About The Speaker
Dr. Elena Primikiri
Elena is a sustainability strategist and entrepreneur, with extensive experience in Sustainable finance, implementing ESG strategies and processes and navigating complex organizational challenges with more than 20 years of experience. She has extensive experience on multiple reporting frameworks, external ratings and certifications, while she is an expert on environmental and social risk management (ESMS) of projects, RES and energy efficiency projects. Elena has held multiple senior roles, including Head of ESG worldwide at VFS Global, and Director of Sustainable Banking at Piraeus Bank, where she was leading and mentoring multiple teams. She holds two masters and a PhD from Harvard University and University of Michigan, US. She has experience in driving, enhancing and implementing sustainability strategies and frameworks, in alignment with business strategies, SDGs and national goals globally, with tailor made action plans, ESG initiatives, processes, and policies. Her focus is on sustainable business, corporate governance, CSR activities, climate change and enhancing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion practices, and integrated reporting based on ESG rating agencies and international standards (e.g. GRI, UN SDGs, SASB) across different sectors worldwide, specializing in the GCC and Europe area. Elena has extensive experience in financial institutions sector, developing products and services on sustainable finance (ESG/Sustainability linked loans, Green loans, Green Bonds, etc), ESG diligence, and Environmental and social risk management processes in compliance with the IFC and EBRD standards. She has been a project lead in the development/enhancement of ESG policies and on the implementation of ESG/sustainability criteria in lending and investment processes. She spearheaded the implementation of strategic European Union projects of approx. € 2mn each (GreenBanking4Life, Climabiz, LifeStymfalia) Industry experience: Financial Institutions, Servicing, Construction, Real Estate, Travel and tourism, Technology, Steel Manufacturing, Academia, and many more.