This group of cross-sector experts will be responsible for helping the company navigate the next phase of transformation across global carbon markets and drive innovation across its climate solutions.
Over the past 18 years, South Pole has been a pioneer in the global carbon market, helping governments to develop flagship environmental and social projects, and enabled businesses to positively address their climate impact. The company is actively strengthening its leadership, governance, as well as quality and risk management practices to position itself for the next phase of growth. These enhancements are designed to reinforce trust, integrity, and transparency both within the organisation and across the broader market. The South Pole Strategic Advisory Board will play a critical role in delivering on this ambition.
The Strategic Advisory Board will be co-chaired by Damilola Ogunbiyi, the CEO and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All, and Co-Chair of UN-Energy, who will support South Pole's CEO Dr Daniel Klier, a global sustainability leader.
Ogunbiyi and Dr. Klier will be joined by:
Executive Vice President and Chief Impact Officer at Salesforce
Suzanne DiBianca is the Executive Vice President & Chief Impact Officer at Salesforce. In this role she leads Salesforce's stakeholder capitalism strategy, including the company's global corporate relations, sustainability, and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategy, with a depth of focus on climate action programs on the global journey to net zero emissions. Suzanne also oversees Salesforce's corporate philanthropy initiatives, which include supporting nonprofits focused on climate resilience, education, and workforce development. Suzanne has worked at Salesforce for more than 20 years and was previously co-founder and president of the Salesforce Foundation and Salesforce.org. Under Suzanne's leadership, Salesforce's pioneering 1-1-1 model of integrated corporate philanthropy has been adopted by tens of thousands of companies across 130 countries. Suzanne previously led Salesforce's Ventures Impact Fund which focuses on investing in next-gen cloud companies driving positive social change, and oversaw the company's Salesforce Military program focusing on up-skilling and hiring veterans. Suzanne serves on multiple councils for the United Nations and the World Economic Forum. She is a board director and trustee at the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, and board director at JGI. Suzanne is also a Senior Advisor to Lightrock, and on the Advisory Board at South Pole. She has been recognized on TIME's inaugural 100 Most Influential Climate Leaders in Business 2023 list. Suzanne holds a degree in economics from the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Former Global Managing Director of McKinsey & Company, Advisor to Apax Partners, and Board member
Ian Davis is currently on the board of a number of private companies and non-profit institutions. Previously, between 2013-2021 Ian was Chairman of Rolls-Royce plc and of Thoughtworks. From 2010-2023 he was NonExecutive Director of Johnson & Johnson Inc. and from 2010-2020 he was a Non-Executive Director of BP plc where he was also Senior Independent (Lead) Director. Between 2011-2017 he was a Non-Executive Director of the UK Cabinet Office, of Teach for All, an educational non profit and Big Society Capital. Ian is Senior Partner Emeritus of McKinsey & Company, where he was a consultant and partner for over 30 years. He served as Chairman and Worldwide Managing Partner of McKinsey between 2003 and 2009.
Director of Climate and Energy Policy, Tony Blair Institute
Lindy Fursman leads the Climate and Energy Policy team at the Tony Blair Global Institute and is an expert in climate change mitigation and adaptation. Before joining the Institute, she worked for two years alongside New Zealand's Minister for Climate Change. Ms Fursman also served as Chief Advisor for Climate Change at the New Zealand Ministry for the Environment for five years. Additionally, she advised on climate change and economic policy for seven years, including roles at the New Zealand Treasury and as Economic Counsellor to the OECD.
Senior Advisor and Board member, dedicated to supporting energy transition journeys; former Head of M&A and Senior Vice President of Carbon Neutral Businesses at Total Energies and Founding Chairman of the OGCI Executive Committee.
Jerome Schmitt has over 30 years of experience in the energy and mobility sectors, specializing in finance, sustainability, and business strategy. He is the Chairman of C-4WARD, which supports a portfolio of leading global institutions and start-ups on their Transitions journey. As such is in particular a Senior Advisor to Systemiq and at the Board of several start-ups in the energy transition space. Previously, Mr Schmitt was the Founding Chairman of the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative Executive Committee and held senior roles at Total Energies, including Group Senior VP of Mergers and Acquisitions, SVP Net Zero Businesses and SVP Sustainable Development & Environment, where he led sustainability and climate strategies ahead of COP21.
Director of Climate and Energy Policy, Tony Blair Institute
Lindy Fursman leads the Climate and Energy Policy team at the Tony Blair Global Institute and is an expert in climate change mitigation and adaptation. Before joining the Institute, she worked for two years alongside New Zealand's Minister for Climate Change. Ms Fursman also served as Chief Advisor for Climate Change at the New Zealand Ministry for the Environment for five years. Additionally, she advised on climate change and economic policy for seven years, including roles at the New Zealand Treasury and as Economic Counsellor to the OECD.
Executive Vice President and Chief Impact Officer at Salesforce
Suzanne DiBianca is the Executive Vice President & Chief Impact Officer at Salesforce. In this role she leads Salesforce's stakeholder capitalism strategy, including the company's global corporate relations, sustainability, and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategy, with a depth of focus on climate action programs on the global journey to net zero emissions. Suzanne also oversees Salesforce's corporate philanthropy initiatives, which include supporting nonprofits focused on climate resilience, education, and workforce development. Suzanne has worked at Salesforce for more than 20 years and was previously co-founder and president of the Salesforce Foundation and Salesforce.org. Under Suzanne's leadership, Salesforce's pioneering 1-1-1 model of integrated corporate philanthropy has been adopted by tens of thousands of companies across 130 countries. Suzanne previously led Salesforce's Ventures Impact Fund which focuses on investing in next-gen cloud companies driving positive social change, and oversaw the company's Salesforce Military program focusing on up-skilling and hiring veterans. Suzanne serves on multiple councils for the United Nations and the World Economic Forum. She is a board director and trustee at the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, and board director at JGI. Suzanne is also a Senior Advisor to Lightrock, and on the Advisory Board at South Pole. She has been recognized on TIME's inaugural 100 Most Influential Climate Leaders in Business 2023 list. Suzanne holds a degree in economics from the University of Colorado at Boulder.
The Strategic Advisory Board's responsibilities will span across providing strategic guidance to South Pole's executive team, supporting on quality and risk, and driving innovation regarding South Pole's strategy and operations.
“We know there is no net zero without a high integrity, functioning carbon market. That's why South Pole has created a new Strategic Advisory Board – an initiative focused on promoting cross-sector collaboration to answer critical questions around challenges of integrity, demand signals, and market infrastructure that are holding this market back from realising its true potential. I am grateful to the distinguished group of experts who have joined us in this critical endeavour to support our mission to deliver true climate impact for all," said Daniel Klier, South Pole CEO.
“Carbon markets are crucial for bridging the financing gap in industries such as clean power and nature, where traditional financing often falls short. By fostering collaboration among global experts, South Pole's new advisory board, will ignite important conversations that advance critical solutions to scale market size, incentivise meaningful climate action, and tackle pressing global challenges," said Damilola Ogunbiyi, South Pole's Strategic Advisory Board co-chair, Chief Executive Officer and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All, and Co-Chair of UN-Energy.
Reach out to us at media@southpole.com for more information.
South Pole is the world's leading carbon asset developer and climate consultancy.
Since 2006, South Pole has helped companies decide where and how to decarbonise, then mobilise what delivery requires across their organisation – including through suppliers, projects, technology and capital – to deliver measurable emission reductions and business value.. South Pole serves over 3,500 clients across the world, and its global team of experts has helped many Fortune 500 businesses translate net zero commitments into practical, investment-ready decarbonisation plans.
With more than 900 carbon projects in its global portfolio, South Pole develops project pipelines, structures carbon credit portfolios and mobilises financing and delivery partners, bringing together the capabilities and resources that companies cannot easily access or coordinate on their own. In line with its mission to deliver true climate impact for all, South Pole has helped reduce over 200 million metric tonnes of CO2 emissions to date, 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.
For more information, visit www.southpole.com or LinkedIn.
