June 5, 10:00 am to 6:30 pm
Followed by a networking dinner (invite-only)
Why attend?
Focus on adaptation and mitigation finance
Sponsored by the Gates Foundation, the event will cover risk-return strategies in climate finance, scaling first-of-a-kind finance, green industrial policy and innovative public-private partnerships.
High-level participants
Engage with policy makers, academics and investors (including development finance institutions and foundations.)
Opportunity for networking
Taking place the same week as Super Return Berlin, Europe's largest venture capital and private equity gathering.
This year's agenda
10:00 -11:00: Registration and Welcome Coffee
11:00 – 11:15: Opening Remarks
Jörg Rocholl, President, ESMT Berlin
Olga Almqvist, Senior Manager, Societal Impact Financing Initiative, ESMT Berlin
Moderation of the day by Ogbogu Kalu, Entrepreneur in Residence, Institute for Deep Tech Innovation, ESMT Berlin
11:15 – 12:00: Opening Panel: Climate Investments and Competitiveness: Risks, Returns, and Realities
Session chair: Jörg Rocholl, President, ESMT Berlin
Nicola Beer, Vice President, European Investment Bank
Margarita Cabrera, Head of Climate Business, Operations Guarantees, MIGA, World Bank Group
Melanie Kehr, Member of the Executive Board, CIO & COO, KfW
Fritzi Köhler-Geib, Member of the Executive Board, Deutsche Bundesbank
12:00 - 12:15: Expert Forum Insights: The Importance of Climate Change Adaptation and the Role of Central Banks
Theodora Antonakaki, Director, Climate Change and Sustainability Centre, Bank of Greece
12:15 – 12:30: Policy Keynote: Restoring Trust in Climate Finance
Rachel Kyte, UK Special Representative for Climate and Professor of Practice in Climate Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford
12:30 – 13:00: Current Affairs Panel: Implications of Geopolitical Developments on Climate Investments
Session chair: Carolin Albrecht, Managing Director, Berlin Global Dialogue
Sima Kammourieh, Executive Director for Climate, Finance for Development Lab
Rachel Kyte, UK Special Representative for Climate and Professor of Practice in Climate Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford
Brunno Maradei, Global Head of Responsible Investment, Aegon Asset Management
13:00 - 14:00: Networking Lunch
14:00 – 14:30: Investor Keynote followed by Q&A: Unlocking Private Capital for Climate Action
Elodie Laugel, Chief Responsible Investment Officer and Member of Amundi Executive Committee, Amundi AM
14:30 – 15:00: Deep Dive: Green Guarantees: Mobilizing Private Capital for Sustainable Development
Session chair: Lars-Hendrik Röller, Chairman of the Green Guarantee Group, Founder & Chair, Berlin Global Dialogue
Ingrid-Gabriela Hoven, Managing Director, GIZ
Martin Ewald, Project Lead, Hamburg Sustainability Platform
15:00 – 15:30: Networking Coffee Break
15:30 – 16:15: Leaders’ Discussion: Financing Resilience by Unlocking Capital for Climate Adaptation
Session chair: Hans Peter Lankes, Managing Director and Deputy Chief Executive, ODI
Thomas Bayerl, Global Head of Illiquid Assets und Member of the Board of Directors, MEAG KAG
Alice LeGrix de la Salle, Head of Impact & Regenerative Financing, AXA Climate
16:15 – 17:00: Policy Spotlight: Green Industrial Policy: Scaling the Industries of the Future
Session chair: Joanna Radeke, Director of the ESMT Institute for Sustainable Transformation, Director of Sustainability, ESMT Berlin
Isabelle Canu, Partner, Green European Tech Fund
Kirsten Dunlop, CEO, Climate-KIC
Tobias Engelmeier, CEO, VIDA
Morgan Sheil, Head of Impact, World Fund
17:00 - 17:30: Networking Coffee Break
17:30 – 18:30: Book reading followed by Q&A: Capitalism broke the Climate. Now it can fix it
Akshat Rathi, Senior reporter for Climate, Bloomberg Green, Author of „Climate Capitalism”
18:30 – 19:00: Guided Tour of ESMT Berlin's historic building, formerly the State Council building of the German Democratic Republic
19:00 – 21:00: Networking Dinner (by invitation only)
Side events
By invitation only
12:00 – 13:30: Cleantech Finance Roundtable on Scaling Hardware Finance
Session chair: Tobias Lechtenfeld, Executive Director, Tech for Net Zero / Senior Director, Climate Policy and Strategy, Energy Resilience Leadership Group (ERLG)
Target group: venture capital, banking, growth funds exploring strategies, critical for scaling hardware startups
This roundtable will bring together finance experts from venture capital, banking, and growth funds to explore the financial strategies critical for scaling hardware startups. Unlike digital startups, hardware ventures face additional financing challenges due to high capital expenditures, long development cycles, and risks related to political factors and supply chains. Traditional venture funding models often fall short, requiring innovative financing solutions to bridge the gap.
17:00 – 18:30: Beyond Grants: Expert Session on Philanthropy’s Role in Systemic Climate Finance
Session co-chairs: Max von Abendroth, Chair of the Philanthropy in PPPs Chapter, WAPPP; Tobias Lechtenfeld, Executive Director, Tech for Net Zero / Senior Director, Climate Policy and Strategy, Energy Resilience Leadership Group (ERLG)
Target group: European foundations exploring Public-Private-Philanthropy Partnerships (PPPPs)
Together with investment experts from foundations, from public banks including the European Investment Bank (EIB) and institutional investors, including Blue Orchard and Mirova, we will explore innovative approaches for philanthropy, public and private sectors coming together while building the understanding of how philanthropic capital can de-risk investments, mobilize institutional capital, and drive systemic change in climate finance.
Download the agenda
Expert Forum Climate Finance
Previous years' events
Speakers' perspectives on climate finance
Contact
Olga Almqvist
