Sustainability Talks

In this episode of Sustainability Talks our host Rob Genieser, Managing Partner at ETF Partners, sits down with Christine LOH, a leading voice in environmental policy and sustainability.

Christine LOH is a distinguished academic and former politician, currently serving as Chief Development Strategist at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. With a strong focus on environmental and sustainability issues, her work spans academia, government, and the private sector.

Christine LOH shares her unique journey from the world of commodities trading to her impactful roles in Hong Kong’s Legislative Council and as Under Secretary for the Environment. The conversation dives deep into her pioneering work with Civic Exchange, a think tank she co-founded, and her ongoing efforts at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, where she’s shaping the next generation of sustainability leaders.

More About Christine LOH

Christine LOH is a distinguished academic and former politician, currently serving as Chief Development Strategist at the Institute for the Environment at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). With a strong focus on environmental and sustainability issues, her work spans academia, government, and the private sector.

Loh’s career began in the private sector, where she gained significant experience in commodities trading and held various senior management positions. She transitioned to public service in 1992 when she was appointed to the Legislative Council of Hong Kong. During her tenure, she was known for championing environmental protection, transparency, and public engagement in policy-making.

After leaving politics, Loh co-founded Civic Exchange in 2000, a Hong Kong-based public policy think tank. Under her leadership, Civic Exchange became a leading voice on environmental policy and sustainable development in Hong Kong and the region. Her work with the organisation solidified her reputation as a key advocate for climate action and urban sustainability.

Loh later joined the Hong Kong government as Under Secretary for the Environment from 2012 to 2017. In this role, she played a pivotal part in shaping Hong Kong’s environmental policies, particularly in areas such as air quality, waste management, and climate change. Her efforts contributed to significant advances in Hong Kong's environmental governance.

In addition to her government service, Loh is an accomplished author, writing extensively on environmental, historical, and socio-political topics. Her books and articles reflect her deep understanding of Hong Kong’s unique position at the intersection of East and West, as well as her commitment to fostering a sustainable future.

Throughout her career, Christine LOH has received numerous accolades for her contributions to environmental protection and public policy. She remains a prominent figure in the global sustainability community, leveraging her diverse experience to promote innovative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges. At HKUST, Loh continues to influence the next generation of leaders, sharing her insights on sustainability and environmental stewardship.

Follow Christine LOH on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/christineloh ⁠

Listen to all the episodes of Sustainability Talks ⁠HERE⁠

Follow ETF Partners: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ /⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ /⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Medium⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Welcome to the latest episode of Sustainability Talks, the podcast delivering real talk on the future of sustainability and innovation, brought to you by ETF Partners, Europe's original sustainability and impact venture capital firm. 

In this episode, our Partner Zoë VanderWolk hosts a special roundtable discussion with some of the founders of our esteemed portfolio companies including Fairly Made, Dexter Energy & Hellas Direct.This dynamic conversation explores the challenges they faced, the victories they've celebrated and how technology has been an indispensable ally in their journey to drive sustainability forward.

Our guests also share practical advice and insights for other businesses looking to tread the path of sustainability, ensuring that the road to a greener future is one that we could all embark on together.

Meet Our Guests 

Alexis Pantazisisthe Co-Founder of Hellas Direct, a company redefining insurance with a focus on transparency and customer empowerment, proving that even traditional sectors can pivot towards more sustainable practices.

Laure Betschis the Co-Founder of Fairly Made, a company transforming the fashion industry by providing unparalleled transparency and promoting ethical manufacturing processes.

Hubert Pennis the CCO & Co-founder of Dexter Energy, a company at the forefront of utilising AI to optimise energy usage for businesses demonstrating the power of technology in achieving efficiency and sustainability.

Find out more about our guests below:

Alexis Pantazis 

Alexis Pantazis is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Hellas Direct. Prior to Hellas Direct, he was an Executive Director at Goldman Sachs where he led principal investing and new strategic initiatives for the firm in the European investment management field. A former strategy consultant with the Boston Consulting Group, he also worked for Miramax Films in New York and the Competition Directorate General of the European Commission in Brussels. Alexis is a Fulbright and British Chevening Scholar, a Robert & Diane Levy Fellow and has been honoured with the prestigious EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ Cyprus 2022.

Find out more about Hellas Direct on⁠hellasdirect.gr/en⁠

Laure Betsch

Laure Betsch is the co-founder of Fairly Made, a Parisian start-up founded in May 2018 which helps fashion companies become more sustainable and environmentally friendly. Betsch, a graduate of Parisian management school IESEG, teamed up with high-school friend Camille Le Gal to jointly set up Fairly Made, with the goal of “helping labels create collections that are both attractive and sustainable.” Fairly Made is based in Paris in the sustainable fashion incubator La Caserne, and is a green tech company that advocates a more environmentally friendly fashion, with sustainability as its driving principle.

Find out more about Fairly Made on⁠fairlymade.com ⁠

Hubert Penn

Hubert Penn is the founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Dexter Energy, where he helps build and commercialise the industry’s leading AI-based forecasting and trade optimisation services. He started his career in private equity after which he kickstarted a leisure business. Hubert holds an MSc in Aerospace Engineering from TU Delft and is a Certified Management Accountant.

Find out more about Dexter Energy on⁠dexterenergy.ai⁠

Follow ETF Partners: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ /⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ /⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Medium⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠

We’re heading to the movies for our latest episode of the ‘Sustainability Talks’ podcast. Our host and managing partner Rob Genieser sat down with Hollywood screenwriter and director Jeffrey Nachmanoff who wrote the screenplay for the 2004 blockbuster film 'The Day After Tomorrow'. The film depicts the catastrophic effects of climate change and the dawning of a new ice age.

Life often imitates art, but how much of the film’s predictions have come to pass? The answer is in places as chilling as the film's closing scenes. In this episode we explore Jeffrey’s journey into filmmaking, the science behind ‘The Day After Tomorrow’, and how telling fictional stories can have real-world resonance. 

Whether you’re a film enthusiast or a sustainability expert, this episode offers a unique perspective that combines the world of entertainment with pressing global issues. 

More About Jeffrey Nachmanoff

Jeffrey Nachmanoff was born and raised in Virginia and moved to London with his family as a teen. He majored in Visual Arts and English at Harvard, where he somehow convinced his instructors to give him credit for travelling with a family circus as a senior thesis. The photo-documentary book he made about the experience, a mix of black and white images and oral histories, convinced him that what he really wanted to do was tell stories with pictures. He subsequently went to USC film school and, after a brief stint as an editor, embarked on a career as a director and screenwriter. 

His big break came when he wrote the ecological disaster movie “The Day After Tomorrow.” He spent several years as a screenwriter before transitioning to writer/director on the feature film “Traitor,” an international espionage thriller starring Don Cheadle and Guy Pearce. 

Nachmanoff’s extensive television credits include directing the pilots for the dramas “Detroit 187” (ABC), “Chicago Fire” (NBC), and Hostages (CBS), which he also wrote and served as co-showrunner on for the series. In addition, he co-wrote the pilot for “Legends” (TNT). His episodic directing work includes “Homeland” (Showtime), “The Brave” (NBC), “The Passage” (FOX), “Lovecraft Country” (HBO), “Echo 3” (APPLE) and “Daredevil: Born Again” (MARVEL). He served as a consulting producer on Chicago PD (NBC) and directed the independent sci-fi feature “Replicas” (starring Keanu Reeves). He currently lives in Los Angeles with his family.

Find out more about Jeffrey Nachmanoff and his work HERE 

Listen to all the episodes of Sustainability Talks HERE

Follow ETF Partners: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ /⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ /⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Medium⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠

The team at ETF Partners presents 'Sustainability Talks', a new series featuring in-depth conversations with influential leaders from across the global sustainability, investment, and startup ecosystems. The podcast examines the biggest challenges and opportunities in delivering sustainable prosperity.

Find out more about ETF Partners here: etfpartners.capital

Theme music by Lee Olivier Hall. Listen on Spotify

In this episode of Sustainability Talks, our Managing Partner Rob Genieser checks back in with Professor Tim Benton, Chair of Chatham House’s Climate Change Science programme, that works to develop evidence-based solutions for tackling climate change.  

Our regular listeners will remember that Professor Benton was a guest on the podcast back in March 2023. Tim is back to discuss the key points from COP28 and the prospects for climate investment and action in 2024. Tim shares his expert insights on how environmental risks impact societies and the strategies needed to mitigate, adapt to, and build resilience against these risks. Tim and Rob also discuss the ongoing challenges around food security, a pressing concern in the context of climate change.

About Professor Tim Benton

Professor Tim G. Benton leads the Environment and Society Centre at Chatham House. He joined Chatham House in 2016 as a distinguished visiting fellow, at which time he was also dean of strategic research initiatives at the University of Leeds. From 2011–16 he was the ‘champion’ of the UK’s Global Food Security programme which was a multi-agency partnership of the UK’s public bodies (government departments, devolved governments and research councils) with an interest in the challenges around food.

As a leading expert on food security and food systems, he has worked with UK governments, the EU, G20 and a range of other governments around the world, as well as leading businesses and civil society organizations, and has conducted many foresight exercises on the future of food systems, how to increase their resilience to climate change, reduce their environmental footprints and increase public health through nutrition. He has been a global agenda steward of the World Economic Forum and was an author of the IPCC’s Special Report on Food, Land and Climate (2019), and the UK’s Climate Change Risk Assessment (2017, 2022).

He has published more than 200 academic papers, many tackling how systems respond to environmental change. He has an h-index of 83, and >35,000 citations on GoogleScholar. His work on sustainability leadership has been recognized with an honorary fellowship of the UK’s Society for the Environment, and a doctorate honoris causa from the Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium. He also remains a (part-time) Research Professor at the University of Leeds.

Find out more about Chatham House at chathamhouse.org

Follow Professor Tim Benton HERE

Follow ETF Partners: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠ /⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠ /⁠⁠⁠⁠ Medium⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠/ SUBSCRIBE

In this episode, we had the privilege of hosting the insightful Maryam Golnaraghi, Director of Climate Change & Environment at The Geneva Association. With a 25-year career spanning executive leadership, entrepreneurship, and advisory roles in private and public sectors, Maryam is a seasoned expert.

In this episode, Maryam joins our managing partner Patrick Sheehan for a lively and in-depth conversation about her fascinating journey into the realms of sustainability and the transformative projects she has spearheaded.

About Maryam Golnaraghi

Over the last 25 years, Maryam’s career has spanned working as a senior executive, founder& entrepreneur and serving on advisory boards in private and public sectors and the United Nations. She has launched, led and managed transformative climate change initiatives and multi-stakeholder partnerships with systemic impacts, to enable transitioning to a resilient low-carbon economy. In 2020, Maryam was included on the list of 20 ‘Most Influential on Climate Change’ by InsuranceERM and among the top 100 influencers in the world on ‘Resilience’ by The Leaders’ Magazine.

Since 2015, Maryam is the Director of Climate Change and Environment at The Geneva Association, the strategic international think tank, whose members are CEOs of 90 largest insurance companies, globally. Working with corporate boards and CEOs, regulatory and standard setting bodies, fintech and insurtech firms, governments and policy makers, she leads strategic initiatives to innovate and scale up insurance industry’s contributions as risk managers and investors to transitioning to a resilient low-carbon economy.

From 2004 to 2014, Maryam was the Chief of Disaster Risk Reduction Program at the World Meteorological Organization, where she headed up and built an international program and led major initiatives with 40+ governments for development of their national polices, institutional and operational capacities in climate and disaster risk management. Maryam was actively involved in the formulation and implementation of international framework agreements for disaster risk reduction and the UN climate change agreements. She developed the initial concept of demand-driven climate information services and data policies to enable private-sector access to publicly-funded, climate data and modelling for decision-making support. Following the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, she served as an adviser to former U.S. President Clinton in his capacity as the UN Special Envoy on Tsunamis. She negotiated international agreements and coordinated activities that enabled the development and dissemination of tsunami alerts to all countries in less than five minutes. 

From 1997 to 2004, as founder and CEO of Climate Risk Solutions, Inc. the first climate risk analytics and advisory firm, headquartered in Boston, USA, she delivered innovative climate-risk assessment and risk management solutions to companies in the energy, agriculture and financial sectors and the U.S. government. 

Maryam mentors high-tech start-ups with climate risk analytics and net zero transition focus. She serves on a number of executive and advisory boards of companies, governments, centers of excellence and multi-lateral organizations, and is a non-resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. Her work is regularly featured by platforms such the Economist Climate Summit, Responsible Investor, ClimateAction, Risk.net, InsuranceERM, among others.

She has authored numerous internationally referenced reports on climate change as well as a book, “Partnerships in Multi-hazard Early Warning Systems” (Springer-Verlag). 

Maryam holds a BS in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University, an MS in Applied Physics and a PhD in Physical Oceanography from Harvard University after which she served as a senior research fellow at the Harvard Business School.  

Follow Maryam Golnaraghi HERE

Follow ETF Partners:⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠/⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠/⁠⁠⁠ Medium⁠⁠⁠⁠/ SUBSCRIBE

It's time for our latest episode of Sustainability Talks and we're thrilled to have our Partner & Head of Sustainability & Investor Relations Zoë VanderWolk hosting this episode. Zoe is joined by strategist, investor and serial entrepreneur Azeem Azhar. Zoe and Azeem discuss the intricate dynamics shaping the future of sustainability startups and VCs. They explore thought provoking topics such as how ESG factors are influencing investment decisions and the potential of technology as a catalyst for sustainable innovation. They also discuss the challenges and opportunities startups face while embedding sustainability into their business models.

You can follow Azeem onTwitterandInstagram.

Follow Zoë VanderWolk here:https://bit.ly/47cG5UK

Follow ETF Partners:⁠⁠Website⁠⁠/⁠⁠ LinkedIn⁠⁠/⁠⁠ Medium⁠⁠

And don’t forget to subscribe to the Sustainability Talks podcast on your favourite podcast platform here⁠ SUBSCRIBE

In this episode of 'Sustainability Talks' our managing partner Patrick Sheehan sits down with Dame Elizabeth Corley, Chair of the Impact Investing Institute and is a Non-Executive Director of BAE Systems plc. 

Among the topics Patrick and Elizabeth discuss in this episode are how Elizabeth became involved in sustainability, why she believes impact investing is the future of capital markets, how to create coherence around different ESG and sustainability initiatives and the role that tech and data has to play.

Elizabeth also talks about being a published author of crime thrillers in her spare time and the relationship between creativity and business.

About Dame Elizabeth Corley 

Elizabeth is Chair of the Impact Investing Institute and is a Non-Executive Director of BAE Systems plc. She was appointed Chair of Schroders plc in April 2022 having joined the Board in September 2021.

Elizabeth has extensive experience in the financial services industry having been CEO of Allianz Global Investors, initially for Europe then globally, from 2005 to 2016. She continued to act as an advisor to the company until the end of 2019. Elizabeth was previously at Merrill Lynch Investment Managers (formerly Mercury Asset Management), Coopers & Lybrand and Sun Alliance. Elizabeth is active in representing the investment industry and developing standards within it.

She is a director of the Green Finance Institute; serves on the investment committee of the Leverhulme Trust; is a member of the CFA Future of Finance Advisory Council, AQR Asset Management Institute, the Committee of 200 and the 300 Club.

As well as being a trustee of the British Museum, Elizabeth is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and is also a published author of crime thrillers. She was awarded a CBE in January 2015 and a DBE in June 2019 for services to the economy and financial services.

Find out more about Impact Investing Institute: impactinvest.org.uk

Find out more about BAE Systems: baesystems.com

Follow ETF Partners: ⁠Website⁠ /⁠ LinkedIn⁠ /⁠ Medium⁠

And don’t forget to subscribe to the Sustainability Talks podcast on your favourite podcast platform hereSUBSCRIBE

In this episode of the Sustainability Talks podcast our Managing Partner Patrick Sheehan sits down with Michael Liebreich, Co Managing Partner EcoPragma Capital and Chairman and CEO of Liebreich Associates.

Michael and Patrick discuss the technological revolution required to make the transition to net zero possible. Michael also shares his thoughts on the challenges that we still face with energy demand, why traditional renewables are only part of the picture and why continued innovation and new technology is vital in ensuring energy resilience.

Michael also shares his thoughts and predictions for what the future holds in terms of global emissions, global temperature levels and how close we are to achieving net zero. 

About  Michael Liebreich

Michael Liebreich is Co Managing Partner EcoPragma Capital and Chairman and CEO of Liebreich Associates. He is also a senior contributor to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, the world’s leading provider of research on clean energy and transport, which he founded in 2004. He led it up to its sale to Bloomberg in 2009 and beyond, acting as Chairman of the Advisory Board until 2017.

He serves on the UK Department of International Trade's Advisory Board on Overseas Investment in Infrastructure. He is Chairman of the Advisory Board of Ecovillages, a Swiss charity he founded to focus on sustainability of mountain communities and is Visiting Professor at Imperial College Energy Futures Lab. He also chairs smart mobility startup Zeelo and is a technology investor.

Between 2012 and 2018 Michael served as a Board Member of Transport for London. He was a member of the high-level Advisory Group for the UN Secretary General’s Sustainable Energy for All initiative and Founder of Finance for Resilience (FiRe). He was the Chairman for ten years of St. Mark’s Hospital Foundation, a charity supporting research in colorectal medicine.

Michael is a three-time finalist in the E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year Awards, and winner of Lifetime Achievement Award from the Renewable Energy Association and GreenBusiness.

Earlier in his career, Michael acted as Deputy Managing Director of Associated Press Television and Founding Director of Sports News Television and was UK Managing Director of Groupe Arnault’s technology investment arm. Before that, he was an associate and manager at McKinsey & Co.

Michael graduated in Engineering from the University of Cambridge with 1st class honours, winning the Ricardo Prize for Thermodynamics and Christ’s College Wyatt Prize. He has an MBA from Harvard, where he was a Harkness Fellow and Baker Scholar. He was a member of the British Olympic Ski Team in 1992.

Follow Michael Liebreich on LinkedIn

Follow ETF Partners: Website /LinkedIn /Medium

And don’t forget to subscribe to the Sustainability Talks podcast on your favourite podcast platform hereSUBSCRIBE

Welcome to the latest episode of Sustainability Talks. In this episode our host Rob Genieser, Managing Partner of ETF Partners, is joined by Antonis Schwarz, an impact investor, philanthropist and impact investing consultant of Greek-German descent. 

In 2013, Antonis co-founded Vouliwatch, a Greek parliamentary monitoring organization that aims to increase political accountability and transparency. A strong believer in the power of activism, in 2016 he founded the Guerrilla Foundation, which supports social movements and activists working towards bringing about major systemic change across Europe. The following year, he co-founded the Center for Sustainable Finance and Private Wealth(CSP), an academic research and training institution at the University of Zurich. 

Since 2018, together with the Social Entrepreneurship Netzwerk Deutschland and several partner organizations he has been campaigning for the establishment of a German impact investing wholesaler funded through dormant assets. As a proud member of Millionaires for Humanity and Taxmenow, he advocates for tax justice in Germany and internationally. He currently works part-time as an impact investing consultant for PHINEO.  

In today's episode Rob and Antonis discuss how Europe can move towards a more sustainable and impactful VC and startup ecosystem. In particular, they’ll be exploring what sustainability trends are emerging in the European venture capital landscape, how those trends are being affected by macroeconomic factors, what investors should look out for when considering sustainable investments, and how government policies can help foster more sustainable venture capital investing. This episode will be a must-listen for anyone interested in how we can marry profit with purpose and deliver consistent sustainable innovation.

Listen to the episode in full below or on your favourite podcast platform for a unique and thoughtful exploration of this important topic.  

Follow Antonis on LinkedIn 

Find out more about ETF Partners here:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠etfpartners.capital⁠⁠⁠

Follow ETF Partners: ⁠Website⁠ /⁠ LinkedIn⁠ /⁠ Medium⁠

And don’t forget to subscribe to the Sustainability Talks podcast on your favourite podcast platform here: ⁠⁠⁠SUBSCRIBE⁠

In this episode of Sustainability Talks, our Managing Partner Rob Genieser sits down with Dr. Konstantinos Kyriakopoulos to talk about one of the big issues of our time; AI and its potential role in making one of the world’s most critical industries more sustainable. Recognised in 2020 by Forbes as one of its ‘30 under 30’, Konstantinos is a globally respected figure in cutting-edge AI solutions as well as being a visionary CEO. Whether you’re interested in sustainability or AI generally or specifically in the intersection of AI and sustainability, this one is for you.

About Dr. Konstantinos Kyriakopoulos

Konstantinos Kyriakopoulos is a Greek entrepreneur and the co-founder of DeepSea AI, a cutting-edge startup that develops artificial intelligence solutions for the maritime industry. Kyriakopoulos obtained his Bachelor's degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) in 2011. Following this, he pursued his Master's degree in Robotics, Systems and Control from ETH Zurich, where he gained a deep understanding of robotics and artificial intelligence.

After completing his studies, Kyriakopoulos worked as a researcher and software engineer at various companies, including SAP and CERN, where he gained valuable experience in software development and big data analysis.In 2017, Kyriakopoulos co-founded DeepSea AI with a vision to revolutionise the maritime industry with advanced AI technology.

As the CEO of DeepSea AI, he oversees the development of the company's AI-driven solutions for optimizing vessel performance, reducing fuel consumption, and enhancing safety at sea.Kyriakopoulos has received numerous awards and recognition for his work at DeepSea AI, including being named on Forbes 30 Under 30 in Europe in the Technology category in 2020. His passion for AI and commitment to solving real-world problems has made him a respected figure in the tech industry.

Find out more about Deep Sea AI here: deepsea.ai

Follow Dr. Konstantinos Kyriakopoulos here: LinkedIn

Find out more about ETF Partners here:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠etfpartners.capital⁠⁠

Follow ETF Partners: ⁠Website⁠ /⁠ LinkedIn⁠ /⁠ Medium⁠

And don’t forget to subscribe to the Sustainability Talks podcast on your favourite podcast platform here: ⁠⁠SUBSCRIBE⁠

In this episode of Sustainability Talks, ETF Managing Partner Rob Genieser sits down with Professor Tim G. Benton who leads the Environment and Society Programme at Chatham House.  

Chatham House needs little introduction. It is one of the world’s most storied and highest-ranked think tanks. As well known for producing world-class research and hosting world-leaders as for the eponymous Chatham House rule, a rule which has helped facilitate countless debates and free-flowing discussions on the issues that shape our world. The Environment and Society Programme, which Tim leads, focuses on how environmental risks affect societies, and strategies to mitigate, adapt and build resilience to these risks.

Rob and Tim discuss where climate sits relative to the other geopolitical issues the world is facing, how rising inflation and interest rates are affecting environmental investment, the future of food security and how changing political administrations will (or won’t) affect different nation's environmental foreign policies. 

About Professor Tim Benton

Tim joined Chatham House in 2016 as a distinguished visiting fellow, at which time he was also dean of strategic research initiatives at the University of Leeds. From 2011-2016 he was the ‘champion’ of the UK’s Global Food Security programme which was a multi-agency partnership of the UK’s public bodies (government departments, devolved governments and research councils) with an interest in the challenges around food.

He has worked with UK governments, the EU and G20. He has been a global agenda steward of the World Economic Forum, and is an author of the IPCC’s Special Report on Food, Land and Climate (2019), and the UK’s Climate Change Risk Assessment (2017, 2022). He has published more than 150 academic papers, many tackling how systems respond to environmental change. His work on sustainability leadership has been recognized with an honorary fellowship of the UK’s Society for the Environment, and a doctorate honoris causa from the Université catholique de Louvain, Belgium.

Follow Professor Tim Benton here: LinkedIn / Twitter

Find out more about Chatham House here: chathamhouse.org

Find out more about ETF Partners here:⁠ ⁠⁠etfpartners.capital⁠

Follow ETF Partners: ⁠Website⁠ /⁠ LinkedIn⁠ /⁠ Medium⁠

And don’t forget to subscribe to the Sustainability Talks podcast on your favourite podcast platform here: ⁠SUBSCRIBE

In this episode of 'Sustainability Talks' our managing partner Rob Geniesertalks to Håkan Nordkvist, former Head of Sustainability Innovation at IKEA. With 25 years experience across supply chain and sustainability, Håkan was one of the early champions of the need to build a leading sustainable corporation. He led sustainable innovation to transform IKEA and create value for its customers by identifying positive sustainably driven business solutions. 

Håkan discusses his experiences and insight as the leading visionary in transforming global retail through innovation and how retailers can embed sustainability throughout their business around the world.

About Håkan

Håkan Nordkvist is the Former Head of Sustainability Innovation for the IKEA Group. An exceptionally talented leader with a human-centric vision, he is known for his innovative solutions and has played an integral role in developing many of IKEA’s sustainability services. Talented and courageous, Håkan is gifted at setting bold futuristic goals and ambitions and then successfully implementing those goals through innovative initiatives, road maps and creative businesses and solutions for a better future.

Holding an MSc in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Lulea Tekniska, Håkan joined IKEA as a Quality Manager in 2001. Over the course of his career, he has been heavily involved in many innovative projects for IKEA. Leading the sustainability and innovation team for 11 years, Håkan combined cutting-edge innovation with sustainability to build new businesses for IKEA. His team was responsible for building IKEA’s clean energy service which now operates in 13 countries around the globe. Today it is one of the largest clean energy businesses.

Another project Håkan directed was food innovation. He introduced plant-based protein and new dishes to the IKEA restaurant and utilised urban/vertical farming to locally produce lettuce and herbs, in addition to creating efficient food waste initiatives. Håkan played a fundamental role in implementing IKEA’s circular business agenda. This involved developing new innovative business models like Furniture as A Service, IKEA Second Hand and IKEA Take Back and Repair. This was followed by a local production set-up with 3D printing, collaborative robotics, and generative design.

Outside IKEA, Håkan is one of the founders and chairman of Launch Nordic, a creative platform which was created with Nike, NASA, USAID and Novozymes. Moreover, Håkan served on the board of BoKlok a company which specialises in building affordable sustainable housing. As a speaker, Håkan is highly articulate on the topics of innovation, sustainability, intrepreneurship, circularity and leadership.

Follow Håkan Nordkvist on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3WhcmEw 

Find out more about ETF Partners here:etfpartners.capital

Follow ETF Partners: ⁠Website⁠ /⁠ LinkedIn⁠ /⁠ Medium⁠

And don’t forget to subscribe to the Sustainability Talks podcast on your favourite podcast platform here: SUBSCRIBE

In this episode of Sustainability Talks our founder and managing partner Patrick Sheehan sits down with Philipp Rose, Managing Director of Robert Bosch Venture Capital GmbH (RBVC), the corporate venture company of Robert Bosch GmbH, one of the largest private companies worldwide with more than 70 billion Euros of sales. Founded in 1886, Bosch is a leading global supplier of automotive, industrial technology, consumer goods and building technology.

Philipp is responsible for all commercial aspects of RBVC besides being one of the investment partners of RBVC. Focus areas for him are Portfolio Management, Funds investments, financial / legal / tax issues and coordination with the Bosch Group. 

Prior to joining RBVC in 2014 Philipp held various General Manager or CFO positions in different Bosch subsidiaries. He joined Bosch in 2003 after gaining many years of extensive experience in M&A execution at Credit Suisse and J.P. Morgan, both in Frankfurt and London. Philipp holds a diploma degree in business administration from the University of Regensburg, Germany.

Patrick snd Philipp discuss how RBVC is supporting start-ups around the world whose technologies have the potential to improve quality of life and conserve natural resources. We also discuss Robert Bosch itself and its ambitions and achievements in becoming carbon neutral. 

Find out more about Robert Bosch Venture Capital here: rbvc.com 

Find out more about ETF Partners here:etfpartners.capital

Follow ETF Partners: ⁠Website⁠ /⁠ LinkedIn⁠ /⁠ Medium⁠

And don’t forget to subscribe to the Sustainability Talks podcast on your favourite podcast platform here: SUBSCRIBE

In this episode of Sustainability Talks, our founder and managing partner Patrick Sheehan sits down with Simon Mundy, the author of 'Race for Tomorrow', a book about the global fight to respond to climate change.

Simon spent two years travelling through six continents to tell the stories of the diverse cast of characters locked in this historic struggle to combat climate change – from communities hit by extreme physical shifts, to business leaders grappling with the implications for the world economy.

Born in the UK, Simon has reported for the Financial Times since 2010, and was recently appointed Moral Money Editor – covering the push for a cleaner and more sustainable world economy for the award-winning Moral Money platform and across the wider FT. Simon started his career in Johannesburg, where he joined the FT to cover Southern Africa. After a stint as a corporate reporter in London he spent seven years in Asia, heading the FT bureaux in Seoul and then Mumbai.

In this conversation Patrick and Simon discuss Simon's experience as a leading voice at the crossroads of sustainability, finance and innovation and dig into to some of the examples of entrepreneurs across Europe delivering sustainability through innovation. They also discuss Simon's broader experience writing about environmental issues and his first hand experiences that inspired his book 'Race for Tomorrow'. 

'Race for Tomorrow' is now on sale in 40 countries. Find out more here: https://www.simonmundy.com/book 

Find out more about ETF Partners here:etfpartners.capital

Follow ETF Partners: ⁠Website⁠ /⁠ LinkedIn⁠ /⁠ Medium⁠

And don’t forget to subscribe to the Sustainability Talks podcast on your favourite podcast platform here: https://smarturl.it/SustainabilityTalks 

In this episode of Sustainability Talks, recorded in December 2021,we talk to Shell’s then Executive Vice President of Strategy and Portfolio and now their Strategy, Sustainability and Corporate Relations Director, Ed Daniels.

The global context has obviously changed significantly in the relatively short time since recording this episode but the conversation still contains many important insights.  Ed is uniquely placed to talk with us about change in the energy industry. We discuss the rapidly accelerating pace of change and aim to answer some key questions including…

This was a fascinating discussion with Ed and we hope you enjoy listening.

Leading this conversation with Ed are our managing partners Patrick Sheehan and Rob Genieser.

About Ed Daniels

Ed joined Shell in 1988 and has held roles in Shell’s Upstream, Integrated Gas, Downstream and Projects & Technology businesses. He previously served as Shell’s UK Country Chair, and in his most recent role as Executive Vice President Strategy, Portfolio & Sustainability, he led the development of the company’s ‘Powering Progress’ strategy to drive the decarbonisation of the energy system and achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

A British national, Ed grew up in Wales and is married with three daughters. Outside of Shell, he has served as the Technical Vice President for the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE), is a Fellow at both the IChemE and the UK Royal Academy of Engineering, and has an honorary doctorate from his alma mater, Imperial College London. In 2022, Ed Daniels was appointed Strategy, Sustainability and Corporate Relations Director.

Find out more about Shell’s sustainability division here: Sustainability at Shell  

Find out more about ETF Partners here:etfpartners.capital

Follow ETF Partners: ⁠Website⁠ /⁠ LinkedIn⁠ /⁠ Medium⁠

And don’t forget to subscribe to the Sustainability Talks podcast on your favourite podcast platform here: SUBSCRIBE

In this episode of Sustainability Talks, we’re talking to Mark Zanoli, the Global Chairman of Technology Banking at Barclays Corporate & Investment Bank. Mark has over 25 years of experience within tech banking in Silicon Valley.

We talk to Mark about the banner year 2021 was for tech companies, how digital technologies are enabling and driving change across a wide range of industries at increasing speed, and the need for sustainability that has also been driving this rapid change.

Leading this conversation with Mark are our managing partner Rob Genieser and our partner Remy de Tonnac.

About Mark Zanoli

Mark Zanoli has over 25 years of technology investment banking experience. He started his investment banking career in 1993 at Hambrecht & Quist (H&Q), one of the original boutique banks focused on technology public offerings and M&A. After H&Q was acquired by JP Morgan (Chase) in 2000, Mark went on to lead the company's technology banking practice. In 2010 Mark left JP Morgan to restart UBS’s technology banking effort.

Mark has led a number of notable M&A transactions, including; HP’s $14 billion acquisition of EDS, Photonics sale to Ouster, RideOS sale to goPuff, Netscreen’s $4 billion acquisition by Juniper and Silicon Spice’s $1.2 billion sale to Broadcom.

He has been a Financial Advisor in Public Debut (De-Spac) of Ouster, to Gores Guggenheim in the acquisition of Polestar, in the Public Debut (De-Spac) of Lilium and has led a number of important IPOs and Debt offerings for companies such as Airbnb, Apple, Cisco, Citrix, Pinterest, F5 Networks, Rivian, zScaler, Google and Service Now. 

Mark joined Barclays Investment Bank in 2018 as Vice Chairman of Technology Banking and in 2021 was appointed as Global Chairman.

Find out more about Barclays Investment Bank here: www.cib.barclays

Find out more about ETF Partners here:etfpartners.capital

Follow ETF Partners: ⁠Website⁠ /⁠ LinkedIn⁠ /⁠ Medium⁠

And don’t forget to subscribe to the Sustainability Talks podcast on your favourite podcast platform here: SUBSCRIBE

In this episode of Sustainability Talks, we’re speaking with Kristian Rönn, CEO, and Co-Founder of our portfolio company Normative. Normative is the world's leading emissions accounting engine, helping businesses calculate their entire climate footprint and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Following his appearance at COP26, we sat down with Kristian to discuss the genesis and exponential growth of the business and how today Normative is partnering with the likes of Google to support organisations as they commit to achieving net-zero.

Leading this conversation with Kristian are our Partner, Fabrice Bienfait and our Head of Investor Relations and Sustainability, Zoë VanderWolk.

About Kristian Rönn

Kristian Rönn is the CEO and co-founder of Normative.io, a software tool for measuring corporate sustainability. Kristian Rönn has a background in mathematics, philosophy, computer science and artificial intelligence. He is the founder of several NGOs and companies. Before he started Normative he worked at the University of Oxford’s Future of Humanity Institute on issues related to global catastrophic risks.

Find out more about Normative here: normative.io

Find out more about ETF Partners here:etfpartners.capital

Follow ETF Partners: ⁠Website⁠ /⁠ LinkedIn⁠ /⁠ Medium⁠

And don’t forget to subscribe to the Sustainability Talks podcast on your favourite podcast platform here: SUBSCRIBE

In this episode of the Sustainability Talks podcast, Patrick Sheehan and Rob Genieser, ETF Managing Partners, speak to James Arbib Founder of RethinkX, an independent think tank and research organisation that analyses and forecasts the scope, speed and scale of technology-driven disruption and its implications across society.

In a broad-ranging and thought-provoking discussion James, Patrick, and Rob cover everything from why James founded his company to why the world needs to change post COP26 and how quickly that change will come. We are delighted to bring James's insights directly to our followers because we believe the work of Rethink X is transformational and uniquely speaks to how technology will be the critical factor in solving many of the world's most pressing problems. It's a mission and a purpose with which we are closely aligned at ETF Partners.

About James Arbib

James Arbib is a London-based investor in technology. As well as being the founder of RethinkX, he is also the founder of Tellus Mater, an independent philanthropic foundation dedicated to exploring the impacts of disruptive technology, and its potential for solving some of the world’s most challenging problems.

In addition, Jamie oversees a London-based family office with a diversified portfolio, across all asset classes and a focus on the risks and opportunities of technology disruption.

A graduate in History from Trinity College, Cambridge, he has a Masters in Sustainability Leadership also from Cambridge. He is a qualified chartered accountant and worked as an investment analyst covering utilities.

Find out more about Rethink X here:rethinkx.com

Find out more about ETF Partners here:etfpartners.capital

Follow ETF Partners: ⁠Website⁠ /⁠ LinkedIn⁠ /⁠ Medium⁠

In this episode of ‘Sustainability Talks’ host Patrick Sheehan (Founder & Managing Partner, ETF Partners) is joined by special guests Uli Grabenwarter (Deputy Director, Equity Investments, EIF) & Christian Motzfeldt (former CEO of Vaekstfonden) to explore how we can achieve "A new, greener Europe?" This discussion was originally recorded on 18th November 2020 as part of ETF Partners' 2nd Annual Investor Meeting.

Uli Grabenwarteris Deputy Director - Equity Investments at European Investment Fund (EIF). In this capacity he oversees EIF’s activities in Venture Capital, Impact Investing, and Technology Transfer, with EIF being Europe’s biggest Fund-of-Funds Investment platform in these markets. Previously he was responsible for EIF’s strategic development in the equity space and in this context has led the build-up of the Social Impact Accelerator, the first pan-European social impact investing fund-of-funds. From 2010 to 2012 he conducted a 20 months research project on impact investing in collaboration with IESE University of Navarra in Barcelona and the Family Office Circle Foundation based in Switzerland, analysing best-market-practices for impact investing in the private equity and venture capital space. He is a visiting Professor for Private Equity and Venture Capital at IESE University and is an angel investor in life sciences companies. Since 2018 he is a Trustees of the Global Steering Group for Impact Investment and serves on the Board of several asset management companies and family office structures. He regularly publishes articles and white papers on venture capital and impact investing. Uli is also member of several expert groups on impact investing and impact metrics across Europe. Uli holds a Master’s degree in Business and Finance of the University of Graz.

Christian Motzfeldt is an investor and board member in young growth companies in finance, tech and green transition. Through two decades he built and ran the Danish Growth Fund and took a central role in growing the Danish ecosystem of entrepreneurship. His has held previous positions in private banking, the Central Bank of Denmark, the Danish Government and the EU Commission. Christian is an Economist by education and a firm believer in science based and entrepreneur driven solutions to the major challenges of human life.

ETF Partners (The Environmental Technologies Fund), is a venture capital & private equity firm that uses venture capital techniques to address real-world problems -particularly within the realm of environment and sustainability. ETF was one of the first companies to do this in Europe, and as such, change has always been the core of our DNA. ETF invest in change, and the founders we back are the innovators working to drive positive change.

Find out more about ETF Partners at https://etfpartners.capital/

Follow ETF Partners on:

LinkedIn/ Twitter / Medium

In this episode of ‘Sustainability Talks’ hosts Patrick Sheehan (Founder & Managing Partner, ETF Partners), Rob Genieser(Managing Partner, ETF Partners) and Remy de Tonnac(Partner, ETF Partners) are joined by special guest Vikram S. Gandhito discuss "Investing: Risk, Reward, and Impact." This discussion was originally recorded on 18th November 2020 as part of ETF Partners' 2nd Annual Investor Meeting.

Vikram S. Gandhiis a Senior Lecturer at Harvard Business Schoolwhere he teaches in the MBA and Executive Education Programs. He is the Founder of Asha Impact, is a Senior Advisor to the Canadian Pension Plan, and has 23 years of experience in investment banking at Morgan Stanley and Credit Suisse.

ETF Partnersis a venture capital & private equity firm that uses venture capital techniques to address real-world problems -particularly within the realm of environment and sustainability. ETF was one of the first companies to do this in Europe, and as such, change has always been the core of our DNA. ETF invest in change, and the founders we back are the innovators working to drive positive change.

Find out more about ETF Partners at etfpartners.capital

Follow ETF Partners: ⁠Website⁠ /⁠ LinkedIn⁠ /⁠ Medium⁠

In this episode of ‘Sustainability Talks’ hosts Patrick Sheehan and Rob Genieser, Managing Partners at ETF Partners are joined by special guest Lord John Browne, ex CEO of BP to discuss the future of energy in a world going digital. This discussion was originally recorded on 19th November 2020 as part of ETF Partners' 2nd Annual Investor Meeting.

­Lord Browne is a Senior Advisor at General Atlantic on climate and Net Zero, providing strategic support and advice to the firm’s investment teams and portfolio companies. He served as Group Chief Executive of international energy company BP from 1995 to 2007, after having joined the company in 1966 as a university apprentice. He led the company through a period of significant growth and transformation, including BP’s merger with Amoco in 1998.

His landmark speech at Stanford University in 1997 established BP as a global leader in the way it thought about and sought to address climate change. In 2007, Lord Browne joined Riverstone, where he was co-head of the world’s largest renewable energy private equity fund until 2015. He is currently Chairman of Wintershall Dea, Europe’s largest independent oil and gas company.

He is independent co-Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Council on Science and Technology, Chairman of the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering, Chairman of the Courtauld Institute of Art, and a past President of the Royal Academy of Engineering. Lord Browne was the UK Government’s Lead Non-Executive Board Member from 2010 to 2015. He was knighted in 1998 and made a life peer in 2001. Lord Browne is a Fellow and Former President of The Royal Academy of Engineering, and Chairman of the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society and a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. Lord Browne is the author of five books.

Patrick Sheehan is founder and managing partner of ETF Partners (The Environmental Technologies Fund), a venture capital & private equity firm that uses venture capital techniques to address real-world problems -particularly within the realm of environment and sustainability. ETF was one of the first companies to do this in Europe, and as such, change has always been the core of our DNA. ETF invest in change, and the founders we back are the innovators working to drive positive change.

Follow ETF Partners: ⁠⁠Website⁠⁠ /⁠⁠ LinkedIn⁠⁠ /⁠⁠ Medium⁠⁠