The Centre for Governance, Regulation and Business Strategy, School of Management, University of Bath and the London Institute of Banking and Finance have teamed up to host a webinar to address the challenges of climate-related stress testing from the perspective of a commercial bank, a multi-lateral development bank, and an asset manager.

Professor Ania Zalewska from the University of Bath’s School of Management will host the hour-long discussion, which starts tomorrow, Friday 9 October, at 1.00 p.m. BST.

The panel includes Mark Lewis from BNP Paribas Asset Management, Martijn Regelink from The World Bank and Alan Smith of HSBC, all experts in the field of sustainable finance. Chris McHugh from The London Institute of Banking & Finance will chair the discussion.

“I'm delighted to be hosting this event on an issue that deserves expert insight and discussion. With more extreme weather, environmental degradation, and related to it, changes in economic and business environment, stress testing for climate-related risks is increasingly vital. In particular, it is critical for organisations such as banks and insurance companies, both for their own investments and also to account for the credit risks of their borrowers,” said Professor Zalewska.

Stress testing for climate-related risks is increasingly high on the agenda for all financial institutions. Physical risks appear to be on the rise, with more extremes in weather and environmental degradation, while transition risks are expected to evolve as regulation and national policies change and lenders modify their investment preferences.

The webinar is intended for financial institutions, regulators and advisers and also for academics and students.

The panel of experts:

Chris McHugh – The London Institute of Banking & Finance

Chris McHugh is the Director of the Centre for Sustainable Finance at The London Institute of Banking & Finance where he lectures on risk management and derivatives. He is a visiting lecturer at the Judge Business School, Cambridge University and a PhD researcher at the University of Southampton focusing on development finance. As a Senior Adviser to the International Association of Credit Portfolio Managers, he works with development banks and export credit agencies on risk management strategies.

Mark Lewis - BNP Paribas

Mark is Global Head of Sustainability Research at BNP Paribas Asset Management, having joined in January 2019. Previously, he was Managing Director and Head of Research at the Carbon Tracker Initiative, Managing Director and Head of European Utilities Research at Barclays, Chief Energy Economist at Kepler Cheuvreux, and Managing Director and Global Head of Carbon Research at Deutsche Bank. He has also been a member of the Financial Stability Board’s Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures since May 2016.

Martijn Regelink - World Bank

Martijn is a Senior Financial Sector Specialist in the Financial Stability Team in the World Bank’s Finance, Competitiveness, and Innovation Global Practice. He leads the Bank’s advisory services on climate and environmental risks for the financial sector, providing policy advice to regulators and supervisors around the world. Currently, he is working on projects in South East Asia, Southern Africa, Colombia, and Morocco; and leads Bank engagements on climate risk in the WB-IMF Financial Sector Assessment Program. He also represents the Bank in various NGFS and FSB working groups on climate risk.

Alan Smith – HSBC

Alan is a Senior Advisor on Climate and ESG Risk Management for HSBC. He is a member of HSBC’s Climate Business Council whose remit is to Develop the Group’s sustainable finance strategy; provide oversight and governance of climate initiatives on behalf of the Group Executive Committee; and facilitate implementation through coordination and collaboration across businesses, functions and regions. He co-chairs the HSBC Climate Risk Oversight Forum.