IBA ESG Accelerator Programme – Sustainable finance

Emma-Jean Markin is a highly experienced lawyer, Human Rights Activist and entrepreneur based in Ghana, with a distinguished career spanning multiple sectors. Currently, she serves as the Managing Partner of Markin & Associates, Secretary of the African Regional Forum of the International Bar Association (IBA), Board Member of the Rental Housing Association of Ghana and Founder of the Widows Might Foundation. Her legal expertise encompasses a broad range of areas, including immigration law, real estate law, corporate and commercial law, litigation, oil and gas law, and procurement law. Prior to her current roles, she gained valuable experience in the banking sector and provided company secretarial services to both local and multinational institutions in Ghana. Additionally, she holds a certification as a Green Real Estate Professional. Emma-Jean has received her academic training from reputable institutions in both the United Kingdom and Ghana. Her ultimate goal is to drive significant reforms and improvements in the legal profession in Ghana.

Andrew is a leading South African private sector climate change, carbon markets and environmental lawyer and Director of (boutique legal consultancy) Climate Legal with more than twenty years’ experience specializing in climate change (mitigation and adaptation), climate finance and development, carbon markets, carbon tax, environmental and energy law, policy and governance. His practical experience extends over a range of African jurisdictions and includes advising the public and private sectors in policy, regulatory and legislative development and providing transactional advice. Andrew has been recognised as a leading lawyer by PLC Which Lawyer? 2012 (Environment, South Africa), Best Lawyers 2018, 2020 and 2021 (Environment, South Africa) and Chambers and Partners 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 (Environment, South Africa).

Julien is the Founder & Senior Partner of K-Solutions & Partners a corporate law firm in Kigali, Rwanda. He has been practicing at the Brussels Bar Association before joining the Rwanda Bar Association. Julien is the Immediate Past President of the Rwanda Bar Association. He is also Immediate Past President of the Association of the Bar Associations of the Great Lakes Region (DRC, Rwanda & Burundi), Vice Chairman of the Kigali International Arbitration Centre (KIAC), Board member of the Commonwealth Lawyer Association (CLA), member of the East African Law Society (EALS), Commissioner of the Rwanda Law Reform Commission (RLRC), and recently appointed Board member of Rwanda Finance Ltd (Promoting the Kigali International Finance Centre). Julien has more than twenty years of experience. His practice covers corporate and commercial law inclusive of mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, Investment code and privatization, banking and finance, project finance, capital markets, arbitration and mediation, energy and natural resources, and finally, he has been advising clients on a number of infrastructure and/or mining projects for their legal and regulatory matters and the projects finance such as the New Bugesera International Airport in Rwanda, Kigali Amahoro Stadium, the Merger & Acquisition of Equity Bank and Cogebanque in Rwanda, establishment of Afreximbank & AFCFTA’s Adjustment Fund in Rwanda, BRALIRWA first IPO’s in Rwanda, The first EUROBOND in Rwanda, and Government of Rwanda Loan’s restructuring. Julien is a lecturer at the Institute of Legal Practice and Development (ILPD/Law School) and he is involved in the Admission Committee of new advocates by the Rwanda Bar Association. Julien has been recognized as a leading lawyer by IFLR, Legal 500, and Chambers Global Guide for over a decade (2023,2022,2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011). Julien is fluent in English, French, and Kinyarwanda. Julien is also actively involved in several initiatives to protect the environment and address the ecological issues.

Sonal is a Partner at ALN Kenya| Anjarwalla & Khanna, one of the leading law firms in Kenya, and has been with the firm for over 25 years. She heads the firm’s Banking, Finance and Insolvency practice and has considerable experience in aviation finance, banking, syndicated and project finance, restructurings, data protection, insolvency, corporate commercial matters and employment. She is also recognised for her expertise in Tanzanian law. Sonal is a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales, an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya and a licensed Insolvency Practitioner in Kenya (one of the first lawyers in the entire country to have qualified as such). She has extensive experience in banking and finance, including advising local and international banks, financial services firms, FinTech companies and a broad range of lenders and borrowers, amongst others, in areas such as financial services regulation, bank regulatory, transactional and compliance matters, syndicated financing, bond issuances and debt restructurings. She has advised on legal frameworks surrounding ESG compliance, sustainable finance, and corporate governance which helps businesses navigate the complexities of integrating ESG considerations into their operations. Notably she has trained leading businesses and financial institutions on ESG considerations. Sonal is also a regular speaker at seminars on various aspects of banking and commercial law with a focus on legal frameworks addressing ESG issues, green financing, financing renewable energy projects, and ethical corporate practices. She is also the Chairperson of the British Chamber of Commerce Kenya and the first Chairperson of the Association of Turnaround and Insolvency Kenya Limited, the first association of its kind in Kenya that provides a forum where practitioners can shape Kenya’s developing insolvency framework through advocacy, and knowledge-sharing, becoming a cornerstone for practitioners and organizations in the field.

Candice Stevens is the Founder and CEO of the Sustainable Finance Coalition and Co-Chair of the IUCN WCPA Sustainable Finance Specialist Group. Candice is a visionary in green finance and sustainable solutions and leverages her expertise to develop innovative and impactful finance solutions for preserving our natural landscapes and seascapes. In her regional and global roles, she collaborates with industry leaders and diverse stakeholders to bridge Africa's nature finance gap. Her groundbreaking work in innovative finance has garnered prestigious recognition, including the UN Pathfinder Award, EcoLogic Awards, Greening the Future, and Mulago Foundation Fellowship. With a strong background in law, commerce and tax, Candice has extensive experience in protected and conserved area financing, environmental law and policymaking on financial incentives. She is represented on numerous national, regional and international committees focused on financing, resourcing and area-based conservation including the Advisory Task Force on Financial Reporting to the Convention on Biological Diversity. Notably, Candice's partnership with the Government of South Africa led to the introduction of the world's first effective biodiversity tax incentive within the South African protected areas network, earning her a Pathfinder Award Special Commendation for this pioneering global innovation.

Seth is the Managing Partner and Head of the Financial Institutions and Capital Markets; and Energy & Infrastructure practice groups. He has over 25 years of professional experience in corporate finance transactions, debt and equity capital markets transactions, banking, insurance and securities regulatory matters, restructuring and insolvency matters and has worked on several blue-chip transactions. Seth is recognised as a leading lawyer in Ghana by several independent international reviews, including Chambers Global, the International Financial Law Review and The Legal 500. He is a member of the Ghana Bar Association.