• Expands EY’s sustainability leadership bench amid rising regulatory and assurance scrutiny
• Strengthens service capabilities across ESG reporting, advisory, and transition planning for corporates
• Brings technical and sector expertise to a growing sustainability talent market

EY has appointed Dr. Velislava Ivanova as its Americas Chief Sustainability Officer and Global Strategy and Markets Leader for Climate Change and Sustainability Services. The move reflects intensifying client demand for credible sustainability advisory, reporting, and assurance capabilities as regulators and investors tighten expectations around disclosures, transition pathways, and corporate climate claims.

The appointment also places a science trained executive with global experience at the center of EY’s sustainability agenda, an increasingly competitive market that is shaping how multinationals account for emissions, integrate climate risk into enterprise strategy, and prepare for new disclosure requirements.

A Scientist Driving a Corporate Sustainability Transformation Market

Ivanova has led sustainability transformation across a wide range of sectors, supporting corporates as they navigate low carbon and circular economy transitions. EY describes her as advancing the firm’s sustainability initiatives to increase long term value for clients and the business.

She leads a team of more than 500 sustainability professionals focused on advisory, reporting, and assurance. The mandate spans technical analysis, disclosure alignment, and design of ESG strategies that can withstand executive, investor, and regulatory scrutiny.

Her academic grounding is notable in a market where corporates increasingly seek science based decision making. Ivanova holds a PhD in Environmental Biology and an MS in Pollution and Environmental Control from the University of Manchester. She has lived and worked in Bulgaria, the United Kingdom, Hungary, and the United States, bringing a global perspective to a rapidly internationalising field.

Reputation and Recognition in a Crowded Field

Sustainability leadership has become a competitive category as global consulting firms expand climate offerings. Ivanova has been consistently recognised in international rankings. She was named the 8th Top Leader in Sustainability by Sustainability Magazine and ranked 2nd in the Top 25 Sustainability Consultants and Leaders by The Consulting Report. Sustainability Magazine placed her 7th on its 2023 Top 100 Women in Sustainability list.

These rankings reflect a growing professional field in which credibility, technical fluency, and global sector experience shape advisory outcomes. Consulting firms are positioning sustainability leadership talent as differentiation as corporate transition strategies grow more complex and investor expectations sharpen.

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How She Describes the Role of Sustainability Leadership

Ivanova frames her work as enabling business to advance sustainability priorities while delivering environmental and societal outcomes. “I assist business to advance their sustainability priorities and create a positive impact on the environment and society. I am an inclusive leader, fostering collaboration across the value chain, creating innovative ESG solutions, and championing the transition to a green and just economy.”

She adds that sustainability leadership requires responsibility toward the next generation of professionals. “I have been privileged through my career to work on all aspects of ESG and I feel responsibility to mentor and guide the next generation of sustainability professionals.”

Her view of execution is technical and sector specific. “Delivering innovative solutions to the sustainability challenges of our clients requires technical knowledge, business acumen and sector insights.”

Implications for Corporates and Investors

The appointment lands during a convergence of regulatory initiatives, including mandatory climate disclosure regimes across major markets, heightened oversight of ESG ratings, and growing expectations that transition planning and green claims are backed by verifiable data. Corporates are now expected to integrate climate and nature risk into enterprise risk frameworks while developing decarbonisation strategies that intersect with supply chains, capital allocation, and reporting standards.

Large consulting and audit firms have become intermediaries in this process, providing advisory and assurance as companies prepare for scrutiny from investors, lenders, and regulators. Talent with scientific grounding and operational experience is increasingly seen as a competitive asset.

EY’s move signals continuing investment in sustainability advisory as clients reassess resilience, disclosure, and transition credibility. For global C suite readers, the takeaway is that sustainability is moving deeper into corporate strategy and finance functions. The war for talent within advisory firms remains competitive, and appointments at this level shape how the market services the next phase of ESG regulation and sustainable investment growth.

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