WE MEAN BUSINESS COALITION - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Director, Policy
- Managing Director, Policy
Andrew Prag is Managing Director for Policy. In this role he oversees the Coalition's policy engagement work, including through major international policy processes as well as with individual countries.
Job Titles:
- Associate, Corporate Engagement
Ariele supports and facilitates strategic, coordinated engagement with corporate partners and oversees the collection of key business data for the Coalition. She also provides communication and project management support across the Net Zero team's initiatives.
Aron is recognized globally as a preeminent authority on just and sustainable business. In addition to leading BSR, which has grown substantially throughout his tenure as President and CEO, Aron advises senior executives at BSR's 300+ member companies and other global businesses and partners on the full spectrum of environmental, social, and governance issues.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Grants Advisory Committee
- Business Stakeholder Lead, High Level Champions
Job Titles:
- SME CLIMATE HUB CONSULTANT
As part of the SME Climate Hub team, Carmen supports the implementation of the hub globally with a particular focus towards Spain and Spanish speaking countries.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Grants Advisory Committee
- Expert Partner Sustainability and Carbon Transition, Bain & Co
Job Titles:
- Transport Manager, Systems Transformation
As Transport Manager, Claire directs and coordinates the Coalition's transport portfolio, working closely with partners and stakeholders, to facilitate the journey to the deployment of net zero emissions solutions for transport.
Claire is responsible for the coordination and delivery of key net-zero initiatives within the Coalition, including programs that drive companies to commit to bold climate action and that accelerate corporate supply chain decarbonization.
Daniel is working as the Manager of the CEO Office, supporting the CEO's internal and external engagements.
Job Titles:
- Deputy Director
- Deputy Director, Policy
Dominic Gogol is a Deputy Director for We Mean Business Coalition where he is helping to deliver the Coalition's global policy strategy with coalition partners and leading businesses.
Job Titles:
- Group Chief Sustainability Officer, HSBC
- Vice - Chair Group Chief Sustainability Officer, HSBC
Job Titles:
- Vice Chairman
- Founding Chair Vice Chairman - Sustainability, Temasek
- Vice Chairman - Sustainability, Temasek
Dr Steve Howard is currently Vice Chairman, Sustainability, Temasek. He first joined Temasek as Chief Sustainability Officer in January 2021. Steve is a board member of GenZero, which he helped establish, and chairs the Investment Committee. He is also a founding board member of the Temasek-BlackRock joint venture, Decarbonization Partners, and is a member of the Investment Committee. In addition, Steve is Founding Chair of the We Mean Business Coalition and a member of the LeapFrog's Global Leadership Council. He was, until recently, on the Administrative Board of SEforALL. Before joining Temasek, Steve was Chief Sustainability Officer at IKEA Group and served on IKEA's Executive Group Management from 2011-2017. Prior to IKEA, Steve was Founder and CEO of The Climate Group. Steve is trained as an ecologist and has a PhD in Ecophysiology and Environmental Physics based on research in Kenya.
Job Titles:
- Director of Policy
- Director, Policy
Dr. Gillian Nelson is Director of Policy, driving We Mean Business Coalition's advocacy work towards key international policy objectives, with a particular focus on multilateral forums such as the G7, G20 and UNFCCC. Gillian joined the Coalition in 2018 and has over 15 years of experience working on international climate policy, including with intergovernmental organizations, think-tanks and civil society.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Grants Advisory Committee
- Director, Generation Investment Management
Job Titles:
- Chief Systems Change Officer / the Prince of Wales 's Corporate Leaders Group / CLG Europe, University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership
Eliot is part of CISL's leadership team and is responsible for both its Foresight and Convening work. His remit covers CISL's work developing new insights and analysis and its work bringing business, government and financial institutions together to unlock wider change. Under him are teams delivering the work of CISL's Corporate Leaders Groups, which bring businesses together to positively engage with EU and UK policy makers; CISL's Centre for Sustainable Finance, which brings banks, insurers and investors together to shift the financial system and CISL's research work including The Prince of Wales Global Sustainability Fellowship Programme.
Emily manages and coordinates the Fossil to Clean Campaign, a global movement of businesses going from fossil fuels to clean solutions.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Grants Advisory Committee
- Principal, Arup
Glyn leads on the planning and delivery of the We Mean Business Coalition events strategy.
Job Titles:
- CEO & Chief Change Catalyst, the B Team
- CEO of the B Team
Halla Tómasdóttir is the CEO of The B Team, a global collective of business and civil society leaders catalyzing a better way of doing business for people and planet. Halla started her career in corporate America, working for Mars and Pepsi Cola. She was on the founding team of Reykjavík University, founded and led a successful women's entrepreneurship and empowerment initiative and was an assistant professor at the Business School. The first female CEO of the Iceland Chamber of Commerce, Halla, later co-founded an investment firm with the vision to incorporate feminine values and ESG into finance.
Job Titles:
- CEO, Climate Group
- Climate Group in 2017 As Its CEO
Helen joined Climate Group in 2017 as its CEO. In addition to leading the growing Climate Group team, Helen sits on the boards of the We Mean Business Coalition and the Sustainable Development Capital Energy Efficiency Income Trust. Prior to joining Climate Group, Helen working at Forum for the Future, Médecins Sans Frontières, and qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Deloitte.
Job Titles:
- Director, Net Zero Finance
Dr. Jane Thostrup Jagd works with companies to ensure more useful and reliable climate data to investors - and with investors to find better ways to work with the provided data.
Job Titles:
- Operations Manager
- Manager, Operations
As Operations Manager, Jasmine works to implement organization-wide processes and procedures that help We Mean Business run thoughtfully and efficiently.
As Systems Policy Manager, Javier works closely with both the Systems Transformation and Policy teams in identifying policy opportunities for corporate advocacy, as well as in the development of frameworks for the Coalition to track and engage effectively on priority policy advocacy opportunities for systems/sectors across various countries.
Jean-David oversees the Coalition's Human Resources globally. He maintains high HR standards by ensuring the approach is aligned with the Coalition's values.
Job Titles:
- Deputy Director, Impact and Reporting
Jen is responsible for helping the Coalition develop and manage its impact framework, facilitate learning opportunities, and impact reporting for stakeholders.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director, Net Zero
Jenny Ahlen directs the strategy, coordination, and execution of the We Mean Business Coalition's net zero programs and campaigns. She has spent her career working on environmental issues which includes over ten years of experience helping companies set and achieve ambitious climate commitments.
Job Titles:
- Director of Communications and Development
Josh works on the planning and delivery of strategic communications for We Mean Business Coalition.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Grants Advisory Committee
- Senior Director, Europe, Breakthrough Energy
Job Titles:
- Associate, SME Climate Hub
Julia manages the SME Climate Hub's collaboration requests, assists with media relations, and provides project management support across the Hub's workstreams.
Job Titles:
- Director for Climate Policy
Karl is a Director for Climate Policy at We Mean Business Coalition. He works to raise climate ambition by working with companies and partners to identify policy opportunities at the international level, such as at the annual COP UN climate conferences.
Job Titles:
- Deputy Director, Communications
Kristen oversees the Coalition's communications for the U.S. She collaborates closely with partners and the secretariat policy and corporate engagement teams to elevate the Coalition's commitment campaigns and impact.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Grants Advisory Committee
- Vice President Program Strategy & Learning, Lever for Change
Job Titles:
- Member of the Grants Advisory Committee
- Economist, World Bank
Job Titles:
- Director of Communications and Impact
Lisa works on the planning and delivery of strategic communications for We Mean Business Coalition.
Job Titles:
- Digital Project Manager for the SME Climate Hub
As Digital Project Manager for the SME Climate Hub, Lizzie manages the development of the Hub's digital platform. Lizzie works closely with our technical teams and key We Mean Business Coalition stakeholders to create a digital environment that enables small and medium-sized businesses to take climate action on net zero.
Job Titles:
- Deputy Director, Nature Based Solutions
Luke is responsible for leading the Coalition's engagement on nature-based solutions, helping develop and deliver the Coalition's strategy at the intersection of climate of nature.
Job Titles:
- Deputy Director, Supplier Decarbonization
Lydia leads the We Mean Business Coalition's work on decarbonizing corporate supply chains. This includes a focus on getting smaller businesses the guidance and tools they need to take climate action through the SME Climate Hub.
As Assistant, CEO Office, Marco provides support to ensure efficient and agile executive office operations.
Mary leads on and executes strategic content across digital and content communications, including the coalition website.
María Mendiluce is the CEO of the We Mean Business Coalition and brings 25 years of experience working in business, international organizations, academia and governments in sustainable development, energy and climate action.
Job Titles:
- CEO and President of the Sustainability Nonprofit Organization Ceres
- President and CEO, Ceres
Mindy Lubber is the CEO and President of the sustainability nonprofit organization Ceres. She leads the organization's executive leadership team and more than 225 employees working to mobilize the most influential investors and companies to drive action on the world's greatest sustainability challenges. She has been at the helm since 2003, and under her leadership, the organization and its powerful networks and global collaborations have grown significantly in size and influence. As a well-known global thought leader on climate change, Lubber has inspired capital market leaders including global coalitions of institutional investors and corporate boards and executives to factor environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices into their overall strategies. In 2020, Lubber was awarded the United Nations 'Champions of the Earth' Entrepreneurial Vision award.
As Deputy Director for Energy, Molly directs and coordinates the Coalition's overall approach to this system, facilitating the journey to the deployment of solutions that put us on a 1.5°C trajectory towards net zero emissions.
Job Titles:
- Strategic Partnerships Manager for the SME Climate Hub
- Strategic Partnerships Manager, SME Climate Hub
As Strategic Partnerships Manager for the SME Climate Hub, Natalie is responsible for developing and managing partnerships with non-profit, corporate, financial, and government stakeholders to accelerate a global movement mobilizing and incentivizing SMEs to take climate action.
Job Titles:
- Manager, Systems Transformation
As a part of the Systems Transformations team, Pallavi supports by providing coherence in the strategy, coordination and execution of the Coalition's work across systems.
Job Titles:
- Director of the SME Climate Hub
- Director, SME Climate Hub
As Director of the SME Climate Hub, Pamela works with international partners, multinational companies and governments to accelerate a global movement and develop a one-stop-shop platform mobilizing small and medium-sized enterprises to take climate action on net zero.
Job Titles:
- Deputy Director, Media & Campaigns
- for Media Enquiries
Pascale is responsible for the development and delivery of the media strategy for We Mean Business Coalition.
Ambassador Patricia Espinosa is Founding Partner and CEO of onepoint5, an ESG consulting firm specialized in climate change. A career diplomat, she is a respected leader on the global stage with more than 35 years of experience at the highest level in diplomacy, multilateral negotiations, and international relations. Prior to founding onepoint5, Ambassador Espinosa served as the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (2016-2022), Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Mexico (2006-2012) and Mexico's Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany (2013-2016), and to Austria, Slovakia and Slovenia (2002-2006).
Rasmus Valanko is the Chief Program Officer at We Mean Business Coalition. He works to implement systemic change by working with companies and partner organizations on climate change.
Roberto led the expansion and transformation of Natura into Natura &Co, a purpose-driven cosmetic group formed by Natura, Avon, The Body Shop and Aesop with a global presence, a unique direct to customer, omnichannel approach with over 4,000 stores, 7 million beauty consultants, and a strong digital/e-commerce presence with approximately 35,000 associates. Prior to that, he was Executive Vice President and President for North America at Mondelez International, a company that globally markets snacking brands from Kraft, Nabisco, Cadbury, among others.
Job Titles:
- MANAGER, INDUSTRY and BUILT ENVIRONMENT
Santeri is responsible for leading the Coalition's development work with partners focusing on industrial manufacturing and the built environment.
Job Titles:
- Deputy Director, Communications
Sasha leads the communication and media strategy for the We Mean Business Coalition's SME Climate Hub initiative. She works closely with Coalition partners to drive content and media narratives, supporting recruitment efforts of small- to medium-sized businesses.
Job Titles:
- Manager, Systems Transformation & Net Zero
Sebastian supports the Systems Transformation Team with research, data collection and analysis, as well as report drafting. He also helps track and evaluate relevant legislation.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Grants Advisory Committee
- Vice President Strategy, ClimateWorks Foundation
Sherry Madera is a prominent thought leader and author on sustainability, with a focus on sustainable finance, environmental data and public policy. As CEO of CDP, a global non-profit that runs the world's environmental disclosure system for companies, cities, states and regions, Sherry manages an international team spread across Europe, Asia and the Americas. Prior to joining CDP, Sherry was Founder and Chair of the Future of Sustainable Data Alliance (FoSDA). Sherry held previous senior global roles including Senior Vice President, Public Policy for Mastercard, Chief Industry and Government Affairs Officer, LSEG and Economic Ambassador for the City of London to Asia.
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- Member of the Board
- Chairman of Land Securities Plc
Ian is Chair of Land Securities plc, Chairman of Channel 4, Chairman of Spire Healthcare Group Plc, and Chair of Prince of Wales's Charitable Fund. Ian is also the Chair of We Mean Business Coalition. Previous appointments were Chairman of Debenhams, Barclays Bank UK, CEO of Kingfisher plc, B&Q, Chairman Maisons du monde, Lead Non-Executive Director for the Government and Non-Executive Director of BT Group plc. He was Chairman of the British Retail Consortium, Chairman of the Prince of Wales Corporate Leaders Group on Climate Change, President of the Business Disability Forum President's Group and chaired the Ecosystem Markets Task Force and GR Task Force. Sir Ian was knighted in the 2014 New Year Honours for services to Business, Sustainability and the Environment and is a Chevalier of the Ordre National du Merite of France.
Job Titles:
- Digital Engagement Manager
Sonia works across the Coalition's full communications portfolio, playing a leading role in the successful delivery of the digital and content strategy, by implementing social media and digital marketing strategies.
Steve is the Deputy Director for Grants Management in this role he is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the grants management team and advises staff on grants management, structure of grants, and regulatory compliance requirements, and helps to ensure that the right systems, processes, and practices are in place to accomplish the goals and objectives of the Coalition.
Supriya is a former Senior Advisor at McKinsey & Co and currently serves as Independent Board Director for public and private companies and non-profit foundations in Asia and the Middle East. She has 30+ years of investment and advisory experience in infrastructure finance and sustainability, digital technology innovation, and green finance, working with public and private sector clients in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, South Asia and China on innovative financing, policy and strategy in transport, energy and sustainable finance.
Job Titles:
- Associate, Digital Content
Susan specializes in digital content creation, campaign development, writing and editing.
As Associate, Operations, Taylor provides daily support on both Finance and People Operations administration.
As Director of Finance, Vanessa works to ensure the stability of the organization's finances by establishing and maintaining the financial strategy and overseeing the finance and accounting operations.