget Planning of Kazakhstan, responsible for the successful bid of Astana to host EXPO-2017 International specialised exhibition. Assel was awarded with “Bolashak” presidential stipend in 2005 and graduated from Lancaster University in 2009. She has several publications on trade policy at the “Exporter” specialised edition.

Masashi Oba
President & CEO, Tokio Marine Asset Management Co., Ltd.

Masashi Oba was instated as President & CEO of Tokio Marine Asset Management Co., Ltd. (TMAM) in June 2016. Prior to this, he worked for Tokio Marine Holdings, Inc. serving in the corporate accounting, treasury, tax, and investment departments, before being promoted to EVP and CFO. TMAM is the asset management company of the Tokio Marine Group and has $60 billion assets under management.

Ashleigh Owens
Deputy Director, Financial Institutions Lead, Shift Project

As Deputy Director / Financial Institutions Lead, Ashleigh engages directly with financial institutions, companies, and investors as they embed respect for human rights into their operations and business relationships. She also leads on pieces of research under Shift Project’s VALUING RESPECT PROJECT, which is focused on developing better ways to evaluate business respect for human rights. Ashleigh has a breadth of experience approaching the Guiding Principles from business, legal and academic perspectives and brings a holistic view to Guiding Principles implementation.

Ashleigh was previously Executive Director at Ernst & Young’s Climate Change and Sustainability Services. At EY Japan, she led a team of consultants supporting policy-making, educational program, and governance design, stakeholder dialogue, and due diligence strategies for multinational and domestic companies across a variety of industries. As founder of the EY Human Rights Network, she led the enhancement of EY’s human rights capabilities across EY’s global network.

From 2012 to 2014 she conducted research at the United Nations University in the field of Sustainability Science, specializing in business and human rights. Ashleigh is a lawyer qualified in Australia and England & Wales and specialized in intellectual property law, labor law, and public international law. Ashleigh has authored or contributed to a number of publications and is also a member of the Advisory Board for UNITAR’s Division for Prosperity.

Ashleigh has degrees in Law and Asian Studies from the University of Western Australia, with studies also conducted at the University of Vienna and Sophia University in Japan. She has a Masters of Science in Sustainability from the United Nations University and has undertaken the institution’s Leadership for Sustainability program. 

Clare Payne
Chief of Global Strategy, Tobacco Free Portfolios

Clare Payne specialises in the field of ethics in finance. She is Chief of Global Strategy for Tobacco Free Portfolios, working with Dr. Bronwyn King to encourage tobacco-free investment. Clare commenced her career as an employment lawyer and then managed the Integrity Office of a global investment bank. Clare was a founding Director of The Banking and Finance Oath, a Hippocratic-type oath for those in finance. Clare was awarded the Inaugural Ethics in Finance Prize by the Observatoire de la Finance, Geneva; is a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader; and has been recognised by the Australian Financial Review and Westpac as one of their ‘100 Women of Influence’. As a former marathon swimmer, having swum solo around Manhattan NYC, Clare has raised significant funds for the not- for-profit sector and continues to be actively involved in addressing a range of social issues.

Afifa Raihana
Senior Environmental Specialist, International Finance Corporation (IFC), World Bank Group

Dr. Afifa Raihana is a Senior Environmental Specialist at IFC and has more than 18 years of work experience in Sustainable Finance and climate change. She has trained more than 3000 Bankers across South Asia, Middle East and Africa on Sustainability issues. Prior to joining IFC, Afifa lead the Sustainability initiative of Standard Chartered Bank in Singapore focusing on E&S risk management for high risk projects like palm oil, ship breaking, oil, gas and mining and manufacturing. Her current focus of work is identifying and managing E&S risks in the financial sector. She has gained valuable experience while working both with industry and financial institutions, she is a certified energy auditor. Afifa has been instrumental in developing policies and procedures for Central Banks across South Asia and Middle East. Afifa comes from a multidisciplinary educational background. She graduated from Dhaka University in Economics and then did her MSc from Oxford University, UK in Environmental Change and Management and completed her PhD from Bath University, UK. Afifa’s second book on “Learning and Sustainable Development in a business context” was published in early 2013 which focuses on textiles and RMG sector of Bangladesh and how it contributes to sustainable development.

Eckart Roth
Chief Risk Officer, Peak Re

Mr. Eckart Roth is the Chief Risk Officer (CRO) of Peak Re. He is a seasoned reinsurance professional with 25 years of experience in the regional and international reinsurance markets and a proven track record in building and implementing comprehensive risk management systems during his previous experience with various global reinsurers. Prior to founding Peak Re together with Mr. Franz-Josef Hahn, Eckart ran and owned a consultancy which offered tailored reinsurance solutions to financial institutions in Asia Pacific, Europe and the US. Before that, Eckart was the Managing Director and Global Risk Officer at White Mountains Re covering Europe, Bermuda and US. Previously, he was the Head of Outward Reinsurance and Chairman of Security Committee at Gerling Konzern Allgemeine Versicherungs-AG, Cologne in Germany, where he was responsible for placing of their reinsurance business.

During 1997-2003, Eckart held a number of senior positions at various Munich Re companies. He was a member of the Executive Board at Nouvelle Compagnie de Réassurance in Geneva where he helped the company build up its financial reinsurance business, and Senior Underwriter Casualty at Munich-American Risk-Partners where he developed a casualty book from Fortune 500 clients. Educated in Germany and France, Eckart is a qualified lawyer.

Kazuhiko Saito
Managing Partner, KPMG AZSA Sustainability

Kazuhiko has been an active member of KPMG Japan’s sustainability practice since 2002 and has lead the practice since 2012. Kazuhiko has been involved in a diverse range of engagements ranging from assurance engagements such as sustainability report assurance engagements, verification of greenhouse gas emissions and conflict minerals audit, to advisory services such as EHS audit, environmental due diligence and natural capital risk assessment. Kazuhiko has a BA in Law from Waseda University and an MSc in Environmental Economics from the University of York.

Kyoko Saito
Senior Analyst, Rating and Investment Information,Inc.

Kyoko works in the Specialized Finance group which is responsible for R&I green bond assessment. She is engaged in researching the green bond market and developing R&I green bond assessment methodology. She is also involved in credit analysis of structure finance products, including Project Finance (including wind and solar project), ABS, and CDO.
Kyoko joined R&I in 2013.
Kyoko graduated from Waseda University in Tokyo with BA in Economics.

Hiroyoshi Sasagawa
Parliamentary Vice-Minister of the Environment, Japan

Hiroyoshi was born on Aug. 29, 1966 in Tokyo, Japan.
Education 1989 Meiji University dropout

Career
In 2007, he was firstly elected for the Gunma Prefectural Assembly, before again being elected in 2011. Hiroyoshi was elected to the House of Representative (HOR) for the first time (46th Election) in 2012. He became Member of the Committee of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, HOR as well as Member of the Special Committee on Political Ethics and Election Law, HOR.

In 2013, he joined the Committee on Security, HOR, the Committee on Audit and Oversight of Administration, HOR, and the Special Committee on Disasters, HOR. In 2015, he became Member of the Committee on Security, HOR, the Committee on Environment, HOR, the Special Committee on Disasters, HOR as well as the Special Committee on the Legislation for Peace and Security of Japan and the International Community, HOR.

In 2016, he held the following positions: Member of the Committee on Security, HOR, Member of the Committee on Rules and Administration, HOR, Member of the Committee on Judicial Affairs, HOR, Member of Political Ethics Hearing Committee, LDP, Member of the Special Committee on Disasters, HOR, Director of the Special Committee on TPP, HOR, Deputy Director, Environment Division, LDP, Deputy Director, Agriculture and Forestry Division, LDP
Meeting Presider of the Committee on Rules and Administration, HOR

Since 2017, he is Meeting Presider of the Committee on Rules and Administration, HOR, Member of the Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, HOR, Member of the Special Committee on North Korean Abductions and Other Issues, HOR, Deputy Chairman, Diet Affairs Committee, LDP, Deputy Director, Environment Division, LDP. Moreover, he is Parliamentary Vice-Minister of the Environment (The Third Reshuffled Third Abe Cabinet) and Parliamentary Vice-Minister of the Environment (The Fourth Abe Cabinet)

Rakesh Shejwal
Vice President, Responsible Banking, YES BANK

A member of the Climate Finance and Sustainability strategy team of YES Bank, Rakesh’s responsibilities span from leading projects on mainstreaming natural capital in India, implementing key CSR projects on biodiversity conservation, community engagement and managing relationship (E&S) with international organizations such as Natural Capital Finance Alliance, Natural Capital Coalition amongst others. He has well-rounded experience and works closely with the senior management of YES BANK to develop and implement sustainability strategy of the Bank.
He is also the India Network Coordinator for UNEP FI. His role is to build and maintain strategic partnerships with key stakeholders to advance Sustainable Finance in India and lead on recruiting financial institutions in India.
Specialties: Sustainable Finance; Natural Capital; Sustainability Strategy/Management; Climate Change; Biodiversity conservation; Corporate Sustainability Reporting; Non-Financial Risk Management; CSR program management
Prior to YES BANK, Rakesh completed his PGDM from Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.

Yi-Chen Shi

Dr. Yi-Chen Shi is a chair professor of International Institute of Green Finance at Central University of Finance and Economics (CUFE) and head of Green Finance Innovation Laboratory of International Institute of Green Finance. He has academic papers published in Financial Management (the journal of Financial Management Association), Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Asia-Pacific Journal of Financial Studies and Review of Pacific Basin Financial Markets and Policies. Besides, he ever studied in “Green stock index”,”ESG index” and” Environmental Stress Testing” for many years and owned many researches in Green index ,ESG index and Environmental Stress Testing. He leads the research team of International Institute of Green Finance, Central University of Finance and Economic (CUFE) to develop an new methodology of stress testing and finish “Research Report on Environmental Stress Testing of Asset Management Industry”. This is one of the top ten performances in 2017 Annual Meeting of Green Finance Committee of the China Society for Finance and Banking (GFC). Besides, he also leads the research team to develop the innovation of Green Leading Stock Index and finish the research report on “Green Leading Stock Index of CUFE” to launch this methodology of Green Leading Stock Index in 2017 Annual Meeting of China Environmental Protection Industry Association. The International Institute of Green Finance at the Central University of Finance and Economics, China Securities Index Co Ltd, and the Luxembourg Stock Exchange jointly launch the CSI 300 Green Leading Stock Index in Beijing, Sept 26, 2017.

Kenji Shima
General Manager, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation

Kenji has engaged in E&S risk assessment at SMBC since 2008 and was appointed as General Manager of Environment Analysis Department in 2016. Kenji has plenteous experiences of E&S risk review for project development in accordance with the Equator Principles (the EPs) and actively participated in the discussion on the previous EPs’ update. Prior to joining SMBC, Kenji had worked at an environment engineering company as a process and mechanical engineer of wastewater treatment plant.

Kenji has a bachelor’s degree in Environment Engineering from University of Tokyo.

Ryohei Shimazaki
CEO, BNP Paribas Asset Management Japan

Ryohei Shimazaki joined BNP Paribas in 2014 and has oversight responsibility for all activities relating to the management and operations of BNP PARIBAS ASSET MANAGEMENT Japan Limited.
Ryohei was previously President and Representative Director of Baring Asset Management (Japan) Limited. He has spent almost three decades of his career within the financial services industry.
He began his carrer with Robert Fleming Asset Management in London, UK, in 1986, as a fund manager and later joined Baring Brothers Limited, where he served as Director and led the M&A advisory group. Since then, Ryohei has held various senior positions in Asia and Europe, including Jardine
Fleming Securities and ING Baring Securities. He holds a Master of Science Degree and Diploma in Development Economics (1986) from University of Cambridge (Darwin), UK and Bachelor of Arts in Law and International Relations (1983) from Keio University.

Takejiro Sueyoshi
CEO, Green Finance Organization Japan

After graduating from Tokyo University, Takejiro Sueyoshi joined the Mitsubishi Bank (the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ) in 1967 and worked for the bank until 1998.
He is Special Advisor to UNEP FI in the Asia Pacific region. During his years with Nikko Asset Management as Deputy President, he was appointed as a member of the UNEP FI Steering Committee. In addition to the involvement in the UNEP FI activities, he is giving many educational speeches about environmental problems and CSR/SRI in various government councils, seminars, universities and schools.

He is advisors to mayors of local governments and outside directors of corporations in Japan. He is a member of the Central Committee on Environmental Plan for Ministry of the Environment. He is a Trustee member of CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project). He is CEO of Green Finance Organization Japan (Green Fund) since May 2013.
He was a member of the Council for Japan`s Prime Ministers (Mr. Fukuda and Mr. Aso) on Climate Change Policy.

Takashi Takamura
President and Representative Director, State Street Global Advisors (Japan) Co., Ltd.

Takashi Takamura joined State Street Global Advisors (Japan) as Deputy President on 27 February 2017 and became President and Representative Director on 28 June.

Prior to joining State Street, he was with Capital Group (Capital International K.K.) since 2002 covering multiple significant roles, including the most recent position as the Head of Sales in Japan.  He also has an extensive career experiences working at various financial institutions such as Citigroup, UBS, Arthur Andersen, and Mitsui Trust & Banking.

Obtained B.A in Business & Commerce from Keio University, and Master of Public & Private Management (MPPM) from Yale University, USA.

Kazuhiko (Kazu) Takemoto
Director, UNU-IAS

Prof. Takemoto is Director of the United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS). He is concurrently a Visiting Professor of the University of Tokyo, Integrated Research System for Sustainability Science (IR3S), and Executive Secretary of Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Japan.

Prior to joining UNU, he developed policies on international environmental cooperation and global environment, in particular, climate change and bio-diversity as Vice-Minister for Global Environment Affairs (2008-2010) and as a Director-General of Environmental Management Bureau (2005-08).

He served for CBD/COP10 as its Alternate President (2010), CSD-18 as its Co-Chair (2010), OECD/EPOC as Vice Chair (2004-07) and UNFCCC/COP3 as Special Assistant to its President (1997). He is a Council Member of the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA).

He holds a PhD in environmental engineering from The University of Tokyo and a Master of International Public Policy degree from the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Johns Hopkins University.

Rintaro Tamaki
President, Japan Center for International Finance

Mr. Tamaki was Deputy Secretary-General of the OECD from August 2011 to July 2017. His portfolio included the strategic direction of OECD policy on Environment, Green Growth, Taxation, Financial and Enterprise Affairs & Anti-Corruption, Competition, Corporate Governance, along with representing the OECD at the Financial Stability Board (FSB) meetings. During his tenure at the OECD, he also acted as Chief Economist from February to October 2014 and responsible on development policy from 2011 to 2015.
Before joining the OECD Mr. Tamaki was Vice-Minister of Finance for International Affairs at the Ministry of Finance, Government of Japan. During his prominent 35-year career at the Japanese Ministry of Finance, Mr. Tamaki worked on various budget, taxation, international finance and development issues. He was also part of the OECD Secretariat twice from 1978 – 1980 and from 1983 – 1986. From 1994 – 1997 Mr. Tamaki was posted to the World Bank as Alternate Executive Director for Japan and from 2002 -2005 as Finance Minister at the Embassy of Japan in Washington DC.Mr. Tamaki took his new duty in Tokyo as president of Japan Center for International Finance (JCIF) on October 1, 2017.
Mr. Tamaki graduated in 1976, with an L.L.B. from the University of Tokyo. He has held academic positions at the University of Tokyo and Kobe University. He has published books and articles on international institutions, the international monetary system, development, debt and taxation.
He is Senior Wine Advisor certified by Japan Sommelier Association.

Shunsuke Tanahashi
General Manager of Japan, Senior Vice President, Client Solutions, Partners Group AG

Shunsuke is a part of Client Solutions team, based in Tokyo. He has more than 20 years Industry experienced. Prior to joining Partners Group, he was a founding partner of Ark Totan Alternative, PE focus intermediary including, asset management, secondary brokerage, and placement agent, after Ant Capital Partners where he headed the Investor Relations team. Prior to joining Ant Capital, he worked at Goldman Sachs Asset Management Tokyo office promoting alternative products to institutional investors. He started his career at Mitsubishi UFJ Trust Bank in 1996 where he specialized in pension portfolio management, and was seconded to Research Institute for Pensions and Policies on Aging (RIPPA, Government Agency funded by GPIF) for 3 years during his assignment. Shunsuke was an expert group member of PRI, and launched PRI in 2006 when he was in RIPPA. Currently, Shunsuke is a chairman of PE Working Group and a vice-chairman of Infra Working Group in PRI association in Japan, Shunsuke graduated from Tokyo University and holds MBA from University of Michigan.

Kevin Telmer
Executive Director, Artisanal Gold Council

Dr. Kevin Telmer, is the Executive Director and founder of the Artisanal Gold Council (AGC), a not for profit organisation that develops innovative programs to improve the environment, economics, and health of artisanal and small-scale gold mining communities (ASGM) worldwide. Eliminating the world’s largest source of mercury pollution while improving the lives of the millions of people involved in ASGM has been the main focus of his academic and business careers. Dr. Telmer started his work in artisanal mining in 1995 in the Brazilian Amazon and in the following 20+ years has worked in numerous countries across three continents on the many dimensions of ASGM including environmental, technical, health, policy, and business aspects. He has become a world-renowned expert and a voice on the international stage presenting the story of the modern gold rush and solutions for its problems to many audiences. He is very well published including authoring the global estimate on mercury use in ASGM used to negotiate the Minamata Convention. Innovating financial mechanisms and sustainable business opportunities to drive improvements in the artisanal gold mining sector is an expertise and fundamental approach that Dr. Telmer utilizes.

Ryosuke Ueda
General Manager, Sustainable Development Office, Global Project Finance Department, Mizuho Bank, Ltd.

Mr. Ryosuke Ueda has served as General Manager of Sustainable Development Office, Global Project Finance Department at Mizuho Bank, Ltd. since May 2011. He has extensive experience in managing Environmental and Social risks associated with project development in line with International Finance Corporation’s Performance Standards and World Bank Group EHS guidelines under the Equator Principles framework. He routinely provides sustainability advice for the network of banking operations covering not only the business side but also the Credit Risk and Corporate Social Responsibility teams.

He actively participates in the Equator Principles Association as the Steering Committee Member and he is also a member of Advisory Committee of Environmental and Social Considerations for Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA).

He has a Bachelor of Economics from Keio University.

Matthew Ulterino
Property Working Group Coordinator, United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative

Matthew Ulterino is an urban planner and specialist in green cities and property. He is presently the coordinator of the UNEP Finance Initiative Property Working Group, a collective of 25 global asset managers and asset owners working to deliver enhanced value and returns through improved environmental and social performance measures in their portfolios. As a consultant, he has recently completed assignments for the UN-Habitat Energy Efficiency in Buildings in East Africa (EEBEA) initiative, advising on finance instruments for green buildings and distributed renewable energy; and an assessment of policy and finance instruments to increase investment in low-carbon and climate resilient urban infrastructure globally as part of a research team from the London School of Economics’ LSE Cities Institute.

Hiroko Urashima
Manager, Sustainability Department, MS&AD Insurance Group Holdings, Inc.

After joining Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance in 2008, Hiroko has been engaged in environmental and sustainability initiatives. As an environmental promotion secretariat of ISO14001 for 10 years, encouraged each department of the headquarter to contribute to solving social issues through their essential work. As of 2016, she also serves as a member of a holding company and works to promote CSV with the SDGs as a guidepost toward the creation of a “resilient and sustainable society” set forth in the medium-term management plan especially focusing on the topic of climate change adaptation and natural capital.

She is also in charge of promoting the environmental projects of the entire group. She directs the “MS&AD Green Earth Project ” which is a volunteer activity by groups employee to conserve nature such as wetlands to pursue nature-based solution in its community and “ECOM Surugadai”, a green & communication space in the Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance headquarter building which realizes habitat in the center of highly developed Tokyo city; both an important initiatives for conserving biodiversity.

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.

Liesel van Ast
Membership and Regional Co-ordination Manager

Liesel is responsible for engagement with banks, insurers and investors, regional coordination and training. Before joining UNEP FI in July 2016, she was Programme Manager of the Natural Capital Declaration (now the Natural Capital Finance Alliance), a joint initiative of UNEP FI and the NGO Global Canopy Programme. She developed a technical work programme and raised funds for collaborative projects with banks and investors to help strengthen management of environmental risks and opportunities. She managed projects to develop innovative tools and methodologies to integrate natural resource and environmental issues into financial products and services. From 2007- 2013, Liesel was Research Editor at Trucost, the environmental research provider. From 2005-2007 she was a Writer and Online Editor for the leading UK environmental business journal The ENDS Report. She holds an Investment Management Certificate; MSc in Business Strategy, Politics and the Environment; and Certificate in Environmental Management.

Kong Wei
Convener, Lujiazui Financial City Green Finance Committee

Convener, Lujiazui Financial City Green Finance Committee
Partner, Zhong Lun Law Firm
Independent director, Universal Medical Financial & Technical Advisory Services Co., Ltd.

Selina Xiuling Xu
Senior Vice-President, CreditEase

Ms. Selina Xu is in charge of corporate social responsibility, corporate culture management and training committee in CreditEase. Leading by Ms. Xu, CreditEase leveraged 170 thousand investors to lend 270 million RMB to 24 thousand Chinese rural poor women as of November 2017 through YiNongDai Microfinance Rural Assistance Platform.
The China Public Finance Innovation Program (CISF) jointly launched by Creditease and the Institute of social development and public policy, Beijing Normal University, aims to promote the Chinese social entrepreneurship in the financial industry, and set up an international platform to focus on the innovation of China’s public finance. Ms. Xu Xiuling is the Joint Secretary-General of CISF.
CISF launched two years, held round table forum 7 times, from more than 100 participating institutions in 6-7 countries; issued knowledge achievements – 3 series of Public Finance Series; Held China public welfare Financial Forum 2 times; Developed public welfare financial products – a charitable trust and a green factoring.
Before join CreditEase, Ms. Xu was the chief editor of financial channel of CCTV .
CreditEase is a leading FinTech company in China,specializing in inclusive finance and wealth management, in addition to payment technology, marketplace lending, crowdfunding, robo-advisory,insurance technology and blockchain products and services. CreditEase actively engages with global FinTech innovators through business incubation, commercial cooperation, and investment. Better tech, better finance, better world.

Amane Yamazaki
General Manager, Social & Environmental Risk Assessment Office, Structured Finance Division, The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ

Mr. Amane Yamazaki has served as General Manager of Social & Environmental Risk Assessment Office, Structured Finance Division at The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd. since May 2015.

Prior to the current assignment, Mr. Yamazaki was Head of Power and Infrastructure of Project Finance Group at the bank and has 14-year experience working in Tokyo and in London, in risk assessment and arrangement of project financing particularly for power and renewable projects, such as solar / wind projects in Japan, an offshore wind project in the UK, etc.

He has a Bachelor of Science and Technology from Keio University.

Weidong Yang
Vice-President of Aegon-Industrial Fund Management Co.

Former Vice president of Asset Management Department of Industrial Securities Co., Ltd, president of Shanghai Kaiye group Co.

Karl Chun Seung Yang
Executive Director, Korea Sustainability Investing Forum (KoSIF)

Mr. Karl C. S. Yang is one of the co-founders of KoSIF and has been serving as its Executive Director so far. KoSIF is a non-profit and non-governmental organization, whose main purpose is to promote the practices of socially responsible investment in Korea. It was founded in 2007 and now has about 50 individual members and 10 company members. It also initiated the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) in Korea with the partnership agreement with CDP in London. He also serves as the Vice Chairperson of CDP Korea Committee as well as one of Deputy Chairs of Korea Association of Business Ethics.
He graduated with Bachelor of Economics in 1985 from Seoul National University and with Ph. D. in Economics (Climate Change and Energy Policy) in 2010 from Seoul National University of Science &Technology. Nowadays he is teaching on “Corporate Social Responsibility and Business Ethics” in Seoul National University of Science & Technology (SNUT) and Seoul National University (SNU) as a visiting professor.