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.
Timings:
Registration: 17:30 - 17:50
Programme: 17:50 - 20:30
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.
Moderator: Katrina Brown, Head of Responsible Investment Evelyn Partners
Katrina Brown is the Head of Responsible Investment at Evelyn Partners, where she focuses on integrating ESG factors into the investment process and directing the firm's active stewardship program. With a background in consulting and investment management, she has been instrumental in developing Evelyn Partners' capabilities in responsible investment. Brown has previously worked at Morgan Grenfell Asset Management and has a strong commitment to sustainability, aiming to help clients align their investments with their sustainability preferences.
Grace Elshafei, Head of Equities ESG, Aviva Investors
Grace leads ESG integration within Aviva Investors' equities platform. Grace is responsible for embedding ESG considerations into the investment process, working closely with portfolio managers and investment analysts to ensure material sustainability risks and opportunities are reflected in investment decisions. Grace focuses on thematic research, identifying investable opportunities and financially material ESG drivers to enhance investment performance across Aviva Investors' equity funds.
Grace joined Aviva Investors from Jefferies, where she produced thematic research on the implications of sustainability and policy developments for equities. She began her career at J.P. Morgan. Grace holds a BA in Philosophy & Modern Languages from the University of Oxford.
Stephane Hedont, Head of ESG & Sustainability, MoZaiC AM
Stephen Beer, Head of Responsible Investment Strategic Relationships and Integration Strategy, L&G
Stephen Beer is responsible for developing our integration of responsible investment across the firm to meet evolving client needs, while maintaining and growing L&G Asset Management’s reputation as a leader in responsible investment through our strategic alliances. Stephen is responsible for our framework for net zero aligned funds. He is a key spokesperson on responsible investment. Stephen is a member of the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero Steering Group, the Advisory Group of the Net Zero Asset Managers Initiative (NZAM), and the Sustainable Markets Initiative’s Asset Manager Asset Owner taskforce. He was a member of Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI)’s 2025 Signatory Advisory Forum, which advises on PRI’s annual conference.
Stephen joined L&G's Asset Management division in 2022; until July 2024 he was responsible for managing our engagement with companies through our Climate Impact Pledge alongside other Investment Stewardship responsibilities.
Stephen’s entire career has been focused on responsible investing for pensions and charities. Prior to joining L&G, he was both Chief Investment Officer and Head of Ethics at the Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church and its commercial arm, Epworth Investment Management, responsible for the direct management of £1.3 billion in assets under management. He has been a portfolio manager, investment strategist, and pension trustee. In a personal capacity, he is Chair of the Church Investor Group and a charity endowment investment committee member. Stephen holds a BA in economics from the University of Durham and is a CFA Institute member. He writes and speaks about responsible investment issues.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
Lisa Wong, Head of Private Credit Sustainability Research, MetLife Investment Management (MIM)
Lisa Wong is Head of Private Credit Sustainability Research at MetLife Investment Management (MIM), a global investment manager with over $700BN AUM. She is responsible for private credit sustainability strategies and supporting ESG integration and reporting for infrastructure and corporate private placements. Prior to this she was a founding partner at Affirmative Investment Management, a global impact fund management company, which was acquired by MIM. She has over 15 years of experience in sustainability and impact investment across private and public fixed income, including at Nikko Asset Management and Citi.
Manisha Shastri, Associate Director – Group Sustainability Strategy, HSBC
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Speaker
Dr Carole Nakhle, Founder and CEO of 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.
Dr Nakhle is the author of Petroleum Taxation: Sharing the Wealth and co-author, with former UK Energy Secretary Lord David Howell, of Out of the Energy Labyrinth — both widely cited in academia and industry. She is also a regular commentator in international media on energy, geopolitics, and global market developments.
A highly sought-after keynote speaker and moderator, Dr Nakhle is recognised for combining strategic insight with engaging and dynamic facilitation. She is the founder and President of Access for Women in Energy, a Freeman of the City of London, and a Fellow of the Energy Institute.
Her honours include CEO of the Year – UK (2021), London Business Consulting’s Most Influential CEO Award (2024), and the Arab Women Entrepreneur in Energy Award (2025).
