A4S Online Summit 2025

Nigel Topping, CMG is the co-founder of AmbitionLoop, a not-for-profit organization working to facilitate systemic change through radical collaboration between businesses and governments. 

Nigel served as the UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP26, where he launched global initiatives like Race to Zero, Race to Resilience and GFANZ. He is a Non-Executive Director of the UK Infrastructure Bank, Chair of the UK Climate Change Committee, Senior Fellow at Mission Possible Partnerships, and strategic advisor to the 57-country collaboration launched at Glasgow, the Breakthrough Agenda. Prior to this he was CEO of the We Mean Business Coalition following an 18-year career running and owning manufacturing businesses. 

Saker serves as CEO of Federated Hermes Limited. He is also a member of the Federated Hermes Incorporated Executive team. Saker was appointed CEO of Hermes Investment Management in 2011, having joined the firm as Chief Investment Officer in 2009, prior to its acquisition by Federated Investors Incorporated in 2018. 

Previously, he was Global Head of Equities at Fortis Investments, having initially been appointed as CIO Global Equities in 2005. Before this, he served as CIO of Global Equities and Head of Marketing for SGAM UK. 

Saker is the founder of the 300 Club, a group of leading CIOs and investment professionals who seek to challenge investment orthodoxy. He is a council member of the Integrated Reporting and Connectivity Council at the IFRS Foundation, the International Finance Corporation, the FCA-PRA Climate Financial Risk Forum and the Institute for Fiscal Studies.  

Alice serves as Chief Strategy, Sustainability & Marketing Officer at Signify. Alice joined Signify, the global leader in lighting technologies in January 2022 as Chief Strategy & Sustainability Officer and a member of the company’s Leadership Team. 

 Previously, Alice was the founding Chief Sustainability Officer of Dassault Systèmes, a global leader in virtual twin technologies, and for the ten years prior served as the founding Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer at AXA Group, where she helped the company rise to a leading position in global sustainability rankings. Prior to joining AXA, she led the investor research arm of Vigeo (now a subsidiary of Moody’s), worked in the business consulting unit of Arthur Andersen, and acted as an independent consultant in the field of strategic planning for Save the Children USA. 

 Alice currently serves as the Chair of ShareAction, a guest lecturer at the University of Groningen, and as an advisory committee member at the impact fund Giant Ventures.

George Quinn serves as Non-Executive Director of Swiss Re. George was elected to the Board of Directors of Swiss Re Limited in 2025. He is a member of the Audit Committee and the Risk Committee.

George Quinn was Group Chief Financial Officer at Zurich Insurance Group from 2014 to 2024. He was also Chairman of Zurich Insurance Group's EMEA region from 2015 to 2016. Prior to that, he was Group Chief Financial Officer at Swiss Re from 2007 to 2014.

George Quinn held several leadership positions within Swiss Re after joining the company as Chief Accounting Officer in 1999, including as Regional Chief Financial Officer for the Americas based in New York.

He started his insurance career in 1988 as an auditor at KPMG in London, moving to KPMG in Bristol in 1993 to support the foundation of a new life insurance practice and to Zurich in 1996, where he specialised in US capital markets advisory work.

Alice serves as Chief Strategy, Sustainability & Marketing Officer at Signify. Alice joined Signify, the global leader in lighting technologies in January 2022 as Chief Strategy & Sustainability Officer and a member of the company’s Leadership Team. 

 Previously, Alice was the founding Chief Sustainability Officer of Dassault Systèmes, a global leader in virtual twin technologies, and for the ten years prior served as the founding Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer at AXA Group, where she helped the company rise to a leading position in global sustainability rankings. Prior to joining AXA, she led the investor research arm of Vigeo (now a subsidiary of Moody’s), worked in the business consulting unit of Arthur Andersen, and acted as an independent consultant in the field of strategic planning for Save the Children USA. 

 Alice currently serves as the Chair of ShareAction, a guest lecturer at the University of Groningen, and as an advisory committee member at the impact fund Giant Ventures.

George Quinn serves as Non-Executive Director of Swiss Re. George was elected to the Board of Directors of Swiss Re Limited in 2025. He is a member of the Audit Committee and the Risk Committee.

George Quinn was Group Chief Financial Officer at Zurich Insurance Group from 2014 to 2024. He was also Chairman of Zurich Insurance Group's EMEA region from 2015 to 2016. Prior to that, he was Group Chief Financial Officer at Swiss Re from 2007 to 2014.

George Quinn held several leadership positions within Swiss Re after joining the company as Chief Accounting Officer in 1999, including as Regional Chief Financial Officer for the Americas based in New York.

He started his insurance career in 1988 as an auditor at KPMG in London, moving to KPMG in Bristol in 1993 to support the foundation of a new life insurance practice and to Zurich in 1996, where he specialised in US capital markets advisory work.

Helena serves as Commissioner at the Spanish Financial Markets Authority (CNMV) and was Chairs of the EU Platform on Sustainable Finance until the end of its most recent mandate in April 2025.

Helena co-chairs the Taskforce on Net Zero Policy;, established as a follow-up to the UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Expert Group on Net Zero Pledges, where she previously served as a member. Helena is also a member of the Climate and Environment Advisory Council of the European Investment Bank (EIB), the Advisory Group of the International Transition Plan Network (ITPN), and the Council on Sustainable Finance chaired by Spain’s Minister of Economy. 

Helena has been a board member of the Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change and represented BNP Paribas Asset Management on the EFAMA Stewardship and ESG Committee. She also served on the AMF’s Comité Climat et Finance Durable and continues to contribute to several international initiatives, including the Sustainable Stock Exchanges Green Finance Advisory Group, the PRI Policy Reference Group, and the Technical Advisory Group of the LSE-led Transition Pathway Initiative.

Silvia Vilas Boas serves as CFO, DRI, and Vice-President of Strategy at Natura, with over 25 years of experience in national and multinational companies across the retail, financial market, telecommunications, and industry sectors. 

Silvia is the co-founder of W-CFO Brazil, an initiative dedicated to promoting diversity and developing female leadership in finance. She is also a certified board member by Fundação Dom Cabral. 

Rowan leads Climate Risk and Resilience at Howden and serves on the company’s Global Leadership Team. 

 He has been a pioneer in the field of climate risk and insurance for over 20 years. In 2006, he introduced climate modelling to reinsurance, in 2015, he co-founded the Insurance Development Forum alongside the UN, World Bank, and industry leaders and, in 2020, Rowan helped launch the award-winning Coalition for Climate Resilient Investment. 

 Rowan also served on the UK Prime Minister's Council for Science & Technology from 2011 to 2016 and was a member of the UK Green Finance Task Force. 

Nigel Topping, CMG is the co-founder of AmbitionLoop, a not-for-profit organization working to facilitate systemic change through radical collaboration between businesses and governments. 

Nigel served as the UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP26, where he launched global initiatives like Race to Zero, Race to Resilience and GFANZ. He is a Non-Executive Director of the UK Infrastructure Bank, Chair of the UK Climate Change Committee, Senior Fellow at Mission Possible Partnerships, and strategic advisor to the 57-country collaboration launched at Glasgow, the Breakthrough Agenda. Prior to this he was CEO of the We Mean Business Coalition following an 18-year career running and owning manufacturing businesses. 

Saker serves as CEO of Federated Hermes Limited. He is also a member of the Federated Hermes Incorporated Executive team. Saker was appointed CEO of Hermes Investment Management in 2011, having joined the firm as Chief Investment Officer in 2009, prior to its acquisition by Federated Investors Incorporated in 2018. 

Previously, he was Global Head of Equities at Fortis Investments, having initially been appointed as CIO Global Equities in 2005. Before this, he served as CIO of Global Equities and Head of Marketing for SGAM UK. 

Saker is the founder of the 300 Club, a group of leading CIOs and investment professionals who seek to challenge investment orthodoxy. He is a council member of the Integrated Reporting and Connectivity Council at the IFRS Foundation, the International Finance Corporation, the FCA-PRA Climate Financial Risk Forum and the Institute for Fiscal Studies.  

Karen Higgins serves as Executive Vice-President and Finance & Chief Financial Officer at The Co-operators Group Limited, leading financial management, strategic planning, procurement, and corporate development.  

Karen is the Co-chair of Accounting for Sustainability's (A4S) CFO Leadership Network in Canada.  

Karen serves as a Director and Audit Committee Chair for Aviso Wealth, and Director for CU CUMIS Wealth Holdings LP and Addenda Capital.  In addition, Karen is the Chair of the Premier Canada Board.  

Karen recently joined the Board and Audit Committee of Grand Challenges Canada, one of the world’s largest impact-focused investors.  

Paul serves as a Board Trustee of A4S. He is also Finance Committee Chair and Board Trustee of Shift Project, and a member of the ESG Advisory Council of Workiva. In addition, he is an Advisory Council Member of the Impact Investing Institute and the IFRS Foundation.  

Paul is an Honorary Professor at Durham University Business School and an Advisory Group Member of the GEO Foundation for Sustainable Golf. 

Paul served as Chairman of the World Benchmarking Alliance, Board Member of the Value Reporting Foundation, and Board Member and Corporate Reporting Council Chair at the Financial Reporting Council (FRC). He has also served as CEO of the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC) and President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW). 

Esther An serves as Chief Sustainability Officer in City Developments Limited (CDL).  

A sustainability practitioner for 3 decades, Esther has been instrumental in building up the Sustainability leadership for CDL, which has been ranked Top amongst real estate companies on the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World, released at World Economic Forum at Davos.  

Esther sits on the boards or advisory platforms of international organizations including, World Green Building Council Corporate Advisory Board Chairperson, UN PRI Real Estate Advisory Committee, UN ESCAP Sustainable Business Network Executive Council, Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures, TNFD Taskforce Member, Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Supervisory Board, IFRS Corporate Reporting Best Practice Group APAC – Chair among many more.  

Karen Higgins serves as Executive Vice-President and Finance & Chief Financial Officer at The Co-operators Group Limited, leading financial management, strategic planning, procurement, and corporate development.  

Karen is the Co-chair of Accounting for Sustainability's (A4S) CFO Leadership Network in Canada.  

Karen serves as a Director and Audit Committee Chair for Aviso Wealth, and Director for CU CUMIS Wealth Holdings LP and Addenda Capital.  In addition, Karen is the Chair of the Premier Canada Board.  

Karen recently joined the Board and Audit Committee of Grand Challenges Canada, one of the world’s largest impact-focused investors.  

Paul serves as a Board Trustee of A4S. He is also Finance Committee Chair and Board Trustee of Shift Project, and a member of the ESG Advisory Council of Workiva. In addition, he is an Advisory Council Member of the Impact Investing Institute and the IFRS Foundation.  

Paul is an Honorary Professor at Durham University Business School and an Advisory Group Member of the GEO Foundation for Sustainable Golf. 

Paul served as Chairman of the World Benchmarking Alliance, Board Member of the Value Reporting Foundation, and Board Member and Corporate Reporting Council Chair at the Financial Reporting Council (FRC). He has also served as CEO of the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC) and President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW). 

Esther An serves as Chief Sustainability Officer in City Developments Limited (CDL).  

A sustainability practitioner for 3 decades, Esther has been instrumental in building up the Sustainability leadership for CDL, which has been ranked Top amongst real estate companies on the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World, released at World Economic Forum at Davos.  

Esther sits on the boards or advisory platforms of international organizations including, World Green Building Council Corporate Advisory Board Chairperson, UN PRI Real Estate Advisory Committee, UN ESCAP Sustainable Business Network Executive Council, Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures, TNFD Taskforce Member, Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Supervisory Board, IFRS Corporate Reporting Best Practice Group APAC – Chair among many more.  

Will Oulton serves as Vice Chair of the UK’s Marine Conservation Society (MCS) and has been a Trustee Director since 2020. Will is the MCS board lead for ocean recovery and chairs the Fundraising & Development Committee.

 Will is the Chair of the EdenTree Investments RI Expert Panel, Chair of the Columbia Threadneedle Investments Responsible Investment Advisory Council, and a member of the Bangor University Endowment Fund Investment Committee. He is also a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Investment Committee at wealth advisor Harmonic Financial Planning, and Chair of Accounting for Sustainability's (A4S) Expert Panel.

 Will served as Chair of the European Sustainable Investment Forum (Eurosif) and spent a decade as the Global Head, Responsible Investment at First Sentier Investors where he founded the First Sentier MUFG Sustainable Investment Institute.

Claire Lund serves as Vice President of Environmental Sustainability of GSK, leading climate and nature targets across global operations, medicines, vaccines, R&D, and supply chains.  

Claire collaborates with various teams to advance planetary and human health, achieving top ratings from CDP for Climate and Water, and embedding sustainability at board and C-Suite levels. Claire represents GSK at international events like COPs and UN meetings.  

Ainslie van Onselen serves as CEO of CA ANZ and Chair of Chartered Accountants Worldwide, a role she has held since 2020.

With 20+ years’ experience in law and banking, she is a public interest champion and prominent advocate for digital and data transformation, ethics, inclusion and sustainability to reinforce trust in the profession.

Ainslie is a Commissioner of Legal Aid New South Wales, a non-executive director of both the Global Accounting Alliance and Automic Group, and Chair of Kambala Girls School in Sydney. She is a member of Chief Executive Women and is a recipient of the Australian Financial Review’s Women of Influence award.

Julie serves as Chief Financial Officer of GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). She joined GSK in 2023 and was appointed to the Board as Chief Financial Officer in May 2023.

Prior to this Julie served as Chief Operating and Financial Officer of Burberry for six years. Julie has been the CFO at Smith & Nephew plc for four years and previously spent 25 years at Astra Zeneca in a number of senior Finance roles, ultimately becoming the Interim Group CFO.

Julie serves a non-executive director and Audit Chair at Diageo plc. She also sits on the Mayor of London's Business Advisory Board and is a member of the 100Group Main Committee, as well as being a member of A4S’s CFO Leadership Network, a Patron of Oxford University Women in Business and an Ambassador for the King’s Trust Women Supporting Women Initiative.

Helena serves as Commissioner at the Spanish Financial Markets Authority (CNMV) and was Chairs of the EU Platform on Sustainable Finance until the end of its most recent mandate in April 2025.

Helena co-chairs the Taskforce on Net Zero Policy;, established as a follow-up to the UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Expert Group on Net Zero Pledges, where she previously served as a member. Helena is also a member of the Climate and Environment Advisory Council of the European Investment Bank (EIB), the Advisory Group of the International Transition Plan Network (ITPN), and the Council on Sustainable Finance chaired by Spain’s Minister of Economy. 

Helena has been a board member of the Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change and represented BNP Paribas Asset Management on the EFAMA Stewardship and ESG Committee. She also served on the AMF’s Comité Climat et Finance Durable and continues to contribute to several international initiatives, including the Sustainable Stock Exchanges Green Finance Advisory Group, the PRI Policy Reference Group, and the Technical Advisory Group of the LSE-led Transition Pathway Initiative.

Silvia Vilas Boas serves as CFO, DRI, and Vice-President of Strategy at Natura, with over 25 years of experience in national and multinational companies across the retail, financial market, telecommunications, and industry sectors. 

Silvia is the co-founder of W-CFO Brazil, an initiative dedicated to promoting diversity and developing female leadership in finance. She is also a certified board member by Fundação Dom Cabral. 

Rowan leads Climate Risk and Resilience at Howden and serves on the company’s Global Leadership Team. 

 He has been a pioneer in the field of climate risk and insurance for over 20 years. In 2006, he introduced climate modelling to reinsurance, in 2015, he co-founded the Insurance Development Forum alongside the UN, World Bank, and industry leaders and, in 2020, Rowan helped launch the award-winning Coalition for Climate Resilient Investment. 

 Rowan also served on the UK Prime Minister's Council for Science & Technology from 2011 to 2016 and was a member of the UK Green Finance Task Force. 

Will Oulton serves as Vice Chair of the UK’s Marine Conservation Society (MCS) and has been a Trustee Director since 2020. Will is the MCS board lead for ocean recovery and chairs the Fundraising & Development Committee.

 Will is the Chair of the EdenTree Investments RI Expert Panel, Chair of the Columbia Threadneedle Investments Responsible Investment Advisory Council, and a member of the Bangor University Endowment Fund Investment Committee. He is also a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Investment Committee at wealth advisor Harmonic Financial Planning, and Chair of Accounting for Sustainability's (A4S) Expert Panel.

 Will served as Chair of the European Sustainable Investment Forum (Eurosif) and spent a decade as the Global Head, Responsible Investment at First Sentier Investors where he founded the First Sentier MUFG Sustainable Investment Institute.

Claire Lund serves as Vice President of Environmental Sustainability of GSK, leading climate and nature targets across global operations, medicines, vaccines, R&D, and supply chains.  

Claire collaborates with various teams to advance planetary and human health, achieving top ratings from CDP for Climate and Water, and embedding sustainability at board and C-Suite levels. Claire represents GSK at international events like COPs and UN meetings.  

Ainslie van Onselen serves as CEO of CA ANZ and Chair of Chartered Accountants Worldwide, a role she has held since 2020.

With 20+ years’ experience in law and banking, she is a public interest champion and prominent advocate for digital and data transformation, ethics, inclusion and sustainability to reinforce trust in the profession.

Ainslie is a Commissioner of Legal Aid New South Wales, a non-executive director of both the Global Accounting Alliance and Automic Group, and Chair of Kambala Girls School in Sydney. She is a member of Chief Executive Women and is a recipient of the Australian Financial Review’s Women of Influence award.

Julie serves as Chief Financial Officer of GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). She joined GSK in 2023 and was appointed to the Board as Chief Financial Officer in May 2023.

Prior to this Julie served as Chief Operating and Financial Officer of Burberry for six years. Julie has been the CFO at Smith & Nephew plc for four years and previously spent 25 years at Astra Zeneca in a number of senior Finance roles, ultimately becoming the Interim Group CFO.

Julie serves a non-executive director and Audit Chair at Diageo plc. She also sits on the Mayor of London's Business Advisory Board and is a member of the 100Group Main Committee, as well as being a member of A4S’s CFO Leadership Network, a Patron of Oxford University Women in Business and an Ambassador for the King’s Trust Women Supporting Women Initiative.