ESG in Practice – what are banks doing to make green energy happen?

Financial Services companies are some of the most heavily regulated entities globally. On their shoulders falls part of the burden of working out how to transition our economies away from emissions heavy brown to emissions light green. Different nations have different specific challenges but banks in particular have a common responsibility.

This talk and discussion takes a broad international look at some of the issues. How does the financial service sector help this process locally and globally?

Our main speaker, Dr Gerald Podobnik, is Chief Financial Officer of the Investment Bank, Corporate Bank & ESG at Deutsche Bank, based in Frankfurt, where he leads the bank-wide ESG reporting and performance management unit. In addition, he also advises the German Government in this area as a member of the Sustainable Finance Advisory Committee.

Dr Podobnik will address the essential role of banks in bringing about this transformation to the economy by making more green finance available and accessible to fund green projects. In particular, he will focus on the importance of monitoring how performance is progressing.

He will also look at the current regulatory landscape, offering some unique perspectives from the German standpoint as the EU’s largest economy moves away from politically sensitive nuclear power, dirty coal and problematic Russian gas to sustainable energy.

Banks will not get away with ticking boxes. Regulators and society are watching closely to see how the industry makes sense of the thicket of evolving rules, changing guidance and growing aspirations. Reputational damage is an issue faced by all decisions makers in the sector and a close eye needs to be kept on unfolding greenwashing rules and rhetoric.

The WCIB is delighted to welcome a fellow member of the Company and expert in his field to address these important issues.

Alderman Alison Gowman CBE will talk about how the livery supports the City of London and wider community on ESG related matters, and the importance of working across borders.

Madison Reamsbottom, Strategy head at the UK Sustainable Investment and Finance Association, will act as moderator.

Timings

12 noon Registration

12:15 Welcome and scene setting the scene by WCIB Freeman Madison Reamsbottom as well as remarks from WCIB Middle Warden Tim Skeet on behalf of the Master

12:20 Presentation by Alderman Alison Gowman CBE

12:30 Presentation by Dr Gerald Podobnik on Energy Transition

12:50 Q&A moderated by Madison Reamsbottom

Afterwards: Light buffet lunch outside the seminar room

Date: 3 September 2024

Venue: Deutsche Bank, 21 Moorfields, London EC2Y 9DB

Dress code: Business attire

Ticket price: £15

Dr Gerald Podobnik

Dr Gerald Podobnik is Chief Financial Officer of the Investment Bank, Corporate Bank & ESG and Vice-Chair of Deutsche Bank’s Sustainability Strategy Steering Committee.

In his 20 years with Deutsche Bank, Dr Podobnik has held various positions in Frankfurt and London, including Head of Debt Capital Markets (DCM) for the Financial Institutions Group and Global Head of Capital Solutions & Sustainable Financing.

He contributed to building and implementing the sustainable financing business within Deutsche Bank, assisting clients with the structuring and issuance of green and social bonds as well as with post issuance duties.

As CFO for both divisions, he is responsible for all financial matters such as external and internal reporting, planning, performance management and strategy. Additionally, Dr Podobnik is leading the bank-wide ESG reporting and performance management unit covering Investment Bank, Corporate Bank and Private Bank.

In 2022, Dr Podobnik was appointed to serve for a second consecutive term as a member of the Sustainable Finance Advisory Committee of the German Government. Dr Podobnik has been a Non-Executive Director of the Board of Deutsche Numis since 2023.

Alderman Canon Alison Gowman CBE

Alison is an elected Alderman for the Ward of Dowgate in the City of London. Her professional career in the City has been as a commercial real estate lawyer with DLA Piper UK LLP where she was the first female partner and led teams on a wide variety of major property transactions.

She has a been a long-time champion for environmental matters –advocating for and then chairing the first sustainability and energy committee in the City Corporation over 10 years ago. She is the lead member for the City Corporation’s climate action strategy which is on track to reach net zero for direct emissions by 2027.

She served as Sheriff of the City of London 2021-22 and has chaired many of the City’s committees. She founded the Livery Climate Action Group in 2021 as a response to the City’s own plan to have the whole Square Mile reach net zero by 2040.

Madison Reamsbottom is the Head of Governance and Strategy at the UK Sustainable Investment and Finance Association and Freeman of the WCIB.

Tim Skeet is the Chief Institutional Relationship Officer and a member of the Executive Management Committee of the Bank of China in the UK and the Middle Warden of the WCIB.