Barclay's former global head of green banking Dr Rhian-Mari Thomas has today been appointed the first Chief Executive Officer at the Green Finance Institute (GFI), the body in charge of championing London's role as a leading green finance hub. 

"The science is clear, we need to act urgently to build a resilient and low carbon economy," said Dr Thomas. "To do so will require new forms of cross-sector collaboration, the removal of barriers to investment and ultimately the re-directing of more private capital towards climate change mitigation and resilience projects and strategies."

The  GFI will be officially launched on July 2 at the City of London Corporation's third annual Green Finance Summit. Jointly funded by the City of London Corporation and HM Government, it will promote London's sustainable finance expertise in the UK and abroad. 

"Green Finance provides crucial investment in sustainable projects and infrastructure that help protect our environment," said City Minister John Glen. "The Green Finance Institute, announced by the Chancellor last year, will play a vital role in ensuring the UK remains a world leader in this area."