Climate change means that companies, banks, insurers, and investors will need to adjust their business models, develop credible plans for the transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient future, and then implement those plans.  MCAF is working with financial institutions’ to bring human mobility, migrant rights and climate adaptation into existing strategic planning and thematic research. 

Who we are

Barbara Pomfret is an independent researcher and analyst with a focus on migration. Barbara has over fifteen years of experience as an investor relations advisor and investment analyst, working with investors and companies to identify and address key ESG risks and opportunities. Barbara is currently studying for a MA in Refugee Protection and Forced Migration at the University of London. Previously, Barbara was a Managing Director at Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher in New York, where she was responsible for advising corporate boards and executives on responsible investor relations. Prior to joining Joele Frank, Barbara was the Product Manager for ESG at Bloomberg in New York and London. Barbara began her ESG career as a sustainability research analyst at Allianz Global Investors, in London and Frankfurt. Barbara holds a MSc in Environmental Science and Technology from Imperial College London, and a BA in Geography from Oxford University.

Hamish Stewart works with banks, insurers, and institutional investors on climate change-related risk management, net zero aligned investment strategy, and policy engagement. Alongside work with large clients, Hamish is committed to innovation and is involved with a number of machine learning businesses focused on financial research tools for fixed income investors, fund selectors, and in the asset backed security market. While at the UN-backed Principles for Responsible Investment, Hamish worked on a number of their flagship climate programs, including the Net Zero Asset Owner Alliance engagement track and the Investor Climate Action Plans programme. In the lead up to COP26, Hamish worked with partners to lay the groundwork for the launch of GFANZ and participated in a number of that coalition's technical workstreams. In 2014 he led the launch of the legal programme at the Asset Owners Disclosure Project in London. He holds an MSc from the London School of Economics and a Juris Doctor degree in law from the University of British Columbia. 

Karina Kleissl is an external strategic advisor to the MCAF Working Group focused on social impact and migration related themes. She is a former strategy consultant from Boston Consulting Group, where among others, she co-authored and worked on a business case for migration with the UN International Organization for Migration. There she also worked on a range of projects helping large businesses with diverse challenges. She has six years of experience in the banking sector in São Paulo, Brazil including at BTG Pactual, the largest investment bank in Latin America. She worked primarily in Asset Management investor relations where she managed relationships with global institutional investors such as sovereign wealth funds- investing in Latin America. Her experience also includes leading relationships with European development funds. She is passionate about enabling private sector players to address social injustice and to allocate capital towards equality of opportunity. She holds an MBA Degree from IESE Business School.

Advisory Board