Name: Innovation Zero 2024
Start: 2024-04-30T00:00:00Z
End: 2024-05-01T22:00:00Z
Location: Olympia London

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Welcome to the Finance Forum at Innovation Zero, a pivotal platform for navigating the intricate world of financial investment and green finance.

Here, you'll connect with leading experts in the finance sector, delving into best practices for scaling businesses rapidly and bridging the funding gap for innovators. Our knowledgeable speakers will provide insights into each stage of investment, highlighting strategies for successful financial growth. Additionally, we'll explore the critical role of Green and Transition Finance in the finance and investment community's response to the climate crisis.

Join us to understand and contribute to the evolving landscape of finance, driving forward both economic and environmental sustainability.

Innovation Zero | 30 April – 1 May 2024 | Olympia London

Wind Turbines

Meet Our Esteemed Speakers

Innovation Zero is delighted to present a distinguished array of speakers for the Finance Forum, including keynote experts at the forefront of finance and investment.

This eclectic mix of top financial professionals, seasoned investors, and leading researchers will share invaluable insights into the latest trends and strategies in finance. Their presentations, encompassing both innovative research and real-world applications, are designed to enlighten and provoke thought-provoking discussions. Committed to advancing financial practices and addressing the challenges of the economic landscape, these speakers mark the start of an exceptional lineup. Stay tuned for more announcements about extraordinary speakers who will further enrich the forum’s engaging and progressive environment.

SEE ALL SPEAKERS

Innovation Zero 2024 is poised to deepen our exploration into sustainable finance and green investment strategies. This year, we will delve into the latest trends in finance that support environmental sustainability, with a focus on areas like green financing, ESG initiatives, and investment in climate-friendly technologies.

The conference will highlight the role of finance in global sustainability efforts and emphasise the importance of collaborative action in addressing climate change challenges. Expect engaging discussions on topics such as innovative financial models for sustainable development and strategies for bridging funding gaps in green ventures.

Join us for a visionary conference that leverages past achievements to foster future advancements in sustainable finance and environmental investment.

OPENING REMARKS FROM THE CHAIR

Finance Forum

10:10 – 10:15

Chair

Sammy Fry, Head of Climate - Tech Nation
FIRESIDE CHAT: FINANCING THE CLEAN ENERGY TRANSITION

Finance Forum

10:15 – 10:30
- Policy
According to BloombergNEF, global investment in the low-carbon energy transition surged 17% in 2023, reaching $1.77 trillion. Will this be enough? The challenge is not only the massive amounts of inve ...

Moderator

Elizabeth Meager, Journalist - Freelance

Confirmed Speakers

Julia Reinaud, Senior Director - Breakthrough Energy
BRIDGING THE FUNDING GAP

Finance Forum

10:35 – 11:35
- Investment
- Innovation
There is a plethora of early-stage and late-stage investors, but in order to achieve escape velocity, start-ups must overcome a ‘Valley of Death’ that lies in between. There is a dearth of investors i ...

Moderator

Mark Taylor, Co-Founder & CPO - Sightline Climate

Confirmed Speakers

Peter Bachmann, Managing Director, Sustainable Infrastructure | Senior Associate - Gresham House | University of Cambride Institute of Sustainability Leadership (CISL)

Natalie Blyth, Global Head of Commercial Banking Sustainability - HSBC

Michael Moore, Chief Executive - BVCA

Nazo Moosa, Managing Partner - Energy Impact Partners
IDENTIFYING AND FUNDING EARLY-GROWTH INNOVATORS

Finance Forum

11:45 – 12:45
- Investment
- Innovation
Join venture capitalists and early-stage growth funders as they outline how they spot talent in clean tech, their approaches to balancing risk and reward, and the strategies they employ as they accele ...

Moderator

Beverley Gower-Jones, Managing Partner - Clean Growth Fund

Confirmed Speakers

Hugh Bartlett, Senior Investment Executive - Green Angel Ventures

Pippa Gawley, General Partner - Zero Carbon Capital

Angela McKane, Partner - Colbridge Ventures

Dr Jim Shaikh, Head of the Greenhouse - The Greenhouse, Imperial College

Andrew Wordsworth, CEO - Sustainable Ventures
SIX YEARS TO GO: THE SCALING-AT-SPEED IMPERATIVE

Finance Forum

13:00 – 14:00
- Investment
- Supply Chain
- Innovation
In order to realise 2030 net zero goals, innovations in renewables, materials and tech need scaling fast. Speakers across the entire investment chain will discuss how businesses can move from Seed, to ...

Moderator

Jim Totty, Managing Director - Viridis Capital

Confirmed Speakers

Michael Bruce, Partner - Emerson Collective

Adrian Peacock, Managing Director - UK Infrastructure Bank

Jennifer Sullo, Managing Partner - Antheia Capital

Sarah Tennison, Head of Clean Growth Strategy and Impact - Innovate UK
BANKING ON NET ZERO

Finance Forum

14:05 – 14:50
- Investment
Panellists from some of the world’s largest banks will discuss the guiding principles which drive net zero banking today; how they adhere to science-based climate targets, and the priority sectors wit ...

Moderator

James Vaccaro, Chief Catalyst - Climate Safe Lending Network

Confirmed Speakers

Heather Buchanan, Co-Founder - Bankers for Net Zero

David Carlin, Head of Climate Risk and TCFD - United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI)

Tony Greenham, Managing Director, Sustainability - British Business Bank

George Sandilands, VP Carbon Accounting - Sage
THE ROLE OF CORPORATE VENTURE IN CLIMATE TECH INVESTMENT

Finance Forum

14:55 – 15:40
- Investment
- Innovation
Big corporations are now among the most active funders in climate tech. Panellists will drive forward discussions on the rationale behind their investments and the strategies they adopt as they move t ...

Moderator

Andrew Gaule, CEO - Aimava

Confirmed Speakers

Gina Domanig, Managing Partner - Emerald Technology Ventures

Irina Gorbounova, Vice President M&A and Head of XCarb Innovation Fund - ArcelorMittal Ltd

Dr Charlotte Kirk, Technology Investments - Fortescue Energy

Hans Middelthon, Managing Director - Aramco Ventures
ASSET OWNER APPROACHES TO GREEN INVESTMENT

Finance Forum

15:45 – 16:30
- Investment
Trillions of dollars are now require annually to fund the climate transition. Representatives of pensions, sovereign wealth funds and endowments will debate their roles, responsibilities and risks in ...

Moderator

Nicolas Firzli, Director General and Co-Chair - World Pensions Council and Singapore Economic Forum

Confirmed Speakers

Tony Burdon, CEO - Make My Money Matter

Chris Smith, Chair of the Board - Westminster City Council

Olivier Wenden, Vice President & CEO - Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation
CREATIVE CAPITAL: INVESTING IN EMERGING MARKETS - FROM DEEP TECH TO THE ENERGY TRANSITION

Finance Forum

16:40 – 17:25
- Investment
- Innovation
This session will explore the full gamut of emerging markets – from small R&D investments in tech to large-scale, capital-intensive power supply grid projects. Panellists will analyse the landscape of ...

Moderator

Gihan Hyde, CEO & Founder - CommUnique

Confirmed Speakers

Nicolas Firzli, Director General and Co-Chair - World Pensions Council and Singapore Economic Forum

Helen Lin, Partner - At One Ventures

Mahesh Roy, Investor Strategies Programme Director - Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change (IIGCC)

OPENING REMARKS FROM THE CHAIR

Finance Forum

10:15 – 10:20
- Innovation
Confirmed Speakers

Gemma Gathercole, Strategic Engagement Lead - ACCA
KEYNOTE ADDRESS: LEVERAGING UK COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES FOR CROWDING GREEN INVESTMENT

Finance Forum

10:20 – 10:35

Confirmed Speakers

Kerry McCarthy MP, Shadow Minister for Climate Change
THE POWER OF CLIMATE TRANSITION PLANS – NAVIGATING ESG BACKLASH THROUGH GOOD GOVERNANCE

Finance Forum

10:40 – 11:25
- Policy
- Investment
- Innovation
How do we mobilise the business and policy communities to make and finance meaningful transition plans in the face of ESG pushback? What regulation and coordinated governance is needed to steer transi ...

Moderator

Kaya Axelsson, Net Zero Policy Engagement Fellow - University of Oxford

Confirmed Speakers

Ben Caldecott, Co-Head, Secretariat - Transition Plan Taskforce

Emily Faint, Associate - Oxford Net Zero

Sean Kidney, CEO - Climate Bonds Initiative

Sacha Sadan, Director of Environmental, Social and Governance - Financial Conduct Authority
HOW CAN BLENDED FINANCE SUPPORT THE CLIMATE TRANSITION?

Finance Forum

11:35 – 12:20
- Policy
- Investment
Panellists will discuss how blended finance can bridge financial gaps across the economy in order to accelerate the UK ahead of international competitors, sharing case studies and best practices, and ...

Moderator

Luke Cross, Director - Social

Confirmed Speakers

Mario Fernandez, Head of Catalyst - Breakthrough Energy

Sarah Gordon, Visiting Professor - Grantham Research Institute on climate and the environment, London School of Economics

Lindsey Hibberd, Associate Director – Climate Finance - Carbon Trust
INNOVATIONS IN IMPACT INVESTING

Finance Forum

12:30 – 13:15
- Investment
- Innovation
Panellists from investment companies, institutes, foundations and corporate venture arms will delve into the latest trends for 2024, their unique approaches to each, as well as the emerging role of ar ...

Moderator

Cliff Prior, CEO - The Global Steering Group for Impact Investment

Confirmed Speakers

Jamie Broderick, Deputy Chair - Impact Investing Institute

Roopal Kanabar, Strategic Finance Advisor - UN Climate Change High-Level Champions

Emma Steele, Partner - Ascension

Marc Williams, Principal, Impact & ESG - Blue Earth Capital
BIODIVERSITY RISK AND THE NATURE POSITIVE TRANSITION

Finance Forum

13:25 – 14:10
- Policy
- Investment
- Infrastructure
Investors find difficulty in mapping biodiversity improvements to financial returns. Although measurements of biodiversity-related financial risks are in their infancy, several metrics and indicators ...

Moderator

Nina Seega, Director, Centre for Sustainable Finance - Cambridge Institute for Sustainable Leadership (CISL)

Confirmed Speakers

Karen Ellis, Chief Economist - WWF-UK

Rob Wreglesworth, Innovation Lead - The Environment Bank

Daniel Zarin, Executive Director, Forests & Climate Change - Wildlife Conservation Society
ADAPTATION FINANCE

Finance Forum

14:20 – 15:05
- Investment
- Supply Chain
Has the focus on mitigation and climate risk led to investors overlooking the need for adaptation finance? What challenges and opportunities does adaptation finance present for investors? And how can ...

Moderator

Kate Levick, Associate Director, Sustainable Finance - E3G

Confirmed Speakers

Dr Craig Davies, CEO - Cadlas

Urs Dieterich, Managing Director, Landscape Resilience Fund - South Pole

Katrin Harvey, Secretary General - Foundations Platform F20

Tim Wainwright, Chief Executive - WaterAid UK
GLOBAL DISCLOSURE RULES AND SUSTAINABILITY REPORTING

Finance Forum

15:15 – 16:00
- Policy
With a focus on the anticipated adoption of ISSB’s standards into UK law, this panel will set the global context, providing an overview of the changing regulatory environment. We will explore the inte ...

Moderator

Jessica Bingham, Policy & Insights Lead - ACCA

Confirmed Speakers

Sue Armstrong-Brown, Global Director for Thought Leadership - CDP

Mark Johnston - UK Business and Biodiversity Forum

Mardi McBrien, Chief of Strategic Affairs & Capacity Building - IFRS Foundation

N L N Swaroop, Global Product Head – Sustainability, Innovation, FIs & Asset distribution , Trade & Receivables Finance, HSBC - HSBC
ENGAGEMENT VERSUS DIVESTMENT: WHICH IS MORE EFFECTIVE?

Finance Forum

16:10 – 16:55
- Investment
When it comes to stakeholder engagement, what is the most meaningful way of challenging companies who are falling behind on their climate commitments? Speakers will debate how the investment community ...

Moderator

Loes van Dijk, Founder - Climate Court

Confirmed Speakers

Penny Fowler, Head, Corporate Climate Team - ShareAction

Adam Gillett, Climate Lead - Railpen

Valeria Piani, Head of Stewardship - Phoenix Group

In 2024, the Finance Forum at the Innovation Zero conference will showcase a varied array of sessions, each centred on progressing the future of finance in relation to environmental sustainability and green investment.

Opening Remarks from the Chair: Introduction and context-setting for the Finance Forum.
Policy Announcements: Overview of recent policy developments in finance.
Bridging the Funding Gap: Peter Bachmann discusses strategies for startups to overcome investment challenges.
Keynote Address: Investing in the Green Economy: Insights into investment trends and strategies in the green economy.
The Power of Climate Transition Plans: Kaya Axelsson and Dr Ben Caldecott on effective climate transition strategies and governance.
Identifying and Funding Early-Growth Innovators: Venture capitalists share insights on investing in clean tech and balancing risk.
Blended Finance and Climate Transition: Ryan Jude explores how blended finance can accelerate climate-related initiatives.
Six Years to Go: The Scaling-at-Speed Imperative: Discussion on the urgency of scaling innovations for 2030 net zero goals.
Innovations in Impact Investing: Panel on the latest trends and approaches in impact investing for 2024.
Biodiversity Risk and the Nature Positive Transition: Examining the link between biodiversity improvements and financial returns.
Banking on Net Zero: Discussion on principles and strategies for achieving net zero in banking.
Adaptation Finance: Dr Craig Davies on the importance and challenges of adaptation finance.
Corporate Venture in Climate Tech Investment: Analysis of corporate strategies in climate tech investment.
Asset Owner Approaches to Green Investment: Debate on the roles and responsibilities in green investment.
Global Disclosure Rules and Sustainability Reporting: Mark Manning discusses the impact of ISSB’s disclosure requirements.
Investing in Emerging Markets: Panel discussion on revitalising investments in emerging markets.
Engagement vs Divestment: Sandra Carlisle debates the effectiveness of stakeholder engagement versus divestment strategies.

These sessions are designed to offer a thorough understanding of the latest developments, opportunities, and pressing issues in the finance sector. This insightful and engaging platform sets the tone for a dynamic and enlightening 2024 conference.

Innovation Zero | 30 April – 1 May 2024 | Olympia London

Discover our array of 2024 conference forums at Innovation Zero: delve into the Advanced Tech, and Industrial Forums for cutting-edge insights; explore sustainable solutions in the Built Environment, Oceans & Water, Minerals & Materials, Transport & Mobility, and Food & Agriculture Forums, each offering unique perspectives on key sustainability challenges.

Advanced Tech Forum

Explore how robotics, AI, space tech, and advanced materials, starting as risky ventures, are advancing into commercial realities for climate action.

See Advanced Tech Forum

Aviation & Shipping Forum

UK's 'jet zero' journey: Exploring SAF, hydrogen-electric solutions with aerospace and shipping industry leaders, investors, and regulators.

Aviation & Shipping Forum

Built Environment Forum

Explore radical changes for the UK's old building stock, focusing on reducing carbon through energy efficiency and retrofitting in the housing industry.

See Built Environment Forum

Carbon Markets Forum

Carbon offsetting, crucial for climate change, sees the VCM growing from $2bn in 2020 to $250bn by 2050. Meet investors funding new tech, project developers, corporates, traders, brokers, and more for insights into carbon and natural capital markets.

See Carbon Markets Forum

Energy Forum

Our forum focuses on the energy transition as key to the Green Industrial Revolution, discussing policy, funding for grid infrastructure, and showcasing the latest in nuclear, solar, wind, and more.

See Energy Forum

Food & Agriculture Forum

Learn about agriculture's transformation through regenerative practices and the food industry's revolution in supply chain, circularity, and biomimicry.

See Food & Agriculture Forum

SEE ALL INNOVATION ZERO 2024 FORUMS

Innovation Zero | 30 April – 1 May 2024 | Olympia London

Finance Forum

2024 Finance Forum: Speaker Lineup

Innovation Zero 2024: Finance Forum Agenda

2024 Finance Forum Agenda Overview

In 2024, the Finance Forum at the Innovation Zero conference will showcase a varied array of sessions, each centred on progressing the future of finance in relation to environmental sustainability and green investment.