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Ciaran Clayton
Director, Global Media Relations
Email: ciaran.clayton@tnc.org
Today, The Nature Conservancy announced that sustainable finance and environmental, social, and governance expert Matt Arnold has been named Global Lead, Impact Finance & Markets. Beginning September 7, 2021, Matt will oversee the Conservancy’s NatureVest, Corporate Engagement, and Carbon Markets teams.
Matt, most recently global head of sustainable finance for JPMorgan Chase & Co., has been a strategic advisor to The Nature Conservancy for many years as a former member of the advisory board for its impact investing unit NatureVest and as a Trustee for its New York Chapter. While at JPMorgan, Matt and his teams set and led the firm’s sustainability strategy, including its recent commitment to align its financing to the Paris Agreement and to invest $2.5 trillion over the next decade in projects that tackle climate change and contribute to sustainable development. Under Matt’s leadership, JP Morgan launched its first impact finance strategy, with a focus on investing in underserved communities, entrepreneurs of color and sustainability and established its ESG advisory practice, engaging with clients on capital introduction, transaction execution, investor analysis, and policy insights.
“Matt is a dynamic and entrepreneurial team leader,” said Jennifer Morris, CEO, The Nature Conservancy. “His deep expertise, plus his passion for conservation and our mission will be a tremendous asset as we look to unlock mainstream sources of capital for nature to address the climate emergency and biodiversity loss.”
Prior to joining JPMorgan Chase & Co., Matt served as principal and US lead for sustainability and climate change at PwC where he consulted with dozens of companies on a wide range of climate, energy, and sustainability strategies. He was also the founder and partner for Sustainable Finance Ltd and served as chief operating officer for World Resources Institute.
“The Nature Conservancy is at the forefront of tackling some of the world’s biggest challenges with thoughtful, science-based, innovative, and scalable solutions,” said Matt. “I’ve volunteered for the organization for decades and am incredibly excited to join the team to drive innovation and deliver tangible, lasting results.”
In this role, Matt will lead a team responsible for developing high-impact partnerships and strategies in the impact investing, corporate engagement, and carbon markets as the organization strives to meet its biodiversity and climate goals.
Matt received his AB from Harvard College and MBA from Harvard Business School. He also holds a master’s degree in International Affairs from Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies. He lives in Washington, DC with his wife, Elizabeth Littlefield, and dog, Uma. In his spare time, Matt enjoys hiking and has completed more than 500 miles of the Appalachian Trail.
The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. We are tackling climate change, conserving lands, waters and oceans at an unprecedented scale, providing food and water sustainably and helping make cities more sustainable. Working in 76 countries and territories—37 by direct conservation impact and 39 through partners—we use a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners. To learn more, visit www.nature.org or follow @nature_press on Twitter.