HSBC continues to bolster its capabilities in sustainable finance with the latest trio of hires, finews.asia has learned, including the APAC co-head of climate change.

Justin Wu joins HSBC as its co-head of climate change Asia Pacific, according to an internal memo seen by finews.asia, effective September 5. Wu will report functionally to group chief sustainability officer Celine Herweijer and on an entity basis to APAC co-CEOs David Liao and Surendra Rosha. He will initially be based in Tokyo before relocating to Hong Kong in mid-2023. 

In his new role, Wu will focus on client engagement around transition plans and helping to create commercial transition or green finance opportunities. He will also be the bank's senior expert and an ambassador on climate transition from an Asian context.

Wu has 15 years of experience, most recently at Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) where he was a managing director for APAC, working with governments, finance, energy and technology companies on their net-zero business strategies.

A recruitment process is already underway to appoint the other co-head of climate change APAC, a role that will focus on North Asia and be based in mainland China.

London Hires

In addition, the bank also hired Milo Sjardin as managing director of head of climate analytics, effective September 26, and Susannah Fitzherbert-Brockholes as director of sustainable finance, effective October. Sjardin and Fitzherbert-Brockholes will be based in London and report to Herweijer and global head of sustainable finance strategy Peter Kanning, respectively. 

Sjardin has over 17 years of experience in climate and energy research and analytics, most recently at Bloomberg LP where he was a director of research for Bloomberg Intelligence. Previously, he was also the chief operating officer, head of APAC, head of North America analytics and head of carbon services at BNEF.

Fitzherbert-Brockholes joins from PwC where she spent nine years in its sustainability consulting practice. Previously, she was a senior consultant at WSP’s sustainability business.  

Sjardin and Wu will also join the executive committee within the global sustainability function.

A spokesperson for the bank confirmed the contents of the memo.