Our Team

Mercedes Vela Monserrate is the CEO of the Global Climate Finance Centre (GCFC). Previously, she led Finance Sector Partnerships at COP28 and served as Head of Sustainable Finance at ADGM. With senior roles at Morgan Stanley, the Financial Conduct Authority and the European Parliament, Mercedes has a strong track record of advancing sustainability initiatives across global financial markets.

She holds a BSc from Maastricht University and is recogniSed for her leadership in driving impactful strategies in climate finance.

Omar Saif is the VP of the Global Climate Finance Centre (GCFC). Previously, he was part of the COP28 team, focusing on private sector engagement in the ClimateTech space. Before COP28, he worked across government, consultancy and trade promotion, supporting sustainability and decarbonization efforts in the Middle East for over a decade.

Omar’s experience includes roles at EY, WSP and Masdar Institute, where he led a wide range of sustainability projects in energy efficiency, net-zero, smart city and waste management. He has also worked with the Dutch and New Zealand governments to promote climate-tech startups and SMEs in the MENA region. He holds an M.Eng. in Engineering & Public Policy from McMaster University in Canada.

Khalid is the Director of Climate Policy, Regulations and Market Mechanisms. He previously served as Climate Policy Manager at the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment and also represented the UAE in international climate negotiations as part of the national delegation to the UNFCCC, with a focus on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement at both COP and SB sessions.

Khalid has driven high-impact climate initiatives at the national level, including the development of nationally determined contributions (NDCs), national climate change legislation, and policy and regulatory frameworks for carbon markets. He has also advised public and private sector leaders on climate policy, ESG and decarbonisation strategies during his tenures at EY and Deloitte. He is a member of the UNFCCC Roster of Experts for the Article 6.4 Mechanism, a Chevening Scholar and a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, holding an MSc in Environment and Sustainable Development from University College London and an MA (Honours) from the University of Edinburgh. He is currently pursuing further postgraduate study at the University of Cambridge.

Sandra Lozo is the Director of Climate and Water Finance at the GCFC. She works across finance and climate, private and public domains – mobilising capital, building partnerships and delivering impact-driven programs. Sandra has originated and executed multi-billion dollar initiatives worldwide, from climate coalitions to institutional financing transactions, and has shaped energy transition markets through advisory work, research and publications.

Sandra previously worked with G42 at the nexus of corporate sustainability, technology and finance. Prior to that, she was in the intergovernmental sector, driving private capital mobilisation for flagship climate initiatives at the COP28 Presidency, and advising governments on energy transition investment strategies at the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). Her career is rooted in financial markets – in trading, then structuring cross-asset transactions for global institutional clients at Société Générale Corporate & Investment Banking. She holds a Bachelor’s in Finance and a Master’s in Economics from McGill University, as well as a Master’s in Sustainability from Harvard University.

Benjamin Bartle is the Global Director of Catalytic Finance and Emerging Markets. He previously held roles at the Rocky Mountain Institute, the United Nations Development Programme and the Global Environment Facility, and advised the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero and the Climate Investment Funds. He is a Board Director of the Climate Markets & Investment Association and an Advisor to Bankers without Boundaries.

Ben brings more than 17 years of experience, he has helped mobilise over US$4 billion for more than 40 climate projects and programmes across clean energy, climate resilience and sustainable infrastructure in emerging markets and developing economies. Benjamin holds a Master of Science in Environment and Economics from the University of Auckland, specialising in climate change and market instruments.

Rahma Alshamsi is the Partnerships Director at the Global Climate Finance Centre (GCFC). Previously, he was Director of Portfolio & Ventures at BEEAH, advancing climate and sustainability-linked projects, and leading the company’s Net Zero Task Force. Before that, at the COP28 UAE Presidency, he served as Head for Heavy Emitting Sectors within the Energy Transition team, working to decarbonise heavy industry, transport and cooling.

Rahma’s prior experience includes contributing to the deployment of the UAE’s national railway, Etihad Rail, and managing grant programs to increase access to education in developing countries at Dubai Cares. He holds a B.A. in Government and International Relations from George Mason University, and brings a holistic approach to today’s most pressing global and local challenges.

Zahra Hashi is a Senior Specialist at the Global Climate Finance Centre (GCFC). Previously, she served as a Consultant at KPMG Middle East, where she worked with private and public sector clients across the UAE and GCC region on a wide range of sustainability and climate change initiatives. Her key focus areas include strategy development, ESG risks and opportunities assessment, data collection and monitoring, and sustainability reporting and communication.

She holds a Master’s in Sustainability Leadership from Arizona State University and a Bachelor’s in Environmental Health Management from Canadian University Dubai. She is currently part of the Masdar WiSER Pioneers Program, a platform empowering female leaders to play an active role in the global transition to a net-zero future.

Sara Torelli is a Senior Specialist at the Global Climate Finance Centre (GCFC). Before this, she was a Senior Associate at a Big 4 firm, specialising in sustainable finance and ESG integration. With international experience across Italy, the USA and the Middle East, Sara has worked in venture capital in Boston, focusing on financial modeling and ESG impact analysis. She has developed ESG policies, regulatory benchmarking reports and sustainability strategies for various sectors, including banking and investment management.

Sara holds a Master of Science in International Business from the US, a Master’s in Law and Finance in Milan, and has studied Sustainable Investing at Harvard Business School. She is certified in CFA ESG Investing and CFA Climate Risk, Valuation and Investing.

Fleur Peters is the Operations Manager at the Global Climate Finance Centre (GCFC). Previously, she worked in account and support management in hard-to-abate sector such as shipping and aviation.

She holds a BSc from Avans University of Applied Sciences.