New Beginnings for Financial Pathways Theme Leadership

As SRAEHL continues to grow and strengthen its community, we are marking an important transition within our Financial Pathways to Net Zero Theme. We extend our sincere thanks to Dr Sean Field and Dr Andrew Sudmant for their exceptional leadership and contributions to the Alliance, while also warmly welcoming Dr Maria Chiara Iannino as a new Theme Lead.

Celebrating Sean New Appointment

We are delighted to congratulate Sean on his appointment as Profi9 Associate Professor of Energy Transitions Governance at the University of Lapland, Finland, commencing in August 2026.

This tenured professorial position is supported by approximately €2.5 million in funding from the Research Council of Finland, alongside support from the University of Lapland. The role will enable Sean to expand his research on the governance of energy resources and climate policy, while developing new areas of work focused on sustainability transitions and resource governance.

As part of this appointment, Sean will lead the new Arctic Transitions (AT): Energy and Climate Governance Horizons in the Far North project, examining how climate change, resource extraction and competing governance interests are reshaping Arctic regions. The project will explore critical questions around who controls emerging energy and resource opportunities in some of the world’s most rapidly changing environments.

Throughout his time with SRAEHL, Sean has been a driving force behind the Financial Pathways Theme, helping to establish its direction from the Alliance’s launch and championing interdisciplinary collaboration across academia, government, industry and civil society.

Congratulating Andrew Sudmant on His Return to Canada

We also congratulate Andrew on his appointment as Assistant Professor in the School of Resource and Environmental Management at Simon Fraser University (SFU) in British Columbia, Canada.

For Andrew, this move represents both a new chapter and a return home, having grown up in Vancouver. At SFU, he will develop an ambitious research programme focused on one of the most pressing challenges facing governments worldwide: how to turn climate ambitions into practical delivery.

His work will explore how climate action across housing, transport, energy systems and cities can simultaneously reduce emissions while making everyday life healthier, fairer and more secure. This focus on connecting climate policy with the lived experiences of people and communities has been a hallmark of Andrew’s work and has greatly enriched discussions within SRAEHL.

Since joining the Financial Pathways Theme leadership team, Andrew has brought insight, energy and a strong commitment to translating research into real-world impact. His expertise has helped strengthen connections across sectors and contributed significantly to the Theme’s growing influence.

Welcoming Dr Maria Chiara Iannino

As we thank Sean and Andrew for their contributions, we are delighted to welcome Dr Maria Chiara Iannino, Senior Lecturer, Finance (Business School) at the University of St Andrews as Financial Pathways Theme Lead.

Maria Chiara brings a wealth of expertise from the fields of behavioural finance and banking systemic risk. Her research examines how investors make decisions, including the role of nominal price preferences, disagreement among market participants and investor responses to major corporate events such as mergers, acquisitions and stock splits.

In recent years, her work has increasingly focused on the resilience of banking and insurance systems, investigating how regulation, environmental responsibility and social responsibility influence systemic risk across European and US financial markets.

This expertise aligns closely with the Financial Pathways Theme’s ambition to understand how financial systems can support the transition to a more sustainable future.

Maria Chiara’s research offers valuable insights into the opportunities and risks facing financial institutions as they respond to climate challenges and wider societal change.

We are excited to welcome Maria Chiara to the Theme leadership team and look forward to the expertise, fresh perspectives and new opportunities she will bring to the Alliance.