This online-only webinar for Wharton alumni and current MBA students will feature Lemar Brown (The Negocium Group), Jeffrey Harris (Quantum Innovation Fund), and Jake Susman (Ambient Fuels), who will discuss being on the board of a climate solutions company, followed by audience q&a.
Moderated by Arthur van Benthem, the speakers will discuss the various types of boards that climate-related companies have, what it takes to be a board member, what kinds of issues arise, and how to join a climate-company board.
Lemar Marie Brown is a corporate board director and retired executive with over 25 years of experience at Shell plc and Goldman Sachs. She is currently on the board of InnoVent Renewables. InnoVent has developed a proprietary continuous pyrolysis technology that can convert waste tires into fuel and other high value products. Lemar was elected an independent corporate board director of Certarus, a "green energy" supplier. Certarus transports compressed natural gas (CNG), renewable natural gas (RNG), and Hydrogen over the road in the US and Canada. By displacing more carbon-intensive fuels, Certarus lowers its customers’ carbon emissions and costs. While on the board, Certarus initially prepared to go public. As a result of market conditions, the decision was made to remain private and self-fund rapid growth. Certarus was successfully sold to Superior Plus (TSX: SPB) for over $1 billion Canadian. This was a 20% Return of Investment for its investors. Lemar was an Executive Professor at Texas A&M University's Mays Business School, teaching the Capstone Project Course to Executive MBA students. She continues to guest lecture at TAMU and speak at other organizations. She is a member of NACD and on the board of the Wharton Energy Network. Lemar received a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Northwestern University and an MBA in Finance from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where she was the Goldman Sachs Fellow.
Jeffrey Harris is a Partner at Quantum and a member of Quantum's Investment Committee. In conjunction with his role as a Partner, Quantum and Global Reserve Group, an advisory and investment firm founded by Jeffrey, formed Q-GRG Ventures to leverage the collective relationships, expertise, and resources of the two firms to identify, invest in and build growth-oriented, technology-based enterprises that serve the sustainable energy ecosystem. Jeffrey founded Global Reserve Group in 2011 following a 29-year career at Warburg Pincus where he invested in both start-up and more mature companies across many different industries and countries, including leading the firm’s global energy practice for many years. He has significant experience investing in and working with companies in energy and technology. During his career he has served on the Board of nearly fifty companies of which sixteen have been publicly-listed. Jeffrey has been an active civic leader and is a member of the Board of Trustees of New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Friends of The High Line, and the Cranbrook Educational Community. In addition, for thirteen years he was an Adjunct Professor at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business where he taught courses on venture capital, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Previously, he served as Chairman of the National Venture Capital Association where he was a Board member for six years. Jeffrey holds a B.S. in Economics from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.
Jacob Susman is a clean economy business builder, investor, and thought leader who has been developing and originating renewable energy projects for over 20 years. Jacob has decades of experience as a finance professional and project developer with a global power sector network. He is a successful clean energy founder-CEO, having built and led OwnEnergy, a wind energy mid-market leader, from inception to exit. He has also been instrumental in renewable energy investments and projects as an investor at Goldman Sachs and an executive at EDF Renewables. With Jigar Shah, Jacob co-founded Cleantech Leaders Roundtable (CTLR), a private community of business leaders working to combat climate change and build a thriving clean economy. He currently serves as CTLR’s Board President. Jacob is also a board member of REpowering Schools. He previously served on the boards of American Clean Power’s predecessor, AWEA, as well as the American Council on Renewable Energy. He was a founding board member of Clean Energy Buyers Association’s predecessor, REBA. In 2010, Jacob was named to Crain’s New York “40 Under 40,” and in 2012, he was an E&Y Entrepreneur of The Year Finalist. In 2013, Greentech Media named Jacob one of New York’s Top 10 Cleantech Leaders.