Zoe Lees

Independent Advisor

Zoe Lees is an independent advisor in climate change and sustainability, currently working as an Environmental, Social and Governance specialist with the International Finance Corporation, on investments in Africa. Previously, she was head of the climate change and sustainability advisory services at KPMG (SA) and director of the Goodwill Exchange. From 1999 to mid-2003 she was the executive director of the Business Council for Sustainable Development, a regional partner of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. Starting in 1995, Zoe was acting director in the newly formed Gauteng Directorate of Environment and was a principal figure in the building of that department. Zoe was extensively involved with the UN World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) hosted in Johannesburg in 2002. She was the founder of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange’s Socially Responsible Index (SRI) and has remained on the Advisory board since 2003. She has also served on the boards of Khula Finance (now Sefa), and the South African National Parks. Zoe completed her doctorate (Science), which focused on the cleanup of oil-contaminated soil, with Shell SA at the University of KwaZulu Natal in 1995. She is a Fellow of the inaugural class of the Africa Leadership Initiative-South Africa and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.