Can you tell me about your time at Imperial, why you chose the course, and how it has influenced your work today?

I knew I wanted a master’s that was more specialised than my bachelor’s in business and management, which was quite broad. I was looking to integrate the science of climate change with finance, and there were very few courses that offered that combination.

I started looking around 2020, applied to Imperial, and actually got rejected the first time. I reapplied the following year and got in, which showed how convinced I was that this was the right course for me. It stood out because of how it combined the science, economics, and finance.

When I joined, it was still hybrid post-COVID, so I was lucky to have the in-person experience, which was a key factor for me. What I found most valuable was the balance between theory and practice, through case studies and regular talks from industry professionals across consulting, private equity, and banking. It was exactly what I was looking for.

In terms of what I’ve taken away, I still go back to some of the modules, whether it is specific scientific terms, graphs, or analyses, and use them in my work today to support real-life scenarios or explore opportunities in more depth. It has been a tremendous help in differentiating my services, with higher credibility and precision. It is also interesting to look back now and see how much progress has been made in the space.

Beyond the academics, I am still in touch with many people from the course, and am currently working with a few, so it has remained very relevant both professionally and through that network.

For those who aren’t familiar with climate finance, how would you explain what it is?

Climate finance is about redirecting capital, both public and private, towards solutions that either reduce carbon emissions, which is the mitigation side, or adapt to changes that are already happening, which is the resilience side.

The definition is still evolving, and there is ongoing debate around standardisation. Organisations like the UN and the Global Impact Investing Network have their own frameworks, alongside taxonomies and rating tools. But in practice, what really matters is that capital is being used to create a measurable positive impact on the planet while generating a financial return.

In simple terms, it is about financing the transition to a cleaner, more sustainable and resilient economy. Let’s take housing as a concrete example. This could mean moving from a gas-powered house to a cheaper and cleaner solution, like solar energy, grid infrastructure, heat pumps or battery storage. All of that sits under climate finance.

It matters because of both the scale and urgency of the challenge. The Paris Agreement, signed in 2015, aims to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels, based on a baseline from around the 1850s. As we could see from climate scientists, this limit has been reached in some countries already. It also sets out clear timelines, particularly between 2030 and 2050, to show the level of investment required to remain within these limits.

Ultimately, climate finance is about enabling that large-scale transformation by ensuring enough capital flows into the solutions that will drive the transition.

What would you say are the biggest challenges and opportunities facing the climate finance sector today?

There are quite a few challenges, but the main ones that come to mind are the finance gap; connecting the right stakeholders such as investors and founders, and the knowledge and skill set gap, meaning understanding the science or technology, and translating it into something commercially viable.

Addressing this comes down to collaboration and better coordination across the market. It is about partnering with the right players more efficiently, understanding different strengths, and being clear on the business case across sectors. Politics also plays a major role, as we are seeing globally today.

At the same time, it is important to see this as an opportunity, not just a challenge. While the narrative can sometimes feel negative, when you engage with the right groups there is a lot of optimism and momentum. From the private sector side in particular, there is real potential to move the needle by supporting the right companies and fund managers.

Overall, while there are clear challenges around coordination and scale, there is a strong opportunity to unlock more capital and support the growth of impactful businesses.

What inspired you to start your own business?

After working on both the investment side and the fundraising side, first in venture capital and then in asset management, I started to see a very recurring gap.

There are great founders and strong fund managers with solid business cases who struggle to access the right capital. Not because the opportunity is not good, but often due to a network mismatch or a knowledge gap. Having worked on both sides, I felt well positioned to help bridge that by redirecting this capital.

At the same time, I realised that if you want to solve a problem you genuinely care about, the best way to do it can sometimes be to build the enabler to this solution yourself. I have always had an entrepreneurial mindset, as I have been exposed to founders and small businesses as early as 2013, so it made that feel like a natural step. I also realised over time that I thrive more in smaller, less structured environments.

There was also a personal element. I was moving away from what felt like the expected path of staying in an established firm and progressing in a structured way. I wanted to step back, create space to think about what I actually wanted to build and how to best use my strengths.

With that, the decision became clearer. I started developing the idea informally in the autumn, and then officially launched the company in December 2025.

You’re still early in your entrepreneurial journey. How are you finding it so far, and has anything surprised you?

It’s been really good so far. The motivation is definitely there. It has evolved quite a bit over the past few months, so it’s really been about adapting and being comfortable not always seeing the end objective. You take one decision, and it leads you to the next, so it feels like a series of chapters.

One of the main challenges has been building everything from scratch, from the legal setup and admin to time management and positioning, while also managing some uncertainty along the way. I was lucky that even before leaving my previous role, I knew there were two people I wanted to work with. I did not know exactly how that would take shape, but fairly quickly it became clear that building my own business would give it a more credible and structured framework.

In terms of what has surprised me, I underestimated how much discipline it takes to distinguish between an opportunity that is right for you now and one that is simply interesting. When you are starting out, you want to say yes to everything, but learning to prioritise is not always easy. Having external perspectives has been really important for that.

The other key lesson I learned has been around patience.

It was Lida Preyma, founder of her own climate investment advisory firm in Canada, and one of the two people I wanted to work with last summer, who said that if I set a timeline for myself, I should probably double it. It is a long-term process, and while it is important to have short-term goals, things often take longer than you expect. That perspective has really stayed with me. She’s been a mentor and I was so glad to partner with her even before the official incorporation of Avenue.

What advice would you give to alumni or professionals who are considering starting their own venture, either in climate finance or more broadly?

I think the first step is to understand whether there is a clear problem you want to solve, a gap you want to fill, or simply an idea you want to test. From there, it is about thinking carefully about who you want to work with and how you want to structure things.

It is really a balance between the creative side and the logical approach. You also need to be realistic about the uncertainty, because there is a lot of it, and recognise that you are essentially investing in yourself. Being honest about your own gaps is key, and then building a network around that, because you cannot do everything on your own. Partnering with people who complement your skill set is what helps you move forward.

Beyond that, it is important to maintain the network you already have and give yourself permission not to have all the answers straight away. A lot of clarity comes through doing, rather than waiting until everything feels perfect.

That is something I have found to be true, and I think it applies to any kind of venture.