VP, ESG Nature Risk (Emiratised)
First Abu Dhabi Bank · Abu Dhabi
JOB SUMMARY / INTRODUCTION
The Vice President and Head of Climate & Nature Risk leads the design, implementation and continuous enhancement of FAB's climate and nature risk management framework, ensuring that physical, transition and nature-related risks are identified, measured, monitored and managed consistently across the Group's portfolios and operations.
The role holder owns the development and governance of climate and nature risk methodologies and models (e.g., risk scoring, scenario analysis and stress testing) and oversees their integration into the Group Risk framework, risk appetite, credit decision-making, ICAAP and business strategy.
Working closely with business units, risk functions, Model Risk Management and Group ESG, as well as external stakeholders such as regulators, climate and nature data vendors, rating agencies and industry organisations, the role holder drives collaboration and alignment on climate and nature risk initiatives and ensures compliance with CBUAE requirements and evolving international standards and frameworks (e.g., ISSB/IFRS S2, TNFD, NGFS, UNEP FI Principles for Responsible Banking).
This is a strategic leadership role that requires deep technical expertise in climate and nature risk, the ability to lead and develop a specialist team, and the capability to translate complex risk insights into clear recommendations for senior management and governance committees.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Policies, Systems, Processes & Procedures
- Manage and ensure effective implementation of Risk functional policies, procedures and controls covering all international locations so that all relevant procedural/legislative requirements, fulfilled while delivering a quality, cost-effective service.
- Champion the development of a risk culture in order to drive heightened awareness and understanding of prudent risk management practices.
- Liaise with relevant Risk Committees (including Sub-Committees) to ensure risk oversight, provide guidance and support as necessary in order to enable the effective implementation of an effective risk management process.
Project Management
- Lead the project teams in planning and execution of programmes, projects, change demand and delivery of change portfolio for the assigned groups in order to ensure achievement of project objectives.
- Support assigned business unit in defining technology programmes, scoping the comprising projects and their prioritization in order to ensure execution in line with the agreed objectives.
- Monitor project progress and take corrective actions to ensure projects remain on track and achieve agreed deadlines.
- Engage and communicate with stakeholders in order to keep them up to date with progress, risks and issues and influence stakeholders in decision making for the benefit of the programme / project.
Vendor Management
- Liaise with Procurement department in order to initiate procurement requests and conduct vendor negotiations in order to obtain a high quality and cost-effective service.
- Ensure effective evaluation of systems proposals and provide recommendations in order to support accurate identification / acquisition of appropriate systems to suit business requirements.
- Attend and participate in the vendor selection to review and approve the quotations, timeframe, costs, functionality, quality assurance, user satisfaction in order to meet the user requirements while ensuring adherence with overall Central Procurement policy standards.
- Lead the provision of technical expertise in developing RFPs and RFQs relevant to all product and services requirements; participate in the preparation of tendering and contractual documentation to ensure cost effective and quality services are obtained for group’s related contracts.
Relationship Management
• Develop and maintain effective relationships with all relevant external/internal entities such as service providers, vendors and key stake holders etc. with highest standards of business ethics, whilst promptly attending to all critical issues in-order to ensure the services required by the organization are delivered in the most effective manner.
Continuous Improvement
• Lead the identification of opportunities for continuous improvement and sustainability of systems, processes and practices considering global standards, productivity improvement and cost reduction.
Reporting
• Ensure that all department reports are prepared timely and accurately and meet Group requirements, policies and quality standards.
Risk Framework and Governance
- Lead the design, implementation and periodic review of the Group climate and nature risk management framework, policies and procedures, in alignment with the Group ESG Strategy, CBUAE requirements and international best practice.
- Embed climate risk into the Group Risk framework, including risk taxonomy, materiality assessment, risk appetite and key risk indicators, in coordination with other functional risk leaders.
- Own the regular update of climate risk frameworks and ensure timely closure of regulatory, internal audit and model validation findings.
- Support relevant risk and management committees, sub-committees and working groups on climate risk matters.
Model Development, Methodologies & Stress Testing
- Lead the development, maintenance and continuous improvement of climate and nature risk measurement tools, including client and sector risk scoring, heatmaps, scenario analysis and stress testing models.
- Establish and review methodologies to quantify physical and transition risks and their transmission into credit, market, liquidity and operational risks (e.g., impact on PD, LGD, ECL and capital).
- Lead the execution of regulatory and internal climate stress tests and scenario analyses (e.g., NGFS-based scenarios) and integrate results into ICAAP, risk appetite and strategic planning.
- Ensure complete documentation of climate and nature risk models and adherence to model risk governance, including independent validation and model approval forums.
- Oversee the implementation of models into business processes and systems.
Nature Risk
- Lead the development and implementation of FAB's nature risk management approach, including the identification and assessment of nature-related dependencies, impacts, risks and opportunities in line with the TNFD LEAP approach.
- Develop nature risk assessment tools and sector/portfolio heatmaps (e.g., biodiversity loss, water stress, deforestation and land-use change), leveraging recognised tools and datasets (e.g., ENCORE, IBAT, WWF Risk Filters).
- Integrate nature-related risk considerations into client due diligence, credit risk assessment and environmental and social risk management processes for priority sectors.
- Support Group ESG in setting, operationalising and tracking nature-related targets aligned with UNEP FI PRB guidance, and in preparing TNFD-aligned disclosures.
- Monitor emerging nature-related regulatory expectations and scenario methodologies (e.g., NGFS nature-related work) and assess their implications for FAB.
- Lead FAB’s nature Target Setting.
Data, Monitoring & Reporting
- Develop qualitative and quantitative climate and nature risk metrics (e.g., financed emissions, physical and transition risk exposures) and enterprise-level monitoring and reporting to senior management, Board committees and regulators.
- Lead the identification and assessment of climate and nature data vendors to address data gaps, and champion data quality through proactive logging and remediation of data issues.
- Collaborate with Group ESG, Finance and other teams on climate and nature-related disclosures and submissions (e.g., IFRS S2/TCFD, TNFD, CDP), ensuring accuracy and consistency of risk information.
- Represent FAB in regulatory and industry forums, conferences and working groups, contributing to thought leadership on climate and nature risk.
Capability Building
- Lead training and awareness programmes to build capability across the Bank, including Business, Risk and senior management.
- Stay abreast of global regulatory developments, standards and industry trends, ensuring FAB's practices are proactively adapted.
Frameworks, Boundaries, & Decision-Making Authority
- Functions within the framework and boundaries of Group policies as well as overall organizational and governance frameworks.
- Authorized to take decisions as per the approved authorization matrix.
REQUIREMENTS / QUALIFICATIONS
Minimum Qualification
• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field, such as finance, economics, econometrics, data science, environmental science or sustainability.
Experience
- 10+ years of proven relevant experience in banking, financial services, regulatory bodies and/or consulting.
- 5+ years of experience within Risk Management with a focus on climate risk, ESG or sustainability risk management, with a proven track record of driving change and delivering results.
- Demonstrated experience in risk modelling, scenario analysis and stress testing, including physical and transition risk methodologies.
- Hands on experience in handling and analysing large datasets; proficiency in data analytics / programming tools (e.g., Python, R, SQL) and Excel.
- Demonstrated experience in integrating climate and ESG considerations into business strategies, operations and decision-making processes.
- Proven track record of developing, implementing and managing change projects and model governance processes.
- Proven experience in dealing with a wide variety of internal and external stakeholders, including regulatory bodies and senior management.
Competencies
- In-depth knowledge of climate and nature-related frameworks and standards, such as ISSB (IFRS S1/S2), TCFD, TNFD, NGFS, PCAF and UNEP FI PRB, and of relevant CBUAE and international regulatory requirements.
- Good communication and presentation skills, with the ability to articulate complex climate and nature risk concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.
- Strong leadership and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate with stakeholders at all levels of the organisation.
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with a critical eye, attention to detail and the ability to interpret complex data and make strategic recommendations.
- Proven ability to navigate a fast-paced and dynamic environment, effectively managing multiple priorities and deadlines.
Preferred / Beneficial
- Master's or other post-graduate degree preferred.
- Relevant professional certifications such as CFA, FRM, GARP SCR, or climate risk, nature risk or sustainability-related credentials are preferred.
- Experience in or exposure to nature-related risk assessment (e.g., TNFD, biodiversity, water) is a strong advantage.
Skills
- Risk modelling
- Scenario analysis
- Stress testing
- Physical and transition risk methodologies
- Data analytics / programming tools (e.g., Python, R, SQL)
- Excel
- Climate and ESG considerations
- Change projects
- Model governance processes
- Climate and nature-related frameworks and standards, such as ISSB (IFRS S1/S2), TCFD, TNFD, NGFS, PCAF and UNEP FI PRB
- Good communication and presentation skills
- Strong leadership and interpersonal skills
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
- Critical eye
- Attention to detail
- Ability to interpret complex data and make strategic recommendations
- Ability to navigate a fast-paced and dynamic environment
Effectively managing multiple priorities and deadlines