Post-event Recording: Webinar: Completing the SFDR Process

Jonathan has extensive experience in the field of sustainability. Before he started at Knight Frank he led the ESG and Sustainability advisory services team within the BNP Paribas Real Estate UK division of Property Management.  This involved guiding clients (from C-suite to asset level) on ESG risks & opportunities, coordination of corporate reporting such as GRESB, UNPRI and EPRA sBPR, supporting clients understand how to make progress on Net Zero and in aligning with TCFD requirements. 

Jonathan also oversaw the centralised service line delivery of ESG related projects geared at driving sustainability performance across the client base.  These projects covered portfolio and asset level technical assessments such as sourcing property utilities efficiency opportunities (energy, water, waste & health & wellbeing) as well as due diligence assessments to understand the steps towards guiding landlords on steps to reaching Net Zero on both a portfolio and individual asset basis.  The BNPPRE sustainability team function also supported client requests for assessments to review the most appropriate approach to incorporating themes, certification and reviews associated with health & wellbeing, social value, biodiversity net gain, green travel plans and sustainability building certification.

Experienced Funds and Finance lawyer with over 19 years advising on transactions both in private practice and in-house. Most recently as Head of Legal, Real Estate at Columbia Threadneedle Investments advising on structuring, establishment and operation of real estate investment funds across EMEA.  Covering all real estate sectors (including commercial retail, offices and logistics as well as residential), with a significant focus on the application, implementation and operation of ESG regulation in the real estate sector throughout EMEA. Prior to this current role, 12 years working in Banking law, advising on international finance transactions. In-house as Senior Legal Advisor in BLME, advising on all types of Islamic financing and bespoke structuring and documenting deals to meet individual client requirements and prior to BLME, as Senior Associate in the general banking team at Norton Rose Fulbright LLP focusing on real estate finance, syndicated facilities, Islamic finance and leveraged finance.

Georgie Nelson is Head of ESG for Real Estate at abrdn. She is responsible for heading up ESG strategy and integration for abrdn’s real estate investments business with a specialist focus on climate and biodiversity. She also sits in the Natural Capital team to support the company’s wider natural capital offering and is involved in some of the live pilots of the TNFD framework with numerous internal and external stakeholders.

Georgie sits on numerous expert industry working groups both in the UK and globally including co-chair of the European Investments Working Group for the Better Buildings Partnership and is a member of the technical standards board at Wilder Carbon. Prior to abrdn, Georgie worked at Carbon Intelligence supporting and delivering on sustainability solutions for investors and corporates.