Bridging Climate Action and Finance with Alum Haysam Azhar

As an installment in The Alumni Feature Series, this article was created through interviews conducted by enthusiastic and inquisitive current students. Their aim is to delve deeper into the experiences and achievements of our thriving alumni. 

‍

In the intricate web of global climate finance, where every dollar spent shapes the future of our planet, stands Haysam Azhar, Class of 2021, a seasoned climate finance analyst at the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI). 

Embarking on his academic journey at Minerva in 2017, Haysam majored in finance and economics, laying the groundwork for what would become a passionate career dedicated to addressing climate change through a financial lens. Throughout his time at Minerva, he had a series of enriching experiences, ranging from unusual and unexpected nonprofit work in Kenya (after applying to many internships his first summer and landing a job with Youth Climate Leaders) to interning for a tech startup in Seoul. During his third summer at Minerva, Haysam interned at Climate Policy Initiative (CPI), his current workplace, a think-and-do tank dedicated to aiding governments, businesses, and financial institutions in promoting economic growth while tackling climate change. After graduating, he came on as a full-time analyst at CPI. 

Haysam's journey into the world of climate finance began during his first year when he attended an event organized by The Citizens Climate Lobby, an organization empowering people to work on climate change solutions. At the event, he learned about a solution called  “carbon fee and dividend,” which proposes to redistribute the collected carbon taxes as dividends to people below a certain income threshold. This idea ignited a profound realization that although climate change is a “wicked problem,” it can be solved with strategic, equitable-minded action. “We can actually change the world, you know?” Haysam reflects on the experience, embodying the spirit of optimism that drives his work. This was the moment when his philosophy on climate work began to unfold: 

“Climate change will require creative, innovative, out-of-the-box thinking. Private investors will have to think about, in the context of climate adaptation and resilience, what will happen to their assets in the most climate-vulnerable regions in the world. And what can they do now to protect themselves against physical climate risk? Governments will have to think about public health and safety, about disaster response. They will also have to think about how to meet the energy needs of their citizens while the demand for cooling increases. This means the cost of inaction keeps on increasing the longer we delay the transition to renewable energy. So what can we do now at a policy level to make sure that we are on a low-carbon development pathway, meaning all the new energy that we're generating is not coming from fossil fuels but from clean sources instead? Philanthropy is going to be thinking about how they can use their capital most effectively to marry together the public and the private sector in this specific context.”

Situating himself at the intersection of finance and climate enables Haysam to see the stark inequalities that pervade the global financial architecture, and possible solutions to bridge that gap: “How do we convince private sector investors to actually invest in developing countries, which need renewable energy? How do we make projects bankable, right? That's the term that we use in finance. How can we make them attractive? ,” he notes. His approach is grounded in cautious optimism, a belief that, despite the enormity of the challenge, progress is achievable through clear problem definition and consistent, thoughtful action. One of the most appealing parts of his job, Haysam notes, is being close to the problems facing developing countries and collaborating with diverse and passionate team members. 

Haysam’s advice for those interested in climate finance highlights the importance of identifying your niche within the space, emphasizing that climate finance can benefit from both generalist and specialized skill sets. Your chosen path should inform the classes you take at Minerva and the opportunities you go for in your career. Another piece of advice Haysam shares is to acquire as much knowledge as you can by reading relevant articles, going to events, and talking to people in the field. “Networking is really, really important in this space… people will be eager to talk to you. There's lots of opportunities in climate tech”, he notes.

Looking ahead, Haysam plans to transition into Renewable Energy M&A, with the ultimate goal of becoming an entrepreneur in Pakistan. Beyond his professional achievements, Haysam celebrated a personal milestone last year - marrying the love of his life. Currently, they live in London, where they spend their time outside of work golfing, going on hikes, and hosting dinners for their beloved friends.

‍

If you were inspired by Haysam's story and are seeking a college experience that will teach you valuable pragmatic skills that will enable you to change the world, consider applying to Minerva.