John Tobin-de la Puente

In this talk, Professor Tobin will discuss how research in conservation biology and banking has led to collaborations between environmentalists, academics, and finance professionals aimed at developing sustainability solutions and, more broadly, will examine ways in which private capital may be leveraged to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

John Tobin-de la Puente is faculty member at Cornell University, where he is involved in teaching, research, and outreach and engagement activities at the intersection of business and sustainability. He spent two decades in the private sector, practicing corporate law and managing sustainability risks and opportunities in the financial services industry. Prior to joining Cornell, Professor Tobin was managing director and global head of sustainability at Credit Suisse, where he had broad responsibility for sustainability strategy and management, including environmental, social, and reputational risk, stakeholder engagement and communications, and the development of financial products and services that aim to address broad societal challenges.

Professor Tobin is a tropical ecologist and attorney by training, and received a PhD and a JD from Harvard University. In addition to his work in corporate sustainability, he has substantial leadership and governance experience in not-for-profit entities at the board level, particularly in the areas of environment, science, and education. Among other appointments, he is a member of the board of directors of the International Union for Conservation of Nature-US and is a former treasurer and member of the board of directors of the American Institute of Biological Sciences.