Sustainable Finance in Germany and the United States: ESG Partners or Rivals?

Late last month the Sustainable Finance Committee, which advises the German federal government on the development and implementation of its Sustainable Finance Strategy, released a report outlining more than 30 policy recommendations to be taken to establish a sustainable financial system. Digitalization, globalization, climate concerns, and more recently the coronavirus pandemic are driving change around the world. In order to address these trends, companies must innovate and adapt to survive. The finance sector can play a role in facilitating this transformative process by doing more to address sustainability and the social impact of investing.

Join us for a discussion about Germany’s model for sustainable finance with one of the members of the Sustainable Finance Committee, Dr. Gerald Podobnik, the CFO of the Corporate Bank division of Deutsche Bank.

Dr. Gerald Podobnik has been the CFO of the Corporate Bank division of Deutsche Bank since 2019. In this role, he is responsible for all financial matters of the division including financial reporting, performance management as well as resource allocation. In addition, Gerald has various sustainable finance responsibilities within Deutsche Bank, such as co-chairing the group-wide sustainability council and heading the ESG business of the Corporate Bank division. He has been with Deutsche Bank for more than 15 years.

Since its creation in 2019, Gerald has been a member of the Sustainable Finance Committee. He holds a doctorate degree in law and a master’s degree in business administration from Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz, Austria.