Gerald Podobnik
Global Head of Capital Solutions & Sustainable Financing and Co-Head of financial institutions group (FIG) in EMEA region, Deutsche Bank
Representing UNEP FI member: Deutsche Bank AG (Germany)
Connect with Gerald Podobnik on LinkedIn
MOTIVATION STATEMENT
Climate change caused by human activity is proceeding at an unprecedented rate over the last decades. While awareness of the issue has generally been raised with key stakeholders of the financial industry, progress that ultimately translates into positive changes in the real economy remains limited. Through providing financing to the real economy, banks can be a significant contributor to stimulate such change. The banking sector is substantially driven by regulation and regulators shape almost every aspect of the business of institutions under their surveillance. In such an environment, driving progress and initiating real change can only be achieved through an appropriate regulatory environment. My main goal therefore goes far beyond tapping into my far-reaching network with senior representatives of major financial institutions and agencies in Europe to promote the work of UNEP FI, as I am dedicated to contribute my decade long regulatory expertise to move policy in the right direction while maintaining a healthy dialog with national and supranational regulatory authorities.
Conferences and events are key for market developments. I have significant experience in organizing and shaping key events, bringing together investors, issuers and policy stakeholders (DB Bank Capital Forum with +150 clients participating & DB Insurance Capital Forum with +100 clients). That experience is what I would like to contribute to UNEP FI.
Finally, as I am one of the very few people working truly global in the FIG space, my aim is to contribute to a global playing field of policy/ regulatory regime.
BACKGROUND
Austrian citizen, born 29.03.1977, Master’s in Business Administration and doctorate degree in law from Karl-Franzens-University, Graz, Austria. Working for Deutsche Bank since 2003, more than a decade of experience in the hybrid capital and regulatory advisory business, with more than 200 successfully executed capital raising transactions. Global head of Capital Solutions since 2012. Promotion in 2016 to Co-Head of FIG DCM EMEA. Well-respected voice in the area with substantial press coverage and industry awards (IFR, Global Capital, Financial News Top 40 under 40).
On the capital solutions side, heading one of the very few global structuring teams in the space, covering clients on all five continents and structured several “firsts” in the FIG capital and corporate hybrid space. To deliver excellent advice on financial regulation, being in consistent dialogue with regulators around the world including the ECB, Federal Reserve, and Bank of England is of utmost importance.
Within the scope of co-heading DB’s FIG EMEA coverage group, responsible for coverage bankers that offer a wide array of products (ranging from debt issuance to risk management) to their clients via one of the leading integrated FIG platforms in the EMEA region. Role helped to further deepen relationships with bank and insurance clients through a more diverse dialog that – together with hybrid capital and regulatory discussions – touches on almost every major strategic consideration that clients are concerned with.
Officially holding sustainable financing mandate since the beginning of 2017 to build and extend the business within Deutsche Bank’s Global Capital Markets division, which is to focuses on issuance & structuring of green and social bonds for a variety of clients, as well as regulatory policy advisory in the area. As part of the FIG coverage role, vast experience gathered in the sustainable finance field from years of consistent client dialog, advisory and successfully executed green issuances. Moreover, advisor to governmental and regulatory bodies and active member of cluster initiatives in Germany, as well as Deutsche Bank candidate for ICMA board (application pending).
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