Leading international climate finance experts join Pollination in US, UK, Brazil, Germany and Australia.
MEDIA RELEASE
10 June 2020
Specialist climate change advisory and investment firm, Pollination, has announced seven new Partners, Directors and Advisors joining its team, as part of its rapid global expansion since launch.
Pollination launched in November 2019 and has been joined by leaders from across a spectrum of climate finance and investment, law, policy, corporate strategy, and technology.
Co-founder and former Lazard senior executive, Tony O’Sullivan, says Pollination’s growth and the significant new hires reflect the pace of transition to net zero emissions.
“Pollination is experiencing increasing demand for scalable investment propositions that both decarbonize our economies, and provide robust, long-term investment returns. Demand for transition advisory services is also accelarating. We are bringing together a team of world leaders to meet these needs,” Tony said.
“As the world looks to rebuild economies, there is awareness that recovery investments must support our low carbon future, or risk becoming stranded and obsolete within the next few years,” he said.
New hires joining the Pollination team
Markus Wandt is joining as Partner based in Hamburg, focused on the development of the investment platform. He brings more than 25 years of investment and financing experience, and is former Investment Director Private Equity for Mayfair Vermögensverwaltung SE, one of the largest family offices in Germany. During his time at Mayfair, Markus was a member of the Board of Directors of DNV GL, the leading global classification, testing and certification society and overseeing Mayfair’s largest equity investment. Prior to joining Mayfair, Markus was Head of M&A and Corporate Development at RWE Innogy overseeing more than 40 major transactions in renewable energy, including wind, biomass and solar and reaching total investments of more than EUR 6 billion. Markus led RWE’s groundbreaking capital raisings for its offshore wind projects, raising co-investment commitments of over EUR 2 billion. Markus also led the successful inaugural offshore wind transaction with the Green Investment Bank in the UK including subsequent follow on transactions. Earlier in his career, Markus was a Principal M&A at Bank of America and Associate Director at HSBC in London and an Associate at Global One Telecommunications in Brussels.
“In joining Pollination, I hope to use my 25 years of experience in finance and sustainable investing to support new breakthrough ideas to combat current global climate and environmental challenges. I am pleased to work with such an internationally experienced team in making our contribution towards a sustainable future for all,” Markus said.
Astrid Raetze is joining as Partner in the Sydney office, applying her deep expertise as a financial services lawyer, structuring innovative investment solutions. Astrid was previously a partner at KPMG, the Australian Head of FinTech and KPMG’s board representative to Stone & Chalk. She was also a member of KPMG’s InfraTech group and led initiatives exploring data analytics for banks to better use their data. Prior to KPMG, she spent over 20 years at Baker McKenzie, as a partner, serving on their Management Committee, the Global Innovation Committee and the Global Co-Head of FinTech. More recently, she served as an executive director in the Sydney office of Automic Group. She holds Non-Executive Director roles with Automic Group and Koenig Heritage, and continues to represent Automic Group on the ASX Business Committee. Astrid was named as AFR Best Lawyer in Fund Manager, Financial Institutions, Derivatives in 2018 and shortlisted as the FT Innovative Lawyer of the Year, Asia Pacific in 2017.
“Pollination is inspiring – from its mission – to help clients’ businesses become climate change resilient – to its extraordinarily talented team of people who are delightful to work with – to the dedication to its principles as demonstrated through its philanthropic work. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work here,” Astrid said.
Martin Berg is joining as Partner in the London office, bringing experience in designing and executing low carbon investments in the public and private sector for more than 20 years. He joins Pollination from the European Investment Bank (EIB) based in Luxembourg where he was the Head of the Environmental Funds and Climate Finance Policy Unit. At the EIB, Martin led investments into new sectors including natural capital and the blue economy, developing new business models and blended finance solutions for more developed low carbon sectors, such as energy efficiency and renewable energy. He also supervised the Natural Capital Financing Facility, a pioneering joint EIB and European Commission initiative, and raised EUR 2.1 billion for carbon, capture and storage and innovative renewable energy demonstration projects as part of the NER300 initiative. He served on the Board of Directors for the Green for Growth Fund in Luxembourg and was Vice President at Bank of America Merrill Lynch in London responsible for carbon financing. Martin started his career at the OECD Climate Change Unit in Paris and the UNFCCC in Bonn.
“I am delighted to join the esteemed Pollination team, helping to build an investment platform focussed on the transition to a net zero world. I am particularly excited to work with the team on new opportunities in the area of natural capital,” Martin said.
Victoria Adams is an Executive Director based in Sydney office, and has extensive experience in corporate finance advisory and principal transactions across a broad range of industries. Victoria joined Pollination from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC), where she was Head of Social Infrastructure, focussing on renewable energy and energy efficiency projects for the built environment. Victoria also has experience in utility-scale solar projects, investment funds, public private partnerships, project finance, corporate finance and climate bonds for the CEFC. She has advised governments and agencies on evaluation of applications for funding and renewable energy programs. She has completed the Company Directors Course from the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Prior to the CEFC, Victoria worked at Goldman Sachs, Macquarie Capital Advisers and Deloitte. Before investment banking, Victoria worked as a civil engineer specializing in tunnel design and construction.
“I am thrilled to be joining Pollination’s team of investment professionals driving the global push towards net zero. I look forward to utilising my experience and skills to acheive commercial returns whilst demonstrating a positive environmental impact to combat climate change,” Victoria said.
Dominic Szanto is joining as Executive Director in the London office, and brings more than two decades’ experience in delivering large scale renewable energy projects. He led the offshore wind advisory team at JLL for five years, leading investments of over USD 2 billion in green field developments. Prior to this, he led UK mergers and acquisitions activity for RWE Innogy, completing over 20 deals including the first offshore wind deals of the UK Green Investment Bank and the first UK wind YieldCo, Greencoat. In addition to wind power, Dominic has originated and managed investments in solar and hydro power, energy storage, energy transition and has structured innovative power purchasing solutions to enable corporates to directly affect carbon reduction.
“I’m excited to be a part of a global team that shares a clear focus to bring about sustainable change. I hope to leverage my experience in renewable energy to allow Pollination to make investments which combine secure and attractive returns with demonstrable climate benefits,” Dominic said.
Patricia Frederighi is joining as Director based initially in Brazil, bringing her deep legal experience in natural capital markets, as well as climate change law and policy. She has advised governments and companies on forestry and renewable energy projects, as well as on the development of frameworks related to environmental services and REDD+. She was an Associate in Baker McKenzie’s Global Climate Change Group for nine years. Patricia is a former member of the Safeguard Chamber created by the Brazilian Environmental Ministry to develop a REDD+ National System. She has an extensive academic background on forestry carbon, including a Msc. in Environmental Management and Economics at the University of Gothenburg, participation in a Visiting Scholar & Research Fellow Program at Columbia University Law School, and a Graduate Certificate Course at Michigan State University.
“It is an honour to join Pollination and work with mission-oriented leaders towards a net zero future. I am excited to contribute to the already diversified and creative Pollination team for the successful implementation of nature-based solutions that tackle climate change,” Patricia said.
Rick Nogueira is joining as a Senior Advisor in Washington, D.C., and will focus on climate finance policy, blended finance and sustainable investing. He advises major philanthropies, governments, and multilateral development banks on designing and implementing climate finance solutions. Rick is also a Board Member of Washington, D.C.’s Green Finance Authority, the first municipal Green Bank. Rick previously served in the Obama administration as a Senior Advisor to the Special Envoy for Climate Change where he led on climate finance matters in the lead up to the Paris Agreement and served as a Board Member on the Green Climate Fund. Prior to public service, Rick spent more than 10 years in private equity fund management, with a focus on emerging markets. He was the Co-founder and Managing Director of the Leaf Clean Energy Company, a USD 400 million publicly listed fund targeting clean energy investments across the Americas.
“The depth of experience and talent that Pollination has brought together makes it an exciting platform to continue to advance climate finance solutions. Delivering environmental returns to society and financial returns to investors need not be mutually exclusive. Often what is required is an interdisciplinary approach to get it right. Pollination’s combination of financial, legal, operational and policy expertise means that we are uniquely placed to help clients navigate the transition to a low carbon and more resilient future,” Rick said.
For further information, please contact:
Media – Kate Rayson
media@pollinationgroup.com
+61 439 959 034
