28 February 2024, Zurich: South Pole, the leading carbon project expert and climate consultancy, is pleased to announce the appointment of sustainability industry leader, Dr Daniel Klier, as the group's new Chief Executive Officer.
Daniel joins from sustainability data and technology platform ESG Book, where as CEO he oversaw the company's growth and established the business as global industry leader. He was previously Global Head of Sustainable Finance and Group Head of Strategy at HSBC, where he established the bank's net zero target and ambition to support the energy transition with 1 trillion dollars. Daniel started his career at McKinsey & Company, where he was a Partner, supporting companies to enhance their organisational performance and international growth.
A widely recognised sustainability expert, Daniel has served as the Chair of the Bank of England's Climate Working Group and Chair of the Institute of International Finance's Sustainable Finance Working Group. He serves on the Boards of the global sustainability reporting standard GRI and the international organisation Sustainable Energy for All.
Daniel will be responsible for further developing and institutionalising South Pole's renewed focus on exceeding industry risk, integrity and compliance standards and lead the organisation in its next phase of growth. The company also recently appointed a dedicated Chief Risk Officer, Antoine Prédour.
The South Pole Board and Daniel thank John Davis for his stewardship as Interim CEO of South Pole since November 2023. John will continue to contribute to South Pole's success at an executive level and support a smooth leadership transition.
Daniel Klier, incoming CEO of South Pole says: “South Pole has done a huge amount since 2006 to mobilise global climate action. It pioneered the global carbon market, helped governments to develop flagship environmental and social projects, and enabled businesses to positively address their climate impact. I am honoured to be appointed CEO at an important moment for the group and our planet.
“South Pole must now prepare for the next stage of global climate action. That means enhancing our strategy, ensuring we innovate, and that we meaningfully advance our risk and compliance processes. Trust and transparency will be at the heart of our next chapter, and I look forward to working with the group's many committed and dedicated employees to achieve that."
Pal Erik Sjatil, Managing Partner and CEO at Lightrock, an investor in South Pole, says: "Daniel has joined South Pole's leadership team at a pivotal moment, coinciding with the evolution of the wider sector. As a business advisor, sustainability advocate, and highly-capable strategic leader, Daniel is ideally positioned to drive the company forward and advance its commendable mission to deliver climate impact at scale by transforming climate action into long-term business opportunities for companies, governments, and organizations globally. We wish him every success in his new post."
Frederick Teo, Chief Executive Officer of GenZero, an investor in South Pole, says: “The carbon markets are going through challenging times. As an industry pioneer, it is critical for South Pole to demonstrate steadfast leadership, high levels of integrity and technical competence, as well as humility and a willingness to learn as we navigate these challenges. Daniel is well-placed to steer South Pole through its next chapter of growth having helmed several senior and international roles across sustainability and finance. He has also shown the ability to build and inspire teams with a strong sense of mission. We are confident that Daniel's strong commitment to South Pole will ultimately deliver better climate impact and propel the wider industry forward."
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South Pole is the world's leading carbon project expert and climate consultancy.
Since 2006, South Pole has been a trusted partner and advisor to governments, public sector organisations, and leading businesses on their decarbonisation journeys. South Pole serves over 1,000 clients across the world, and its global team of experts has helped many Fortune 500 businesses implement comprehensive strategies that help build resilience and turn climate action into long-term business opportunities.
In line with its mission to deliver climate impact at scale, South Pole has used the power of markets to help channel climate finance to over 850 projects in more than 50 countries across the globe. To date, these projects have helped reduce over 200 million metric tonnes of CO2 emissions, accelerated low-carbon transformations across several sectors, and provided measurable benefits to communities vulnerable to climate change.
The business is supported by world-class investors, including Temasek's GenZero, Lightrock, Corisol, and Salesforce Ventures.
South Pole is a social enterprise recognised by the World Economic Forum's Schwab Foundation, and committed to becoming a B Corp globally across all of its local entities.
For more information, visit www.southpole.com or LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook.
