Obsidian Memo]🌍 From Compliance to Conviction: Sustainable Investing as a Catalyst for Systemic Transformation

Hi All,

Today, I wanted to share my reflections on the #LCAW panel discussion. It was a privilege to speak alongside industry leaders Phil Cliff, Dr. Arthur Krebbers, and Varun Sarda—in a discussion moderated by Kishore Goshikonda at the MoneyNext Banking and Financial Transformation Summit in Excel.

Our panel explored the forces shaping the future of finance—from climate strategy and net zero pathways to ethics, inclusion, and client-driven innovation.

Here are a few reflections I brought into the conversation:

✅ ESG is evolving from risk to upside. The conversation is shifting from box-ticking to regenerative outcomes that restore ecosystems, empower communities, and build resilience. Long-term performance will be driven by embedding ESG into core strategy and cultural DNA.

✅ Asset allocation is a lever for systemic change. Capital is never neutral. Whether directed to climate innovation, nature-based solutions, or underserved markets, our choices today define tomorrow’s economy. Key questions: “Is our capital aligned with the future we want to create in 5–10 years?” and “Are we embedding a just transition into decarbonisation strategies?”

✅ Clients are catalysts. Increasingly, clients are asking: “Walk me through my portfolio—show me quantifiable impact.” This demand for climate- and nature-positive solutions, transparency, and accountability is transforming how asset managers act, communicate, and build trust—internally as well as externally.

✅ Nature and biodiversity are becoming non-negotiable. Within five years, no sustainability strategy will be credible without a science-based, nature-positive framework. Nature underpins climate, food, health, and equity—it’s not a theme, it’s the foundation.

✅ AI will redefine the landscape. From satellite analytics to ecosystem modelling, AI is making the invisible visible—helping us price nature with integrity. The future of finance will demand both planetary intelligence and artificial intelligence working together.

✅ Systems thinking is essential. As Julian Critchlow once reminded me: “Nature is not siloed. Zoom out and understand the ripple effects.” Sectoral excellence must now be paired with systems leadership.

🌐 The future of finance will belong to those who can bridge conviction with complexity, product with purpose, and data with direction.

Grateful to have been part of this dialogue—thank you to all who made it possible.

🦅 Shoutout to the Obsidian Odyssey community

At its core, the future of finance will belong to those who can bridge conviction with complexity, product with purpose, and data with direction.

Obsidian Odyssey exists to document these intersections—where markets, ethics, and imagination converge. Sustainable investing is not just about avoiding harm; it is about shaping a financial system that regenerates life, builds resilience, and aligns capital with the future we want to create.

What's your take on it? I would love to hear from you!