Climate Risk and Resilience: How Ready Are Financial Markets?

Join JRCPPF and STEP/C-PREE alumni for a discussion about the intersection of climate adaptation and finance, diving into vital questions like: how to build financial markets that are resilient to physical climate risks, how to integrate climate risk data into investment decision-making, and where are opportunities for adaptation investment across banking, asset management, insurance, and venture capital. Organized by the JRCPPF Alumni Forum. 

• Grace Bucchianeri *04 (ECO), Head of Global Investment and Portfolio Strategy, GIC Real Estate Americas
  Dr. Grace Bucchianeri leads Global Investment and Portfolio Strategy for GIC Real Estate Americas, where she oversees investment strategy, underwriting guidance, and portfolio construction across equity and debt, encompassing both direct and fund investments. GIC is one of the three investment entities in Singapore that manages Singapore’s reserves. Grace is a voting member of the Real Estate Americas Investment Committee and serves on the Board of Store Capital, one of the largest and fastest‑growing net‑lease platforms in the U.S. She is a strong advocate for an inclusive workplace culture and actively champions initiatives that foster diversity of thought. Before joining GIC in 2015, Grace was Deputy Chief Economist at Freddie Mac and served as an Assistant Professor of Real Estate at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Her work has been published in leading peer‑reviewed journals and widely cited in the media. She remains an active guest lecturer at Wharton and a sought‑after speaker at industry forums. Grace earned her Ph.D. in Economics from Princeton University and holds M.Sc. and B.Sc. degrees in Economics (with First‑Class Honors) from the London School of Economics.
• Andrew Eil *09 (SPIA), Early-Stage Venture Investor, Climate Solutions 
  Andrew Eil is the founder and principal of an independent investing and consulting practice devoted to the commercialization of early-stage technologies with a focus on climate risk and resilience solutions. He leverages expertise in policy, risk management, strategy, problem-solving, and resource mobilization at the intersection of climate change and financial markets. He is a published author in international environment and energy policy, climate finance, and technology transfer. He is an active angel investor, advisor to startups, and venture advisor & deal scout to VC funds in the pre-seed, seed, and Series A-stage climate technology venture capital space. In 2023, he completed the Columbia Business School executive certificate in Venture Capital and Private Equity. He holds a GARP (Sustainability and Climate Risk) certificate and is a CFA Level II candidate. His career of 20+ years spans diplomacy, international development, climate and energy policy, strategy consulting, entrepreneurship, and management. 
• Julio Herrera Estrada *17 (CEE), Vice President, Head of Energy & Climate Analytics, BlackRock
  Dr. Julio Herrera Estrada is a Vice President and Lead Data Scientist at BlackRock, where he leads a team that quantifies investment risks and opportunities in public financial markets, with a focus on geospatial factors such as natural hazards and natural resources. Before joining BlackRock in 2021, Dr. Herrera Estrada was an Applied Scientist at Descartes Labs, a geospatial analytics startup, where he contributed to solutions supporting sustainable supply chains for Fortune 500 companies. He has also held roles at Stanford University as a Postdoctoral Scholar in the Department of Earth System Science and at the World Bank as a Short-term Consultant in the Disaster Risk Management and Urban Development Unit. Dr. Herrera Estrada earned his PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Princeton University, along with a graduate certificate in Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy (STEP). His graduate research on the causes and impacts of drought under current and future climate conditions was supported by a NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship. He also holds a BS in Applied Mathematics from Columbia University.
• Raghuveer Vinukollu *11 (CEE), Head of Climate Insights and Advisory, Munich Re US
  Dr. Raghuveer Vinukollu is a Senior Vice President (Climate Resilience and Solutions Lead) at Munich Reinsurance America, Inc. (“Munich Re”), based in Princeton, New Jersey. He is a member of the Strategic Products team and also a core member of the Nat Cat Solutions group, focusing on innovative products to cover various natural catastrophe exposures. Before joining Munich Re, Raghuveer worked at Swiss Re, where he began his reinsurance career as a Natural Hazard specialist, developing probabilistic models for Flood and Storm Surge perils. He later transitioned to the Facultative Programs unit as a Property Reinsurance Underwriter. Raghuveer has a PhD in land surface hydrology from Princeton University and has often expressed his thoughts on the impact of flooding on personal property and local businesses. He is a passionate advocate for climate adaptation and resiliency with emphasis on the role of insurance and public-private partnerships in building resilient communities. Raghuveer is also a member of the California Climate Insurance Working Group.  
• Moderator: Marina Finley ’19, Portfolio Manager, Balance Sheet Management, GIC

Sponsorship of an event does not constitute institutional endorsement of external speakers or views presented.