The ESG debate has begun. Organisations are looking at how to score well in the ESG rankings but are ESG a driver for change? The FS Technology Panel of the WCIT used its first event on the subject to look at ESG in the round, to explore its history, assess its promise, its relevance to the City and us as a livery company, and to learn how Government plans to promote good ESG practice.

For our second event in the series, we are asking you to join us to debate and help answer the key questions:

• Will the ESG movement deliver its promise? By 2030/2050?

• Does self-scoring and box-ticking point to Greenwashing?

• Will responsible behaviour from Corporates and Individuals result in positive and real-life impact?

Come and hear our panel debate the issues before making up your mind.

Prof. Michael MainelliFCCA FCSI(Hon), FBCS, Chair of the event

Michael is a qualified accountant, securities professional, computer specialist and management consultant. He was educated at Harvard University and Trinity College Dublin and gained his PhD at the London School of Economics where he was also Visiting Professor of Innovation & IT. His career spans scientific research, accountancy-firm partner, and director of the Ministry of Defence research. His most significant technical claims to fame might be the first commercial digital maps of the world in the early 1980s. Michael founded and chairs Z/Yen, the City of London's leading commercial think-tank, famous for its Global Financial, Green Finance, and Smart Centres indices. He is a non-executive director of a listed firm and a regulator. He is a Fellow of Goodnough College and Past Master of the Worshipful Company of World Traders. Michael is Emeritus Professor & Life Fellow at Gresham College where he created the Long Finance initiative asking “when would we know our financial system is working?”. His third book, The Price Of Fish: A New Approach to Wicked Economics and Better Decision, won the Independent Publisher Book Awards Finance, Investment & Economics Gold Prize. Michael was British Computer Society Director of the Year 2005. Michael is an Alderman and Sheriff of the City of London 2019-2021. He will be chairing the event.

Jenny Knott

Non-Executive Director, and board advisor to several companies.

As former CEO of an investment bank, with over 30 years’ experience, as well as a leading innovator in financial technologies, Jenny is widely respected for her regulatory, technical financial and commercial knowledge. Jenny is a keynote speaker, author and public advocate for the radical technological modernisation of the Financial Services Industry. She is the founder of FinTech Strategic Advisors. Jenny believes inclusivity and real diversity are a ‘must’ for successful innovation in any business

Richard Peers

Founder of ResponsibleRisk Ltd and Contributing Editor Finextra on Sustainable Finance

As the Strategy, Marketing and Business Development leader in the Financial Services and Software Industry at Microsoft, Richard defined its global strategy for Core, Open Banking, Challenger and Fintechs to enable Digital Transformation, and led its engagement with Clear Bank, which became the first new clearing bank in the UK in 250 years. Richard was also involved with Redwood Bank, Alba Bank and many Fintechs as one of the leaders in the London Fintech scene via Level39, Fintech50, Innovate Finance and more.

An early proponent of sustainable finance, Richard created a Sustainable Finance practice, built an incubation team and worked to help win two pioneer deals in LSEG and Citi Bank. He is the creator and facilitator of SustainableFinance.Live a series of workshops tackling the biggest blockers in this area, advising software firms in Sustainable Finance and payments.

Laurent Rousseau

Deputy CEO, SCOR Global P&C and Member of the SCOR’s Executive Committee

Laurent started his career in 2001 as an equity analyst at Credit Suisse First Boston in London, covering European insurers and reinsurers. In 2005, he joined J.P. Morgan in the insurance Investment Banking team, executing M&A, capital raising and restructuring transactions for European insurers and reinsurers. He joined SCOR in 2010 as Advisor to the CEO, and became Head of SCOR Global P&C’s Strategy and Business Development in 2012. In July 2015, Laurent became Chief Underwriting Officer of SCOR Global P&C’s treaty business in Europe, Middle East & Africa. Laurent is a graduate of HEC (Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales). Since 2018, Laurent is a Group Executive Committee member, in charge of SCOR Specialty Insurance business, which includes: SCOR’s large commercial lines insurance and facultative business (SCOR Business Solutions), SCOR’s Lloyd’s syndicate (Channel), Brazil insurance business (Essor) and US Programme business.

Mike Wardle

Head of Indices, Z/Yen

Mike is Head Of Indices for Z/Yen, managing its work on the development and delivery of the Global Financial Centres Index, the Global Green Finance Index, and the Smart Centres Index. Mike worked as a civil servant for almost 20 years mostly within the field of education policy. He was a director and then Chief Executive of the General Social Care Council, establishing the regulation of social workers. Mike's career moved into consultancy, programme management and coaching and he worked with Z/Yen for six years delivering programme management services to the Church of England, Unison, and the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and Chelsea and Westminster NHS Foundation Trust before taking up his current role.

Click here for the flyer.

There is no charge, but we encourage you to donate to the WCIT Charity. You will find details of how to donate in your confirmation email.

Connection details will be sent nearer the time.