MLSF Impact Award: Winners Announced

As part of the 10-year anniversary of Frankfurt School's Master in Leadership in Sustainable Finance (MLSF), the MLSF Impact Award was launched to celebrate the remarkable achievements of our alumni and the positive change they have driven since graduation.

We received 16 applications from alumni based across the globe, including Uganda, Denmark, Kenya, Grenada, Montenegro, Indonesia, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Germany, Kazakhstan, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Belgium. Their stories demonstrate the many ways sustainable finance can create lasting impact, whether within organisations, at the national level, or across international markets.

Driving Sustainable Change Around the World

The applications showcase the remarkable contributions our alumni are making around the world. Across Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean, they are leading initiatives that accelerate the energy transition, expand financial inclusion, strengthen sustainable infrastructure, shape climate and industrial policy, mobilise sustainable investment, and advance innovative financing solutions. Their work ranges from supporting women entrepreneurs, developing green financial products and blended finance vehicles, and scaling climate-smart agriculture to implementing carbon capture projects, strengthening public institutions, improving financial reporting and governance, mentoring entrepreneurs, and fostering the growth of the blue economy.

Collectively, they have influenced public policy, mobilised significant public and private capital, supported thousands of businesses and entrepreneurs, created jobs, expanded access to finance, and contributed to more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable economies. Their achievements are a powerful testament to how the knowledge, leadership, and global perspective gained through the MLSF programme translate into meaningful, long-term impact across sectors and continents.

Above all, we are incredibly proud to have been part of our alumni's journeys. Seeing how they have applied their knowledge and leadership to tackle some of the world's most pressing sustainability challenges is a true reflection of what the MLSF programme strives to achieve. Their success is an inspiration to our entire Frankfurt School community and to future generations of sustainable finance leaders.

Announcing the 2026 MLSF Impact Award Winners

We are delighted to announce the winners of this year's MLSF Impact Award.

Following a highly competitive selection process, two outstanding alumni are sharing first place in recognition of their exceptional contributions to a more sustainable world.

First Place: Rodrigo Tosta

Following graduation, Rodrigo developed a pioneering climate risk assessment methodology for the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES). The methodology enables climate considerations to be systematically integrated into project assessments and has since become part of the bank's environmental and social risk assessment for major investments. By leading both the technical development of the methodology and the stakeholder engagement required for its approval, Rodrigo has strengthened climate-informed investment decision-making at one of Latin America's most important development finance institutions. 

First Place: Marco Caponigro

As Executive Director at GOPA Tech, Marco has led more than 40 international projects with a combined portfolio value of approximately €40 million, supporting the energy transition across Africa, Asia, the MENA region, the Western Balkans, and the Black Sea Region. Under his leadership, these projects have helped improve energy policies in more than 16 countries, facilitated over €2 billion in sustainable energy investments, contributed to the deployment of more than 1,000 MWp of renewable energy capacity, and strengthened sustainable infrastructure through innovative financing mechanisms, stakeholder engagement, and capacity building.

Second Place: Grace Mdemu

The second prize goes to Grace Mdemu for her contribution to one of Tanzania's most innovative sustainable finance transactions. As part of the FSD Africa capital markets team, she played a key role in structuring the country's first sub-national green water bond, mobilising USD 20.8 million to finance critical water supply and sanitation infrastructure. This pioneering transaction demonstrated how domestic capital markets can finance essential public infrastructure while improving access to clean water, strengthening climate resilience, and creating a model for future sustainable infrastructure financing across the region.

Congratulations to Our Alumni

Congratulations to all our finalists and applicants. We are incredibly proud of what you have achieved and grateful to see the MLSF community making such a meaningful contribution to a more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient future. Your achievements demonstrate the lasting impact of sustainable finance in practice and embody the values of the MLSF programme.