FS Club Summer Mixer - Resilient Capital: Steering Green Finance Through Global Headwinds
Mixer - London
With Thanks To Our Event Sponsor:
Fossil fuel price shocks in recent years, first with Russia's invasion of Ukraine and now the Iran conflict's closure of the Strait of Hormuz, have fundamentally reframed the investment case for the net-zero transition. Energy security and climate resilience are rapidly converging issues, yet capital is still not flowing fast enough: global energy transition investment hit a record $2.3 trillion in 2025, but $235 trillion is required by 2050 to meet a net-zero scenario. Meanwhile, US policy and regulatory rollbacks are fragmenting global standards, supply chain disruptions are delaying renewable deployments, and questions of integrity, in carbon markets and nature-related risk disclosure, are still prevalent. Can finance rise to meet this moment, or does it remain a tool waiting for political permission? Dr. Rhian-Mari Thomas, CEO of the Green Finance Institute, will explore what resilient capital looks like in practice, and the role green finance will be playing in shaping our economic and energy future. We’ll also hear from Professor Michael Mainelli, who will examine the key global players in the transition and how the UK is positioning itself.
The FS Club is delighted, in partnership with Bank of China, to invite you to our Summer Mixer. Join us on the 9th floor of the Bank of China Lothbury, in the City of London for an evening of networking, refreshments, canapes, and as always, interesting and thought-provoking conversation.
Agenda:
18:00 - Registration & Refreshments
18:15 - Welcome from Mr Wenjian Fang, General Manager of Bank of China Limited London Branch
18:20 - A look at the key players in global green finance from Professor Michael Mainelli, Chairman, Z/Yen Group
18:30 - Industry leading perspective from Dr Rhian-Mari Thomas, CEO, Green Finance Institute
18:45 - Networking, Canapes & Refreshments
20:30 - Event Close
Speakers:
Dr Rhian-Mari Thomas is CEO of the Green Finance Institute, an organisation at the forefront of shaping how finance can be used to facilitate real economy transition.
Rhian previously spent 20 years in investment banking and corporate finance and was the first person to be awarded an OBE for services to green banking. She is a former member of the Taskforce on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) and is Senior Advisor to the Taskforce on Nature-Related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), having co-chaired its launch.
Rhian serves as a trustee of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) UK, and advisor to the carbon credit ratings agency, BeZero Carbon. She also serves on several working groups and advisory boards for the UK Government, Welsh Senedd and the World Economic Forum.
A fluent Welsh speaker, Rhian holds a PhD in Physics from Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland.
Professor Michael Mainelli MStJ PhD MPhil BA FCCA FCSI(Hon) FBCS FRSA CITP FIC CMC MEI is a qualified accountant, securities professional, computer specialist, and management consultant, educated at Harvard University and Trinity College Dublin. He gained his PhD at the London School of Economics where he was also Visiting Professor of Innovation & IT. Originally a research scientist in aerospace (rocket science) and computing (architecture & cartography), after directing mapping projects in Switzerland he became a senior partner with accountants BDO Binder Hamlyn directing global consulting, and Corporate Development Director for Europe’s largest R&D firm, then the Ministry of Defence’s 14,000 strong Defence Evaluation & Research Agency. During a mergers & acquisitions spell in merchant banking with Deutsche Morgan Grenfell, he founded Z/Yen in 1994, the City of London’s leading think-tank, promoting societal advance through better finance and technology, renowned for its Global Financial, Green Finance, and Smart Centres indices. Michael is the Alderman for the Broad Street ward, was a Sheriff of the City of London 2019-2021 and the 695th Lord Mayor of London for 2023-2024.
Mr Wenjian Fang is the General Manager of Bank of China Limited London Branch and the Chief Executive Officer of Bank of China (UK) Limited. He served as the Deputy General Manager and the Chief Risk Officer of Bank of China USA from 2015 to 2018. He was the General Manager of Bank of China Limited London Branch & the Chief Executive Officer of Bank of China (UK)Limited from 2011 to 2015. Mr Fang joined Bank of China Head Office in 1996. Educated at Beijing Foreign Studies University in China to postgraduate level, Mr Fang also received his MBA with Distinction from University of Hertfordshire, UK in 1996. He has been a CFA Charter Holder since 2007. Mr Fang has been appointed as chairman of the China Chamber of Commerce in the UK since December 2018.
Speaker(s):
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Dr Rhian-Mari Thomas OBE
CEO
Green Finance Institute
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Professor Michael Mainelli
Chairman
Z/Yen Group
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Mr Wenjian Fang
General Manager
Bank of China Limited London Branch
Location
Bank of China
1 Lothbury
City of London
EC2R 7DB
