Carbon Growth Partners Is a leading investment manager in global carbon markets
We invest in blue chip carbon assets to achieve three key outcomes for people and the planet:
Generating
financial returns
By identifying, acquiring and managing highest integrity carbon assets that can deliver superior returns to investors.
Accelerating
climate action
By providing much-needed climate finance for emissions reductions and removals, especially in developing countries.
Protecting and
restoring nature
By investing in projects that deliver co-benefits to forests, grasslands and wetlands, and the people who rely on them.
OUR STORY
Carbon Growth Partners was established to meet the world’s massively growing demand for climate finance.
Our story begins in the boardrooms, communities, forests, wetlands and grasslands of the Americas and Asia-Pacific, where our founding partners spent decades designing and implementing market-based solutions to complex environmental and social problems. This experience included many years working with The Nature Conservancy, the world’s largest environmental NGO. In 2020, we leveraged that experience to establish the world’s first investment manager exclusively dedicated to generating returns and impact in the verified or ‘voluntary’ carbon market.
Uniquely, our team brings together skills and experience in investment management and operations, carbon policy and markets, community development and nature-based climate solutions. With rigorous attention to quality and integrity we are uniquely placed to generate financial returns alongside positive impacts for people and nature.
Like the carbon market itself, our approach is underpinned by a simple yet elegant premise: what is difficult and expensive to achieve in one place, may be less so in another. By financing emissions reductions and removals through investments in clean cookstoves, clean energy, nature conservation and restoration, and renewable biogas, we can accelerate a pathway to net zero that complements direct emissions reductions.
In doing so, we help to create meaningful employment and a healthy environment for some of the world’s most vulnerable people and places and help to ensure a safe climate for all.
OUR LEADERSHIP
The Carbon Growth Partners group is led by a team with more than 100 years’ experience in climate finance, policy and markets, investment banking, conservation and community development.
Rich Gilmore
Chief Executive Officer
Rich is one of Australia’s most accomplished climate and
conservation finance professionals. He has conceived, designed and implemented more than US$400
million in innovative climate and natural capital investments in the past five years, delivering
financial returns to investors alongside positive outcomes for people and nature.
He has a diverse background that spans 28 years across financial
markets, climate change and conservation, business and science. As the Australia Country
Director for The Nature Conservancy, he originated more than $100 million in natural capital
impact investments.
Rich has a Master’s degree in Environmental Management and is a
Non-Executive Director of Tiverton Agriculture Impact Fund.
John Coffeng
Chief Investment Officer
John is a professional investor with more than 20 years’ investment experience in Asia. He spent 14 years at UBS in Hong Kong, most recently as the Managing Director heading the equity derivatives trading team.
There he was a member of the Equities Asian Management Committee and the Global Equity Derivatives Board. He is the Chair of the Finance Committee of Hong Kong Academy and has a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Queen’s University, Ontario.
Charles Bedford
Chief Impact Officer
Charles is an attorney with more than 25 years’ global conservation and climate experience and is a founder at CGP. He is also a Professor at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
Charles previously served as Regional Managing Director for The Nature Conservancy’s (TNC) Asia Pacific Region where he led the advancement of climate, marine, freshwater and land conservation projects.
He has also served as director of the Colorado State Land Board, overseer of 3 million hectares of state lands, was Legal Counsel to Colorado Governor Roy Romer and practiced law with the firm of Kutak Rock. He graduated from Georgetown University and holds a JD from the University of Colorado School of Law.
Yvonne Choong
Chief Operating Officer
Yvonne has more than a decade of compliance, governance and risk management experience in the financial services sector, in addition to five years at a global assurance and advisory firm. Most recently, she was COO for an Australian mortgage fund where she was responsible for fund operations, investment analytics, AFSL compliance and risk management.
Yvonne’s industry experience covers private banking and wealth management, insurance, and real estate finance. She is a member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ). Yvonne focusses primarily on the group’s Australia funds.
Jing Huang
Advisor – International Carbon Policy & Markets
With more than 15 years of carbon market expertise, Jing possesses a profound understanding of the entire carbon market value chain and international climate policies. Her roles include serving as a private sector carbon consultant, leading various Clean Development Mechanism and voluntary carbon scheme projects. In her leadership role at Oxfam Hong Kong, she spearheaded the globally recognized Low-Carbon Adaptation and Poverty Alleviation (LAPA) Plan. Jing, with a Master of Biotechnology, also contributed to natural-based solution carbon projects design and implementation across Asia and Africa.
Jing has a Master of Biotechnology, Energy Auditor Certification and Carbon Finance Certification in China.
David Ryan
Head of Distribution and Business Development
David spent 20 years at Goldman Sachs, primarily in the Securities Division as a Partner Managing Director, he was responsible for managing Asian Equities distribution and then European Equities sales. Most recently he was Head of Distribution and Business Development at Climate Asset Management.
In 2014, David co-founded a corporate advisory boutique and then joined Deutsche Bank’s Global Equity Derivatives business in 2019 for a brief period.
Natalie Andre
Investor Experience Manager
Natalie is responsible for developing and leading our world-class investor journey, implementing investor events and communications as well as assisting with capital raising efforts.
With almost ten years’ experience in finance and fund operations, Natalie previously worked as the Investor Relations Manager at a hedge fund, a broking company and was the COO of another hedge fund.
Natalie has a bachelor’s degree in communications and public relations, a Certificate in Financial Markets and is a graduate of the AICD.
Dr Chris Gilles
Head of Nature Based Solutions
Chris is a marine scientist with over 20 years’ experience in coastal ecosystems. He is an Associate Professor (adjunct) at James Cook University. Chris has spent the last 15 years regenerating threatened marine ecosystems like shellfish reefs and coastal wetlands. He established several innovative, conservation finance tools and led the development of national citizen science initiatives and ASX-listed corporate learning programs, engaging thousands of people in ocean sustainability.
OUR VALUES
Our values are as indispensable to our success as our unifying mission and vision. These are the distinguishing attributes and deeply held convictions that define who we are and how we work.
Fiduciary With A Capital F
We steward the assets entrusted to us with the highest ethical and professional standards. We hold ourselves accountable to our investors, our partners, the community and each other.
The Courage To Lead
We are thoughtful, then boldly decisive. We push past the status quo with innovative ideas, and have the curiosity to learn from successes and failures in order to forge a better path forward.
Respect For People And Nature
We respect the needs, values and traditions of local communities and cultures, and nature itself. We cherish diversity and forge relationships based on mutual trust to ensure everyone can benefit equitably from climate finance.
A Commitment To Excellence
We strive for excellence. We are inspired to continuously improve and bring out the best in everyone in order to achieve our mission effectively and rapidly.
A Joyful, Can-Do Spirit
We are unafraid to solve complex problems. We do so by working together cohesively, respecting each other, valuing contributions, and having fun.
PILLARS
OF SUCCESS
Healthy resources
We raise and deploy values-aligned capital at a pace and scale aligned to the growing size and sophistication of the market.
Deep, strong roots
We invest in the governance, people, systems & processes needed to sustain enduring impact and returns.
Diversity & connectivity
Our experience, networks and natural curiosity lead to us to build deep relationships & a diverse and highly engaged team.
