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London, 02 February: Ecosphere+ today announces several key appointments to its senior team, bringing a broad set of skills and experience to launch its sales and marketing operations.

Ecosphere+ was established by the Althelia Climate Fund in September 2016 to develop and scale the market for carbon assets, environmental services and sustainably produced commodities generated through transformational forest conservation and sustainable landuse projects.

Lisa Walker, the former Vice President of Environment and Climate Change at BG Group (now part of Royal Dutch Shell), was appointed CEO of the venture in September 2016.

The full-time team reporting to Lisa will now include:

  • Kate Dillon Levin – VP, North American Sales & Marketing
  • Jessica Verhagen – VP, Business Development & Strategy
  • Gustavo Gamio – Latin American Sales & Marketing
  • Lucy Arndt – Sales & Business Development Manager
  • Naazia Ebrahim – Strategic Analyst

Anna Lehmann, agronomist and natural resources expert, is also supporting Ecosphere+ as a Technical Adviser.

Commenting, Lisa Walker, CEO of Ecosphere+, said: “I’m thrilled we have been able to bring together such a talented team to launch Ecosphere+. Our business has been created to bring innovative new approaches to financing the protection of the planet’s most valuable climate assets – our forested landscapes. Creating a market for the carbon assets, environmental services and commodities from sustainable landuse will incentivise new business models, as well as establish a practical means of valuing carbon emissions.

We have recruited a strong blend of skills in the new team to drive our mission. The team brings together experience of consumer as well as industry initiatives, policy and politics, financing and technical skills. Most importantly, there is a strong energy among the team to have a material impact and bring a new and creative mindset to the way we think about natural assets.”

As well as the core team, Ecosphere+ is also announcing its collaboration today with Andrew Mitchell, founder and former-CEO of the Global Canopy Programme.

Andrew will join Ecosphere+ as a Senior Adviser and Chair of the Advisory Board.

Commenting, Andrew Mitchell, Senior Adviser to Ecosphere+, said: “I’m delighted to be joining Ecosphere+ with the chance to work with such a diverse and talented group of people. Fulfilling the Ecosphere+ mission to scale up demand for environmental assets and sustainable landuse is absolutely vital. Forest landscapes provide the most scalable and cost effective, natural solution to climate change, as well as a wealth of other social and economic benefits. Unlike a factory, forests cannot easily be re-built. The ecosystem services they provide to the whole world are huge, underpinning food, climate, water, energy and livelihood security for us all. That’s why the Ecosphere+ mission is so important.”