Sustainable Development Capital, LLP (SDCL)

Heathrow is the latest consequence of fragility in the centralised energy system. On Friday, I stressed this point on Sky: The grid is not enough. Lower cost, lower carbon, and faster to build 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀 are no longer optional—they’re essential.

Leading the charge in clean energy.   Mary Beth Mandanas isn’t just talking about the energy transition, she’s delivering it. As CEO of Onyx Renewables, she is driving innovation in localised clean energy solutions, ensuring businesses have access to reliable, cost-effective, and sustainable power. Under her leadership, Onyx is enabling greater resiliency and efficiency, making clean energy work for both the bottom line and the planet.   Before stepping into the renewables sector as a hands-on operator, Mary Beth built a distinguished career in corporate and investment banking, providing financial and strategic expertise to power and utility clients. Now, she’s leveraging that experience to scale impactful solutions in clean energy, because for her, sustainability isn’t just an ideal; it’s a business imperative.

We can never get tired of showcasing our people… And the woman that brings us into the second week... How do you turn climate ambition into real action? For Lolita Jackson MBE FRSA, the challenge has always been clear: bridging the gap between policy, investment, and real-world implementation. With decades of experience in government, sustainability, and climate policy, she knows that progress isn’t just about bold commitments, it’s about bringing the right people together to make change happen. That’s exactly what she did at COP26 in Glasgow, where she orchestrated SDCL’s presence on the global stage. Under her leadership, SDCL hosted a high-impact programme featuring five panel discussions, bringing together policymakers, industry leaders, and investors to drive forward the decarbonisation agenda. A major production, these events positioned SDCL as a serious player in city-level sustainability efforts, directly leading to new partnerships and opportunities. Beyond policy and investment, Lolita’s passion extends to music, she’s a professional jazz singer who has performed around the world. Whether on stage or in a boardroom, she knows the power of bringing voices together to create something greater than the sum of its parts. At SDCL, she continues to drive real impact at the intersection of climate, finance, and cities, turning vision into action, one conversation at a time.

Balancing a high-level career in finance with raising a family is no small challenge, but Sarah Miraj MCSI has proven that it’s possible to do both successfully. Determined to show her children - especially her daughters - that they can pursue meaningful careers while being present as parents, she has built a career that is both impactful and fulfilling. One of her biggest achievements was playing a pivotal role in a major GA transaction at SDCL, working alongside the deal team to navigate complex legal, regulatory and competition law challenges. She was also instrumental in integrating a private equity team into the firm. Her legal expertise and strategic insight were key in making that transition seamless. Beyond her professional accomplishments, Sarah has a deep passion for music. A Grade 8 pianist and self-taught guitarist, she has passed on her love of music by teaching all four of her children. In her spare time, she also enjoys making pasta from scratch - a creative outlet that reflects her dedication to both tradition and craftsmanship.

Nicole Iseppi: a trailblazer in sustainable energy, she champions innovation, investment, and policy to drive the global energy transition. Nicole has long been a global champion for solutions that address the energy transition. During her 20+ career in sustainable development, she has spearheaded global change at companies including French energy giant ENGIE and Japan Bank for International Cooperation, a Japanese financial institution. Her detailed industry expertise as a developer, investor and financier, have been recognized in the awards she has won over the decades and the industry bodies on which she has been asked to serve. Most importantly, she has applied this multi-disciplinary expertise to help companies and governments successfully deliver both their sustainability and growth ambitions. As a female leader in energy efficiency and climate, she believes in the power of innovation to create a sustainable future.

Around 67% of energy is wasted. That stat is staggering. Mind-boggling. And yet, it’s our reality. For Joni Koch, CFA, inefficiency - whether in energy, in the workplace or in her private life - isn’t just frustrating; it’s a problem that demands action. That’s why she joined SDCL. Having worked in both energy and finance throughout her career, she saw the power of bringing these forces together to drive real transformation - not just idealism, but practical solutions that lower costs and reduce waste. Her proudest achievement? Leading General Atlantic's investment in SDCL - a pivotal transaction that’s accelerating our mission and growth. Because solving the energy transition isn’t about producing more energy; it’s about using what we have more intelligently. And when she’s not tackling energy inefficiencies, you’ll find her hiking or on her bike, climbing hills, pushing limits - because challenges, whether in work, on a muddy hill or on the road, are what drive her forward.

London‘s relationship with decarbonisation is complicated. On the one hand: •⁠ ⁠47% of London is green space •⁠ ⁠It's electrified a huge polluter: black cabs and their diesel engines •⁠ ⁠And as a financial hub, is able to invest in wasting less energy at scale But on the other hand, Heathrow emits more CO₂ than some countries. And perhaps our biggest challenge are our buildings: 80% of them will still be around in 2050, and as a whole they are poorly insulated, making heating and cooling wildly inefficient. And with increasing heat waves—like 2022’s first time surpassing 40°C—we have unavoidable work ahead of us. That’s where Francesca Lorenzini comes in. She connects institutional capital with energy efficiency projects at a deeper, structural level. One of Francesca’s accomplishments was the creation of The London EDGE Fund, a £100m joint venture with GLA, dedicated to decarbonising London. Outside work, Francesca’s art has been exhibited across the world, focusing on the relationship between technology, spirituality, human potential, and nature. She believes in the power of art to inspire, heal, and educate. Part of her sales aid The Ocean Cleanup, which targets plastic removal.

Celebrating Women in Leadership – 20 | 20 visionaries This International Women’s Day, we’re not just celebrating for a day – we’re dedicating the entire month to highlighting the incredible women shaping the future of sustainable investment and energy efficiency… Because one day is never enough! To mark International Women’s Day, we are proud to profile an inspirational female leader in the sustainable energy space every day throughout the month of March. In a traditionally male dominated industry, we’ve identified the female movers, shakers and change makers who are bringing their passion, energy and expertise to solve problems, drive growth and make the world a better and secure place for generations to come.

The UK's energy use needs much more attention. Today's National Infrastructure Commission report focuses on supply. It feels incomplete. Yes, we need a much more robust grid, but our greatest commercial opportunity is in transforming the way that energy is used, reducing the extraordinary waste in the system. Let's look at average inefficiency by stage: 8% waste during extraction and conversion ↓ 50% at the point of generation, mostly in heat losses ↓ 5-10% in transmission and distribution. Zooming out and looking at all our energy infrastructure, my main point is this: most energy is lost before it even gets to the point of use. If the UK is to remain competitive, we need to better support the grid, but also look to energy efficient solutions. I strongly encourage the NIC to balance supply with demand-side strategy. If we don’t implement solutions that can drastically cut costs and deliver power now, we will not serve today’s needs let alone the huge demand challenges that are to come. We can do far more with the current supply. On-site generation, electrical and thermal storage, and smart energy management solutions are needed alongside local grid upgrades to ensure businesses and consumers can access reliable, affordable, and low-carbon power. Why does the fact that most energy is wasted - a problem that can be solved - still feel like a dirty secret?

I am excited to participate in this important gathering in London next month, encouraging cities and financiers to work together to provide climate solutions for our cities and towns. SDCL Group Perry World House