Former Executive Secretary, UNFCCC (2010 – 2016)
Founding Partner, Global Optimism Ltd. Convener, Mission 2020

Christiana Figueres is a Costa Rican citizen and was the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change 2010 – 2016.

During her tenure at the UNFCCC, Ms. Figueres brought together national and sub-national governments, corporations and activists, financial institutions and NGOs to jointly deliver the historic Paris Agreement on climate change, in which 195 sovereign nations agreed on a collaborative path forward to limit future global warming to well below 2°C, and strive for 1.5°C in order to protect the most vulnerable. For this achievement Ms. Figueres has been credited with forging a new brand of collaborative diplomacy, for which she has received multiple awards.

Since then Ms. Figueres has continued to serve her one and only boss, the global atmosphere. She sits on multiple boards and is a founding partner of Global Optimism Ltd., a purpose driven enterprise focused on social and environmental change. She convenes Mission 2020 and co-chairs the Global Covenant of Mayors.

She is a graduate of Swarthmore College and the London School of Economics.

Chief Executive Hong Kong Branch, 
Head of Private Banking North Asia,  Credit Suisse

Dr. François Monnet was appointed Head of Private Banking North Asia effective August 2018, based in Hong Kong. Prior to that responsibility, Dr. Monnet ran the Private Banking franchise for Greater China.

In this role, Dr. Monnet works closely with the respective Market Group Heads and Country CEOs across Credit Suisse’s integrated bank to enhance its ability to capitalize on the synergies and business opportunities in Greater China and Japan, drive client interconnectivity across business divisions and markets to further build the bank’s strong client franchise in the region. In addition, Dr. Monnet is the Chief Executive of Credit Suisse’s Hong Kong Branch. 

Previously Dr. Monnet was the Chief Operating Officer for Private Banking Asia Pacific from April 2012. In this capacity, he assumed responsibility for all run-the-bank functions, investments in infrastructure and change management, risk and supervisory controls, pricing and strategy, including the build-up of Credit Suisse’s Private Banking digital capabilities across Asia.

Dr. Monnet joined Credit Suisse in 2007 as Head of Private Banking Southeast Asia and Australasia until 2010 when he assumed a new responsibility as Head of Ultra High Net Worth clients for Private Banking Southeast Asia, Australia and Japan. Prior to Credit Suisse, he managed the offshore core affluent client segment in Asia Pacific at UBS, with an additional focus on the Singapore domestic market. He started his banking career at UBS Zurich in Corporate Finance and Mergers & Acquisitions.

Dr. Monnet is a graduate of University of Geneva, holds a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy (Tufts/Harvard Universities) as well as a Doctor of Philosophy in Political Sciences from University of Geneva, Switzerland. He is the recipient of an Executive MBA from INSEAD. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst.