James Leaton

James Leaton is Research Director at the SDI AOP, where he leads on methodology and product development for data aligning with the SDGs and sustainability themes. He has been leading innovation around quantifying outcomes such as avoided emissions and people served. He joined from Moody’s, where he was a Senior Vice President, the architect of a carbon transition analysis framework for companies across high impact sectors, and led broader ESG research and outreach efforts in EMEA.

James was previously Research Director at Carbon Tracker – an independent research house – where he developed a team producing thematic energy research combining elements of climate change scenarios with financial analysis. James was lead author of a series of research which sparked investor interest in the concept of stranded assets, and led to a number of investor initiatives on carbon asset risk. James also advised blue-chip clients on climate change and sustainability strategy whilst a consultant at PwC, and was a senior policy advisor at WWF, focusing on the development and biodiversity impacts of extractive industries. 

James Leaton

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James Leaton

Will Farrell

Federated Hermes
Assistant Manager, EOS
London

Will co-leads the climate change theme at EOS, the stewardship arm of Federated Hermes Limited, where his coverage includes companies in Europe and Australia, primarily financial services, energy, chemicals, and materials. Prior to joining EOS, Will worked in the energy and infrastructure investment banking team at Macquarie Capital, where he specialised in renewable energy. Before that, Will held a number of roles across the UK climate policy space, including as a parliamentary researcher for Rt. Hon. Chris Skidmore MP on climate and energy issues, and as a climate and economic policy analyst at a diplomatic institute. He was appointed as a voluntary adviser to Rt. Hon. Alok Sharma MP, President of COP26, on preparations for COP26 after co-founding a Westminster climate policy group in 2019, which engaged MPs and Members of the House of Lords to advocate for more ambition on climate action in public policy. Will has a Bachelor’s degree (1st Class Honours) in Economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science.