BIOGRAPHY

Nigel is RMB’s Head of Sustainable Finance & ESG. He arguably followed a very unconventional route to becoming the Head of Sustainable Finance & ESG Advisory at RMB. He started his career as a personal assistant, ecologist and game ranger, then became an environmental consultant, eventually becoming a banker. The common thread throughout has been his life-long passion for society and the environment.

He has pioneered the development of several innovative and award-winning sustainable finance solutions on the African continent. These include: the first Sustainability Linked Loans in Africa (KPI linked and ESG ratings); the first Green Bond in South Africa; the first Social Bond in South Africa; the first Sustainability Linked Bond in Africa; first Gender Linked Bond and Africa’s Largest Offshore Green Bond.

He is a Member of the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (MIEMA) and is a Chartered Environmentalist. He holds the longest Chairmanship of the Global Equator Principles steering committee and was previously lead at the International Chamber of Commerce (Sustainable Trade Finance) and a member of the Impact Investing National Task Force.

Nigel holds a BSc from the University of Cape Town; a BSc (Hons) from the University of Pretoria; an MSc and DIC (Environmental Technology) from Imperial College; University of London; an MBA (Finance) from Wits Business School and he completed an Executive Leadership Programme from the Duke Fuqua School of Business. He has also completed the course Business and Climate Change: Towards Net Zero through the University of Cambridge.

Prior to joining RMB, he developed the Sustainable Finance & ESG capability at Standard Bank and was the Global Managing Director of Sustainable Finance and ESG Risk. Before banking, he was a consultant on large infrastructure and resource transactions and consulted on sustainability appraisals and strategic environmental assessments within the British Public sector.

Nigel believes there is a massive opportunity for sustainable finance across Africa.