[PPIL] Khemka Forum: Success in Sustainable Finance: India's Story Featuring Namita Vikas, Founder and Managing Director, auctusESG; and Bruce Usher, Professor of Professional Practice

Namita Vikas

Founder and Managing Director

auctusESG

Namita Vikas is currently the Founder and Managing Director of auctusESG, a global firm providing strategic advisory and enablement on sustainable finance, climate transition, ESG, and climate risk management. An award-winning senior business leader with over 32 years of diverse global experience in sustainable finance, ESG, and climate strategy across banking and technology. Previously held a CXO with a large Indian private bank, issued the maiden green bond and launched several innovative first-of its-kind sustainable finance products. Was instrumental in raising over USD 1 billion in green capital from marquee global DFIs. 



In 2020, founded auctusESG towards accelerating global sustainable finance and climate transition. Has been steering marquee global projects awarded by international governments, UN agencies, and global DFIs in emerging markets like Latin America, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, India, and Africa.



Namita continues to be a member of several expert committees on Sustainable Finance and ESG, including those by the Government of India, and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Currently, she serves on the global advisory board of Climate Bonds Initiative, UK, the Finance Industry Advisory Board of the International Energy Agency (IEA), WoTR, India, and Digital Green, USA.

Bruce Usher

Professor of Professional Practice and the Elizabeth B. Strickler '86 and Mark T. Gallogly '86 Faculty Director of the Tamer Center for Social Enterprise at Columbia Business School

Columbia Business School

Bruce Usher is a Professor of Professional Practice and the Elizabeth B. Strickler '86 and Mark T. Gallogly '86 Faculty Director of the Tamer Center for Social Enterprise at Columbia Business School. The Tamer Center educates on the use business knowledge, entrepreneurial skills, and management tools to address social and environmental challenges. Professor Usher teaches courses on climate change, finance and business, and is a recipient of the Singhvi Prize for Scholarship in the Classroom, the Lear Award, and the Dean’s Award for Teaching Excellence.

Professor Usher is also on the Columbia Climate School faculty, and on the Executive Committee of the Earth Institute. He chairs Columbia University’s Advisory Committee on Socially Responsible Investing, advising the university trustees on ethical and social issues that arise in the management of investments in the university’s endowment. In 2016, Professor Usher established the Columbia University Scholarship for Displaced Students, providing an opportunity for refugees to complete their higher education. This scholarship program is now managed by the Columbia Global Centers.

In 2019, Professor Usher published Renewable Energy: A Primer for the Twenty-First Century, the first in the Earth Institute’s sustainability series of books. His latest book, Investing in the Era of Climate Change (Columbia University Press), was published in 2022. Professor Usher has written numerous cases for use in business school courses, with a primary focus on climate change and business.

Prior to joining Columbia University, Professor Usher was CEO of EcoSecurities Group plc, which developed greenhouse gas emission reduction projects in developing countries. EcoSecurities completed an IPO in 2005 and was acquired by JPMorgan in 2009. He was previously the co-founder and CEO of TreasuryConnect, which provided electronic trading solutions to banks and was acquired in 2001. Prior to that, he worked in financial services for twelve years in New York and Tokyo. Professor Usher is an active investor and advisor to entrepreneurial ventures focused on climate change and clean energy, and is Chair of the Tamer Fund for Social Ventures. He earned an MBA from Harvard Business School.