Our People

Giulio brings over 15 years of expertise in advancing corporate climate and nature work. A member of BSR’s leadership team, he leads the Climate & Nature team strategy and works with BSR members across advisory services, collaborative initiatives, and grants implementation.

Giulio oversees BSR’s work on the future of climate action in an evolving landscape​, the application of Futures and Foresight work to Climate & Nature topics, and new business models that create business value while advancing people and planet goals. Since joining BSR in 2018, he has focused on targets, strategies, and transition plans; climate risk and adaptation; value chains, including Scope 3 implementation through supplier engagement; business model transformation; and nature-based solutions strategies with social integrity.

He brings deep knowledge of the climate and nature ecosystem and landscape, having supported the development of the first SBTi Net Zero Standard as a member of the Expert Advisory Group. He also led and supported the development of widely used open-source guidance, such as the 1.5°C Supplier Engagement Guide, Transform to Net Zero, and Climate Fit.

Prior to joining BSR, Giulio spent seven years with EcoAct between France and Kenya, focusing on climate advisory work on GHG mitigation, target setting and climate strategies, climate risk assessments, and carbon offset project development.

Giulio holds an MS in Sustainability from HEC Paris School of Management. He also holds a double degree MS in Management and Industrial Engineering and a double degree BS in Technology and International Business from Politecnico di Torino and UIC Barcelona.

Hugh Brown is the Global Head of BSR’s Financial Services practice and Head of BSR membership for the Americas, leading advisory services with private equity, banks, and multinational corporations on corporate strategy, sustainability, and long-term value creation. A member of BSR’s leadership team, Hugh strengthens executive partnerships and deepens engagement with C-suite leaders and boards through economic value creation while advancing market expansion initiatives across regions.

Hugh has 20 years of investment management experience and has worked with companies on portfolio strategy, corporate governance, operations, consumer experience, product development, and marketing using a core risk mitigation lens to drive business value. Prior to BSR, he was a senior director at Ceres, where he led portfolio value creation strategies with global institutional investors representing over $20 trillion in assets under management, shaping investor strategies on portfolio resilience and natural capital. Earlier in his career, he worked on the buy side at the $250 billion Florida State Board of Administration pension fund and Morgan Stanley, focusing on corporate governance in public companies, investment strategy, risk management, and liquidity.

Hugh is a U.S. Air Force veteran, former technology startup founder, private company and non-profit board member, and holds an MBA from Nova Southeastern University and a BA from Florida State University.

As Director, Collaborations, Charlene develops and implements strategies to engage BSR member companies and other stakeholders in high-impact collaborations for sustainable development. She specializes in building collaborative approaches between consumer-facing companies and their value chains to embed long-term sustainability, build resilience in the face of disruption, and increase equity, inclusion, and justice.

Charlene brings over 20 years of experience in sustainability, systems change, futures, and collaboration. Prior to BSR, Charlene was associate director for sustainable value chains and livelihoods with global sustainability non-profit Forum for the Future, where she directed collaborative system change initiatives in cotton, tea and other commodities, and led strategy projects with partners across the fashion and textile, agricultural and food sectors.

Charlene has an extensive background in futures, including working with the UK government’s futures unit developing and testing strategies across government departments.

Charlene holds an MSc in Sustainability and Responsibility from Ashridge Management College (UK), a BA in International Relations from the University of Puget Sound (US), and a Diploma in Organisation Development from Henley Business School (UK).

Aron is recognized globally as a preeminent authority on just and sustainable business. In addition to leading BSR, which has grown substantially throughout his tenure as President and CEO, Aron advises senior executives at BSR’s 300+ member companies and other global businesses and partners on the full spectrum of environmental, social, and governance issues.

Aron joined BSR in 1995 as the founding director of its Business and Human Rights program. He later opened BSR's Paris office in 2002, where he worked until becoming President and CEO in 2004. Aron has served on advisory boards to CEOs at AXA, Barrick Gold, Marks & Spencer, Nike, Recruit Holdings, SAP, Shell, and he serves as a director of the We Mean Business Coalition and RISE.

Aron speaks frequently at leading business and public fora and is widely quoted in top-tier media, such as the Financial Times, Le Figaro (France), The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Axios, and Politico. He is co-author of the book Sustainable Excellence: The Future of Business in a Fast-Changing World, which spotlights innovative sustainability strategies that enable business success.

Prior to joining BSR, Aron practiced law in San Francisco and worked as a journalist at ABC News in New York. He holds a BA from Tufts University and a JD from the University of California, Berkeley.

Christine leads BSR’s Business Transformation team, helping companies to manage sustainability throughout their business and across their supply chains and to develop resilient business strategies that leverage insights from BSR’s Sustainable Futures Lab.

She works with companies across sectors and geographies to structure a sustainability management approach that mitigates risk and captures emerging opportunities, creating strategic advantage for their businesses, while contributing to a more just, sustainable world. Christine also co-leads engagement with boards of directors to promote effective board governance and leadership ambition on sustainability. 

She brings over 20 years of experience in leading brand, sustainability, public affairs, communications, and reputation management with multinational corporations at the executive leadership level. This also includes overseeing corporate relations with external stakeholders, such as the World Economic Forum, the UN, European institutions, and investors.

Previously, Christine was Head of Brand Strategy at Nokia. She has also held major roles at Alcatel-Lucent and Alcatel, leading Brand and Corporate Sustainability and European Affairs. Christine has also served on various boards, including as a chair of the Telecoms Industry Dialogue on human rights, as an advisory board member of Reuters Events Sustainability, as a member of the Alcatel-Lucent Foundation, and on the European Internet Foundation.

Christine holds a MA in History and a BA in History and International Politics from the University of Ottawa. She completed the Management Acceleration Program (MAP) at INSEAD, and she achieved the ESG Competent Boards Certificate and Global Competent Boards Designation (2021). She speaks English, French, Spanish, and Italian.

Chhavi oversees BSR’s relationships with governments and foundations in North America, where he seeks to create cross-sector partnerships between the private sector and donors to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.

Prior to joining BSR, Chhavi worked for a socially responsible investment firm, where he combined financial and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) analysis to make sustainable investment recommendations. He also spent several years as an operations manager for Oracle’s Asia-Pacific and Americas regions, opening a new operation in India. He also developed a CSR strategy for a spirits company in Mexico, developed sustainability reports for companies in India and Saudi Arabia, and worked as a freelance CSR consultant for the Institute of Public Health. He speaks English, Spanish, and Hindi.

Chhavi holds an M.B.A. from the Wharton School of Business and an M.A. in International Studies from the Lauder Institute of the University of Pennsylvania. He holds a B.A. in English and Computer Science from Rutgers University.

Laura is a global expert on corporate sustainability, with two decades of experience in strategy consulting and has advised senior executives at global companies across a range of industry sectors and sustainability issues.

As Chief Impact Officer (CIO), the first in the organization’s 30-year history, Laura focuses on maximizing the impact of BSR’s work with its network of over 300 members, both through direct engagement on project work and as a mentor for teams throughout the organization. She also oversees BSR’s Collaborative Initiatives and Membership, and is a recognized thought leader and innovator in strategic business.

She has been an instrumental leader in BSR’s organizational growth and impact. She launched BSR’s financial services practice and New York office, and she served as Chief Operating Officer for five years, leveraging her strengths in strategy, organizational change, and people management. Laura works with leading global companies to develop and enhance their sustainability strategies to maximize value for business and society, and she is sought after to facilitate senior-level strategy workshops and multi-stakeholder collaborations.

She previously worked for Deloitte Consulting, where she acquired extensive strategy experience advising multinational financial services companies. She also worked on several community and economic development projects in Latin America.

Laura holds a MBA from Stanford University and a BS in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University. She is an adjunct professor in the Bard MBA in Sustainability program, a Senior Fellow at the Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship (CASE) at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, and a member of the UN Global Compact Expert Network.

As Director of People and Culture, Dian leads BSR’s global human resources (HR) strategy, including talent acquisition, learning and development, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. He partners with senior leadership to foster an inclusive culture, ensuring employees thrive and advance BSR’s mission for a just and sustainable world. Dian also strategically manages workforce initiatives to ensure the organization consistently attracts, develops, and retains skilled professionals aligned with BSR’s long-term objectives. 

​Dian is a seasoned HR leader with extensive experience in multinational consulting and technology organizations. Specializing in the fields of people management, HR, and leadership development, he has successfully led ambitious people and culture projects across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa; North America; and the Asia-Pacific region. Dian believes strongly that people management is integral to creating high-performing teams and providing service excellence to member companies. 

Dian holds a B.A. degree in Human Resources, a B.A. Honors degree in Industrial Psychology, and a B.Psych degree in Psychometrics at the University of the Free State. Dian was awarded the HP Langenhoven and PPS prizes for outstanding academic merit for Industrial Psychology and Psychometrics respectively. Dian also holds a M.B.A. degree from the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business. 

Paul leads BSR’s Industrials and Transport and Logistics practices, helping companies to align innovative sustainability practices with business strategy and operations. Paul works with leaders in the manufacturing, automotive, freight, and aviation industries to put sustainability strategy into action.

Paul has over 25 years of industry experience in engineering and sustainability leadership roles. He has deep experience in product development, greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction, sustainability reporting, and sustainability strategy. Previously, he founded an independent consultancy helping mid-size industrials get started on their sustainability journey.

Paul holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a MBA from Marquette University.

David partners with corporate boards, executives, and investors to develop high-impact sustainability strategies. As part of BSR’s Transformation team, he co-leads engagement with boards of directors to promote effective board governance and leadership ambition on sustainability. 

Having previously led BSR's Financial Services team, David continues to work closely with financial companies on sustainability, ESG integration, and impact investing. David has led engagements in nearly all of BSR’s focus areas and major industry groups. This includes leading climate scenarios workshops with boards, creating net-zero road maps for investment firms, designing and operationalizing a leading impact investing fund, conducting materiality assessments, undertaking human rights impact assessments, and co-authoring research on topics like ESG for emerging public companies and responsible investment policies for private equity firms.

Before joining BSR, David worked in strategy and management consulting at Bain & Company.

David holds a BA in History from Amherst College.

With more than 20 years of sustainability experience, Asako advises global technology companies as well as BSR members and partners in Japan to better integrate sustainability into core business strategies.

Prior to joining BSR, Asako was Head of the CSR Management Section at Sony Corporation, and she has more than 10 years of experience leading global sustainability strategies. She has experience in sustainability reporting, stakeholder engagement, supply chain management, and responsible mineral sourcing and human rights. She also played a key role in shaping the industry framework for the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition.

Asako holds dual master’s degrees in Business Administration and Science from the Ross School of Business and School of Natural Resources and Environment at the University of Michigan.

Elisa is a member of BSR’s global leadership team and leads the organization's European member portfolio, partnering across BSR’s cross-sector membership with companies in consumer, technology, financial services, and other industries. She drives strategic growth, partnerships, and senior advisory engagement, supporting organizations in navigating complex market and societal shifts while building long-term value.

She advises executive leaders on strategies at the intersection of growth, responsibility, and resilience, embedding sustainability into core business strategy, governance, and value chains. Elisa brings deep expertise in the luxury sector—including watch and jewelry, fashion, beauty, and hospitality—where brand value, desirability, and trust are critical to performance. She also designs and leads multi-company, multi-stakeholder initiatives that enable pre-competitive collaboration, including BSR’s Responsible Luxury Initiative (ReLI).

Elisa is a sought-after speaker and trusted voice on sustainable business and responsible luxury, regularly cited in international media, and was named to the Vogue Business 100 Innovators list.

Prior to joining BSR, Elisa was an account manager at CHANEL and a consultant at Accenture and Ernst & Young.

Elisa is French-American. She holds an MBA in Luxury Goods Marketing and Management from Sup de Luxe, an MA in International Relations from the Institut d’Etudes Politiques Paris, and a BA in French from the University of Pennsylvania.

David leads BSR’s marketing and communications initiatives, working with a global team to amplify the organization’s mission and showcase its activities, impacts, and thought leadership to members, partners, and the wider business and policy community.

David previously worked for The B Team, a group of global business and civil society leaders working to catalyze a better way of doing business for the well-being of people and the planet. Throughout his 20-year career, he has worked with businesses and nonprofits in economic development, public health, and sustainability to define and communicate their purpose and impacts. .

He has built high-impact communications campaigns for a collaboration to improve maternal health in Zambia and Uganda, driven top-tier media coverage for a major economic development project in upstate New York, and helped strengthen parliamentary capacity and voter education efforts in South Africa and Zambia. He began his career as a newspaper reporter.

David earned his M.A. from The Elliott School of International Affairs at the George Washington University and his B.A. in Journalism and Political Science from Michigan State University.

Jenny leads BSR’s human rights team and portfolio across consulting and collaboration. In addition to directing BSR’s Human Rights Working Group, Jenny leads human rights assessments and partners with companies to develop human rights strategies and stakeholder engagement plans. She works across industries with a focus on energy, technology, and conflict-affected and high-risk contexts.

Prior to joining BSR, Jenny worked at Mercy Corps for over a decade in field management and advisory roles to prevent and mitigate conflict, promote inclusive economic development, and build civil society capacity. As the organization’s first Peace and Governance Director in Myanmar and later as the Director of the Peace and Conflict technical advisory team, she designed and implemented programs to reduce violence, promote peace and development, and address critical and emerging threats like climate change, disruptive technology, and poor governance. She has experience in context analysis, stakeholder engagement, negotiation, project design and implementation, and strategic planning. Jenny has lived and worked in countries including Myanmar, Indonesia, Nepal, Israel/Occupied Palestinian Territories, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Central African Republic, and Cameroon. 

Jenny holds a MA in International Relations from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and a BA in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

Matthew helps to scale BSR and its impact through translating strategy into implementation, overseeing delivery of the work, and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of operations.

Matthew has a long history of leading and growing mission-driven enterprises. Prior to BSR, he was Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board and the Value Reporting Foundation, which pioneered sustainability disclosure standards for the capital markets. Before that, he held COO and senior operating roles at a mix of nonprofit and for-profit organizations in education and health care, where he built products and launched businesses as well as overseeing their operations.

Matthew holds a BA from Grinnell College and a MPA in management and public policy from Columbia University. He speaks Spanish and English and has lived and worked in the US, Spain, and Latin America.

Mike provides leadership and oversight to the finance and information technology functions of BSR. His work is crucial in helping the organization achieve its mission, grow its activities, and operate efficiently. He also serves on the organization’s Executive Committee. 

Mike has more than 25 years of financial management experience in both the for-profit and nonprofit sectors. He served in similar roles at Pathfinder International, Jhpiego, and American Refugee Committee. Mike was the director of finance and administration for Habitat for Humanity International in Pretoria, South Africa, and before that, he was director of finance and administration for the U.S. Peace Corps in Guinea. He speaks three languages and has broad international experience, having lived in eight countries and worked in more than two dozen. In 2010, Mike was named Chief Financial Officer of the Year by the Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal.

Mike holds an M.B.A from Aspen University and a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Northwestern Ohio.