Former PIMCO ESG Leader will spearhead swift expansion of the company’s carbon markets strategy for consumers and enterprises
Aspiration, a global leader in Sustainability as a Service solutions for consumers and companies, today announced the appointment of Olivia Albrecht as the company’s new Chief Sustainability Officer. Albrecht will head the Sustainability group, including the carbon markets desk, to design and execute innovative action programs and strategies for businesses and people.
“Olivia is joining Aspiration at a pivotal moment in time when the topic of climate change has become central to consumers and businesses,” said Andrei Cherny, CEO and co-founder of Aspiration. “She is a powerhouse in sustainable finance and will make a strong addition to our leadership bench as we focus on scaling our sustainability team during this hyper-growth stage.”
The sustainable finance veteran brings considerable industry experience to the position, having previously spent 10 years at investment management firm PIMCO and then most recently at The TCW Group as the Global Head of ESG. At PIMCO, she was the Head of ESG Business Strategy helping to lead a diverse and integrated set of over 50 investment professionals.
“The carbon credit markets are poised to play an increasingly important role in corporate strategy, capital allocation and consumer engagement as the world presses forward into climate action,” said Albrecht. “Aspiration is uniquely positioned to help steer capital toward high quality, nature-based projects to generate environmental, societal and economic returns for enterprises and people.”
Aspiration’s Sustainability as a Service solutions empowers consumers and businesses into climate action through the carbon credit market in ways that are automated, simple, and enormously powerful. So far, seven million consumer members have joined the movement, while major partnerships with organizations including the LA Clippers, Boston Red Sox, Deloitte, Lime, and more demonstrate that people are eager to incorporate climate action and high-quality carbon credits into their daily lives and business models.
Albrecht is a Sustainability Advisory Board member at carbon accounting software platform Persefoni and is involved with several geospatial data companies focused on satellite imagery in tracking, monitoring, and analyzing sustainability risks. She also serves on the Leadership Council of policy think tank New America and Milken Institute’s Public Advisory Council.
She earned a BA degree in Philosophy from Princeton University, an MBA from Columbia University’s Business School, and a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs.
Aspiration has entered into a merger agreement with InterPrivate III Financial Partners Inc. (NYSE: IPVF), a publicly-traded special purpose acquisition company, which, upon closing, will result in Aspiration becoming a listed company as a Public Benefit Corporation, building on Aspiration’s existing commitments to generate social and public good and operate in a responsible and sustainable manner.