Rand Merchant Bank has hired Nigel Beck to the newly created role of head of sustainable finance and ESG.

Beck joins from Standard Bank, where he has held numerous sustainable trade-related roles over the past 13 years. Most recently, he was the South African bank’s global managing director of sustainable finance and ESG advisory, which saw him advise clients on sustainable products, develop and execute sustainability linked loans and debt facilities, and advise on ESG risk and compliance with Equator Principles and IFC Performance Standards.

He has also served as global chair of the Equator Principles Steering Committee, and is a member of the Impact Investing National Task Force as well as the International Chamber of Commerce’s sustainable trade finance working group.

In his new role at RMB, Beck tells GTR that he is tasked with establishing a dedicated sustainable finance and ESG advisory team that will implement a holistic strategy across the bank, as well as delivering fit-for-purpose client solutions such as sustainable, green, social and climate-related bonds, sustainability linked loans, trade and debt facilities, impact investing and green and social projects through market, client and sector analysis.