2025 AIF Institute Sustainable Investing Symposium – Hybrid
December 9 | New York City and Live Online
On behalf of the AIF Institute, we hope you will join us for the 5th Annual AIF Institute Sustainable Investing Symposium to be held on December 9th at One Vanderbilt in New York City.
This timely symposium will also be available in Live Online format to allow investors from across our global community to participate live.
Agenda at a Glance
Tuesday, December 9
8:15–8:45 a.m.
Registration and Continental Breakfast
8:45–9:00 a.m.
Welcome and Introductions
- Melissa Waller, President, AIF Global and the AIF Institute
9:00–9:20 a.m.
The New Frontiers of Sustainable Investing: System-Level Investing and Blended Finance
Caroline Flammer, A. Barton Hepburn Professor of Economics, Professor of Climate and of Business, Director of the Sustainable Investing Research Initiative, Columbia University (virtual speaker)
9:20–10:15 a.m.
2025 Plenary Panel: Global Outlook, Key Themes for Sustainable Investment in 2026 and Beyond
Moderator:
- Imogen Rose-Smith, Research Director, AIF Institute
Panelists:
- JoAnn Hanson, President, Church Investment Group Real Estate Advisory Committee Member, New York State Common Retirement Fund
- Rhonda Smith, Board Member and Secretary, Houston Municipal Employees Pension System and Trustee Co-Chair, AIF Global
10:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Energy Transition to Energy Addition: How Should Investors and Managers Prepare for an Energy 2.0 World?
Academic Primer:
- Andrew Siwo, Director of Sustainable Investments and Climate Solutions, New York State Common Retirement Fund
Moderator:
- Bhavika Vyas, Managing Director, StepStone Group
Panelists:
- Ben Lee, Senior Principal, Fiera Comox
- Nehan Naim, ESG Strategy Officer – Bureau of Asset Management, New York City Office of the Comptroller
- Andrew Siwo, Director of Sustainable Investments and Climate Solutions, New York State Common Retirement Fund
12:00–1:15 p.m.
Luncheon Fireside Governance Chat
- Gianna McCarthy, Director of Corporate Governance, New York State Common Retirement Fund
- Melissa Waller, President, AIF Global and the AIF Institute
1:15–2:45 p.m.
2025 Research Primer: Using Machine Learning to Map Sustainability Hotspots Across Emerging Markets
This talk draws on applied data science, including topic modeling and predictive analytics, to uncover sustainability hotspots that shape long-term investment outcomes.
By leveraging machine learning to analyze policy signals, environmental risk, and corporate disclosures, institutional investors can identify where climate, governance, and social factors intersect with growth potential.
Key Takeaways:
- How AI-driven models can inform sustainability integration beyond traditional ESG scores.
- Application of the Latent Dirichlet Allocation model to thematic sustainability mapping.
- Case examples of how data intelligence can anticipate risk and improve ESG-adjusted returns.
Primer:
- Joshua Charles, CEO, Frontier Dominion
Moderator:
- Sheryl Schwartz, CIO, ALTI Financial, AIF Institute Fellow
Panelists:
- Michael Oliver Weinberg, AIF Sustainable Investing Board
- Joshua Charles, CEO, Frontier Dominion
3:00–3:45 p.m.
Academic Presentation: Sustainable Investing: What Next? Navigating Complexity and Opportunities
- Laura Segafredo, Ph.D., Adjunct Professor of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University
3:45–4:00 p.m.
Closing Remarks
- Melissa Waller, President, AIF Global and the AIF Institute
2025 AIF Institute Sustainable Investing Symposium
400 Capital Management
Gregory Maller, Managing Director
ACORE Capital
Kevin Voye, Assistant Vice President
AFP Habitat
Santiago Tagle, Portfolio Manager**
Alti Financial
Sheryl Schwartz, CIO
Appomattox
Drianne Benner, Managing Director
British International Investment
Michael Melluso, Investment Manager **
Church Investment Group
JoAnn Hanson, President
Colliers
Ali Hoss, Head of Sustainability & ESG
Columbia University
Caroline Flammer, A. Barton Hepburn Professor of Economics, Professor of Climate and of Business, Director of the Sustainable Investing Research Initiative**
Laura Segafredo, Adjunct Professor of International and Public Affairs
Eskom Pension and Provident Fund
Qaqamba Mgijima, Investment Analyst**
Euclidean Capital
Alessandra Zhang, Investment Analyst **
Featherlight
Tom Rotherham-Winqvist, Co-Founder
Fiera Comox
Ben Lee, Senior Principal
Frontier Dominion
Joshua Charles, CEO
HighVista Strategies
Max Murray, Senior Associate
Houston Municipal Employees Pension System
Rhonda Smith, Board Member and Secretary
Illinois SURS (State Universities Retirement System)
Alex Ramos, Senior Investment Officer **
Mergermarket
Tatiana Caress Louder, Energy Reporter
MetLife Investment Management
Pamela Coffey, Senior Director, Sustainability Strategies Group
Nestle UK
Fattah Rinol, Investment Manager **
New York City Office of the Comptroller
Nehan Naim, ESG Strategy Officer – Bureau of Asset Management
New York State Common Retirement Fund
Gianna McCarthy, Director of Corporate Governance
Andrew Siwo, Director of Sustainable Investments and Climate Solutions
Oregon State Treasury
Anna Totdahl, Investment Officer, ESG & Sustainability**
StepStone Group
Bhavika Vyas, Managing Director
Stonepeak
Astha Ummat, Director, Sustainable Value Creation
Surmont Capital
Moya Connelly, Managing Partner
Tokyo University of Science Endowment
Michael Oliver Weinberg, Special Advisor
** Virtual Participant