The Future of Innovative Finance Mechanisms for Ocean Conservation

Vanessa Hartman is a Portfolio Manager in the Natural Resources & Agriculture Division for Latin American & the Caribbean (LAC) at the German Development Bank KfW (Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau). In this role she manages KfW’s marine conservation projects in LAC with a strong focus on working with regional conservation trust funds and promoting sustainable conservation financing.
Vanessa holds a Master’s degree in International Economics & Public Policy with a concentration in Development Economics from the University of Mainz, Germany. Before joining KfW in 2019, she has been working for the German Development Cooperation (GIZ) as well as in the private sector.

Pearnel P. Charles Jr. serves the people of Jamaica as a Senator and the Minister Without Portfolio at the Office of the Prime Minister. Mr. Charles has specific responsibility for Housing and Water.

He served as the Jamaica Labour Party Deputy Spokesperson for National Security in 2014, advocating for progressive policies to effect sustainable reduction in crime and violence as well as the introduction of innovative technology to support and advance the efforts of the security forces.

Senator Charles is an Attorney-at-Law with qualification to practice law in Jamaica and the United States of America (New York Bar). Throughout his professional career he has served with distinction as a Judicial Clerk, Senior Clerk of Court and Crown Counsel at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. Most recently, he served as the Lead Counsel and Managing Attorney of The Law Offices of Pearnel P. Charles Jr., P.A.

Minister Charles earned two honours degrees from the University of the West Indies; a Bachelor of Science (double major in Biochemistry and Zoology) and a Bachelor of Laws.

As a student he distinguished himself as a bold and active leader. Consequently he was elected to several representative positions including President of the Law Society and President of the Guild of Students; the chief voice for the student population and representative to the University Council. For his service he received awards for excellence in leadership and was nominated to the renowned Global Leadership Summer Institute for Future Global Leaders, 2001, US Virgin Islands.

More than a decade ago Senator Charles completed his legal training at the Norman Manley Law School in Jamaica, where he received the Certificate of Legal Education and was awarded the Hon. Mr. Justice Kenneth Smith, O.J. Prize, the Hon. Mrs. Justice Madge Morgan Prize and the Norman Manley Law School prize for Community Service.

He went on to pursue a Master of Laws degree at The George Washington University Law School in Washington D.C. where he was awarded the Thomas Buergenthal Scholarship for academic performance.

The son of a politician and registered nurse, Pearnel Charles Jr. was born to serve. His passion for community service is a demonstration of his character as he has participated in several workshops, outreach programs and community development drives geared towards uplifting underserved communities and protecting the most vulnerable. His spirit of volunteerism motivated him to form Impact Productions, a company used to raise funds for sports development projects. He has continued, through other outlets, to serve the interest and welfare of students and his community as a Mooting court judge, motivational speaker and volunteer to voting rights campaigns and immigration clinics.

In his leisure time Senator Charles enjoys music, soccer and reading. He is married with three children and continues to actively participate in community activities.

Yabanex Batista is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund where he oversees operations and development of new initiatives. With over 20 years of experience he has focused his career on international financing institutions and sustainable financing for conservation and development, government relations and policy, and Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs). He has extensive experience on environmental negotiations, establishment of conservation trust funds and other financial mechanisms, fundraising and resources mobilization, and climate change adaptation and mitigation in Small Islands Developing States (SIDS), Latin America and the Caribbean, and Africa.

Prior to joining the CBF he worked for GITEC/GIZ (German Government Technical Cooperation Agency) in Mexico, The Nature Conservancy’s International Government Relations Department and Europe Office, the World Bank-GEF Unit, the United States Geological Survey, and IPAM (Amazon Environmental Research Institute) in Brazil. He holds an MA in International Relations and Environmental Policy from Boston University.

Karen Panton is the Executive Director of Bahamas Protected Areas Fund (BPAF). Karen began as an auditor at Deloitte, subsequently moving into financial and accounting support to quasi-government corporations and non-profits in Nassau, The Bahamas and Jamaica. Prior to her new role with BPAF, she was the Director of Finance and Operations at the Bahamas National Trust, also serving as the Trust’s appointed director to the BPAF Board. Karen was also the Director of Finance for the Nature Conservancy’s Caribbean Program (supporting country programs within the Caribbean as well as program offices in Latin America). She also served as the Financial Representative for the Caribbean Challenge Initiative. Karen studied Accounting at the then College of the Bahamas and the University of Miami. More recently, she attended the University of Liverpool, securing an MBA with a concentration in Finance and Accounting.

William has served as the Executive Director of MCT since 2006. Prior to joining MCT Management he served as one of the founding members of the MCT Board of Directors, holding the offices of Chairman and Vice-Chairman. During that time, he served as the founding Executive Director of the Conservation Society of Pohnpei, building the organization from the ground in 1998 into the leading conservation NGO in the FSM at the time of his departure. He earned an A.A. from Santa Rosa Junior College in 1990 and has attended numerous training courses and professional enhancement programs. Notably, he was named a fellow by the Pew Foundation for Ocean Science in 2005 and has been active in the development and promotion of the Micronesia Challenge. He is active in community organizations and Boards including the Micronesians in Conservation, President's Council on Sustainable Development, Pohnpei Resource Management Committee, Pohnpei Utilities Corporation, and the Xavier High School Board. Mr. Kostka completed a training course on "Economic Tools for Conservation" at the Conservation Strategy Fund at Stanford University in August 2010.

Angelique Pouponneau is CEO of Seychelles’ Conservation and Climate Adaptation Trust, barrister and attorney at law. She is a legal expert in climate change, oceans and global commons. She is a speaker on youth, Blue Economy, Islanders' rights in the face of rising sea levels, climate change, and legal barriers to gender equality.

Pierre Bardoux is a Senior Portfolio Manager in the United Nations Multi Partner Trust Fund office. Based in New York, he designs Multi-Partner innovative financing instruments bringing together the United Nations, Governmental institutions, development actors and responsible private companies. As a UN Trustee, he manages an active portfolio of Climate & Environmental Trust Funds over $1bn including a flagship forest protection initiative in Central Africa and a blended finance fund for ocean protection. Having worked more than a decade in UN Crisis/Peace Keeping Operations, Mr. Bardoux has developed deep knowledge of the challenges faced when financing and implementing political, social and environmental impact actions to address unprecedented climate and biodiversity crises. Mr. Bardoux was recently appointed the Head of Global Team for the grant window of the newly establish Global Fund for Coral Reefs (GFCR).