Iliana Lazarova is the Head of ESRG at the UK Infrastructure Bank, a policy bank established in 2021 to invest in climate solutions and local economic growth. Iliana started her journey in the realm of sustainable finance by building experience in carbon accounting and footprinting of investment portfolios as an analyst in Sustainable 1 (previously Trucost), S&P Global. She realized the importance of reallocating capital and changing the way investment decisions are made for the successful transition to a low-carbon world. Her expertise includes climate financial risks and opportunities, reporting frameworks and regulations, and implementation of ESG initiatives across private asset classes. She is a lecturer in sustainable finance at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”

Before coming to Yale, she was working on education activities promoting social participation. She was a teacher in a middle school working with underprivileged students (Teach for Bulgaria) while at the same time she served as the Bulgarian Youth Delegate to the United Nations.

Iliana graduated with an MEM from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies in 2016. At Yale she focused on renewable energy financing and environmental entrepreneurship. She also holds a B.A. in International Economic Relations.

AREAS OF FOCUS - Sustainable finance and ESG, Clean Energy, Corporate Sustainability