Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Websites
Certification
Languages
Timeline
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Nikita Varma

New York,USA

Summary

Focused and purpose-driven professional with 10+ years of consulting, entrepreneurial, and cross-functional business experience driving best sustainability practices in different sectors and industries—including financial services, energy, retail and apparel, and non-profit.

Passionate about environmental and social issues encompassing climate change and decarbonization, conservation of natural capital, human rights and other crucial social issues. Keen to expand and apply expertise in a role that positively impacts the industry and society. A trained project manager and a natural communicator able to deliver successfully on multiple projects, liaise, and collaborate with diverse colleagues, senior leadership, clients, and other stakeholders worldwide.

Overview

6
6
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

Net Zero Program Manager

Cushman and Wakefield / Client: Fiserv, Inc.
06.2024 - 10.2024
  • Company Overview: Cushman and Wakefield is a Real Estate firm. Client: Fiserv, Inc. is a Financial Technology Firm
  • Key Role: Developed and Implemented Global Decarbonization and Corporate Sustainability Strategies for Fiserv’s facilities in North America, Europe, Latin AMerica and Asia Pacific, aimed at achieving its Net Zero goals
  • Key Projects: Energy Procurement, Renewable Energy Strategy, Energy Audits, GHG data collection and reporting, CDP Reporting, Global Water and Waste Strategy
  • Provided analytical and advisory support for annual corporate budgeting for energy and sustainability projects
  • Collaborated with external consultants, agencies and stakeholders for alignment on project goals, timelines and implementation.
  • Spearheaded cross-functional teams to deliver complex projects on time.

Managing Consultant, Corporate Sustainability and Climate Change

ERM (Environmental Resource Management)
08.2022 - 10.2023
  • Company Overview: ERM is a pure play sustainability consulting firm
  • Led, managed and implemented projects focused on climate change and sustainability for a range of clients including Energy and Finance sector clients
  • Project scopes: client due-diligence, peer benchmarking, greenhouse gas baseline analysis (Scope1, 2 &3 emissions), physical and transition risk and opportunity assessment, decarbonization roadmaps, science-based target setting, materiality assessment, sustainable finance, analysis of policies and regulations, stakeholder engagement and organizing and delivering ESG focused educational client workshops for senior leadership
  • Experience working with Energy sector clients such as large Electric and Gas Utilities
  • Expertise in developing decarbonization strategies including transition to renewable, clean and low-carbon fuels such as Green Hydrogen, Renewable Natural Gas, and supporting technologies such as CCUS, energy storage, electrolysis etc
  • Experience working with Finance sector clients such as Banks and Private equity
  • Expertise in Net Zero target setting and strategies, Financed emissions (GHG Protocol, Scope 3 – Category 15)
  • Led projects and consulted on two energy sector coalitions – Downstream Initiative (DSI) and Natural Gas Supply Collaborative (NGSC)
  • Developed and disseminated market intelligence on ESG related market updates and Federal and State level policy and regulations: (Power, Energy: EPA – GHGRP- Methane Emissions, Clean Air Act, Power Plant Rules, State Gas bans, Clean Heat Standards, Inflation Reduction Act – Investment Tax credit, Production Tax Credit, Cap and Trade, Carbon credits and offsets; Finance and reporting: US SEC, TCFD, TNFD, CDP, ISSB, PCAF, SBTi, SFDR, NGFS, GFANZ, NZBA, etc.)
  • As a trained project manager, managed complex projects that included liaising with clients, managing budgets and teams, delegating tasks, and ensuring successful project delivery that meets client expectations

EDF Climate Corps Fellow

Bank of America, Global Environmental Group (GEG)
06.2021 - 08.2021
  • Company Overview: Internal advisory group of SMEs dedicated to fulfilling BofA’s net zero pledge
  • Collaborated with the GEG and climate target setting teams to execute in-depth climate change scenario analysis, facilitating BofA’s Net Zero target, and contributed to the Bank’s Finance Emissions analysis
  • Built and applied expertise in climate change mitigation for bank’s loan portfolio; focused analysis on top 10 high-emitting clients in the power and energy sectors, performing intensive ESG due-diligence
  • Pioneered research into ESG risks and opportunities in the apparel and retail industry
  • Participated in Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials’ (PCAF’s) emissions removal and Green Bond working group meetings along with senior leadership from BofA
  • Prepared and presented three comprehensive final reports focused on the IEA’s Net Zero 2050 Pathway, client analyses of bank’s loan portfolio, and sustainability in the apparel and retail industry, to entire GEG as well as representatives from risk management, target setting and sustainable finance teams
  • Resulted in adoption and continuous usage across eight of BofA’s teams as their first-ever complete reference for aligning business strategy with climate goals as well as successful client engagements
  • Internal advisory group of SMEs dedicated to fulfilling BofA’s net zero pledge

ESG Researcher Intern

Emerging Markets Investors Alliance
03.2020 - 02.2021
  • Company Overview: Not-for-profit 501(3) organization that enables institutional emerging market investors to support good governance, promote sustainable development, and improve investment performance in the governments and companies in which they invest
  • As part of team of 10, collaborated on developing a best practices framework for ESG integration, engagement, and advocacy in emerging markets for corporates and sovereign entities
  • Prepared a white paper in collaboration with ESG research team for asset managers and investors
  • Researched on thematic ESG trends and factors, assessing material issues and best practices
  • Communicated and collaborated with asset managers across the industry to develop case studies
  • Not-for-profit 501(3) organization that enables institutional emerging market investors to support good governance, promote sustainable development, and improve investment performance in the governments and companies in which they invest

Consultant

IFAD (International Fund for Agricultural Development)
09.2018 - 12.2018
  • Company Overview: Specialized UN Agency and international financial institution dedicated to eradicating poverty and hunger in developing countries
  • Subcontracted to support the preparation of IFAD’s 2019-2024 Private Sector Engagement Strategy
  • Researched private sector strategies of UN agencies, Multilateral Development Banks, and bilateral organizations and tracked sustainable practices of various private entities in the agriculture sector
  • Collaborated with main team in Rome, Italy, and coordinated with regional divisions across South America, Africa, and Asia to collect project data, conduct surveys, organize information, and prepare case studies
  • Each of the nine case studies were based on IFAD’s private sector engagement in developing and emerging markets such as Nicaragua, Vietnam, Uganda, Rwanda, Mali, Nigeria, Jordan, and India
  • Specialized UN Agency and international financial institution dedicated to eradicating poverty and hunger in developing countries

Education

Master of Science - Sustainability Management

Columbia University, The Earth Institute
New York, NY
05-2021

Master of Business Administration - International Business

Symbiosis Institute of International Business
Pune

Bachelor of Arts - Economics

Stella Maris College
Chennai

Skills

  • Decarbonization Strategies
  • Energy Procurement
  • Renewable energy
  • Energy and Sustainability Policy and Regulations
  • Corporate Sustainability Reporting Frameworks
  • Green House Gas Accounting
  • Data Analysis
  • Stakeholder Engagement
  • Nature Based Solutions
  • Climate-based Leadership Workshops
  • ESG Risk Management
  • Project Management
  • Leadership and Teamwork
  • Entrepreneurial and Analytical Mindset
  • Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
  • Communication & Presentation
  • Microsoft Office, Salesforce, Power BI

Certification

  • Hydrogen Energy Consultant Expert, Renewable Energy Institute, Expected: 2025
  • Climate Bond Initiative, Green Bond Training, 06/01/22
  • SASB, Fundamentals of Sustainability Accounting (FSA) Level 1, completed, Level 2 Expected: 2025
  • CISI and CBI Green and Sustainable Finance Certificate, Expected 2025
  • Alternative Investments Certificate, Harvard Business School, 2021

Languages

English
Native or Bilingual
Hindi
Native or Bilingual
French
Limited Working

Timeline

Net Zero Program Manager

Cushman and Wakefield / Client: Fiserv, Inc.
06.2024 - 10.2024

Managing Consultant, Corporate Sustainability and Climate Change

ERM (Environmental Resource Management)
08.2022 - 10.2023

EDF Climate Corps Fellow

Bank of America, Global Environmental Group (GEG)
06.2021 - 08.2021

ESG Researcher Intern

Emerging Markets Investors Alliance
03.2020 - 02.2021

Consultant

IFAD (International Fund for Agricultural Development)
09.2018 - 12.2018

Master of Science - Sustainability Management

Columbia University, The Earth Institute

Master of Business Administration - International Business

Symbiosis Institute of International Business

Bachelor of Arts - Economics

Stella Maris College

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Nikita Varma