Lauren Winkler, Senior Director, ESG & Innovation, creates the overarching vision and direction of our ESG platform and shepherds through other innovative practices that seek to ensure The Green Cities Company remains an industry leader. Through leadership and collaboration throughout the organization, she drives strategic ESG initiatives in the Green Cities portfolio and our firm. In addition, Lauren directs Green Cities’ marketing strategy across our portfolio and our corporate profile. Her integration of ESG, innovation, and engagement speaks to Green Cities’ commitment to steward ESG and DEI&A leadership throughout the industry. With 18 years of experience in the alternative investment management sector, Lauren brings an institutional perspective to our ESG and Innovation programs, promoting best practices and innovative approaches that serve our portfolio and investor stakeholders.
Previously, Lauren was a respected consultant to the private equity industry on Responsible Investment and Investor Communications. One of the original industry voices around ESG, she served 60+ GP funds impacting over $100B in AUM. Lauren spent much of her early career as the Director of Communications for First Reserve, a leading private equity investment firm exclusively focused on energy.
Lauren holds an AB from Harvard College and is TCFD-certified.
Lauren is a Chapter Leader for the New York City Chapter of WISE (Women Investing for a Sustainable Economy). When she is not on the soccer fields or in dance studios with her three children (and – wherever allowed – the family dog), Lauren can be found seeking hiking adventures around the world. She is a lover of crossword puzzles, quoting movies from the 1990s, and cooking.