Jindrich Kloub

Partner, Wilson Sonsini

Jindrich Kloub is a partner in the Brussels office of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati and a head of its European antitrust team. He focuses on complex antitrust investigations, cartel defense, digital markets regulations, and general antitrust counseling and compliance. Jindrich is a member of the firm’s ESG cross-practice initiative and his practice also covers counseling on sustainability collaborations and compliance with the EU’s sustainability regulations. Prior to joining the firm, Jindrich was executive director of operations at the Hong Kong Competition Commission (HKCC), where he was responsible for overseeing the HKCC’s antitrust enforcement between 2017-2022. Before joining the HKCC, Jindrich worked as a lead case handler at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Competition (DG COMP) for more than a decade. During that time, he conducted numerous major international cartel investigations, including precedent-setting cases in the financial services sector involving LIBOR and Forex benchmark rates. Jindrich is a frequent speaker and author on competition law and maintains deep connections within the international enforcement community. He has been a visiting professor of competition law at Université Catholique de Lille since 2010.

Nicolas Lockhart

Partner, Sidley

NICOLAS J.S. LOCKHART’s practice covers public international law, with a focus on trade and environment, and EU law relating to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues. With a broad understanding of sustainability policy, at both national and international level, Nic advises companies on the full breadth of ESG issues. Nic leads Sidley’s work assisting companies in addressing the wave of EU ESG legislation, including the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), the proposed Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CS3D), the Deforestation Regulation, and the proposed Green Claims Directive. Nic counsels clients on ESG marketing communications in the face of growing regulatory and litigation risks. He also advises on the EU “Fit for 55” package, including the revised Emissions Trading System, Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, and ReFuel; and the EU circular economy package, which includes measures addressing batteries, eco-design, reuse, repair, packaging, and waste. Nic has contributed to two papers on the circular economy published by the World Economic Forum, linked here and here. Nic also advises and publishes on carbon pricing, including the use of carbon offsets (e.g., corporate strategy on the use of offsets; and issues arising under the Paris Agreement and CORSIA, an international aviation agreement on carbon pricing). Nic’s practice also includes international law. He advises governments and other stakeholders on general public international law, including international trade law, the international climate regime, international waste shipment, the law of the sea, and the interface between international trade and environmental law. Nic is currently leading a Sidley team advising an international governmental organization in advisory proceedings on legal implications of climate change, before the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea. Nic teaches on trade and sustainability, and the international climate regime, at the World Trade Institute of the University of Berne. Nic features on the “A” list of standing counsel to the UK Attorney General on issues of public international law. He is also featured prominently in the published rankings of practitioners in the field of international trade law: - As in the previous editions, Nic holds a Band 1 ranking for International Trade/WTO in Chambers Europe 2024 and Chambers Global 2024 (Europe-wide). In the 2023 edition, a client describes him as “a very smart lawyer; he thinks strategically and knows WTO law very well. He is really effective.” - Holding a Band 1 ranking for International Trade/WTO in Chambers Europe and Chambers Global 2022. In the 2021 edition, interviewees say that “he is able to get his points across to all of the different stakeholders because he deconstructs difficult legal issues into simple words.” - Nic has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in Switzerland guide 2022 for Trade Law. - Clients describe him as “very gifted legally and a very talented advocate.” Another source states: “He’s very creative in building arguments and positions and does not feel confined to how things have always been done. He is willing to think of new ideas.” (Chambers 2019) - Lauded as “a tremendous trial lawyer who is an eloquent, convincing and effective communicator.” (Chambers Global 2017)

Emma Bichet

Special Counsel, Cooley LLP

Emma leads Cooley’s European sustainability and impact team. She has extensive experience advising on EU and UK environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) matters. She has a strong grasp of EU regulatory issues and works with the world’s top global companies on their global ESG compliance strategies. She advises on the full spectrum of sustainability issues including corporate sustainability reporting and double materiality assessments, due diligence, deforestation, forced labour, product sustainability rules and sustainable finance disclosures.

Donato Calace

Vice President of Innovation and Accounts, Datamaran

Dr. Donato Calace is the Senior Vice President of Innovation and Accounts at Datamaran, where he spearheads global innovation projects and leads the firm's business development, key accounts, and policy engagement strategy. With extensive experience in sustainability accounting and materiality, Donato works with the sustainability leaders and the boards of many Fortune 500 corporations. He also actively contributes his expertise in technical committees and groups. He served as a member of the UK Financial Reporting Council Stakeholder Insight Group and the EFRAG Task Force on reporting of non-financial risks and opportunities, as well as the EFRAG Expert Working Group on the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS). He also co-chaired the Organismo Italiano Business Reporting (OIBR) working group on Operationalizing Materiality. Additionally, he is a module instructor for the CESGA program, teaching the ESG Trends in North America, and teaches the materiality module in the Audencia Executive Executive Master Chief Value Officer. Having earned a Ph.D. in the Economics and Management of Natural Resources, Donato's research and expertise encompass various aspects of his field. During his doctoral studies at LUM University and visiting scholar at Bayes Business School, he focused on the interplay between non-financial disclosure, environmental performance, and market value. His areas of specialization include materiality analysis, ESG integration, and risk management related to non-financial issues. Donato has shared his findings at international conferences and published in reputable journals such as the International Journal of Sustainable Development, as well as specialized reviews like Ethical Boardroom. His notable contributions include a widely downloaded definition of materiality featured in the Encyclopedia of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, as well as his participation in the invite-only European Commission DG FISMA expert session on materiality in 2019.

Emily B. Holland

Counsel, Simpson Thacher & Barlett LLP

Emily is a member of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett’s ESG & Sustainability Practice, based in the Washington D.C. office, and a four-time Chambers recognized practitioner in Global Business & Human Rights Law (including 2024). She advises the world’s leading business organizations, including financial institutions, private equity firms and public and private corporations, on novel and complex issues arising from an emerging area of law and regulation, competing stakeholder mandates, and evolving business priorities that impact companies’ ability to execute their ESG strategy and create long-term value. Her work covers matters relating to ESG and impact investing, sustainable finance debt offerings and credit facilities, securities offerings, mergers and acquisitions, disclosure and reporting, and ESG-related litigation. Emily has extensive experience advising on human rights matters across governance, due diligence, supply chain compliance, crisis management and remediation. She has also advised governments, intergovernmental organizations and NGOs on human and labor rights issues and the broader sustainability agenda. She is an Adjunct Professor of Law at Georgetown University Law Center. Focusing primarily on social and governance matters, Emily aids her clients in navigating ESG risk across a variety of industries. She has also advised governments, intergovernmental organizations and NGOs on human and labor rights issues and the broader sustainability agenda.

Andrea Duque

Partner, ERM CVS

Andrea leads the Corporate Assurance practice for NA as Partner in ERM CVS with over 10 years of experience in ESG management, reporting and verification. She has worked on numerous corporate assurance projects for diverse industries such as energy, chemical, pharma, technology and manufacturing, with various scopes of work including report assurance in accordance with GRI and SASB and other frameworks. Prior to joining ERM CVS, Andrea worked at UHY, an international financial auditing firm, where she led the ESG assurance program and worked on implementation and assessment of compliance and internal control models such as AML or COSO. She is now leveraging that experience to support clients in their CSRD assurance readiness journey. She holds a Master’s Degree in sustainability and corporate social responsibility, GRI accredited training and AA1000AS accreditation.

Chris McClure

Partner, Crowe LLP

Christopher is a Partner with Crowe, a top ten global accounting and consulting firm.  He assists companies, their boards, and their counsel with regulatory compliance, investigations, and other complex matters.  Christopher has significant experience dealing with SEC, EPA and other regulatory issues. Christopher leads Crowe’s national ESG Center of Excellence and assist a wide variety of clients with ESG strategy, program implementation, and reporting requirements.  He is a frequent speaker on the subject, most recently at the American College of Corporate Directors, the American Bar Association, and many other industry and professional organizations. He has been quoted in Forbes, the LA Times, and other media outlets. You can learn more at: https://crowe.com/esg.

Christine Robinson

Audit & Assurance Partner, Deloitte

Christine is a CPA with more than 20 years of professional experience. She has spent the last 12 years working with clients on ESG reporting including materiality assessments, climate, data processes and controls, reporting, assurance, and supply chain initiatives.   She leads numerous climate-related engagements including GHG emissions inventories and helps clients assess climate-related risks and opportunities through scenario analysis. She also works with various global companies on their adoption of the CSRD and the SEC climate rule. Christine’s experience also includes an assignment to the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board in 2015 where she assisted with research and market adoption initiatives.  She holds the IFRS Foundation’s Fundamentals of Sustainability Accounting credential designed to help professionals understand the link between material sustainability information and financial performance.

Zachary Barlow

Associate Editor, PracticalESG.com

Zachary Barlow is a licensed attorney. He earned his JD from the University of Mississippi and has a bachelor’s in Public Policy Leadership. He practiced law at a mid-size firm and handled a wide variety of cases. During this time he assisted in overseeing compliance of a public entity and litigated contract disputes, gaining experience both in and outside of the courtroom. Zachary currently assists the PracticalESG.com editorial team by providing research and creating content on a spectrum of ESG topics, focusing on legal aspects of those issues.