The Geneva Connection

Hosted by Karen Hitschke, CEO of Building Bridges, this episode features Tony Goldner of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) and Vian Sharif of Nature Alpha. Together, they explore how finance is adapting as nature moves from a peripheral concern to a central consideration in economic decision-making. While carbon data is now firmly embedded in financial analysis, nature and biodiversity remain far more complex to measure and integrate. Yet the material risks of ecosystem degradation are increasingly clear. Advances in data and emerging frameworks like TNFD are finally making nature visible to markets, redefining risk and uncovering new opportunities for long-term value creation.   Part of Season 3: “Building Bridges 2025: Innovative Solutions & Investment Opportunities in Sustainable Finance “ created in partnership with Building Bridges.   Learn more: https://www.geneva-connection.com/

Fiduciary duty has long meant maximising financial returns. But as climate, nature and social risks reshape markets, that definition is shifting. In this episode, David Blood, Co-Founder and Senior Partner at Generation Investment Management, and Emmanuel Jaclot, Executive Vice-President and Head of Infrastructure and Sustainability at La Caisse, join Patrick Odier, Chairman of Building Bridges, to explore what fiduciary duty means in 2025. They discuss how sustainability is becoming central to fiduciary responsibility, the balance between short- and long-term value, and whether ignoring sustainability could now be seen as a breach of duty.   Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGenevaConnection Part of Season 3: “Building Bridges 2025: Innovative Solutions & Investment Opportunities in Sustainable Finance “ created in partnership with Building Bridges. Learn more: https://www.geneva-connection.com/

Season 3 opens with a frank look at the state of sustainable finance. John Kerry, former U.S. Secretary of State and Co-Executive Chair of Galvanize, and Rhian-Mari Thomas, CEO of the Green Finance Institute, join Patrick Odier, Chairman of Building Bridges, to discuss political headwinds, shifting narratives, and the credibility gap between ambition and investable pipelines. It’s a candid exchange on ESG’s polarisation, record investment in clean energy, and the urgent need to channel capital into early-stage solutions and emerging markets. Sustainable finance has evolved. What began as a moral imperative has become a financial reality — where economics, credibility, and scale now show the path ahead. Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGenevaConnection Part of Season 3: “Building Bridges 2025: Innovative Solutions & Investment Opportunities in Sustainable Finance “ created in partnership with Building Bridges. Learn more: https://www.geneva-connection.com/

Blended finance is often promoted as a way to mobilise private capital for sustainable development, yet systemic barriers still constrain its scale and effectiveness. In this episode, Lisa Sachs, Director of the Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment (CCSI), unpacks the 2025 report From Promise to Performance: Reforming Blended Finance for Scale. She outlines five structural challenges — transparency, risk pricing, liquidity, pipeline gaps, and additionality — and why addressing them is key to unlocking impact. The conversation also explores practical reforms and the roles of DFIs, donors, and rating agencies in making blended finance more efficient and effective.   Season 2 is produced in collaboration with the SDG Impact Finance Initiative (SIFI).   Hosted by Luka Biernacki.   Also available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGenevaConnection   Let’s Talk Finance! Let’s Talk Impact!

Scaling Impact investing in emerging markets still requires strategic use of catalytic capital. In this episode, Nicolas Muller, Managing Director of Blue Earth Capital explores how impact-focused investment strategies are structured to balance risk, returns, and outcomes. From the role of philanthropy in de-risking to practical insights on attracting commercial capital into high-impact deals, we look at what it takes to turn purpose into investible opportunity — and what’s still missing to bridge the gap at scale.  Season 2 is produced in collaboration with the SDG Impact Finance Initiative (SIFI). Hosted by Luka Biernacki. Also available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGenevaConnection Let’s Talk Finance! Let’s Talk Impact!

Impact investing plays a crucial role in closing the $4 trillion SDG financing gap, yet represents only 1.2% of global assets. How can we scale it to meet the world's needs? In this episode, Guillaume Bonnel, CEO of the SDG Impact Finance Initiative (SIFI), examines the barriers constraining impact investing — from liquidity challenges and misaligned risk perceptions to regulatory obstacles — and explores how blended finance can unlock private capital at scale. He discusses how concessional capital, platform approaches, and enhanced data standardization can align public and private interests, ensure genuine additionality, and channel investment flows toward emerging markets where both impact potential and growth opportunities are greatest.   Season 2 is produced in collaboration with the SDG Impact Finance Initiative (SIFI).   Hosted by Luka Biernacki.   Also available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGenevaConnection   Let’s Talk Finance! Let’s Talk Impact!  

Development is often framed as aid, but for Jeffrey Sachs, one of the world’s leading development economists, it’s first and foremost an investment challenge. In this opening episode, Professor Sachs explores why capital isn’t flowing to the countries that need it most, how risk perceptions keep private money out of poor economies, and what a new investment-led development model could look like by 2030.   The episode is part of Season 2 of The Geneva Connection — “Bridging the Gap: Financing the Future of Sustainable Development.” This four-episode season takes listeners inside the world of development finance: why capital isn’t flowing where it’s needed most, and how blended finance, catalytic capital, and impact investing can help close the $4.2 trillion SDG funding gap. From big-picture insights to practical solutions, we explore what it will take to turn ambition into investible impact.   Season 2 is produced in collaboration with the SDG Impact Finance Initiative (SIFI).   Hosted by Luka Biernacki.   Also available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGenevaConnection   Let’s Talk Finance! Let’s Talk Impact!

Guests: Dimple Sahni, Yuko Takano, Kostis Tselenis. This episode explores the evolution of impact investing once seen as a niche, now emerging as a powerful strategy to reshape how capital is allocated, measured, and scaled across financial systems. Through three grounded conversations, we examine how investors across asset classes from institutional portfolios to early-stage startups are embedding impact into core decision-making.   PART 1 From Values to Value — Embedding Impact into Investing Dimple Sahni, Managing Director, Multi Asset Impact Investing, Anthos Fund & Asset Management PART 2 Transparency, Data, and Strategy in Impact Investing Yuko Takano, Co-Lead Investment Manager, Pictet Group PART 3 Fuel for the Future — Scaling Impact Through Venture Capital Kostis Tselenis, Managing Partner, Swiss Impact Office   Timestamps: Dimple Sahni (1:32) Yuko Takano (13:28) Kostis Tselenis (25:29) Hosted by Luka Biernacki. Season 1 was recorded in December 2024 at the Building Bridges Summit in Geneva.  

Guests: Adrian Schatzmann, Anja Hannerz, Helena Viñes Fiestas. In this episode, we explore the fundamentals of transition finance and how financial institutions, businesses, and policymakers are working together to bridge today’s economy with a low-carbon future. With trillions needed annually to stay on track, we ask: Where is capital most needed? Which approaches are delivering results? And how can we make transition finance both effective and equitable?     PART 1: The Role of Financial Institutions in Transition Finance Adrian Schatzmann, CEO, Asset Management Association Switzerland   PART 2: Real Economy Impact and Scaling Transition Finance Anja Hannerz, Group Head of Sustainability, Nordea   PART 3: Policy Frameworks and the EU Perspective Helena Viñes Fiestas, Chair, EU Platform on Sustainable Finance & Co-Chair, UN Taskforce on Net-Zero Policy   Timestamps: Adrian Schatzmann (00:56) Anja Hannerz (18:52) Helena Viñes Fiestas (27:56) Hosted by Luka Biernacki. Season 1 was recorded in December 2024 at the Building Bridges Summit in Geneva.     

Guests: Delilah Rothenberg, James Mwangi, Jean Pesme. In this episode we examine how finance can become a tool for closing wealth gaps, empowering marginalised communities, and ensuring that sustainable development is truly inclusive. From rethinking investment frameworks to designing financial systems that work for all, our guests provide insights into how finance can shape a better future   PART 1: The Role of Finance in Addressing Systemic Inequalities Delilah Rothenberg, Co-Founder & Executive Director, The Predistribution Initiative   PART 2: Financial Inclusion and Equity James Mwangi, CEO, Equity Group Holdings   PART 3: Global Financial Systems and Development Goals Jean Pesme, Global Director, Finance, World Bank Timestamps: (01:15) Delilah Rothenberg (20:47) James Mwangi (28:31) Jean Pesme   Hosted by Luka Biernacki. Season 1 was recorded in December 2024 at the Building Bridges Summit in Geneva. 

Guests: André Hoffmann, Mark Halle, Xiye Bastida. This episode explores nature finance and its expanding role in business and investment. From rethinking accounting frameworks to embedding biodiversity in corporate strategies and scaling nature-positive solutions, our guests explore the systemic shifts needed to integrate nature into financial systems for long-term resilience. We also examine the crucial role of Indigenous knowledge and youth activism in shaping a more inclusive and effective nature finance system.   PART 1 Building the Business Case for Nature Mark Halle, Senior Advisor, NatureFinance. PART 2 The Private Sector’s Role in Valuing Nature André Hoffmann, Vice Chairman, Roche Holding AG & Co-Founder, InTent. PART 3 Funding for Nature: An Indigenous Perspective Xiye Bastida, Co-Founder & Executive Director, Re-Earth Initiative.   Timestamps: (01:26) Mark Halle (12:30) André Hoffmann (30:24) Xiye Bastida   Hosted by Luka Biernacki. Season 1 was recorded in December 2024 at the Building Bridges Summit in Geneva.   

Guests: Patrick Odier, Karen Hitschke, August Benz. In this first episode, we explore the latest Building Bridges Summit in Geneva, featuring insights from key leaders driving the initiative and shaping the future of Sustainable Finance:  PART 1 Building Bridges as a Catalyst for Change Patrick Odier, Chairman of the Building Bridges Foundation, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Lombard Odier Group, and President of Swiss Sustainable Finance.  PART 2 Building Bridges as a Platform for Action Karen Hitschke, CEO of the Building Bridges Foundation.  PART 3 Switzerland’s Role in Driving Sustainable Finance and Innovation August Benz, Board Member of Building Bridges and Deputy CEO & Head of International & Transformation at the Swiss Bankers Association.   Timestamps: (02:31) Patrick Odier  (16:53) Karen Hitschke (26:02) August Benz Season 1 is hosted by Luka Biernacki.   Season 1 has been recorded in December 2024 at the Building Bridges Summit in Geneva.