HSBC Holdings plc today announces the appointment of Dr Celine Herweijer as Group Chief Sustainability Officer, effective July 2021 and reporting to Noel Quinn, HSBC, Group CEO.
She joins from PwC, where she has held roles including leading PwC’s Global Innovation and Sustainability capability, and acting as PwC’s Global Climate Change Leader.
Celine joins HSBC at a time when we have articulated an ambitious agenda in the field of climate risk and sustainability – both in the net zero goals for our own operations and supply chain, as well as in supporting the transition of our clients.
As a partner in the UK firm, Celine has been at the forefront of PwC’s global work on sustainability and climate change for over a decade. In this role she has advised corporate boards across different industries on net zero and wider sustainable business transformation. In addition, she has worked with some of the world’s largest asset managers and banks on understanding climate risks and sustainable finance innovation, and has advised governments and regulators across the world on accelerating the transition to a zero carbon future.
Celine has held numerous international advisory board and committee roles on sustainability including for the United Nations, World Economic Forum (where she is a WEF Young Global Leader), G20, the World Bank, the European Union and a number of governments. She is co-Chair of the We Mean Business Coalition and is also a trustee of BLUE Marine, a leading conservation NGO.
A climate scientist and NASA Fellow by training, Celine holds a PhD in Climate Modelling and Policy from Columbia University, NY, and is a Visiting Senior Fellow at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change at the London School of Economics.
Noel Quinn, Group Chief Executive, said:
“I am delighted to welcome Celine to HSBC. Her depth of expertise on sustainability and climate change, and her experience working at the highest levels of business, NGOs, and government, make her the ideal candidate to accelerate our progress as we work to deliver our ambitious net zero strategy.”
At HSBC, Celine will work with and build on the achievements of the Sustainable Finance and Corporate Sustainability teams across the bank, as well as the HSBC Centre for Sustainable Finance, to further establish the bank’s global leadership on climate change. She will lead the ongoing development and delivery of the Group’s sustainability strategy, with a particular focus on the bank’s commitment to the global transition to net zero. Celine’s expertise in sustainability and innovation will also see her lead HSBC’s climate innovation agenda – from accelerating investment into companies focused on pioneering solutions critical to a net zero future, to helping the Bank unlock the potential of investment in nature.
Celine Herweijer said:
“The challenge and the opportunity for HSBC is immense. Achieving net zero means we need to see a fundamental reshaping of industries and therefore of the global economy. Getting there requires bold action, new partnerships and ways of engaging with customers and stakeholders to accelerate the new solutions the world requires. As one of the world’s largest banks, HSBC – has a vital role to play in financing the transition to support businesses and economies to thrive in a net zero future, and an ambitious plan to make this happen. I am looking forward to working with my new colleagues across the bank to realise this opportunity.”
