Our advisory council, embedded across the sustainability ecosystem, helps us stay abreast of the latest initiatives, policies, standards and regulations.
An expert in corporate reporting, Richard’s research and teaching interests span financial accounting, sustainability reporting and standard-setting. He leads Oxford Saïd’s sustainable business initiatives and serves as Chair of the Expert Panel of Accounting for Sustainability, a Prince of Wales charity. Previous positions include membership of the Corporate Reporting Council (which sets UK accounting standards) and the Financial Reporting Advisory Board (which advises HM Treasury on government financial reporting). He served as Research Fellow at the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB), Chair of the Audit Committee of Cambridge University Press, and Director of the Cambridge MBA and of the Oxford MBA. Richard has an undergraduate degree from Oxford and graduate degrees from Cambridge, and qualified as a chartered management accountant while working for AstraZeneca. He has been a Visiting Scholar at Stanford University Graduate School of Business and INSEAD.
Kat trained as a tropical ecologist. She holds a BSc in Wildlife Biology, an MSc in Entomology, and a PhD in Molecular Ecology and is a leading expert in the use of environmental DNA for biodiversity assessment. In 2014, Kat founded Nature Metrics to put these powerful new tools into the hands of those who are tasked with measuring, monitoring and mitigating impacts on Nature. NatureMetrics now works with diverse clients and partners all around the world, providing biodiversity data at unprecedented scales to inform decision-making, drive effective conservation, and enable a new era of transparency and accountability when it comes to our impact on the natural world.
Dr. Christin ter Braak-Forstinger, LL.M. is the co-founder and CEO of Chi Impact Capital, an independent and female-powered Impact Fund Advisor based in Zurich, Switzerland. Christin is passionate about proactively influencing the shift towards a regenerative and deep-impact economy. Christin has a long-standing experience in the financial services and private equity sector, and a 15+ year track record in impact investing and sustainable investing. She completed her Doctoral Thesis at Harvard Law School (summa cum laude) and her Master Studies at Duke Law School. Christin is a regular author, key-note speaker and university lecturer in impact investing. Her latest book is titled “Conscious Investing”. Privately, Christin is the co-founder and President of award-winning NGO Braveaurora, actively supporting children in North Ghana since 2009.
Celia Francis is an experienced, creative tech CEO who is passionate about building beautiful and easy-to-use consumer experiences. She loves to bring diverse and talented people together to form exceptional winning teams. Celia is motivated by creating products that are enjoyed by, and benefit, millions of people. Most recently, Celia was CEO of Rated People, an innovative online marketplace connecting millions of homeowners with 50,000 skilled local tradespeople across the United Kingdom - a platform which delivered £3 billion of work every year. Before Rated People, Celia served as CEO of a variety of other technology companies. She also enjoyed a tenure at IDEO, the world’s leading innovation consulting firm, working with a variety of top consumer products and services. Celia also co-chairs the H2 group in London and the female tech and media leadership group, WITSend. As a hobby Celia advises and supports companies focused on sustainable homes and natural solutions for carbon drawdown.
Jess is an experienced CEO, lawyer and business advisor with diverse roles across private wealth and family offices in the UK and Switzerland. She thrives on exploring, innovating and driving personal and collective change for positive impact, and is highly skilled at leading high performing teams. Jess believes in the power of collaboration and diversity to create strong and successful outcomes. Jess sits on the Audit & Risk Committee of Founders Pledge, a dynamic charity enabling a community of entrepreneurs to fund and find solutions to the world’s most pressing problems. She is also an active volunteer with the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, Room to Read, and Giving Women, reflecting her passion for organisations which empower girls and women.
Ugo joined Trust for London in August 2020. Previously, he was Programme Director at The Fore, creating a unique and innovative grants implementation strategy to help the organisation increase both the reach and impact of its work empowering changemakers to improve society. Before this, he spent six years at The Social Investment Business (SIB) where he worked across several teams – Investment, Grants and Business Development. Ugo has extensive knowledge and experience of designing programs and funds that address a range of social issues. He sits on several advisory boards and is currently a Trustee of London Funders and Chair of the Alpha Grove Centre. He is a non-executive director of Do IT NOW NOW (DINN) and sits on the advisory board of YSYS. He was previously Co-Chair for volunteer chapter London+Acumen, a non-profit global venture fund.
Through his position at Genesis, and formerly as Head of Impact Ventures at the WWF, Zamir supports conservation businesses and scales environmental Impact Ventures across the globe. Zamir grew up next to an important wildlife reserve in Kenya from which he derives a deep passion for Nature. He was an early promoter of impact investing, serving as Program Director at the Global Impact Forum. He founded the impact investment advisory Impact Angels®. Zamir began his career at the World Bank where he spent six years working on country development strategies in a dozen countries. He was an intern to President Jimmy Carter and at the United Nations and holds a bachelor's degree in History & Political Science, and a master's degree in International Affairs and Economics.
Danny spent 25 years in the City of London, including 17 years at Deutsche Bank where he ran coverage of FTSE100 corporate clients. Danny Chaired the UK Corporate Citizenship Committee and has held non-executive directorships with a variety of leading organisations including Shakespeare’s Globe, The Microloan Foundation, Shape History and Ivy House Learning.Danny’s philanthropic work inspired him to co-found Work for Good, a platform helping small businesses donate to charities of their choice, and he is now on a mission to change the face of business giving.