Our Edge
We are experts maximising impact
Vertree’s team members have extensive experience working with corporates to deliver strategic action plans on how to navigate the transition to carbon neutrality
Leadership team
Ariel Perez
Dominique Strasdin
David Costa-D'Sa
Rodrigo Bezerra
Ben Coulton
Cheryl Bowler
Camille Barbancon
David Stead
Muireann Mageras
Alexandra Constantinescu
Ariel Perez
With over a decade of experience trading, investing and managing risk in environmental markets, he is passionate about mobilizing the private sector to affect change while leveraging market-based mechanisms and nature to address the climate crisis. He joined Hartree in 2015 to set up and lead the Environmental Products business. Prior to this, he was a managing partner at Mercuria and global head of emissions trading for Citigroup in London. Ariel holds a BS in applied economics and management from Cornell University.
Dominique Strasdin
David Costa-D'Sa
With over 20 years of experience in the energy and environmental markets with Linklaters, Deutsche Bank and Goldman Sachs, he remains deeply committed to the energy transition story and to the need for urgent action to prevent an impending climate crisis. Involved in the carbon markets from their early stages, he co-founded and built the first Environmental Financial Products business as part of the energy desk within Deutsche Bank. He is experienced in dealing with all aspects of the carbon markets – from trading offset credits to developing emissions reducing/avoiding projects – and brings a commercial aspect to sustainability topics, as he believes that an understanding of markets is crucial in any solution to the climate change and energy transition challenge.
Rodrigo Bezerra
Rodrigo has over 15 years of experience in environmental markets and carbon finance in BP, IADB and EcoSecurities. His technical expertise spans in projects in 5 continents; and sectors such as renewable energy, energy efficiency, waste management, and forestry. He has worked on the implementation of one of the largest global carbon offset portfolios under the CDM, and has coordinated an international cooperation for the dissemination of low carbon agriculture technologies among smallholder farmers in the Amazon and Atlantic Forest Regions in Brazil. Rodrigo serves as a member of the VCS advisory committee which provides strategic guidance on the evolution of the VCS Program.
Ben Coulton
Ben recently joined the Vertree team after having entered Hartree Partners on the Bulk Commodity team in New York in 2017, and then returned to Singapore in 2019. Ben is committed to ensuring partners understand all risks and opportunities in carbon projects and achieve their climate objectives as efficiently as possible.
With 15 years experience in commodity markets across the APAC region, Ben has been based in Singapore, Beijing and Hong Kong. He has worked with private sector and government entities to finance, trade and market bulk commodities. A prior career in banking and finance provided comprehensive expertise in operations and compliance.
Cheryl Bowler
Cheryl has over 20 years’ experience in energy and environmental markets with a focus on Australia and Asia. She traded electricity for a mixed portfolio of generation in NSW and established the environmental products trading business at Westpac. Cheryl subsequently went into consulting in the climate change and sustainability industry with a focus on decarbonisation strategies and carbon markets.
She is committed to helping companies achieve their carbon reduction and net-zero goals and recently joined Vertree to cover the APAC region. Cheryl has a BE in electrical engineering and an MBA in technology management.
Camille Barbancon
Camille joined Hartree in 2014, assisting corporate clients in their risk management and structuring needs across all energy markets including carbon emissions. Her commitment to the energy transition and belief in nature-based solutions to address climate change led her to join Vertree earlier this year. As part of the Sales team, she is committed to lead companies on their sustainability journey and build long-term relationships with project developers – ensuring the strength and lasting impact of Vertree’ s portfolio.
Prior to Hartree she spent two years at Societe Generale and Lloyds Bank on their FX and Energy desks after completing her Master’s Degree in a leading Business School in France.
David Stead
David has more than 15 years’ experience trading in the capital markets, living and working around the world. He brings an in-depth knowledge of risk management and investment products to Vertree, part of our unrivalled structuring capability. David has an MBA from London Business School and originally trained as an Engineer at Imperial College London.
His focus is on managing the large, diverse portfolio of projects and emissions reductions that Vertree has created, and creating bespoke solutions for customers.
Muireann Mageras
Muireann joined Hartree Partners in November 2021 to lead climate advisory for the Environmental Products desk and Vertree. She has over a decade of experience in corporate sustainability and strategy, working with companies predominantly in the energy and industrial sectors on their approaches to climate change and decarbonisation. She has led engagements through all stages of the corporate journey to net zero – from risk and materiality to environmental footprinting, emissions reductions, target setting, carbon portfolio development, and disclosure.
Prior to Hartree, Muireann was at South Pole where she built the North American advisory business, as well as Deloitte Consulting, Innosight, and the World Economic Forum. She holds an MSc in Environmental Economics & Climate Change from the London School of Economics, and a BA in International Studies from Johns Hopkins University.
Alexandra Constantinescu
Alexandra joined the Hartree Environmental Products team in January 2020, focusing on voluntary carbon markets and forestry projects in particular. Prior to this, she was an Energy Consultant at Hartree, where she worked with various upstream, midstream and downstream clients in Europe and the Middle East on business strategy development, energy transition strategy articulation, portfolio analyses and other policy and market assessment engagements. Alexandra started her career in media and research, having previously worked for the business development team of Thomson Reuters. She holds a Master’s degree in Environment and Development from the London School of Economics, and a Bachelor’s degree in Politics and International Relations from the University of Kent, Canterbury.
Latest from the knowledge centre
Hartree Partners and ecosecurities launch Project Araucaria to generate $1.5bn to support habitat restoration across Latin America
The project will work with local farmers, landowners, cooperatives, and NGOs in Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay The project will…
- The project will work with local farmers, landowners, cooperatives, and NGOs in Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay
- The project will help design, finance, and develop nature-based carbon reduction and removal projects, aiming to achieve the highest level of accreditation
- The project targets the creation of over 300 million tonnes of voluntary carbon credits over 30 years
Hartree Partners, Vertree’s founding partner, and ecosecurities today announce an estimated $1.5bn project to work with local farmers, landowners, associations, co-operatives, and NGOs in the Cono-Sur region of Latin America.
Named Project Araucaria after one of the most endangered tree species in the region, this project will help design, finance, and develop nature-based carbon reduction and removal projects in Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay, generating over 10 million tonnes of voluntary carbon credits each year.
Aggressive agricultural land use and conversion in Latin America now account for almost a third of global greenhouse gas emissions, and over half the deforestation in the world[1]. By working alongside people who own, farm, and support work on the land, Project Araucaria aims to reverse this trend by promoting the conservation and restoration of forests and implementing sustainable agricultural practices.
Ariel Perez, Partner at Hartree Partners, said:
“Reducing emissions is vital to halting devastating climate change; but it’s not enough. We also need to remove carbon that’s already in the atmosphere by restoring key habitats that have already been degraded and destroyed.
“Hartree’s project with ecosecurities will bring significant investment and expertise to farmers, agricultural producers, and landowners across Latin America by supporting their efforts to restore habitats and ecosystems, targeting the reduction and removal of carbon in the atmosphere by over 300 million tonnes.”
Ecosecurities, an impact-driven provider of environmental services with over two decades of experience in carbon emissions reduction and removal projects around the world, will use its on-the-ground presence in and knowledge of Latin America to engage farmers, producers, and landowners across the region. Ecosecurities aim to design and implement at least 20 projects and programmes.
Pablo Fernandez, CEO of ecosecurities said:
“If we are to turn climate commitments into tangible action, we must develop solutions that deliver benefits for local people, nature and, as a result, to the entire planet.
“This is why we are delighted to be partnering with Hartree to deliver Project Araucaria – a vitally important initiative that will promote sustainable production practices and, in turn, reduce global emissions.”
The portfolio aims to achieve certification under the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) and receive Climate, Community and Biodiversity (CCB) status; it will be marketed by Vertree.
Hartree Partners, a leading global energy and commodities trading company will invest, develop, manage, and market the projects, to help meet the surging demand for high quality Verified Emissions Reductions as businesses look to play their part in addressing the climate emergency.
[1] The Nature Conservatory, Growing our way to a healthier climate, February 2017
Unprecedented private sector finance deal to generate over $2bn to protect threatened forests, wildlife, and improve community livelihoods
Hartree Partners, Vertree founding partner, and Wildlife Works sign landmark voluntary carbon market deal Over 20 new high-impact projects will…
- Hartree Partners, Vertree founding partner, and Wildlife Works sign landmark voluntary carbon market deal
- Over 20 new high-impact projects will be implemented in collaboration with forest communities to protect threatened landscapes in Africa, Asia, and Latin America
- Project portfolio to generate 20 million tonnes of Verified Emission Reductions (VERs) each year for the 30-year life of the projects
Hartree Partners and Wildlife Works announce a ground-breaking deal that will generate over $2bn of private sector investment to enable communities to protect biodiversity and forests at risk from deforestation.
13 million hectares of tropical forest, an area the size of Greece, is currently lost to deforestation every year. But, to keep the increase in global temperature below 1.5 degrees in line with the Paris Agreement, more than three quarters of deforestation must be stopped by 2030. Thousands of companies are addressing the climate emergency and, with voluntary carbon markets playing an increasingly prominent role, the demand for Verified Emissions Reductions (VERs) is forecast to outstrip supply.
Hartree Partners, a leading global energy and commodities trading company, and Wildlife Works, an innovative global conservation company, will help meet this surging demand by partnering to invest, develop, manage and market one of the world’s largest portfolios of avoided deforestation projects. Hartree’s investment is effective immediately, with the projects expected to begin delivering VERs by 2023.
The deal, which will increase the availability of high-quality, verified, avoided deforestation projects by approximately 40%, will reduce emissions from deforestation by 20 million tonnes each year and 600 million tonnes over the 30-year life of the projects – equivalent to taking 4.3 million cars off the road.
The partnership will develop more than 20 high-impact projects in collaboration with local communities to improve livelihoods while preserving and protecting forests and wildlife.
The ground-breaking deal was facilitated by Everland, the exclusive marketing partner of Wildlife Works. The portfolio will be marketed by Everland and Vertree.
Ariel Perez, Partner at Hartree Partners, said:
“The scientific community agrees that the world cannot keep the increase in global temperature below 1.5 degrees without significant support from global businesses. Hartree Partners is proud to be providing substantial long-term investment in nature-based solutions through this partnership.
“We’re delighted to be working with such experienced partners as Wildlife Works to ensure that these projects reduce emissions, protect highly threatened species, and enhance the wellbeing of thousands of people in these forest communities who hold the key to stopping deforestation.”
Mike Korchinsky, Founder and CEO of Wildlife Works, said:
“While those in the Global North continue to debate what they want from climate action, our partners in the Global South urgently need just and effective solutions now.
“With Hartree Partners’ financial backing and carbon market expertise, we can implement our just and inclusive climate, community, and biodiversity solutions in many more forest communities where they’re desperately needed.”
Wildlife Works’ proven approach addresses the drivers of deforestation in last-chance ecosystems while rewarding communities for protecting forests and biodiversity.
The portfolio of projects announced today will meet global best practice standards for nested projects under VERRA, including: the Voluntary Carbon Standard (VCS); the Climate, Community and Biodiversity (CCB) standard at the gold level; and the SD Vista standard to verify project contributions to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and can make a significant contribution to host country Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) under the Paris Agreement.
Gerald Prolman, CEO of Everland, said:
“Hartree’s financial commitment to Wildlife Works will help give forest governments, landowners, and communities long-term financial confidence as they consider valuing their standing forests under REDD+. The VERs will be offered to businesses as an essential tool they can use as part of their transition plan towards a low-carbon future.
“It is our hope that this partnership’s bold commitment to rapidly scale REDD+ projects will inspire more private sector action at the critical speed and magnitude that is so desperately needed.”
