Charles Buchanan 2024 Speaker

Senior Manager

EY Deal Advisory

Biography

Charles is a senior manager at EY SaT Sustainability and Lead Advisory. He works with development finance institutions sovereigns, central banks, NGO’s, investors, fund managers, investment banks and companies to develop value-add sustainable investment and financial solutions.

Charles has over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry across many regions including Africa, Europe, South America and the UK. He started his career in capital markets sell-side fixed income and commodities derivatives trading in Johannesburg and London. He was then appointed Chief Operating Officer at Catalyst Fund Managers, a role he held for six years before exiting the business to a larger acquirer.

Most recently Charles has focused his efforts on corporate advisory work in the sustainable investment sector advising investors, fund managers and companies on fund raising, business strategy and M&A via a sustainable finance lens. Most recently Charles executed a $1.5B blue bond debt for nature swap in Ecuador which was supported by a number of development finance institutions.
Charles has advised investors, fund managers, project originators and corporates on the use of various climate finance instruments including carbon credits, debt-for-nature-swaps, debt-for-climate swaps, green/blue bonds and sustainability-linked bonds. Charles has also worked with key investors in the sector including development finance institutions and international climate finance funds. He has consulted with fund managers and portfolio companies in the renewable energy sector in Africa on both mega and micro infrastructure projects.

Charles also held executive positions at Maitland Group and IQ-EQ where he assisted fund managers to establish solutions across multiple jurisdictions and sectors. Charles has provided independent advisory and consulting to establish first-time fund managers in the impact investment sector.