BIOGRAPHY

Founder Director – Indus Blue Consulting
Geneva & London, 2017 – To Present

Focus: Developing innovative finance models, approaches and strategy for sustainable development (infrastructure, regional cooperation, SDGs, oceans health) in bilateral, multilateral development agencies, think-tanks, across public and private sectors, Europe, Asia and Africa. Strategies developed focused on mobilising resources for financing SDGs, initiatives that support gender mainstreaming and catalysing inclusive growth across regions, including policy, legal and advocacy elements. Activities further included training internal and external groups on access to finance, converting business ideas to executable plans and mentoring in finance, entrepreneurial activity and business.

Approach: Between 2014 and 2020, I have undertaken both longer-term roles within entities (entity-specific roles &
titles) as in Sections II and III below, and shorter-term assignments as an independent advisor and consultant, noted
here and IV. My independent advisory firm based in London works with associates in Singapore, DC, Geneva & Delhi.

Assignments:

• Climate Finance Roadmap Strategy
  Developing a generic Financing Roadmap including sovereign climate bonds in the short-term, medium-term proposals for an incentive climate finance mechanism that can spur blue and green activity, and bankable blue projects at sub-sovereign levels (local governments or State-owned enterprises `SOEs`).
• ‘SDG & Covid Bonds’ & Solidarity Impact Fund – Strategies for SE Asian Sovereigns to attract Impact Investors and achieve economic regeneration and transformation
  Developed an impactful SDG bond structure and an Impact Fund mechanism to capitalise on the current investor interest in Coronabonds. The objective was to design country specific innovative financing instruments for sovereign members of the bank that could aid in financing their Nationally Determined Contributions for different SDGs. The focus was on Poverty (SDG 1), Healthcare (SDG 3), Climate Action (SDG 13), Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure (SDG 9), Gender Equalities (SDG 5) , and Partnerships (SDG17).
  Credit enhancements needed from the development bank in terms of Catalytic First loss protection and guarantees to attract a diversified global investor base were also developed.
• ‘Blue Financing (SDG 13 & 14) for Pollution Strategy – Accessing Global investors for financing pollution mitigation and alleviation infrastructure projects’ for a multilateral institution Completed a strategy paper to develop policies, innovative mechanisms, instruments, PULL and PUSH initiatives and diverse private and public sources of finance to finance the revenue challenged “blue pollution” sector, with a focus of plastics and sewage pollution in inland waters, lakes, rivers and oceans. Access to Capital market and impact fund investors, and blending financing with foundations and governments together with Credit Enhancements from Multilateral Banks to make projects investable and bankable was the key
  focus.
• ‘Catastrophe Bonds & Securitisation Approaches for Post COVID Recovery’ Concept paper
  London 2020Developed inclusive hybrid structure for a possible CAT Bond for achieving SDG 9 and catalysing economic growth, building upon securitisation approaches that could be undertaken by a multilateral institution focused on developing markets; the bond structure aims to incorporate risk mitigating financial instruments from governments and proposes a ‘social return’ to investors with the aim of catalyzing insurance and pension funds to sustainable infrastructure for post COVID recovery strategies. Alternative budgetary plans and revenue generation innovations, alongside policies and frameworks to support investment through Bankable, scalable and adaptable structures to attract capital market cash & ILS investors were also developed.
• ‘Green Funds for Blue Oceans’ Strategy paper – for CUTS Institute for Regulation and Competition, as
  ‘Senior Advisor’
  Jakarta & London 2017-2019Developing a strategy paper for possible piloting in an already identified Asian government that aims ti use public sector climate funds as a catalyst for bonds that support oceans pollution projects. A ‘blue framework’ is being collated along with the innovative finance fund structure for the proposed bond. The paper is being developed with CUTS Institute, (India and Switzerland https://circ.in/) and initial discussions are being held in Indonesia and London.
• ‘Access to Affordable Reproductive Healthcare (SDGs 5 & 10): Finance & Market Entry Strategy’– for
  Concept Foundation as ‘Senior Advisor-Strategy, Fundraising, PPP
  Geneva, 2017-18
  Worked with Concept Foundation from their Geneva office in vision and strategy formulation, in particular with respect to fund raising and innovative financing models, phased market entry/intervention in lowermiddle-income countries (Africa was a particular focus area), partnerships with the global corporate sector. Concept Foundation, founded in 1989, is an international non-profit organization, established in Bangkok, and Geneva, Switzerland and partnered and/or funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, WHO, Packard Foundation, UNFPA, Merck amongst others.