Who’s Who in ESG? Top 50 Influencers to Follow

If you polled corporate boards, financial services firms, and governments about ESG, you might come away with as many definitions as respondents. However, at a base level, the acronym “ESG” refers to the Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance risks and opportunities that are material to a company and its long-term value. Here, material means not only financially relevant but also relevant to the company’s ecosystem.

But, ESG has various interpretations as diverse and wide-ranging as the issues that fall under each pillar. Further, ESG is characterized by change because our world is constantly changing.

In the 2004 whitepaper, “Who Cares Wins”, the UN Global Compact and financial services firms distinguished between ESG and related ideas, like sustainability and purpose. Still, these ideas may only sometimes be distinct as overlaps exist, making these issues material, especially when considering stakeholders. For example, properly cultivating purpose can help attract and retain talent. It is material to your business if it matters to your stakeholders.

While some companies and investors focused on ESG issues under the umbrella of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) over the years, it wasn’t until 2019 that the term started gaining mainstream attention. A confluence of events, including COVID, remote work, social unrest, supply chain issues, quiet quitting, changing consumer preferences, and increasing extreme weather events, impacted companies and revealed our world’s complexity and fragility. While it is easy to say we should have long been focused on these issues, these ongoing crises afford us little time to plan proactively.

In this world of growing complexity and interconnected risks, ESG can help us consider the impacts of these crises on the company and its stakeholders. As cliché as it sounds, companies and investors need new skills to think critically through addressing these challenges, ranging from domain-specific specialties to broad perspectives. For example, a company may pivot from a high-emitting supplier to meet carbon disclosure goals but could inadvertently plunge the area into economic hardship as it leaves, creating geopolitical unrest.

We must examine core business issues through their complexities and interdependencies across systems to avoid causing more harm. If well understood, ESG can drive value out of risk mitigation, create new products and services, and lead to more informed decision-making.

This report aims to highlight the Top 50 experts holding these difficult discussions, serving as counsel to others, delivering ESG thought leadership, and shepherding us to a better future where opportunities exist to make the difference we want to see in the world.

Introduction provided by Matthew Sekol, WW Sustainability Industry Advocate at Microsoft

Who’s Who in ESG?

1 Alison Taylor

Alison Taylor Clinical Associate Professor NYU Stern School of Business Personas: Academic & Researcher, Thought Leader

Total Engagement: 24,561 Average Engagement: 240.8   Total Engagement: 292 Average Engagement: 9.7

2 Kate Brandt

Kate Brandt Chief Sustainability Officer Google Personas: Thought Leader

Total Engagement: 11,728 Average Engagement: 434.4   Total Engagement: 31 Average Engagement: 10.3

3 Helene Li

Helene Li CEO GoImpact Capital Partners Personas: Event Speaker

Total Engagement: 8,023 Average Engagement: 77.1   Total Engagement: 934 Average Engagement: 35.9

4 Laura Franceschini

Laura Franceschini Global Sustainability Strategy & Operations Google Personas: Thought Leader

Total Engagement: 7,581 Average Engagement: 445.9   Total Engagement: 36 Average Engagement: 3

5 Gihan Hyde

Gihan Hyde CEO & Founder CommUnique Personas: Content Creator, Thought Leader

Total Engagement: 5,654 Average Engagement: 43.8   Total Engagement: 295 Average Engagement: 3.1

6 Susan McPherson

Susan McPherson CEO & Founder McPherson Strategies Personas: Author, Event Speaker

Total Engagement: 5,133 Average Engagement: 146.7   Total Engagement: 8 Average Engagement: 1

7 Ioannis Ioannou

Ioannis Ioannou Associate Professor of Strategy & Entrepreneurship London Business School Personas: Academic & Researcher, Event Speaker

Total Engagement: 3,638 Average Engagement: 259.9   Total Engagement: 596 Average Engagement: 3.9

8 Dave Stangis

Dave Stangis Partner, Chief Sustainability Officer Apollo Global Management Inc. Personas: Author, Thought Leader

Total Engagement: 4,317 Average Engagement: 45.9   Total Engagement: 22 Average Engagement: 1.2

9 Sally Eaves

Sally Eaves Digital Decentralization, Democracy & Security Advisor CNAS Personas: Author, Event Speaker, Social Amplifier

Total Engagement: 2,271 Average Engagement: 64.9   Total Engagement: 1,718 Average Engagement: 101.1

10 Sasja Beslik

Sasja Beslik Chief Investment Strategy Officer SDG Impact Japan Personas: Author, Content Creator

Total Engagement: 3,805 Average Engagement: 79.3   Total Engagement: 42 Average Engagement: 3.2

11 Helle Bank Jørgensen

Helle Bank Jørgensen CEO & Founder Competent Boards Personas: Author, Event Speaker, Thought Leader

Total Engagement: 3,559 Average Engagement: 98.9   Total Engagement: 23 Average Engagement: 1.8

12 Ana Alvarez Grullón

Ana Alvarez Grullón ESG & Sustainability Officer Keensight Capital Personas: Thought Leader

Total Engagement: 3,458 Average Engagement: 108.1

13 Georges Dyer

Georges Dyer Co-Founder & Executive Director Intentional Endowments Network Personas: Thought Leader

Total Engagement: 3,497 Average Engagement: 15.2   Total Engagement: 25 Average Engagement: 0.8

14 Mauro Bellini

Mauro Bellini Director Digital360 Group Personas: Event Speaker, Journalist & Contributor

Total Engagement: 3,326 Average Engagement: 24.6   Total Engagement: 3 Average Engagement: 0.1

15 Tim Mohin

Tim Mohin Partner & Director Boston Consulting Group Personas: Thought Leader

Total Engagement: 3,030 Average Engagement: 56.1   Total Engagement: 9 Average Engagement: 0.7

16 Matthew Sekol

Matthew Sekol WW Sustainability Industry Advocate Microsoft Personas: Content Creator, Event Speaker

Total Engagement: 2,500 Average Engagement: 30.9   Total Engagement: 446 Average Engagement: 41

17 Vanessa Zimmerman

Vanessa Zimmerman CEO Pillar Two Personas: Thought Leader

Total Engagement: 2,559 Average Engagement: 26.1   Total Engagement: 16 Average Engagement: 1.2

18 Theodora Lau

Theodora Lau Founder Unconventional Ventures Personas: Author, Event Speaker, Social Amplifier

Total Engagement: 1,446 Average Engagement: 55.6   Total Engagement: 872 Average Engagement: 13.6

19 Kevin Hagen

Kevin Hagen Vice President ESG Iron Mountain Personas: Thought Leader

Total Engagement: 2,117 Average Engagement: 132.3   Total Engagement: 36 Average Engagement: 2.8

20 Curtis S. Chin

Curtis S. Chin Chair, Milken Institute Asia Center Milken Institute Personas: Event Speaker

Total Engagement: 1,685 Average Engagement: 80.2   Total Engagement: 521 Average Engagement: 20

21 Fiona Reynolds

Fiona Reynolds Advisory Committee Member UNSW Australian Human Rights Institute Personas: Event Speaker

Total Engagement: 2,248 Average Engagement: 70.3   Total Engagement: 12 Average Engagement: 1.7

22 Dr. Daniel Klier

Dr. Daniel Klier CEO ESG Book Personas: Thought Leader

Total Engagement: 1,821 Average Engagement: 75.9

23 Kristen Sullivan

Kristen Sullivan Partner Deloitte & Touche LLP Personas: Thought Leader

Total Engagement: 1,775 Average Engagement: 93.4

24 Richard Brooks

Richard Brooks Climate Finance Director Stand.earth Personas: Thought Leader

Total Engagement: 56 Average Engagement: 8   Total Engagement: 1,633 Average Engagement: 33.3

25 Prerana Tirodkar

Prerana Tirodkar Sr Sustainability Analyst WatchWire Personas: Analyst

Total Engagement: 1,476 Average Engagement: 147.6

26 Mandi McReynolds

Mandi McReynolds Head of Global ESG Workiva Personas: Content Creator

Total Engagement: 1,512 Average Engagement: 25.2   Total Engagement: 131 Average Engagement: 3.4

27 Chuka Umunna

Chuka Umunna Managing Director, Head of EMEA ESG & Green Economy Investment Banking J.P. Morgan Personas: Thought Leader

Total Engagement: 1,281 Average Engagement: 106.8   Total Engagement: 75 Average Engagement: 12.5

28 Brian Tippens

Brian Tippens SVP, Chief Social Impact Officer Cisco Personas: Event Speaker, Thought Leader

Total Engagement: 1,194 Average Engagement: 170.6   Total Engagement: 20 Average Engagement: 4

29 Mika Leskinen

Mika Leskinen Chief Investment Officer S-Pankki Personas: Event Speaker

Total Engagement: 814 Average Engagement: 54.3   Total Engagement: 534 Average Engagement: 22.3

30 Dr. David Cooke

Dr. David Cooke Executive Director ESG Advisory Personas: Thought Leader

Total Engagement: 1,001 Average Engagement: 250.3

31 James Temple

James Temple Managing Director & Chief Sustainability Officer PwC Personas: Thought Leader

Total Engagement: 1,307 Average Engagement: 72.6   Total Engagement: 36 Average Engagement: 2.4

32 Richard Howitt

Richard Howitt Strategic Advisor   Personas: Thought Leader

Total Engagement: 1,273 Average Engagement: 42.4   Total Engagement: 90 Average Engagement: 4.5

33 Louise Koch

Louise Koch Director, Global Sustainability Strategy & Innovation Dell Technologies Personas: Event Speaker

Total Engagement: 1,127 Average Engagement: 51.2

34 Cara Williams

Cara Williams Global ESG Strategy Leader, Wealth Management & Multinational Client Lead for Wealth Mercer Personas: Event Speaker

Total Engagement: 1,108 Average Engagement: 16.8   Total Engagement: 17 Average Engagement: 1.4

35 David Aikman

David Aikman Co-Founder & CEO ESG DAO Personas: Thought Leader

Total Engagement: 908 Average Engagement: 82.5   Total Engagement: 55 Average Engagement: 7.9

36 José Luis Blasco

José Luis Blasco Global Sustainability Director ACCIONA Personas: Thought Leader

Total Engagement: 906 Average Engagement: 113.3   Total Engagement: 6 Average Engagement: 1.5

37 Virginie O’Shea

Virginie O’Shea Founder Firebrand Research Personas: Analyst

Total Engagement: 1,079 Average Engagement: 13.2   Total Engagement: 19 Average Engagement: 0.5

38 Katie Kross

Katie Kross Managing Director, EDGE Duke University - The Fuqua School of Business Personas: Event Speaker

Total Engagement: 872 Average Engagement: 58.1   Total Engagement: 78 Average Engagement: 0.5

39 Jon Hale

Jon Hale Global Head of Sustainability Research Morningstar Personas: Academic & Researcher, Journalist & Contributor

Total Engagement: 744 Average Engagement: 82.7   Total Engagement: 124 Average Engagement: 5.4

40 Frank Meehan

Frank Meehan Head of Product and Partnerships, ESG & Climate FiscalNote Personas: Thought Leader

Total Engagement: 947 Average Engagement: 37.9   Total Engagement: 3 Average Engagement: 0.6

41 Fran Seegull

Fran Seegull President U.S. Impact Investing Alliance Personas: Thought Leader

Total Engagement: 831 Average Engagement: 41.6   Total Engagement: 99 Average Engagement: 5.5

42 Alexandria Fisher

Alexandria Fisher Sustainable Finance Manager Global Risk Institute Personas: Social Amplifier

Total Engagement: 280 Average Engagement: 40   Total Engagement: 603 Average Engagement: 20.8

43 John Friedman

John Friedman Managing Director, ESG & Sustainability Grant Thornton LLP (US) Personas: Author, Thought Leader

Total Engagement: 954 Average Engagement: 10.1   Total Engagement: 25 Average Engagement: 0.3

44 Ellen Weinreb

Ellen Weinreb Managing Director Weinreb Group Personas: Thought Leader

Total Engagement: 829 Average Engagement: 75.4   Total Engagement: 7 Average Engagement: 0.7

45 Dr. Dorothea Baur

Dr. Dorothea Baur Principal & Owner Baur Consulting AG Personas: Event Speaker, Journalist & Contributor, Thought Leader

Total Engagement: 797 Average Engagement: 31.9   Total Engagement: 101 Average Engagement: 3.9

46 Kurt Harrison

Kurt Harrison Founder & Co-Head, Global Sustainability Practice Russell Reynolds Associates Personas: Event Speaker

Total Engagement: 819 Average Engagement: 74.5

47 Andrea Bonime-Blanc

Andrea Bonime-Blanc Founder & CEO GEC Risk Advisory LLC Personas: Author, Event Speaker

Total Engagement: 860 Average Engagement: 31.9   Total Engagement: 20 Average Engagement: 1.2

48 Claudia Zeisberger

Claudia Zeisberger Senior Affiliate Professor of Entrepreneurship & Family Enterprise INSEAD Personas: Academic & Researcher

Total Engagement: 846 Average Engagement: 38.5

49 Lee Ballin

Lee Ballin Managing Director | ESG & Sustainability Services Deloitte Personas: Thought Leader

Total Engagement: 812 Average Engagement: 50.8   Total Engagement: 4 Average Engagement: 0.3

50 Matthias Hübner

Matthias Hübner Global Head of ESG Solutions ESG Book Personas: Thought Leader

Total Engagement: 761 Average Engagement: 34.6   Total Engagement: 13 Average Engagement: 0.9

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About Who’s Who reports Future of Work

These Who’s Who reports are created using the Onalytica platform which has a curated database of over 1 million influencers. Our platform allows you to discover, validate and categorise influencers quickly and easily via keyword searches. You can read our in-depth report Methodology here.

This Who’s Who list should give you an insight into who is driving the most engagement on ESG online. We always want to make sure you are getting the most valuable information available from our lists, so feedback is always welcome!

If you want to learn more about Onalytica, or if you’d like to see our platform in action, feel free to get in touch!

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