Director - Sustainable Finance Advisory

Overview

• The Director, Sustainable Finance Advisory, is accountable for establishing and growing KEO s green and sustainable finance advisory service line across the GCC and Europe. The role leads mandate origination, client engagement, and service delivery across sustainable finance frameworks, climate risk, and regulatory transition services. This is a revenue-generating, client-facing position with full commercial accountability for the service line from day one, bring deep technical expertise and established market relationships in sustainable finance, having led or operated within ESG or sustainable finance functions at a bank, development finance institution, or leading consultancy. The individual is recognised in the GCC market, operates with commercial independence, and can originate and close mandates without hand-holding. This role is the commercial engine of the service line and is critical to achieving annual targets.
• Originate, pitch, and close sustainable finance mandates independently across the GCC and European markets. Take full commercial accountability for annual revenue targets .
• Develop and deliver sustainable finance frameworks (green bonds, social bonds, sustainability-linked loans), PRB roadmaps, GRESB advisory, climate risk diagnostics, net-zero transition plans, and EU Taxonomy/CSRD advisory for banks, developers, and asset owners.'s full service offerings to the market and coordinate and cooperate with other Divisional Leaders to ensure services that are unique to the Sustainability division are proactively offered to all markets.
• Build and maintain senior client relationships with banks, DFIs, real estate developers, and infrastructure owners across the GCC and Europe. Leverage existing network to accelerate mandate pipeline.
• Work closely with Advisory/ESG teams and Director, Sustainability to ensure service line integration, business development and joint bidding across KEO s wider sustainability practice.
• Up-to-date knowledge of GCC and European regulatory developments (CBUAE Sustainable Finance Framework, UAE SCA, Saudi CMA ESG rules, EU Taxonomy, SFDR, CSRD) and translate these into actionable advisory propositions and client content.
• Manage and mentor the Departmental staff. Define workflow, quality standards, and delivery processes for the team.
• Report monthly to MD and Director, Sustainability on pipeline, mandate status, revenue tracking, and market intelligence.
• Embrace, display and promote KEO values and contribute to the wider Sustainability & Environment division s culture and standards.
• Achieve annual revenue targets and maintain strong pipeline for sustainable revenue and client retention.
• Ensure all client engagements are documented, scoped, and managed to KEO quality standards, including sub-consultant coordination where required.
• Work with KEO s Executive and Divisional leadership to integrate sustainable finance advisory into cross-practice bids and client proposals.
• May perform other duties.
• Plan workload and ensure adequate utilization across the team. Prepares and delivers performance appraisals. Identifies training needs and supports professional development. Works with HR on team growth as the service line scales.
• Deep technical knowledge of sustainable finance instruments and frameworks (green bonds, SLLs, PRB, GRESB, TCFD/ISSB, IFRS S1/S2, EU Taxonomy, SFDR, CSRD, SBTi).
• Commercial acumen and ability to originate, structure, and close advisory mandates independently.
• Excellent client-facing and presentation skills; credible at C-suite and board level.
• Established network within GCC banking, real estate, and infrastructure sectors.
• Strong written communication skills able to produce compelling proposals, frameworks, and client deliverables.