Environment Bank, a Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) provider, has announced the strategic expansion of its leadership team with the appointments of Jonathan Lydiard-Wilson as Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) and Henry Burn as Chief Revenue Officer (CRO).
The company says these key additions to the leadership team underscore its commitment to driving its mission of reversing biodiversity loss while scaling to meet growing demand for their high-integrity Biodiversity Units for the regulatory Biodiversity Net Gain and emerging voluntary nature markets.
Jonathan (Jo) joins as CSO, where he will develop and execute Environment Bank’s strategic direction to position the business as the leading provider of nature-based solutions, utilising private investment to accelerate nature recovery at pace. Jo brings a wealth of experience in developing new business models that deliver long-term value in the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and impact sectors.
Formerly Partner at Accenture, Jo was the global lead for energy management and co-ordinator for the Energy Transition where he played a key role in driving the growth of Energy Transition Services across the business and was responsible for the coordination of key business channels. He was also the International CEO for a global energy and sustainability consultancy that was later acquired by Accenture. In addition, Jo has been a Trustee of the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT).
Henry Burn joins as CRO, bringing over a decade of experience in driving revenue growth and executing successful business strategies within high-growth start-up environments. Henry excels at building teams, infrastructure, and processes from the ground up, and has a proven track record in implementing innovative products and customer acquisition strategies that exceed revenue targets.
Prior to joining Environment Bank, Henry was the Vice President of Commercial at Hubble where he oversaw profitability routes and commercial strategy to emphasise sustainable growth. In his new role, Henry will be responsible for unlocking new strategic opportunities for Environment Bank’s off-site Biodiversity Units, offering developers in England an effective solution for meeting its new BNG obligations that came into force this year. Environment Bank has already seen a £160m pipeline of Biodiversity Unit enquiries, demonstrating strong demand for its product.
Commenting on the appointments, Catherine Spitzer, CEO of Environment Bank, said:
“The appointments come at a crucial moment for Environment Bank, as we continue to expand our nature recovery efforts nationally. By bringing Jo and Henry on board, we strengthen our leadership team and position ourselves as market leaders in delivering nature-based solutions that help businesses meet their biodiversity goals with tangible and long-term benefit for the natural environment.
“Jo and Henry’s deep industry expertise, strategic acumen, and proven leadership will be instrumental in shaping the future of Environment Bank. Their addition underscores the strength of our team and the significant progress we’ve made so far, while also highlighting the immense opportunity ahead as we execute deliver a sustainable legacy for future generations.”
Environment Bank has already established a network of 28 Habitat Banks over almost 2000 acres across England – with more than 20 additional sites already in development. It has a team of 85 experts working across ecology, land management, planning, and legal services. Its clients comprise SME and major housebuilders alongside significant commercial, utility, energy, and infrastructure developers.
