Denise Hills

Denise's illustrious career spans over three decades in the financial market, where she has excelled in areas such as Treasury, Risk Management, Wealth Management and Behavioral Finance. She has also accumulated 10 years of invaluable experience in innovation and sustainability across the financial sector, consumer goods industry, and retail. She has extensive expertise both domestically and internationally, with a deep understanding of sustainable finance, corporate sustainability, inclusive social business, sustainable and impact investing, risk management, entrepreneurship, human rights, diversity, and sustainability strategies. She actively pursues positive impact aligned with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and corporate Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) issues.

She is passionately committed to driving sustainability and fostering responsible business practices across diverse sectors. Her areas of expertise encompass critical topics such as carbon emissions, climate change, biodiversity conservation and regeneration, human rights, diversity and inclusion. She seamlessly integrates strategy, sustainability, and innovation from a business perspective, transforming these areas into pivotal differentiators for the business models of both companies and organizations within the third sector.

She possesses extensive knowledge in integrated sustainability management, ESG, and investor relations. Her expertise extends to international fundraising and the development and implementation of impact and risk measurement methodologies such as the Task Force on Climate-related Disclosures (TCFD), Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), Additionally, she has a deep understanding of innovative tools like Integrated Profit and Loss, which enable effective impact measurement and management. She has been actively involved in the development of innovative financial models such as Blended Finance and she is well-versed in exploring new market mechanisms to foster investments in the areas of climate and biodiversity.

Throughout her career, she has held high-level executive positions that have underscored her exceptional leadership and strategic acumen. Notably, she served as the Global Director of Sustainability for Natura &Co Latin America from 2019 to 2023, and prior to that, she held the position of Superintendent of Sustainability, Innovation, and Inclusive Business at Itaú Unibanco from 2008 to 2019. In these pivotal roles, she has made indelible contributions by defining and spearheading the acceleration, planning, and execution of transformative programs. Her strategic vision has played a crucial role in seamlessly integrating sustainability into traditional business operations.

In 2015, she made history as the first woman to chair the Brazil Network of the UN Global Compact. Her exceptional contributions to constructing and implementing the 2030 Agenda, particularly in the realm of Sustainable Finance, earned her well-deserved recognition as a Global SDG Pioneer. Moreover, she played a significant role as the Head of the UN Program for the Environment and Financial Institutions (UNEP FI), serving as Co-Chair for Latin America and Global from 2015 to 2017.

She was invited as a distinguished expert for the Framework for Investment in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Her outstanding contributions in this field garnered well-deserved recognition from the UN Global Compact, where she was honored as an SDG Pioneer in sustainable finance in 2022, alongside an esteemed cohort of over 100 global leaders. She has demonstrated a remarkable commitment to various organizations and boards, assuming active roles that amplify her influence and expertise. These include her involvement with esteemed institutions including the UN Global Compact, Sistema B Brasil, the Brazilian Institute of Corporate Governance (IBGC), the Brazilian Federation of Banks (FEBRABAN), and the Brazilian Business Council for

Sustainable Development (CEBDS), where she currently serves as an independent member. She also contributes valuable insights as a board member for the Federation of Industries of São Paulo - Superior Council for Sustainable Development (FIESP CONDES). Actually also serves at Board member for Brazilian Companies and Banks.

She is a prolific author, having written influential books on the subjects of behavioral finance and sustainability, and she also shares her wealth of knowledge as a distinguished guest professor at Fundação Dom Cabral and FIPE USP.