HSBC’s chief sustainability officer, Celine Herweijer, has stepped down, the bank said on Monday (Nov 25), weeks after a management reshuffle removed her role from the lender’s executive committee.
Herweijer will leave to pursue new opportunities, the bank said, having played a pivotal role in shaping its climate policy.
Her role was cut from the bank’s top decision making body, known as the group operating committee, as part of a wider reshuffle, Reuters reported on Oct 29.
The move sparked concerns that the bank could row back on or water down some of its climate commitments under new CEO Georges Elhedery.
“Supporting the transition to net zero remains a priority for HSBC, and one of the four pillars of our business strategy,” the bank said on Monday.
Julian Wentzel, head of global banking for the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey region, will be interim group chief sustainability officer pending a permanent replacement, HSBC said.
The bank also announced Richard Blackburn as the group’s interim chief risk and compliance officer, pending a recruitment process to find a permanent candidate for a role that commands a place on the group operating committee.
Selim Kervanci, the bank’s CEO for Turkey, was also appointed as its Middle East CEO, HSBC said. REUTERS
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