Vikram Widge is a recognized leader in climate and development finance who brings a global perspective to innovation and deployment of financial solutions to mobilize private capital for climate-smart development. He specializes in bridging
development finance with capital markets and institutional and impact investors to effect the transformation to a low-carbon future that we need.

Vikram is currently the senior advisor for climate finance at Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) where he guides financial aspects of CPI’s analytical and advisory work, particularly on innovation and scaling of climate finance via capital markets and results-based finance (including carbon markets) for energy transition & access, sustainable infrastructure, cities, nature-based solutions, air pollution, and adaptation & resilience.

Earlier, he was at the International Finance Corporation, the private sector financing arm of the World Bank Group, for 25 years where he directed market-leading work on innovative finance, green bond standards, carbon pricing and markets, climate risk and adaptation, and climate-related metrics and analytics. For his contributions to market-based solutions, Vikram was recognized as an Honorary Fellow by IETA.

Vikram has demonstrated global leadership, delivering several award-winning, first-of-their-kind products linked to debt capital markets, results-based finance, and sustainable development. He has extensive experience advising investors on developing and implementing sustainable financing
strategies, as well as supporting developing country governments to create investment opportunities in line with their goals.

An experienced relationship manager with a track record in business development and structuring transactions, Vikram has worked in partnership with development finance institutions, commercial banks, asset managers, corporates, climate funds, philanthropic foundations, and governments. He is also a frequent moderator and speaker on topics of climate finance, carbon pricing and markets, and mobilizing private capital.

Vikram has a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology in Delhi, India and a master’s degree in resource economics from the University of Maryland, USA, where he was a research scholar and graduate fellow. He is based in Washington, DC.