By Claire Manuel
David Hone, senior climate change adviser for Shell, has been elected chair of the board of the International Emissions Trading Association (IETA). Hone replaces Jack Cogen, chairman and chief executive of Natsource. IETA’s vice-chairs are now Wendy Poulton of Eskom and Peter Cunningham of Rio Tinto.
Louise Herring has been appointed ethical trade manager for Sainsbury’s. Her previous position was trade and enterprise manager at Comic Relief.
Dr Thomas Beyerle will be heading up the corporate social responsibility and research division of IVG Immobilien AG. Beyerle will manage the development and implementation of a sustainability strategy for the group. Previously, he was head of global research for the Aberdeen Group.
Michael Baldinger has been appointed the new CEO of Zurich-based sustainable investment boutique SAM, which is part of Dutch financial services group Robeco. SAM, a pioneer of sustainable investing, manages $14.9bn of assets, and developed and manages the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes. It also runs Robeco’s clean-tech private equity business. Prior to joining SAM in 2009, Baldinger worked for the asset management division of Credit Suisse in New York.
Melissa McDonald has joined HSBC Global Asset Management as business manager, equities and responsible investment. McDonald was formerly global head of responsible investment at AXA Investment Managers.
Ian Bowles has been appointed head of corporate social responsibility at Premier Foods plc. Bowles was formerly CSR manager at Asda.
The Calvert Foundation has appointed a new president and CEO, Lisa Hall. Calvert Foundation is a non-profit organisation that provides the opportunity for investors to achieve financial returns while empowering people living in low-income communities in the United States and around the world. Hall joined the Calvert Foundation in 2005, taking on management of a $76m loan portfolio as chief lending officer.
Dan Reicher, former director of climate change and energy initiatives at Google, has left to head up the new Steyer-Taylor Centre for Energy Policy and Finance. This is a joint venture between Stanford University’s law school and graduate school of business that will focus on the development, financing and regulation of clean energy technology.
Michael Woods, the former head of climate change and carbon finance at law firm Eversheds, has joined UK-based carbon, climate and clean-tech consultancy Irbaris as principal adviser.
David Jackman has been appointed environments delivery manager for global energy utilities corporation Centrica.
CDC Climat has appointed Michel Laffitte as managing director and head of market services. CDC Climat is a Caisse des Dépôts subsidiary, set up in February 2010 to combat climate change. Laffitte began his career at the French ministry of finance and has also worked for Lazard and CDC Ixis Capital Markets.
Professor Kevin Gaston has been appointed as inaugural director of the University of Exeter’s environment and sustainability institute (ESI). Set to open in 2012, the government-backed institute will enable the university to increase its support for the development of existing businesses and promote new commercial activity in Cornwall. The ESI will be built at the Combined Universities Cornwall Tremough Campus, Penryn. An award-winning ecologist, Gaston is currently professor of biodiversity and conservation at Sheffield University.
WSP Environment & Energy (WSP) has appointed Alex Steinberg as principal consultant specialising in sustainability and digital solutions. Steinberg previously worked for ABC Integrated Solutions and has delivered corporate social responsibility and sustainability solutions to leading global brands in both the EU and China. His previous employers and clients include Black & Veatch, Huawei, ZTE, Verizon, General Motors and British Telecom. Steinberg will be based in Shanghai.
The International Business Leaders Forum has appointed Clare Melford as CEO. Melford has worked in the commercial and not-for-profit sectors, as well as in the area of foreign policy and was general manager of MTV Networks in the Nordic region, based in Stockholm. Most recently, Melford led a year-long project to transition the European Council on Foreign Relations, Europe’s only pan-European foreign policy thinktank, from being part of George Soros’ Open Society Foundation, to independent status.
NTR Foundation, the independent philanthropic foundation launched in March 2010, has made two new appointments to its advisory board: Paula DiPerna and Ian Johnson. DiPerna previously served as president of the Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX) International, with special responsibility for China, India, Korea and other emerging markets. She has also worked as a consultant on environmental matters to the World Bank, the Global Environment Facility and LEAD-International. Johnson has been secretary-general of the Club of Rome since April 2010. He is also chair of the Globe International Commission on Land Use Change and Ecosystems and chairman of a carbon market research and ratings company Idea Carbon, in London. The NTR Foundation was set up with the objective of making a measurable societal impact in the areas of climate change, resource sustainability and security of energy supply.
William Daley, former head of corporate responsibility and chairman of the midwest region for JP Morgan Chase & Co, has been appointed US president Barack Obama’s chief of staff.
Jeff Seabright, vice-president for environment and water resources at the Coca-Cola Company, has been elected chairman of the board of the World Environment Centre. Seabright previously served in the US State Department and as executive director of the climate change taskforce in the White House during the Clinton administration. At Coca-Cola, he is responsible for worldwide environmental governance and leadership, working to integrate water stewardship, sustainable packaging, energy efficiency and climate protection practices into Coca-Cola’s business decisions and practices.
With thanks to Miriam Heale, Allen & York