People & appointments: Future of Sustainable Data Alliance reshuffles top team

CDP CEO Sherry Madera has stepped down as chair of the Future of Sustainable Data Alliance, which she founded in 2020. Martina Macpherson, head of ESG products at SIX, will see out the rest of her term as interim chair before transitioning to vice-chair when David Harris succeeds Madera in March. Macpherson previously served on the alliance’s board and was co-chair of its policy and regulation working group. Harris, who is head of sustainable finance strategic initiatives and partnerships at the London Stock Exchange Group, will sit as vice-chair until then, replacing Pietro Bertazzi, global director policy engagement and external affairs at CDP.

Kristen Weldon has joined sustainable food and agriculture investment firm Cibus Capital as head of natural capital. She was previously global head of sustainable investing for BlackRock Alternatives’ investment platform for two years. Weldon was also formerly global head of ESG and impact investing at Partners Capital. She will continue in her roles as an advisory board member of the University of Cambridge’s endowment fund, and an independent director at Castleton Commodities International.

Caisse des Dépôts (CDC) has appointed Marianne Kermoal-Berthomé to its executive committee as director of social policy. She replaces Michel Yahiel, who is now an adviser to CDC CEO Eric Lombard. Kermoal-Berthomé has been head of the social unit for French prime minister Elisabeth Borne’s office since her appointment in May 2022.

Iceberg Data Lab has hired Guillaume Coutant as head of its ESG analysts team. Coutant was previously a capital markets analyst and adviser at Emvest Partners. He has also held roles at Lombard Odier and Deloitte’s Swiss office. Sophie Provost has joined Iceberg as head of sales after nine years at Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS), most recently as head of responsible investment institutional sales across France and Southern Europe. She previously worked at MSCI, leading the governance consultants and client service team.

ISS is hiring a sustainability engagement manager to co-ordinate engagement activities and work with companies, as well as analyse and assess their responses.

Grant Rudgley has joined The Biodiversity Consultancy as a technical director for nature finance. He leaves the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership after more than five years, working most recently as senior programme manager of its banking environment initiative.

Carbon ratings agency BeZero Carbon has appointed Teresa Hartmann as chief ratings officer. She leaves the International Emissions Trading Association after one year as director of voluntary carbon market formation. Prior to this, she spent six years at the World Economic Forum, where she was climate and nature lead. Hartmann was also a banking commission consultant at UNEP FI.

The United Nations Environment Programme is recruiting a co-ordinator consultant for technical support in the development of Brazil’s sustainable finance taxonomy. The successful candidate will be tasked with contributing to the development and implementation of the Brazil’s taxonomy, following the guidelines established by the inter-ministerial committee and supervisory committee.

Florian Haenes has been appointed as a senior associate at KPMG’s German office. He leaves the Forum Nachhaltige Geldanlagen, the sustainable investment forum for Germany, Austria and Switzerland, after one year as a sustainable finance adviser.

Barnett Waddingham has appointed Clare Keeffe as senior sustainability consultant. She was previously senior manager pensions ESG at PwC for one year.

Jeremie Danicourt has joined growth equity investment platform Planet First Partners as operating partner. He was previously a partner at Bain & Co.