The Singapore office of conservation group World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has appointed Akshat Garg to its sustainable finance team.
Garg comes on board as assistant vice president, Asia Sustainable Finance, and will be part of the responsible investment team. He was previously interning with the organisation.
His role will focus on environmental, social and governance (ESG) implementation across asset managers and private banks in the region, as well as thematic areas such as energy finance, biodiversity and nature-related risks.
WWF produces guidance for banks and regulators in Asia through tools such as the Sustainable Banking Assessment (SUSBA), which charts the progress of the region’s banks on sustainability, and Sustainable Financial Regulations and Central Bank Activities (SUSREG), which tracks sustainability integration among the region’s central banks and financial supervisors.
Prior to joining WWF, Garg was research assistant to Professor Sreeja Nair at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Pubic Policy, where he researched policy experimentation and innovation. Garg has a Master’s degree in public policy from the college.
With a background in policy design, Garg has worked for the India government as an economic and policy consultant, and has also completed stints at Asian Venture Philanthrophy Network and the United Nations Capital Development Fund.
In 2021, Garg co-founded Covid Action Lab, an online community for medical advice and fundraising to aid the Covid-19 relief effort in India. He also worked as a sex education teacher in public schools in Delhi, teaching young male students about children’s rights, gender norms and issues such as toxic masculinity.
