Emma Stewart is a pioneer at the crossroads of climate science, storytelling and corporate transformation. As Netflix’s first Sustainability Officer, she leads a global effort to decarbonise the company’s operations and to integrate sustainability into the stories that reach millions of viewers. In doing so, she helps spark public engagement with climate action through the power of popular culture. With more than two decades of experience across urban efficiency, clean energy and sustainability strategy, and with teaching roles in leading business schools, Emma brings scientific rigour and strategic clarity to every challenge she tackles. Her work extends far beyond emissions reduction. She is committed to using culture to shift social norms, encourage climate conversation and inspire collective action. By collaborating with creators, writers and producers, she supports stories that reflect a changing world and that make climate action feel both human and possible. Grounded in pragmatism and driven by imagination, Emma shows how science, story and empathy together can move industries and communities toward a more sustainable future.

Hannah Jones is a visionary leader who brings together corporate purpose, innovation and global climate action. As CEO of The Earthshot Prize from 2021 to 2025, she helped grow a bold idea into a global movement that identifies, supports and scales solutions capable of repairing the planet. Before Earthshot, Hannah spent more than two decades at Nike, where she served as the company’s first Chief Sustainability Officer and later led Nike’s innovation arm. In those roles she helped embed labour rights, sustainability and responsible business into the heart of a major global brand. Hannah is deeply collaborative and builds communities that focus on action. She navigates barriers with grace, connects people and organisations across continents and leads from a place of purpose and humanity. Known for her kindness, humility and support for her teams, she always brings brave and bold leadership to the table without ego. A solutionist working with intent, optimism and low ego; values which, for us, couldn't be more indicative of a Fin-Erth woman.

Isabelle Rollat is changing the cosmetics industry at an incredibly rapid rate. With her crack team, she has led the development of the EcoBeauty Score, a groundbreaking labelling and footprint tracking solution that enables industry giants to lead the charge in greater accountability and sustainable innovation in products across the sector. The perfect blend of scientific & technical expertise and true grit and determination, Isabelle ensures her team is acting at the forefront of sustainable development, working proactively to reduce the impact that cosmetics have on the planet. Those under her leadership can find an environment of authenticity, courage and empathy as they work with her to a common goal.

Jess Ayers is the CEO of the Quadrature Climate Foundation and a catalytic force in reshaping how philanthropy approaches climate resilience. At a time when only a tiny fraction of global giving reaches climate action, and even less supports adaptation, she has championed a shift toward place-based, demand-led investment that strengthens the resilience of vulnerable communities. As Co-Chair of the Funders Table, Jess helped drive the creation of the Adaptation and Resilience Collaborative and the launch of the 50-million-dollar Adaptation and Resilience Fund with major global partners. Inside QCF, she has led a strategic transformation that puts equity, locally led adaptation and decolonising philanthropy at the centre of decision-making. Externally, she brings funders together at a moment when many are stepping back from climate. Those close to her describe Jess as "humble, courageous and deeply principled", and as someone who uses her voice to lift others while keeping the focus firmly on what communities need most.

Katie Hall's nominator had one key thing to say about her: "she's a total badass". Take even a brief look through Katie's track record over the past 20+ years, and the evidence is laid bare for you. She has been unlocking capital for sustainable solutions across all asset classes, generating best in class returns, proving she knows how to play in the big leagues. In 2013 she launched the Full Consequence Investing initiative within Hall Capital Partners, which grew to $45bn in assets by 2024. In 2021, she co-founded Galvanize Climate Solutions to specifically catalyse capital into climate solutions across public and private asset classes. A masterclass in directing capital to climate solutions, Pathstone has recently received $1.3bn to launch a private credit strategy whilst managing a grey-to-green real estate initiative and decarbonisation-focused public equity strategies. We have to agree. Badass.

Leslie Labruto leads the Energy and Environment Program at the Environmental Defence Fund, where she designs and scales climate-finance mechanisms that support just transitions, especially across emerging economies. She brings a rare blend of creativity, rigour and heart to the challenge of moving capital toward communities that need it most. Leslie’s career has been defined by building bold investment vehicles and unlikely coalitions, from advancing EDF’s work on climate-resilience financing with philanthropic and multilateral partners, to shaping Acumen’s Hardest to Reach programme and the Pioneer Energy Investment Initiative during her time as Head of Global Energy. She has also served as the Founding Director of the 100x Impact Accelerator, the world’s largest social-impact accelerator, and previously led clean-energy work at the Clinton Climate Initiative. Fiercely smart and endlessly committed, Leslie is a force of nature. She is already shaping the next step change in climate finance, and she has done all this while still in her thirties. That's maverick.

Lori Kerr has been quietly working away behind the scenes at changing the game in climate finance for her entire career, with decades under her belt at some of the world’s most influential finance institutions. At the World Bank, she led operations for a US$150 million G20 initiative that helped national and subnational governments in developing countries build pipelines of bankable, sustainable infrastructure programs. An early innovator in blended finance, she helped establish the Blended Finance Task Force and now continues to shape the field as CEO of FinDev Canada, where she is advancing new models that bring climate adaptation into the mainstream of capital flows. Known for her generosity of spirit, Lori is the kind of leader who brings others with her, always finding time to mentor, guide and widen the circle. In the simplest terms, Lori Kerr is proof that quiet leadership really does rock.

A Maverick in every sense of the word, Mahua Acharya tackles enormous challenges head on. She led the design of India's national electric bus programme, introducing an unprecedented public/ private partnership model that aggregated demand across cities and states into a single, unified national tender - the first of its kind in India for a state-led service. The results have been extraordinary. In under three years, India scaled from just 300 electric buses to 27,900 contracted, with over 13,000 already on the road, making this the second-largest electric bus programme in the world. Highly polluted cities such as Delhi then committed to 100% electrification and other cities including Pune, Mumbai and Telangana have an increasing fleet of electric buses. Her design. Nationwide impact. Mahua is known for her innovative spirit, strategic leadership, and ability to turn bold ideas into scalable realities, and it's time word of her work began travelling beyond India.

Marisa Drew spent her early career honing her skills in investment banking, rising the ranks at some of the world's leading financial institutions before transitioning to the impact investment space at Credit Suisse. Here, she steered the business into a new era of sustainable innovation, diversifying their portfolio and analysing solutions that will power progress to the planet. Now in her role as Chief Sustainability Officer at Standard Chartered, she acts with a deeply human outlook as she drives the sustainability strategy of the bank. Peers point to a "humility that is hard to come by in an industry so dominated by men", and it's her considered energy and passion that bring others on the journey with her. Marisa was nominated by countless people this year - all of whom say the same thing: she's utterly brilliant.

Pep Bardouille is the Director of the Bridgetown Initiative, where she works tirelessly to remove the financial barriers that prevent capital from reaching climate action in emerging markets. Her thought leadership, advocacy and transactional innovation have placed her at the forefront of some of the most challenging issues in climate finance. She has also led change at home, developing the Barbados Investment Plan for Prosperity and Resilience with Prime Minister Mia Mottley, including a $12b pipeline of investments in energy access, housing, water and sanitation, and the blue economy. Pep consistently challenges entrenched systems even when it would be easier to go with the flow. She brings together public, private and philanthropic partners to move faster, act boldly and turn ideas into implementation. Her pioneering work spans scaling sovereign pre-arranged finance, designing guarantees for debt swaps and developing climate-resilient debt-pause clauses with the World Bank. Described by those who nominated her as "warm, principled, and courageous", Pep embodies the spirit of Fin-Erth; showing what’s possible when humanity and financial innovation work hand in hand.

Sarah Dimson-Tararuj is reshaping how industries confront climate action. As Amazon’s first Head of Strategic Projects and Programs for The Climate Pledge, she leads a global team accelerating decarbonization across hard-to-abate sectors such as buildings, clean energy, transport logistics and value-chain finance. Blending system dynamics, technology and deep climate expertise, she designs large-scale programs that help Amazon and more than six hundred signatories advance toward net-zero carbon by 2040. A true force multiplier, Sarah has created a powerful collaboration model that unites industry, finance and policy while ensuring that environmental justice and healthy-community indicators remain central. Her leadership is grounded in lived experience as a first-generation Ghanaian American and shaped by more than twenty years in global sustainability; spanning consulting, clean energy and LEED-certified development. Authentic, principled and visionary, she mentors emerging talent, champions equity initiatives and drives systemic change. Sarah is, in every sense, a Maverick who turns bold ideas into real-world impact.

Agate Freimane is a quietly formidable force channeling capital into climate solutions. As General Partner at Norrsken VC, she backs early-stage technology companies that tackle environmental challenges, pairing investment with hands-on support to help founders scale solutions that cut emissions and build resilience. She designed Norrsken’s second fund as a “dark-green” Article 9 vehicle, tying carry to measurable climate impact and setting a new standard for European venture capital. Her career spans investment banking at Morgan Stanley in London and New York, scaling high-growth startups like BrickVest, and mentoring mission-driven founders, giving her a rare perspective on both investor and operator sides. Colleagues describe her as strategic, empathetic, and relentless in advancing climate solutions. And the energy she puts into Bright Mentors, an EdTech charity in London, shows the same commitment to inclusion and opportunity that defines her investing. One thing we feel sure about: Agate is proof that venture capital can shift the game and drive tangible climate progress.

Gillian Tan has blazed a trail for sustainability at the Monetary Authority of Singapore, carving out space for climate action where none existed before. At the same time, in her role as Assistant Managing Director and Group Head of MAS’ Development and International Group, she has helped shape Singapore’s standing as a global financial hub. Her work has been nothing short of legacy-building, as MAS now has clear blended finance goals and pathways to achieve them, and Gillian has nurtured the department so it is ready to be handed to the next generation of leaders. Known for her character, humility, and humanity, Gillian doesn’t just implement change; she inspires it. She has shifted the game for the region, proving that bold vision and thoughtful leadership can transform institutions and leave a lasting mark on the future of sustainable finance.

Trailblazer is a word that could have been invented to describe Ina Hoxha. Her many nominators describe "a powerhouse"; a true force in impact investing and climate finance. Colleagues speak of someone who has spent 20+ years focused on green capital, making her not only technically accomplished but also someone with an almost unrivalled understanding of the investment landscape, particularly in emerging markets. Across a feted career (she's currently Chief Investment Officer and Deputy CEO at Climate Bonds Initiative), Ina is someone who has shown time and time again her ability to structure complex deals that balance objectives across multiple aspects of impact. And did we also say kind and fun? Well, apparently she possesses these qualities too - making her a standout inclusion in this year's Unlocking Capital.

Jacqueline Novogratz knows how to make actionable change with both the head and the heart. For over 25 years she has been at the helm of Acumen, the pioneering global impact investment fund she founded to change the way the world addresses poverty. Guided by her belief that markets can be harnessed for good, she has built Acumen into a force for patient, principled capital that backs companies, leaders and ideas offering essential goods and services to low‑income communities. Under her leadership, Acumen has deployed more than US$312 million in patient capital across countless companies spanning Africa, Latin America, South Asia and the United States, supporting enterprises in healthcare, energy, agriculture, water and sanitation, and financial inclusion. These investments have helped millions of people access life‑changing products and created a generation of impact‑driven leaders. Jacqueline’s unique blend of entrepreneurial insight, finance expertise and humanitarian passion has reshaped impact investing and inspired a global community committed to dignity and opportunity for all. Her work proves that capital, when directed with purpose, can transform lives.

With over a decade of experience in Energy, Katharina Neureiter has proven that she is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to investment in energy solutions that actually work. Previously Chief of Staff at British International Investment where she led projects across global innovations in energy and tech, she now leads Carlyle's global sustainability strategy handling assets that amount to approximately $400bn in capital across an impressive and diverse portfolio. Her influence in unlocking capital has had deep impact, for example her work in developing a framework to direct over €2bn in firms such as Flender, whose gearboxes bolster wind turbines that provide renewable energy to over 110 million households. Aside from connecting capital to innovation, she is an active member of numerous working groups, ensuring she spreads her expertise across sectors and markets, helping to shape the climate conversation in any way she can. So to sum up: Katharina is a doer unlocking capital and uplfiting others. That deserves a gold medal.

With more than ten years at UOB Malaysia, Moreen Joseph has emerged as a bold and inspiring leader driving sustainability in the heart of ASEAN finance. As Head of Sustainability and Executive Director, she is shaping how business and climate action can co-exist by helping core GDP contributors in the region decarbonise, transition and prosper in a low‑carbon future. Under her leadership, UOB Malaysia has embedded sustainability into its governance, strategy and risk practices, supporting clients with tools and bespoke programmes that accelerate emissions reduction and climate resilience. Moreen has also played a key role in initiatives such as the Sustainability Accelerator Programme 2.0 with Bursa Malaysia that equips SMEs with decarbonisation solutions and emissions reporting support, lowering barriers to climate action. Her nominators describes someone who is "passionate, pragmatic, dedicated and relentlessly optimistic". She leads with both heart and clarity, inspiring colleagues and clients alike toward a carbon‑free future that benefits business and community. In short, she gives confidence that transformation is possible.

SuetChee Chiong spent just under two decades at Temasek, where she led the charge on Investments. For the past four years, she has dived headfirst into the challenge of decarbonisation across Asia and beyond in the pursuit of a cleaner world. As Managing Director of Decarbonization Partners - a joint venture of BlackRock and Temasek - she is investing in the next generation of innovative decarbonisation solutions and businesses to accelerate global efforts to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Her peers know her as sharp, dedicated, but ultimately kind, and it is her kindness that stands out against the numbers as she leads the way to a net-zero world.

Tariye Gbadegesin is a seasoned climate finance executive with over 20 years of experience investing in emerging markets and developing economies, including supporting policy design for energy transition finance and implementation. In her recent career, she has structured and delivered over $3 billion in large-scale energy, infrastructure and industrial investments and has designed and structured multiple complex blended finance funds, platforms, and syndications, mobilizing capital from the private sector, multilateral development banks and concessional windows. She has played a direct role in unlocking previously inaccessible private capital, turning challenging climate projects into investable opportunities. Put simply, she's a pioneer, a tireless worker and a brave leader in her field, acting as the voice for climate across sectors to finance the future.

Veronica Chau’s impact spans both systems and people. At Boston Consulting Group, she helps global financial institutions set and achieve ambitious climate and sustainable-finance goals, advises governments and multilateral agencies on resilient investment frameworks, and co-authors influential research on adaptation and climate finance. Her practical frameworks are changing how capital markets value resilience and inclusion, turning complex policy and finance challenges into actionable strategies. Beyond client work, Veronica builds teams and partnerships that connect public, private, and philanthropic actors, moving initiatives from ideas to implementation while mobilizing billions in potential financing for climate-positive projects along the way. A trusted advisor and technical expert, she makes finance a force for climate action rather than mere risk management. As her nominator observes, “we need more leaders like Veronica: not just technically expert and effective, but warm, approachable, and genuinely committed to helping others, especially women, find their footing and voice in sustainability.” We couldn’t agree more.

Yihana Von Ritter has built and led the investment team at Align Impact, a private wealth firm 100% dedicated to impact investing. She has sourced, underwritten, and facilitated investment into 80+ private funds and direct investments focused on climate on behalf of Align's client base - directing over $300m. She is relentless in her focus on the most impactful solutions from regenerative agriculture to sustainable infrastructure to material science innovation. Prior to Align she got an MBA and a Masters in Global Affairs at Yale. The list of accomplishments goes on. She's been an entrepreneur, an investor, and an activist. She was a consultant in Central America, co-founded a civil society organization in the Peace Corps in Paraguay, and researched HIV/AIDS in Papua New Guinea. And if these achievements weren't already enough, she's multilingual making her a kick-ass communicator across borders and boundaries. Our verdict? In awe.

Cathy Ansell is Executive Director for Climate Risk at J. P. Morgan Chase, where she quietly and steadily strengthens the bank’s ability to understand and manage the financial impacts of a warming world. With a background that spans catastrophe insurance, risk modelling and disaster finance, she has helped build the firm’s physical climate risk capabilities from the ground up, often doing work that is essential yet largely unseen. Cathy also contributes her expertise to national policy conversations through her service on the Climate-related Financial Risk Advisory Committee, supporting efforts to integrate climate risk into financial stability frameworks. At recent industry gatherings, she has stepped out from behind the modelling curtain to explain how traditional catastrophe science provides the bedrock for climate financial risk. Those who work with her often note her rare blend of clarity and curiosity, and the way she can make even the most complex model feel like a shared puzzle worth solving together.

Trailblazer. Bridge-builder. Quiet force for climate action. Cirhan Truswell has been steadily reshaping how Sun Life understands and responds to climate risk, leading the creation of the company’s first enterprise-wide climate and health strategy. With a decade of experience in climate science and natural resource management, she brings both technical depth and a systems mindset to one of Canada’s largest financial institutions — turning complexity into clarity and long-term resilience. Before Sun Life, Cirhan drove climate adaptation initiatives and natural resource projects that grounded her work in science, equity and community impact. At Sun Life, she has translated that experience into a strategy built to last, ensuring climate considerations influence decisions across businesses, portfolios and client outcomes. Colleagues call her thoughtful, steady and quietly transformative — a leader who fosters trust, unlocks innovation and moves work forward without fanfare. And it is enormously gratifying to see her recognised on this year’s list.

Hope Murera has transformed ZEP-RE into a pioneer in Climate Resilience & Mitigation as well as Agricultural Insurance that has protected millions of small holder farmers against climate risks. Her expertise in Insurance has led her to become a fierce advocate for closing the protection gap for at-risk communities across Africa and beyond. Her dedication to inclusion also extends to gender parity, as she actively champions raising up women leaders, as shown in her own workplace, which exhibits a 47% representation of women in senior roles across the company. Those who work with her celebrate her thoughfulness and ability to 'walk the walk' when it comes to the issues she dedicates her energy to.

As she began her career in Insurance, Irina Waltz learned first-hand the impact that weather-related risks can have on communities, and has taken this empathy through with her in all her roles. With almost twent years' worth of experience as an accomplished Insurance leader, she focuses her energy on advancing strategic innovation, climate resiliance and closing the protection gap that exists so starkly across the sector. The work she does largely behind the scenes helps better equip insurers to understand evolving risks and implement effective mitigation strategies to help position themselves as leaders in climate resilience. Her peers celebrate her ability to champion solutions and lead her teams into the future of innovation in the sector.

An unsung hero of the Insurance sector, Karina Whalley has been working largely behind the scenes for almost two decades. As she moved her focus to climate, she established the Public Sector Consulting Division at AXA Climate, where she now works as Head of Public Sector Solutions. Her impact over her career has gained her the reputation as one of the hardest workers in the insurance public sector by all her peers, as she pushes the boundaries of innovation in insurance through focusing on tackling complex problems and demonstrating the relevance of insurance in public and private partnerships - from drought risk covers in Madagascar, to designing a solution with the World Bank in the Democratic Republic of Congo to cover 300,000 farmers from floods, to helping to shape a novel insurance partnership with the French Development Agency. Above all, Karina is known for her positive attitude and her sharp mind, acting with kindness and empathy first, and letting her work do the talking when it comes to making impact.

Change is never simple when you are working at the intersection of finance, climate risk and community resilience. Most people hesitate when the path forward is unclear. Not Kate Hansen Schweigart. As Vice President of Innovative Finance at Rare, Kate stepped into one of the most complex challenges in global sustainability and immediately began shifting what many thought was immovable. From shaping the world’s first Small Scale Fisheries Impact Bond to designing practical insurance and risk tools that frontline coastal communities can actually use, Kate has refused to let traditional barriers stop progress. She has pushed insurers, investors and governments to rethink how they serve vulnerable populations, while building finance structures that finally recognise the value of nature and the people who protect it. Colleagues describe her as steady, incisive and quietly relentless. She moves through complexity without drama, listens deeply, and then delivers solutions that are both technically rigorous and deeply human. In a space where transformation is hard won, Kate has simply got on with it and made it happen. Brilliant!

Kathryn Bakos is a quietly formidable force in climate resilience and financial preparedness, particularly within the insurance sector. As Managing Director, Climate Finance & Resilience, at the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation, she has become a trusted voice helping insurers understand how climate-driven flooding and extreme weather reshape risk, underwriting, and long-term portfolio stability. Her pioneering analysis of how catastrophic floods affect home values and mortgage markets has given insurers clearer, evidence-based insight into where vulnerabilities lie and how to plan for them. But Kathryn does more than surface the risks; she builds the practical tools that insurers rely on to respond. By developing frameworks that allow insurance leaders to embed climate science into pricing, product design, and capital allocation, sheultimately strengthens the industry’s ability to protect households and communities. We think this is pretty damn cool. And so do colleagues who also note her calm precision and her gift for turning complex climate data into guidance that is both actionable and humane. Star quality.

Leah Ramoutar is redefining what climate leadership looks like in financial services, unlocking the solutions to integrating nature into transition planning and championing the principle that there is no net zero without nature. As Director of Environmental Sustainability at Aviva, Leah led the creation of one of the sector’s first integrated climate and nature transition plan, embedding nature-related risks, dependencies, and opportunities into the company’s strategic roadmap. She has brokered partnerships with The Wildlife Trust, The Woodland Trust and WWT to work towards creating natural resilience in a range of environments crucial to the UK's biodiversity. Her pioneering work sets a new precedent for how financial institutions can address climate and biodiversity together: not as separate challenges, but as deeply interconnected imperatives. Known for her ability to turn ambition into action with her grit and collaborative spirit, Leah is consistently challenging the insurance sector to deliver meaningful change with longevity beyond our lifetimes.

Nadia Boumeziout is quietly transforming the Middle East’s insurance sector, making climate action both practical and urgent. As Head of Sustainability and Information Governance, Middle East at Zurich Insurance, she ensures one of the region’s leading insurers stays ahead of a fast-moving climate curve, embedding resilience, risk management, and sustainability across operations. From mangrove reforestation to wetland restoration and sustainable land management, Nadia leverages innovative solutions to protect natural resources, enhance carbon sequestration, and strengthen communities against climate shocks. She also shapes the region’s climate finance ecosystem, contributing to initiatives like the Dubai Sustainable Finance Working Group and other high-level forums that guide how capital and insurance respond to climate imperatives. Colleagues describe her as a strategic, generous, and inspiring leader — someone who turns data, insights, and collaboration into real-world impact. In short, Nadia doesn’t just talk climate; she insures it, invests in it, and ensures others can too.

Rose Goslinga has spent over a decade at the helm of PULA, a pioneering climate insurance firm working across 10+ African markets, delivering agricultural insurance solutions to milions of farmers every year. Her work protects smallholder farmers from climate shocks, ultimately aiding the transition to more sustinable agriculture across several African countries. Her ability to adapt to different challenges and move quickly to unlock solutions is what sets her apart from others in her field, having grown PULA from two tables in a shared office to now over 60 people and an 8 digit revenue across 10 markets in under 10 years. Our view? Quite remarkable.

Ara Erickson is Vice President of Corporate Sustainability at Weyerhaeuser, the largest private timberland owner in the U.S. and one of the world’s leading sustainable forest products companies. She drives strategy across working forests, sustainable housing, and resilient rural communities, turning complex climate and land-use challenges into tangible solutions. Ara leads the company’s “3 by 30” ambitions, launched in 2020, to harness forests and wood products as natural climate solutions, enable sustainable homes, and strengthen rural economies by 2030. Her work includes expanding markets for low‑carbon wood construction, embedding climate resilience into forest management, and supporting communities that depend on forests for livelihoods. She serves on the board of American Forests, the U.S.’s oldest national conservation nonprofit, and is a founding steering committee member of the Women’s Forest Congress, advancing inclusive and equitable forest stewardship. Colleagues praise her authenticity, strategic clarity, and ability to build trust-based partnerships. Simply put, Ara is making forests work harder: for climate, for communities, and for the economy.

Frannie Leautier may be a fierce trailblazer in Natural Capital, but she is known to her peers for her intrinsic generosity and mentorship to other women, and there's a hell of a lot to learn from her as she is a transformative force in the field. As CEO of SouthBridge and FSD Africa Board Chair, Frannie has championed increasing investment in nature and the integration of natural capital into decision-making, including to put nature as a sovereign asset on African balance sheets to get better financing terms. Frannie led the launch of Vumbuzi, a $2bn fund to finance restoration and reforestation projects in Africa, which is a breakthrough in how public and private capital can partner to flow to the many thousands of entrepreneurs and NGOs restoring critical ecosystems across Africa. She reminds us that nature contributes $140,000bn in essential services, surpassing the world’s GDP by 1.5 times. Despite this, it receives only 1/6 of the investment allocated to clean energy systems. An incredible source of knowledge, Frannie acts with a clear authority and a singular sense of purpose that ultimate drives action.

Gail Gallie is the founder of The NAT, a cultural platform connecting art, capital and conservation to reframe nature as a vital economic asset. She is a true kick‑ass doer, turning ideas into action and tackling the US$710 billion annual nature‑finance gap by making biodiversity and natural capital visible, investable, and culturally resonant. Her career spans advertising, media, and global campaigns. She led creative initiatives at the BBC and co‑founded Project Everyone with filmmaker Richard Curtis, helping launch the Sustainable Development Goals worldwide. She later founded a strategic communications consultancy called Project17, guiding businesses and investors on purpose, sustainability and systems‑level change. Peers and collaborators admire Gail for her fearless drive, empathy, and ability to turn complex challenges into compelling stories. And through The NAT, she is building a new public, cultural and financial architecture for nature, transforming awareness into action and visibility into investment. To sum up, Gail is a modern-day nature rock star, and there are few more deserving of a place on this year's Fin‑Erth list.

Hiba Larsson is the kind of person who lights up every room she enters, bringing clarity, warmth and purpose to some of the toughest conversations in climate, nature and finance. As an Investment Partner at Naia Trust, she channels capital toward ventures that embed environmental integrity and long‑term impact, shaping what investment in nature can and should be. She also advises networks including The Climate Collective and a UAE angel‑investment network, inspiring family offices and investors to step boldly into nature and natural‑capital solutions. Hiba believes the next frontier of finance must reward resilience, regeneration and shared value, not just short‑term returns, and her writing, speaking and advisory work make that vision tangible. Peers call her an “unbelievable connector” — quietly effective, fiercely dedicated and deeply thoughtful. She brings people together across sectors and geographies, turning complex environmental challenges into practical, investable solutions, and quietly building the financial infrastructure essential for nature’s recovery.

Leena Al Olaimy is the voice of Nature in the boardroom. In a region with almost no nature-tech investors and little R&D funding, Leena has consistently advanced nature finance and governance through persistence and innovation. She bootstrapped her work, invested her own income, won awards, and lobbied the Bahrain government to introduce its first startup R&D programme. While many focused on measuring biodiversity risks and dependencies, she has sought to fill the gap in measuring the value of ecosystem services. After identifying that global ecosystem services valuation databases excluded the WANA region, she built the largest dataset to date with 38,000 data points, and used it to inform the nature-conscious finance tools she is developing. An inclusive doer, she is also a champion of humanity, putting her boundless energy towards facilitating reconciliation and peacebuilding from nonviolent approaches to counter-terrorism to civil society work on Arab-Israeli relations. She's a fighter and a fierce advocate for what she believes in, but does it with undeniable kindness, positivity, and brings people on the journey with her.

A juggernaut in Natural Capital, May Liew is taking over two decade's worth of experience in investment banking to now be a driving force in unlocking capital for climate solutions. Steering OCTAVE Capital toward purpose-driven investing, she is steadily embedding environmental and social impact into its core deployment strategy. She recently led the launch of a $75m Asia Ocean Fund in partnership with Katapult Ocean to bridge the funding gap for ocean tech and climate-resilient marine enterprises in Asia, while she also works on catalysing carbon markets by investing in carbon removal and energy transition solutions towards a net-zero world. These efforts are rooted in her deep understanding of the intricate interplay between finance and sustainable development, and she proves day in and day out that she is wholeheartedly committed to taking on our planet's biggest challenges and uncomplainingly working away at solutions to power progress.

Mirtha Kastrapeli’s nominator says it best: “She is incredibly modest, deeply passionate, and cares genuinely for colleagues and community alike.” That humanity shapes everything she does. With nearly 20 years across public and private sectors, Mirtha has dedicated her career to protecting natural capital while helping industries adapt to climate realities. She advised Nicaragua’s Ministry of Economics, shaping policy for long-term resilience, and spent seven years as a Global Macro Strategist at State Street Global Markets in Boston, linking finance to climate and resource risks. Now Managing Director and Global Head of ISS STOXX Research Institute, Mirtha leads cutting-edge research on physical climate risks, from extreme heat to water scarcity, across global supply chains. Her work helps companies measure, manage, and adapt operations while safeguarding ecosystems. Quietly transformative, she is futureproofing industries, showing that protecting people and planet isn’t just possible; it’s essential.

Most people would find it overwhelming to work where communities, ecosystems and economies pull in different directions. Nachilala Nkombo has spent more than twenty years there, driven by a belief that people and nature deserve better. A multi‑award‑winning African sustainability leader, she co‑founded Women Leaders for Climate Action and has held senior roles with WWF Zambia, ONE.org and ActionAid International, advancing sustainable agriculture, natural resource management and climate finance across the continent. In Zambia, Nachilala has led efforts to protect Luangwa and Lower Zambezi landscapes, support wildlife recovery in Sioma Ngwezi, and help rural communities earn livelihoods from healthier land. She is central to early green finance innovations and platforms that elevate women shaping climate solutions. Those who work with her describe someone thoughtful, steady and generous with her time. Our view? Nachilala’s leadership feels less like a performance and more like a patient, practical force quietly transforming entire systems.

Sonam Choden is one of Bhutan’s most compelling voices for natural capital and mountain biodiversity, turning quiet ecosystems into powerful policy priorities. She led Bhutan’s historic accession to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, then put that commitment to work by establishing the country’s Water and Wetlands Programme and securing global protection for high-altitude and riverine landscapes in Phobjikha, Bumdeling and Khotokha, home to endangered Black-necked Cranes and vital freshwater systems. As Asia’s Chair of the Ramsar Standing Committee, she has elevated the region’s perspectives in global wetland governance, building bridges between science, diplomacy and community needs. Sonam has also been central to Bhutan’s REDD+ readiness, shaping the national strategy that protects forests, cuts emissions from deforestation and positions Bhutan’s natural capital at the heart of its climate ambition. Her fieldwork across remote valleys strengthens biodiversity and climate resilience, and her leadership consistently reflects what colleagues admire most: fierce expertise, quiet power and an unwavering devotion to Bhutan’s landscapes and people.

Terri Castis is quietly reshaping conservation in the Middle East. At the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve, she leads strategy and operations across 24,500 km² of protected land and sea, restoring ecosystems, reintroducing species, and safeguarding biodiversity that spans 15 distinct habitats. Her work anchors natural capital in real-world impact, from ecological monitoring and wildlife management to climate-resilient land and marine stewardship. In 2025, she helped launch the Middle East’s first sea ranger corps, patrolling 170 km of Red Sea coastline to protect coral, mangroves, and critical marine habitats. Under her guidance, the Reserve is setting new standards for integrating nature protection, community engagement, and climate resilience. With more than 20 years in international conservation, public-private partnerships, and protected-area management, Terri brings courage, strategic clarity, and hands-on leadership to a sector rarely seen at this scale. She proves that bold ambition, science, and boots-on-the-ground action can deliver transformative change for nature and people alike.

Danielle Southcott has been rewriting the rules of shipping for over 16 years. As founder and CEO of Veer®, she is proving that even the “hard-to-abate” world of ocean-going shipping can go absolute-zero today. Veer®’s multi-award-winning vessels exceed all regulatory reduction targets, combining wind and hydrogen propulsion to deliver fully decarbonized, commercially viable ships. Danielle led the design of the world’s first zero-emission container ship, securing full Approval in Principle from the American Bureau of Shipping, and is now steering Veer® toward next-generation zero-emission bulkers and tankers. Her vision extends beyond vessels, building technology, infrastructure and industry partnerships that make sustainable shipping practical at scale. Those close to Danielle describe her as fearless, relentlessly action-oriented and deeply caring. From planting thousands of trees in Central America to inspiring the next generation of sailors, she is a true doer, proving that bold ideas, hard work and conviction can transform entire industries.

Something genuinely exciting is happening in construction materials, and Dr Roberta Magarotto is at the centre of it. As the leader of Global R&D and Innovation at Master Builders Solutions, she is pioneering ways to decarbonise concrete by developing admixtures that replace cement, one of the biggest sources of CO₂ in the material, while also reducing water use and cutting emissions by up to 50 percent. Despite the scale of her work, Dr Magarotto carries it with humility. Her quiet brilliance is driving innovations that have the potential to reshape the global materials industry and open the door to a more sustainable built environment.

Felicity O’Kelly is an Investment Director at Climate Investment, where she deploys capital into venture and growth-stage companies developing breakthrough technologies for the hardest-to-abate sectors; from industrial heat and heavy manufacturing to carbon removal, advanced materials and next-generation fuels. Her work directly supports solutions capable of delivering gigaton-scale emissions reductions, helping decarbonise industries that have long been considered immovable. Often the only woman in the room, Felicity is equally committed to shifting who gets to build the future. Through her angel investing, she backs founders from underrepresented backgrounds, ensuring climate innovation reflects a wider set of voices. As a Venture Capital Fellow with the Newton Venture Programme at London Business School, she helps democratise access to VC careers, widening the pipeline for diverse talent. A true example of walking the talk, Felicity’s conviction, clarity and drive are becoming impossible to ignore in the climate-tech space.

The fashion industry is, in many ways, one of the world's hardest to abate sectors. But no challenge is too big for Juliet Russell, she only sees opportunity and solutions to improve the industry. Having proved her mettle, she was handpicked as Head of Sustainability for Stella McCartney at just 26 years old. Here, she put her skills to work, implementing sustainable practices to the supply chain, such as launching the brand's first fully circular product and creating a take-back programme to return the material to the supplier at end of life, entirely trackable by both customer and business. Now heading up Sustainability at Versace, she is building the fashion house's first ever sustainability-focused team, and has already kickstarted 30+ projects to improve sustainable practices and forging environmental partnerships across the globe to support agriculture and biodiversity. A doer, a badass, and an energetic leader with purpose and drive, few would argue that Juliet is anything other than a truly transformative force in the sector.

Kate Heiny works at the intersection of scale and complexity in one of the world’s hardest-to-abate sectors: travel and tourism, which accounts for 9% of global emissions. As VP of Sustainability at Booking Holdings since 2023, she is at the forefront of driving climate solutions in an industry still early in its sustainability journey. Kate led Booking to become the first online travel provider with science-based targets validated, committing to net-zero emissions across the entire value chain by 2040 — a decade ahead of Paris Agreement timelines. Her expertise spans competitive, legislative, and scientific trends, helping to minimise risk and unlock opportunity. Beyond her company, Kate is defining what “sustainable travel” means, building the frameworks, data tools, and partnerships that give travelers and accommodation providers a shared path forward. A human leader with both head and heart, Kate is transforming an industry and inspiring change across the global travel ecosystem.

A fearless innovator, relentless in her drive and never bound by convention. That’s Lara Naqushbandi. Her achievements? Monumental. She is pioneering ET Fuels, developing cost-competitive, regulatory-compliant e-fuels off-grid to decarbonize shipping, aviation, and other hard-to-abate sectors. In under three years, she has taken a $1.2 billion project from origination to FEED, a pace the industry rarely sees. Lara is redefining how customers think about fuel, spearheading long-term offtake models, and shaping policy across the UK, Europe, and the USA to reflect real-world project realities. She has built a team that peers trust to innovate at speed while delivering results that matter. Those close to her call her "Hurricane Lara", a force of nature, intense and unrelenting, yet deeply compassionate and a listener. Sounds like star quality to us.

Aviation is a challenging sector that is being reinvented by pioneers like Latife Nur Demir. She is somehow making it look easy. Acting with quiet genius, her skillset has pushed Pegasus ahead of larger airlines in the region to now be a frontrunner in sustainable innovation, sending a clear message to all that progress is possible, and necessary. Acting with grace and positivity, her peers know her as a shining beacon of light to follow into the future, and it's time her work at Pegasus became a blueprint for the industry to transform.

Leigh Staines is driving change at Banksia Minerals Processing, an Australian innovator tackling one of the most overlooked challenges in the energy transition: the emissions intensity of mineral processing. Banksia is reimagining refining and processing to be cleaner, more energy-efficient and circular, reducing waste while supplying the critical minerals needed for renewable energy and green manufacturing. Leigh brings decades of global experience to the role, having held senior positions at Rio Tinto, ExxonMobil and Santos. At Rio Tinto, she led 1,200 employees at the Boyne Aluminium Smelters, working closely with government to design a sustainability transition plan that balanced workforce, corporate and public priorities; a rare example of operational leadership with system-level impact. Peers call Leigh a “determined” and “quietly powerful driver of change.” She combines technical expertise, commercial savvy and a collaborative approach, making her a role model for women in mining, energy and engineering. At Banksia, she ensures sustainability isn’t an add-on, but at the heart of industrial transformation. Our verdict? Leigh Staines is proof that heavy industry can lead the clean-energy revolution — and do it well.

Maryam Telmesani is one of the quiet powerhouses reshaping Saudi Arabia’s climate and sustainability landscape. With more than 15 years of experience, she has become a trusted architect of change across sectors, translating big-picture ambition into practical, scalable action. As Vice President of Sustainability at Saudia Group, she is driving the airline’s shift toward lower-carbon operations, championing circular-economy innovation and helping align aviation with the country’s Vision 2030 climate goals. Her influence reaches far beyond aviation. As Chair of the UN Global Compact Network Saudi Arabia, Maryam is helping embed global sustainability principles across the region’s private sector, while advisory roles with institutions such as the Prince Sultan University Centre for Sustainability and Climate and international aviation bodies position her at the heart of policy and innovation. Deeply connected yet resolutely humble, Maryam is the person others call when they want to move from talk to action — and she delivers. Her nominator confirms the evidence: Maryam is someone getting the work done.

Mun Ching Yap is a force of nature in sustainability, bringing energy and vision to every challenge she takes on. As Chief Sustainability Officer at Asia Airlines, she is pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in aviation, leading CORSIA initiatives and navigating complex compliance frameworks to position a smaller airline as a bold innovator in the sector. Her passion doesn’t stop there - through her podcast, Mun Ching sparks curiosity and action, helping listeners across Malaysia stay ahead of the climate conversation and turn knowledge into tangible change. With her drive, insight, and infectious enthusiasm, she’s not just shaping an airline or a sector, she’s helping define a greener future for the region.

Chongyang Du brings a global lens and a scientist’s rigour to sustainable investing. Growing up in China and now based in Portugal, her lifelong curiosity about how the world works fuels her approach to climate and impact data. As Head of Research at Net Purpose, she has built a major database of climate solutions, applying a truly scientific mindset to financial decision-making. Her work turns complex evidence into clear, actionable insights that investors rely on to mobilise capital more intelligently. As her nominator notes, she “makes science intelligible for investors,” a deceptively simple skill that shifts where and how money flows. Colleagues speak of the care, humility and diligence that define her leadership. Chongyang blends analytical precision with a deep sense of responsibility, ensuring data is not only accurate but genuinely useful. This rare combination secures her place on this year’s Fin-Erth Awards list in the Data & Analytics category.

Grit and gravitas personified, Dr Sonja Stuchtey stands firmly at the forefront of innovation in the nature-fintech space. As Founder and Managing Director of The Landbanking Group, she envisions a world where biodiversity flourishes and natural ecosystems thrive alongside sustainable economic growth. Her mission is nothing short of a moonshot: to make nature restoration and conservation investable at planetary scale. A true trailblazer and generous with her expertise, Dr Sonja also lends her leadership to Alliance4Europe, the Capitals Coalition, and IxSA, actively advocating for the planet across multiple disciplines. One of her most influential contributions is the development of a pioneering biodiversity data framework that translates ecosystem restoration outcomes into clear and trusted financial metrics. This work is helping shift climate and nature analytics from fragmented insights to decision-ready intelligence that investors and policymakers can act upon. Our verdict is simple. Dr Sonja Stuchtey is a powerhouse and an all-rounder.

Mandi McReynolds is a catalyst at the intersection of climate intelligence and human progress. She has built a career out of turning complexity into clarity, transforming climate data into powerful stories that move organisations from intention to meaningful action. In her role at Workiva, she drives ESG and sustainability strategies that honour both the planet and the people who depend on it. She builds systems where transparency is not just a requirement but a bold commitment to a better future. Her climate analytics work helps companies look beyond spreadsheets and see the real-world impact behind every metric. Through her voice in boardrooms, on global stages, and through her ESG Talk platform, she challenges and inspires leaders to step into accountability with courage and compassion. Mandi brings heart to science, soul to strategy, and humanity to data. She reminds us that climate action is not just possible. It is personal. And, frankly, it is a privilege to feature her on this year's Fin-Erth list.

As Head of Product Research and Innovation at Clarity AI, Patricia Pina leads the development of methodologies that make sustainability data actionable, transparent, and science-based. Her work is not only technical but deeply human and purpose-driven, rooted in the belief that when data is transparent and science-based, it is the most powerful lever to bring societal impact to markets. Patricia has played a pivotal role in establishing Clarity AI as a global leader in climate data and analytics, driving innovation through methodological excellence and responsible AI, which now supports more than $70 trillion in assets across global firms lincluding BlackRock, Santander Group, HSBC, NinetyOne, and Nordea. Patricia's peers note her thought leadership and public advocacy, complemented by her generosity of spirit. When she is not crushing it on the solutions side, you'll find Patricia mentoring colleagues, collaborating across disciplines, and consistently pushing for higher standards not through hierarchy, but through inspiration and example.

Sims Witherspoon is the real deal. As the Climate and Sustainability Lead at Google DeepMind Institute, she works with teams of Researchers and Engineers on the application of AI to solve challenges that contribute to climate change. She has spent over a decade building technologies for social good and was a founding member of Google's Crisis Response team. She is also the co-founder of the Centre for AI and Climate (CAIC), an international organisation based out of London, a TED talk speaker and someone noted for her ability to inform, inspire and distill the sometimes abstract into the tangible; someone who makes the possibilities of frontier technology in solving climate challenges exciting and real. These accomplishments coupled with what her nominators describe as innate "kindness" make her a no brainer for this year's Climate Data & Analytics category.

Sofia Helena Zanella Carra has devoted more than a decade to understanding how agriculture and science can help us live better with the planet. What began as rigorous research in agricultural engineering has grown into a career spent turning ideas into action, working across public institutions and private organisations to help reshape how we use and protect natural resources. Although Brazil is her home and the heart of much of her work, Sofia’s influence reaches far beyond it. She has supported teams and initiatives across Africa, Asia and Europe, offering the kind of grounded, practical expertise that helps real change take root. Those who work with her speak of someone thoughtful, generous with her knowledge and deeply committed to solutions that work for people and the planet. In many ways, Sofia represents the quiet, steady leadership our world needs.

Tengi George-Ikoli is changing the game from top to bottom and coming at it from numerous angles. As a lawyer and economist, she has been a key player in climate focused legislature in Nigeria, helping to implement the Petroleum Industry Act 2025, but Tengi also has an incredible capacity for using data to truly move the needle on widespread global change. She designed a new technology that enabled Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative data to be interepreted for public use, enabling climate activists, communities, media, and civil society actors alike to hold large companies to account for their emissions targets and commitments in their respective regions. She has since had similar impact across policy analysis, ensuring both the public and private sectors are held accountable in meeting their emission reduction goals. It's tools like this that reach across sector lines and help us move as one toward a common goal, and Tengi's work has proven it's possible to both share the responsibility as well as empower the doers to power progress most efficiently.

Whitney McWade is one of those women who is taking on the almost impossible - actually steering a major bank into a climate finance future and making it seem like inevitable rather than an unachievable. Her strategic and resilient approach to sustainability programming at one of the largest banks in North America, BMO, is directly improving how the bank defines, tracks and reports sustainable finance activities. The impact? Scale. Scale that is helping the bank navigate a rapidly evolving landscape and take its place as a leader in the sector. Under Whitney's leadership, BMO has developed its first Transition Action Plan, convened global senior leaders, and is now charting the course for how a major bank can move forward with intention and success. All we can think is, every bank needs a Whitney McWade.

With two decades of experience, Zinta Zommers has become a steady and compassionate force in the effort to protect the world’s most vulnerable communities from climate-driven crises. Her work at UN OCHA is rooted in a simple but powerful belief: that data must ultimately serve people. She brings scientific depth to humanitarian action, turning climate risk models, early-warning systems and forecasting tools into lifelines for communities on the front lines. Across the wider UN system, she is known for championing humanity in spaces where it can be too easily overshadowed by technical detail. A master of foresight and big-picture thinking, Zinta is also reshaping how the world unlocks solutions. By bridging public and private sector efforts, she accelerates the flow of capital toward innovations that genuinely matter. She is an all-rounder in the truest sense, pairing passion with scientific precision, and coupling collaboration with courage. In every way, she is an engine for change.

Chinwe Udo-Davis is an innovative and visionary leader in the renewable energy sector. As the founder of Instollar, she leverages technology to create sustainable job opportunities, particularly in solar energy, while championing economic empowerment for marginalised communities. Her initiatives focus on bridging the gap between skills and opportunity, with a strong emphasis on empowering women and youth to thrive in the green economy. Chinwe’s impact extends beyond workforce development. She brings deep expertise in multi-stakeholder engagement, research, and advocacy, collaborating successfully with governments, NGOs, and private sector partners to drive inclusive growth and a just transition toward sustainable development. Her work demonstrates that sustainability and social impact can grow hand in hand. Simply put, Chinwe Udo-Davis turns vision into action and makes things happen.

Clare King has been advocating for clean energy for two decades, currently practicing law as a Partner at Freeths, remaining unwaveringly laser focused in her commitment to implementing clean energy solutions in the right way for humankind, using a deep understanding of the most technical aspects of all kinds of bioenergy to do it. As well as being upstanding in court, she offers pro bono advice to startups and helps direct capital to solutions that will truly move the dial, all while remaining graceful amongst the chaos. Those close to her can see that she is quietly driving the revolution and are pleased to see her work coming into sharp focus from behind the scenes.

As the Deputy Director of the Colorado Energy Office, Dominique Gómez is unlocking a solution of immense scale: the systemic decarbonisation of an entire state. Yes, you read that right...the entire state. She is a primary architect of the policy, regulatory, and programmatic frameworks that accelerate Colorado's energy transition creating a comprehensive ecosystem that enables renewable energy deployment, building electrification, and clean transportation, ensuring the state meets its ambitious climate goals in a just and equitable way for all. Those who work with her note her rare and powerful combination of experiences that make her undeniably effective - able to approach climate solutions from the perspective of a White House policy advisor, a hands-on startup executive and a civic leader. It's hard to distill Dominique's achievements, but put simply by her nominator: "she is a determined, generous, and deeply committed leader working to secure the most essential resource for her community's future." The next step? More Dominiques!

Karen Pak Oppenheimer is Co-Executive Director of the Oppenheimer Project. As her nominator puts it: "when you have a well-known name, you can either sit back and let history define your story, or you can leverage your platform to positively impact the future. Karen definitively chooses the latter, and like so many women, she is much more than just her title." Her mission? Making abundant, clean and sustainable energy accessible to all, especially in the Global South, flipping history’s equation of nuclear power for war into the future’s solution of nuclear energy for peace. In her tenure at the Oppenheimer Project, she has convened some of the most influential philanthropists in the world to explore, learn and act. A quiet, unlikely hero, Karen is known as the 'person behind the person', but as she sits at the helm of such a pivotal organisation, it's high time she raises her head above the parapet.

Kate Steel has steadfastly dedicated her career to clean energy, investing in and shining a light on some of the most exciting innovations in the energy sector. One of the standout areas of focus is her efforts on implementing clean, reliable electricity in Africa. Drawing on her wealth of experience at The World Bank, Google, and USAID, Kate launched climate fintech platform Nithio, that has grown an impressive portfolio and widespread, real-world impact. Amongst all the numbers, Kate acts with humility and ensures she passes on the tools to success in her sector to the next generation of energy transition leaders trhough numerous workshops and panels, lending her time to upskill and and empower others in her field. A selfless doer supporting other women? That sounds like our kind of awardee.

Marie Lam-Frendo has two decades of experience with infrastructure and efficient solutions for a better world. Now a Partner, Chief Strategy Officer, and Executive Committee member of Meridiam, a Paris-based infrastructure equity investor with 25Bn across North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, she is spearheading Meridiam's strategy, including the development of new products and overseeing Meridiam's Urban Resilient Fund, a blended finance equity fund that specialises in investing in resilient infrastructure projects at municipal levels in Europe and Africa. Her work is also taking her to explore energy and infrastructure solutions in Asia, making her a leading global expert in the space. Those who work with her note that she is a fierce champion of women, a kind leader, supportive leader and, if it wasn't already obvious, an exceptionally high acheiver.

Randi Kristiansen is Executive Director of the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero, where she leads the Just Energy Transition Partnership programme, designing and executing financing for energy transition. Previously an Economic Affairs Officer at UNESCAP supporting energy transition in Southeast Asia, Randi is no stranger to taking on the seemingly impossible and making it inevitable. Randi has rolled up her sleeves and ensured to have a strong grasp on all aspects of her sector, from the highly technical to the global communication, and has been described by her peers as a one-woman wonder. What's next? She is building a strong team and fastidiously investing in them, ensuring the future remains bright for global transitions to cleaner energy. Outstanding.

In her role as Chief Sustainability Officer and Chief of Corporate Affairs at ACWA Power, Rusha Al Rawaf is driving the company’s mission to innovate and deploy sustainable energy and water desalination solutions across the globe. She leads with authority and purpose, stewarding a team of high performers while drawing on deep expertise in ESG and corporate governance. Colleagues describe her as both visionary and exacting, a leader whose passion for sustainability is matched only by her commitment to accountability. She uses her platform to champion innovation, elevate governance standards, and push the industry toward a more responsible future. Rusha’s influence is felt not just in the strategies she shapes, but in the culture of integrity and ambition she instils in everyone around her.

Vanessa Butani is leading the charge on energy transition at Volvo with vision, determination, and a deeply human approach. As Global Head of Sustainability, she is helping the company move toward net-zero emissions and full electrification, rethinking transport, embracing the circular economy, and ultimately improving people’s lives along the way. She looks at Energy Transition through a deeply human lens, aiming to redefine our modes of transport, embrace a circular economy, and ultimately improve people's lives. Internally at Volvo, she is exceptionally persuasive, and has an intricate knowledge of the business in detail, enabling her to innovate at a molecular level of the group from end to end of the supply chain. Ultimately, she is challenging the industry standards and helping to raise the bar for everyone across the sector.

Few are better equipped to lead the global energy transition than Wafa Jafri. Analytical and thoughtful by nature, she built her technical expertise during her time at npower and has since brought that foundation into the public sector. Today, as a leader at KPMG, Wafa helps corporations around the world navigate and implement energy transition strategies with clarity and impact. Her peers describe her as a pragmatic and decisive leader, combining a deep knowledge base with a sharp analytical mind. She doesn’t just advise; she supports execution on the ground, ensuring plans translate into real-world results. In short, Wafa Jafri is a force for change in the energy sector, blending technical rigour, strategic insight, and turning ambition into action.

Real estate is not an easy sector to shift. Legacy systems, entrenched norms and tight financial pressures make transformation notoriously difficult. None of this seems to faze Audrey Klein. Colleagues consistently describe her as a remarkable operator, someone who brings precision, calm and serious strategic intent to every challenge. With 25 years of global experience, Audrey is now a Partner at Spencer House Partners, where she co-leads the third-party fundraising business. Her track record is formidable. She previously founded and ran her own company for five years, and before that built the European business for Park Hill Real Estate, a division of Blackstone, spending nine years shaping it into a market leader. Across these roles, Audrey has been a vocal advocate for integrating climate considerations into real estate investment, ensuring capital flows toward greener, future-proofed portfolios. Her leadership extends well beyond commercial success. Audrey co-founded WIRE, now one of the most respected networks for women in real estate, and she remains a champion of inclusion, excellence and long-term value creation. Those who work with her say the same thing: she gets things done, she raises the bar and she does it all without fuss. One word: exceptional.

Caitrin O’Brien is proving that sustainable luxury is not only possible, it is far more beautiful than the status quo. Since joining Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, she has built the company’s now award-winning Four Seasons for Good program from the ground up, weaving climate action, conservation and community impact into the everyday rhythm of one of the world’s most loved hospitality brands. Under her guidance, ambitious goals have become real results: millions of plastic bottles eliminated, food waste slashed, biodiversity projects thriving at properties around the world, and a new standard set for green building and responsible sourcing. What makes Caitrin stand out is not just the scale of her achievements but the way she brings people with her. Colleagues describe a leader who listens deeply, wins hearts as much as minds, and makes sustainability feel energising rather than overwhelming. Through her industry roles with the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, AHLA and the Corporate Eco Forum, she is lifting the entire sector. Caitrin is, in every way, a quiet force reshaping hospitality for good.

Hala El Akl is not someone who seeks the spotlight. She would rather focus on the work, yet across global real estate and sustainability she is recognised as one of the quiet forces reshaping how the industry tackles climate, equity and the future of cities. At Oxford Properties, she leads sustainable investing and operations, integrating climate intelligence, social value and responsible investment across a multibillion-dollar portfolio. Her career spans architecture, urban innovation and policy. At PLP Architecture and PLP Labs, she helped advance low-carbon design and research on future city systems. Today, she continues to push boundaries in green financing, decarbonisation and embedding ESG into investment decisions at scale. She also serves on the Urban Land Institute’s Global Board and Cambridge University’s Land Economy Advisory Board, reflecting the deep trust she has earned across the sector. Colleagues describe her as rigorous, empathetic and steady in vision. Hala is one of the quiet powerhouses of sustainable real estate, and a deeply deserving presence on this Fin-Erth list.

Kotchakorn Voraakhom is a designer-thinker who has built her reputation as a bridge-builder between nature and the modern city. With rare clarity, she has spent her career proving that climate adaptation does not need to be theoretical or technocratic; it can be lived, felt and beautifully designed. As founder of Landprocess and CEO of Porous City Network, she is reshaping flood-prone Bangkok through green infrastructure that stores water, cools heat and restores public space. Her landmark projects, from Chulalongkorn Centenary Park to Asia’s largest rooftop farm, show how cities can heal themselves when design listens to ecology. Her work also carries a signature touch: organic, curving forms that bring femininity and softness back into urban planning. Those who know her describe a calm, grounded force, someone who leads with imagination, empathy and quiet insistence. Kotchakorn is not just reimagining cities; she is re-teaching the world how to live with water, not fear it.

Linda Sweeney brings a rare blend of strategic vision, operational expertise and compassionate leadership to climate-smart real estate development in the UAE and beyond. With more than two decades of experience across corporate, consulting and mission-driven roles, she now serves as Group Director of Sustainability at Modon Holdings, one of Abu Dhabi’s most dynamic real estate and investment platforms. Linda is helping steer the sector toward a low-carbon future, championing innovation in design, construction and long-term asset performance to reduce emissions and strengthen climate resilience across Modon’s portfolio. She drives partnerships that connect climate science with practical delivery, ensuring that new communities are not only high-quality and inclusive but also future-proofed in the face of rising environmental pressures. Her approach is grounded in integrity, empathy and a deep respect for the people and places that real estate shapes. And it comes as little surprise that colleagues describe her as “thoughtful, decisive and genuinely committed to building better cities for all.”

Mariana Silva has spent her career at the intersection of climate finance and sustainable infrastructure, turning complex systems into pathways for real impact. After starting out in investment banking in Hong Kong, she shifted her focus to development and policy, working with the Swiss Ministry of Finance to help unlock greater capital flows into sustainable infrastructure. She later supported the Bangladesh Central Bank as an expert consultant for the UN Inquiry, identifying climate-aligned projects with the potential to transform local economies. A former member of the G20 Infrastructure Task Force, Mariana co-authored recommendations presented at the Antalya Summit, offering practical solutions for closing global infrastructure gaps. Today, as a Senior Infrastructure Finance Specialist at the World Bank’s Global Infrastructure Facility, she leads partnerships, international engagement and fundraising, and advises on operations for a US$150 million facility supporting governments to build pipelines of bankable, sustainable infrastructure. Mariana is widely admired for her clarity, commitment and quiet determination to deliver climate solutions that matter.

Mette Skjold is CEO and partner at SLA Architects, an internationally acclaimed design studio pioneering ways of integrating nature to the built environment. Here, Mette leads pioneering projects that integrate nature-based solutions into urban planning, using biodiversity and landscape design to mitigate climate change impacts like heat, flooding, and pollution. She advocates for cities to work with natural systems rather than against them, turning ecological restoration into a driver of resilient, healthy, and climate-adaptive communities, ultimately with a goal of improving quality of life for everyone. A testament to her drive and commitment to this goal, she has a long history of championing harmony with nature in modern life, having led the project to create Sankt Kjelds Square and Bryggervangen in Copenhagen, an innovative architectural and scientific model that is now replicated interantionally. Our future feels brighter thanks to Mette's work.

Nadine Anderson is rewriting the rules of real estate investing. As a leader of Galvanize’s acquisition team, she proves every day that profit and impact are not just compatible; they’re unstoppable together. Her mission is clear: uncover properties with hidden potential and transform them through sustainability. By cutting energy use, upgrading operations, and aligning assets with tenant needs, Nadine turns retrofits into real value while shrinking carbon footprints in a sector responsible for nearly 40% of global emissions. Colleagues admire her razor-sharp insight, relentless drive, and fearless challenge of the status quo. She helped build proprietary tools (SunScreen, GOLD, GPS, SCALE) that assess carbon reduction potential before any purchase is made, putting decarbonization at the heart of investment strategy. Simply put, Nadine sees opportunities others miss, and she has the talent, grit, and vision to turn them into measurable impact and market-beating returns. A true force in real estate and sustainability.

Tania Caceres is a leading voice in real estate risk management and resilience, bringing more than 25 years of expertise to the industry. As Managing Director of Risk Nexus, the global real estate consulting firm she co-founded, she advises major property owners, REITs and institutional investors on integrating risk, climate resilience and long-term performance into asset-level and portfolio strategies. Earlier in her career, Tania helped establish and lead Triovest’s Integrated Real Estate Services division, uniting insurance, operational resilience and sustainability functions to future-proof a multi-billion-dollar portfolio. She also contributed to one of Ontario’s first LEED certifications and played a key role in developing ESG information-management software that has since become an industry standard. Named to Canada’s Clean50 and a founding member of the UN DRR’s ARISE network, Tania's skillset combines "technical rigour with strategic clarity" and a deep commitment to strengthening the built environment for the long term.

Yassmin Al-Khatib has long been a leader and champion for sustainability in construction in the Middle East. She has been instrumental in unlocking solutions to integrate environmental and sustainability considerations into large-scale projects and infrastructure and is a renowned powerhouse in transforming the industry in the region. Her peers know that she often operates behind the scenes, working tirelessly to ensure sustainability is not a box to tick, but embedded to the core of every project, and she does this with not only intricate technical expertise but with empathy, integrity and an collaborative spirit that brings everyone along the journey with her. Simply put, she's a pioneer and a role model.

Anna Gedda has been quietly transforming fashion since joining H&M in 2008. Now Global Manager and CEO of the H&M Foundation, she channels her deep industry knowledge into creating a textile sector that is socially inclusive, climate-smart and regenerative. She uses philanthropy as a catalyst, funding innovations that tackle everything from circularity and regenerative materials to supporting waste workers and reducing industry emissions. Under Anna’s leadership, the H&M Foundation has joined global initiatives like the Global Alliance for Social Entrepreneurship, connecting social innovators, impact investors and corporate actors to scale systemic change. She is recognised for turning insight into action, building partnerships that translate bold sustainability goals into measurable impact across the value chain. Colleagues describe her as "passionate, pragmatic and relentlessly collaborative". Our view: Anna Gedda proves that the fashion industry can be a force for good - and that meaningful change can happen when expertise and human commitment converge.

With decades of experience in championing sustainable innovations in the apparel industry, Caroline Kahn is the person you call on to bring about real change, no matter the size of the challenge at hand. She has an intricate knowledge of the supply chain from years of experience at Adidas and Nike, which puts her in great stead to implement change in her current role as Senior Director of Sustainable Products and Brands at Target, where she is leading the next phase of the group's sustainable growth strategy development and integration to drive scope 3 impact reduction for Sustainable Products and Brands, but she doesn't stop there. As principal of True North Brand Consulting, she reaches across sector lines to also support innovation in a range of brands looking for their new 'North Star', driving scalable sustainability and inclusion. In a word? Unstoppable.

Charmian Love is one of those women who can seemingly do it all. A task forcer, a working group engine, an educator, researcher, entrepreneur, and now the Chief International Advocacy Officer at Natura, she is putting her wide breadth of expertise behind her work in developing, leading, and executing a strategic and impactful global advocacy strategy for Natura, pushing for structural and cultural change in the beauty industry. What stands out with Charmian is her infectious energy - she brings positivity and kindness to everything she does, but also a relentless determination and boundless creativity. With Charmian leading the charge, the future of beauty looks braver, fairer and decidedly more sustainable.

Guru Larson is Director of Sustainability at Columbia Sportswear, with a responsiblity in leading the charge on improving the organisation from top to bottom. Her work spans climate strategy, regulatory compliance, ESG reporting, and traceability - she takes on the unglamorous but critical work of actually measuring impact in apparel supply chain operation, she manages the team doing annual Higg Index assessments with suppliers and integrates results into sourcing decisions, showing that sustainability data can drive real business choices. On the more glamorous side, she supported the development of Columbia's OutDry Extreme Eco Jacket - the brand's most awarded jacket - proving that sustainable products can win in competitive FMCG markets. She's also launched Columbia's ReThreads recycling program, tackling the end-of-life challenge in the apparel sector. Her work perfectly demonstrates that outdoor apparel brands can compete on sustainability without sacrificing performance or market success. She acts as a custodian of the planet and directs the entire lifecycle of product in a brand that belongs in the outdoors, and there's something so harmonious and perfect about it.

Jyoti Mathur-Filipp is the Executive Secretary of the international negotiations on plastic pollution, working tirelessly to bring countries together on reducing plastic pollution. No easy feat, she engages in difficult and fraught negotiations with nearly 200 countries in her role, but never wavers from her mission and goal. Having served as Director at the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Jyoti has a wealth of experience to draw on from a technical perspective in environment, climate, and sustainable development networks, as well as a broad base of knowledge in international environmental diplomacy from 25 years of experience in the space. Often overlooked, her work is essential to holding governing bodies to account and advocating for a shared global mission of reducing plastic pollution.

Karen Pflug is known for linking bold climate ambition with scalable business transformation and has been recorgnised on numerous other Awards Lists including as one of the top business leaders driving climate action. Under her leadership, Ingka Group - the largest IKEA retailer has accelerated investments in renewable energy, championed circular customer offers, and strengthened its human rights and social impact agenda. Karen oversees the delivery of Ingka’s global Sustainability Strategy, including its commitment to the Paris Agreement and the goal of reducing its climate footprint by 50% by 2030, singlehandledly holding the industry giant to account. Above all, Karen acts with grace and positivity, which comes across in droves from watching her operate. Simply put, she shows up, advocating for sustainability in her sector on stages and in the rooms that matter.

Katherine O'Hare has spent the better part of twenty years speaking up for sustainability in the fashion industry, arguably one of the most difficult industries to make long-term impact. Now seven years into her tenure leading sustainability transformation at J. Crew Group, she leads the company's public commitments on sustainable materials, greenhouse gas reduction, packaging, and fair trade. What makes her work particularly impactful is her focus on transparency and traceability in the cotton supply chain, pushing J.Crew to understand and improve practices at the farm level where environmental impact begins. Katherine has shown incredible resilience, patience and grit in her work, taking on the most unglamorous and challenging parts of the industry and leading with heart and collaboration to make lasting change happen.

When Oriele Frank set up ELEMIS, she made a commitment to ground the cosmetics industry in scientific research and truth, with a view to making products that benefit people and planet alike. Fast-forward 32 years, and ELEMIS is one of the leading scientific innovators in cosmetics, with Oriele now at the helm of directing the brand's sustainability efforts. It's no easy feat keeping abreast of innovation and continuing to be a champion of progress as tirelessly as Oriele is, and it's her boundless energy and enthusiasm for sustainability and commitment to never compromise on quality that sets ELEMIS apart from others in the field. Aside from her work in the industry, Oriele leads the British Beauty Council sustainability council among others, and is a leading voice at COP. Her nominator sums it up perfectly for us: "she's a real champion for planet and people."

Rana Hajirasouli is reshaping how CPG industries tackle waste and resource efficiency through her climate-tech platform, The Surpluss. Some examples: most industrial surplus is left idle or discarded, The Surpluss turns it into value; most sustainability tools target large corporations, Rana’s platform is built for SMEs; most solutions are theoretical, The Surpluss has already facilitated over $2 million in transactions, reducing waste and emissions while boosting operational efficiency. The list goes on. Across multiple countries, she has scaled a B-Corp certified platform, built a patentable system for resource sharing, and integrated cutting-edge research from her PhD at Cambridge into real-world solutions. Those close to Rana admire her "curiosity, integrity, and unstoppable energy". She combines technical rigour with vision, making complex industrial systems actionable, while championing fairness, accessibility, and climate justice. Simply put, Rana does things her way.

Saloni Doshi's nominator had this to say about her: "Saloni is the most brave, clear, compassionate person I've ever worked with. She inspires other to do better and doesn't gatekeep. Her wisdom is contagious." The words that stood out to us? She 'doesn't gatekeep'. For us, that's the magic. Saloni's work as CEO and self-proclaimed Chief Sustainability 'Geek' at EcoEnclose is genuinely innovating the FMCG industry through regenerative and circular materials in packaging. Under her leadership, EcoEnclose became the first packaging in the world to offer algae ink from LivingInk tech and seaweed packaging from Sway to all their customers. Innovation like this is only scalable with a spirit like Saloni's - collaborative, energetic, and, crucially, open.

Dr Ana Gonzalez Pelaez has a rare gift for turning complex climate data into actionable strategies at the nexus of climate, agriculture and finance. As Head of Adaptation and Loss & Damage in Howden’s Climate Risk and Resilience team, she helps food-system actors, insurers and financial institutions understand how climate exposures affect agricultural production, credit access and long-term resilience, unlocking opportunities to protect farms and rural economies. Ana’s expertise was central to the landmark Insurance and Risk Management Tools for Agriculture in the EU report for the European Investment Bank and the European Commission. The report delivered one of the first detailed quantifications of climate risk to EU agriculture and set out practical financial instruments to close insurance protection gaps and strengthen farm resilience. Peers describe her as a quiet yet transformative force: a creator of change whose insights shape how climate science and capital flow into agriculture. And beyond her technical brilliance, she mentors others and champions resilience with warmth and collaboration.

Erin Augustine is the kind of sustainability leader who brings people along with her. As Vice President of Global Sustainability at Oatly, she is the thoughtful force ensuring the company’s ambitions for the planet are reflected in everyday decisions, from sourcing to operations to how Oatly shows up in the world. She has a rare ability to turn complex sustainability challenges into something practical and motivating, helping teams see not just what needs to change but what is possible. Before Oatly, Erin led responsible sourcing at Wolverine Worldwide and shaped global sustainability strategy at Kellogg Company, building on early roles in education, nonprofits and consulting. Across every chapter of her career, her commitment has stayed constant: guiding organisations toward better choices with clarity, integrity and care. Colleagues describe her as grounded, empathetic and quietly catalytic, someone who makes sustainability feel both achievable and hopeful.

Few are better placed to lead the drinks industry into a sustainable future than Ingrid de Ryck. Having spent 25 years at AB InBev, she has an intricate knowledge of the business from the ground up, and has risen to the challenge of implementing sustainable strategies and practices from top to bottom as she strives to protect the natural resources and support the communities the AB InBev supply chain rely on. Those who work with Ingrid can't help but be inspired by her ability to roll her sleeves up and make change whilst navigating a complex industry with poise and distinction.

Lucinda Langton brings over 20 years of experience transforming FMCG businesses, with a strong track record of building innovative, sustainable supply-chain practices for some of the world’s largest CPG companies. At M&S, she has been a driving force behind M&S Food becoming the first retailer to adopt Mondra’s technology, enabling bottom-up carbon footprint measurement using granular product data and setting a new benchmark for transparency in the food sector. Her passion for sustainability is matched by an energising leadership style that colleagues describe as collaborative, can-do and dynamic. Lucinda’s work shows what’s possible when expertise and enthusiasm come together; qualities the world needs now more than ever.

Martha de Sá is a pioneering force in connecting institutional capital to nature‑based and agricultural solutions in Brazil. With more than 20 years in financial markets, she co‑founded VERT Capital, a market leader in securitisation and structured finance that has completed over 310 operations and more than R$70 billion in structured deals across sectors including agribusiness, helping broaden access to capital for producers and agricultural value chains. Today, as Founder and CEO of Violet, Martha is building the financial infrastructure that bridges global investors with sustainable, land‑based solutions at scale. Her work includes launching initiatives such as the Kawa Fund, which aims to provide affordable loans and technical support to smallholder cocoa farmers in Brazil, and creating instruments like the Low‑Carbon Agriculture Transition Mechanism to de‑risk climate‑smart agricultural investments. Known for her quiet determination and commitment to inclusive impact, Martha is helping transform how capital flows into regenerative agriculture, biodiversity and rural livelihoods. This is trailblazing.

Natasha Santos has been leading sustainability at Bayer Crop Science for over a decade, driving innovation in food systems and delivering adaptation solutions that strengthen farmer resilience and advance regenerative agriculture. As Head of Sustainability and Strategic Engagement, she turns ambitious sustainability goals into actionable strategies, creating shared value across the food chain and designing business models that deliver both impact and market resilience. Beyond Bayer, Natasha shapes the global dialogue on food and nature. She serves as Vice Chair of the Business at OECD Food and Agriculture Committee, is a member of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures, and advises the World Economic Forum’s Champions for Nature Network and Global Future Council on Innovative Financing for Nature and Climate. Peers describe her as a visionary leader who combines strategic insight with collaboration and mentorship. By building teams with integrity and purpose, Natasha ensures lasting change in food systems, proving that sustainability can be ambitious, inclusive, and transformative.

Professor Lindiwe Majele Sibanda is driving systemic change in African and global food systems by bridging science, policy and practice to make climate-smart, nutrition-sensitive agriculture work for farmers and communities. An animal scientist, practising farmer and policy leader, she has held senior roles at the ARUA Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Food Systems, FANRPAN and AGRA, shaping evidence-based policy and building capacity across the continent. Her influence extends globally. She serves on the CGIAR System Board, which she chaired, and on the boards of Nestlé and the World Vegetable Centre. She co-chairs the Global Alliance for Climate-Smart Agriculture and contributes to initiatives including Champions 12.3 and the EAT-Lancet Commission, helping advance resilient, equitable food systems in over 120 countries. Peers describe her as a visionary leader whose scientific rigor, diplomatic skill and commitment to education are transforming policy and practice, while mentoring a new generation of change-makers. Professor Sibanda proves that expertise, collaboration and courage can reshape food systems for lasting impact.

Saswati Bora is one of the world's leading voices in changing the global food industry for the better. Her experience and depth of knowledge are astounding, as she dedicated her career from early on to understanding the supply chain and now innovating to improve it. From working in Ho Chi Minh on an export-promotion strategy for the Mozambique cashew nut industry to developing the framework for the Global Food Crisis Response Program at the World Bank to respond to the global food crisis, and the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program, a multilateral aid-effectiveness mechanism to scale-up support to poor countries through sustainable agriculture, Saswati is capable of immeasurable scale of impact in her work. Most recently mobilising new stakeholders and leading to more than $250 million in agriculture investments impacting more than half a million farmers in India at the World Economic Forum (among myriad other achievements there), she is now Global Director of Regenerative Food Systems at Nature Conservancy, leading the development of an emerging set of regenerative "Foodscapes" - distinct geographic areas where healthy land, freshwater and ocean ecosystems coincide with critical food production systems. Her work is a crucial part of accelerating the transition of food system. Our view? We couldn't be more thrilled that she's doing what she's doing.

Sofía Condés is a passionate advocate for sustainable food systems who leads investor engagement as Director of Investor Outreach at the FAIRR Initiative. Since joining in 2021, she has worked to expand FAIRR’s global network and support institutional investors in understanding the environmental and social risks embedded in the food and agriculture sector. Her work helps illuminate the pressures and possibilities within the system, guiding capital toward more resilient and responsible models. Sofía brings experience from multilateral organisations, financial analysis and strategic roles, giving her a clear and grounded view of what true transformation requires. She is known for her clarity, empathy and steady determination, and for helping others see that meaningful change in the food system is not only necessary but entirely within reach.

There are few people who have a greater depth of knowledge in marine biology than Trina Galloway. For the past 30+ years, Trina has dedicated her work to the intricacies of aquaculture, and is now employing all that knowledge to her work in revolutionising the seafood industry. In her role as Sustainability Manager at AquaGen Norway, she is spearheading the prioritisation of sustainability across Norwegian Aquaculture and was instrumental in triggering the transfer away from non-renewable to entirely renewable energy supplies for the AquaGen Norway production sites. It's carefully considered innovation like this that has a domino effect across the industry and can impact the daily lives of billions, and Trina's passion is both utterly compelling and deeply energising.