CFA UK Sustainable Investing Community Summit 2026 - Investing Through the Transition: Capital, risk and opportunity in a changing world

Monday 09 November 2026 | 17:30 - 20:30 | Evening Event

The investment landscape is evolving faster than ever. 

Geopolitical uncertainty, energy security, regulatory change, artificial intelligence, physical climate risk and changing capital flows are reshaping investment decisions across every asset class. 

Join us for the 4th Annual CFA UK Sustainable Investing Community Summit, where investment professionals can explore what these changes mean in practice and how investors can navigate them with confidence. 

This year's summit will move beyond the headlines to focus on the questions that matter most: 

• How are institutional investors adapting portfolio strategies? 
• Where are the biggest risks and opportunities? 
• Is sustainable investing entering a new phase? 
• What role will energy, infrastructure and private markets play over the next decade? 
• How can investors make better decisions in an increasingly complex world? 

We are delighted to welcome Dr Carole Nakhle, Founder and CEO of Crystol Energy, as our keynote speaker. One of the energy sector’s most respected experts, Dr Nakhle advises governments and international organisations  on energy, markets, geopolitics and the energy transition. In her keynote, she will explore how geopolitical developments, energy security and the transition to a lower-carbon economy are reshaping the shifting investment landscape,  and explain what investors should be watching over the coming decade. 

Then, join our interactive roundtable discussions to dive deep into:

• SDR and SFDR 
• Energy transition: From pledges to performance 
• Carbon risk as an investment risk 
• Emerging and private markets opportunities 

We look forward to welcoming you for an evening of thoughtful discussion, practical insights and valuable connections!

If you require special assistance or have specific requirements, please contact the events team at events@cfauk.org.

Speakers:

Dr Carole Nakhle, Founder and CEO, Crystol Energy  
Dr Carole Nakhle is the Founder and CEO of Crystol Energy, an independent, multi-award-winning advisory firm renowned for its strategic insights across the global energy value chain.

Over her career, Dr Nakhle has advised governments, parliaments, international organisations, multilateral institutions, and major energy companies on some of the most pressing issues shaping the global energy landscape.

She currently serves as Secretary General of the Arab Energy Club, Board and Audit Committee Member of the Natural Resource Governance Institute, and Lead Energy Expert at Geopolitical Intelligence Services. She also lectures and examines doctoral research at leading academic institutions, including the University of Aberdeen and the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford.

Louise Piffaut, Head of ESG, Aviva Investors 

James Doyle, Director of RI Products & Services, Evelyn 
PartnersJames is a senior risk and compliance professional with over 25 years industry experience implementing regulatory change, governance, accountability and risk management arrangements in financial services firms. He is the sustainable finance regulatory lead within Investment Management at Evelyn Partners, responsible for interpreting UK and EU sustainable finance regulatory requirements for discretionary wealth and portfolio management, and assists the Responsible Investment Transition Team in implementing changes to the investment process and sustainability related disclosures.

Rohit Seksaria, CFA,  lead Bloomberg’s Climate Transition, Bloomberg
Rohit Seksaria leads Bloomberg’s Climate Transition product strategy within Sustainable Finance Solutions, helping clients assess transition risks, opportunities and execution across companies and portfolios. He brings experience across finance  including banking and risk and real-economy sectors such as materials, energy and infrastructure. His work has covered climate governance, stress testing, reporting and prudential regulation, with a focus on translating climate and transition data into decision-useful insights for investors.

Rohit holds an MBA from IIM Bangalore, is a CFA Charterholder and an ACA, and holds sustainability certifications from the University of Cambridge and the Global Association of Risk Professionals.

Laura Hills, Managing Director, Responsible Investment, Church of England Pensions Board
As Managing Director, Responsible Investment at the Church of England Pensions Board, Laura is responsible for leading and overseeing stewardship, responsible investment integration, and policy engagement on sustainability issues.

Her experience spans nearly two decades of work across banking, insurance and investment focused on climate, nature, human rights and governance issues. She previously served on the Steering Committee for Climate Action 100+ and led the rollout of the initiative in Australia in its inaugural phase. She currently serves on the board of the Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change and chairs its corporate engagement programme. 

Laura holds a Master of Studies in Sustainability Leadership from the University of Cambridge where she focused her research on mobilising institutional investment in climate finance.

Marco Lenfers, CFA, Client Portfolio Manager, Executive Director, Vontobel Conviction Equities
Marco Lenfers joined Vontobel in 2016. He is Client Portfolio Manager covering impact strategies within the Impact & Thematic team at Vontobel Conviction Equities.

Prior to joining Vontobel, he held similar roles at Notenstein La Roche Privatbank AG and Vescore AG (integrated in Vontobel in 2016) since 2013. From 2010, he was Head of Client Portfolio Management at Bank J. Safra Sarasin AG in Basel. From 2005, he worked as a senior relationship  manager for institutional clients at Bank Sarasin AG in Munich. From 2000, he was a senior portfolio manager at HSBC Global Asset Management (Deutschland) GmbH in Düsseldorf.

Marco holds a diploma in Business Economics (Diplom-Kaufmann) from the University of Münster. He is also a CFA® charterholder

Click here to view our event terms and conditions.