Sylvain Vanston

Executive Director, Climate Change Investment Research
MSCI

Sylvain Vanston is MSCI’s Executive Director of Climate Change Investment Research. He formulates a research agenda for MSCI’s climate-related content and collaborates with a wide range of teams (industry analysts, equity research, multi-asset class research, index, analytics) as well as strategic clients globally on issues of climate risk reporting, risk management and portfolio management. He previously worked at the AXA Group as global head of Climate & Biodiversity. He was in charge of integrating Climate Change and Biodiversity-related factors into the AXA Group’s operational, underwriting and investment processes. This work encompassed both investments (reporting, ESG integration, Impact Investing, divestments, products, shareholder engagement, etc.) and underwriting (risk analysis, underwriting guidelines, coalition building, green products, etc). He led AXA’s work within the Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance, NZ Insurance Alliance, TCFD and TNFD. His academic background is in International Relations (Sciences Po Paris, LSE).