In this episode of Investing in Regeneration, Mónica Altamirano de Jong sits down with Keiron Brand, nature finance expert and practitioner and former Nature Lead at Barclays Investment Bank, to unpack one of the biggest questions in sustainable finance today: how do we make nature-positive investments bankable and scalable?
Drawing from his experience across finance, firefighting, WWF, and global investment markets, Keiron shares how nature is shifting from a niche sustainability topic into a core financial issue tied directly to risk, resilience, and long-term value creation.
Together, they explore what sets nature-positive investing apart from more established asset classes—from emerging nature markets and blended finance to transaction costs, regulation and the role of local communities. Through a systems-thinking lens, they examine how large financial institutions and investors, digital tools, enabling policy and new, sometimes non-traditional partnerships can help overcome these barriers and bring nature finance to scale.
▶️ Making Nature Bankable: Rethinking Finance to Scale Nature-Positive Investment
00:00:00 From Firefighter to Nature Finance - Keiron Brand
00:01:07 Introducing Keiron Brand: Nature Finance Expert & Practitioner
00:04:20 Nature as Investment Opportunity & Financial Risk: A New Paradigm
00:09:46 Why Institutional Investors Are Key to Scaling Nature Finance
00:13:05 The Investment Lifecycle for Nature-Positive Projects
00:18:17 From Shell & WWF to Barclays and Beyond Finance: Keiron's Path in Nature Finance
00:22:26 From Opportunity to Investment: How Nature Investment Deals Are Originated & Structured
00:27:31 Connecting Nature Ventures with Impact Investors and DFIs
00:31:54 Why Current Financial Instruments Fall Short for Nature Regeneration
00:38:33 Nature Credits, Biodiversity Net Gain & Lessons from Carbon Markets
00:42:46 Patient Capital, Blended Finance & Non-Traditional Partnerships
00:48:08 Scaling Nature Finance: Regulation, Open Data & Global Cooperation
Notable Quote:
“ Nature is not a niche topic anymore. It's really about how nature underpins long-term value in investments and assets, and how degradation translates into financial risk. [...] It is a fundamental part of any business model today.” - Keiron Brand
Connect with Keiron:
📱 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keiron-brand/
💻 Relevant report: https://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/?364413/Blueprints-for-bankable-nature-solutions-to-help-tackle-nature-and-climate-crises
Connect with Mónica:
📱 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/altamiranomonicaa/
💻 Website: https://altamira-regen.com/
