Speaker — Neptune Forum 2026
Valerie Hickey
World Bank Group Director, Environment
Director Environment Sustainability, World Bank
World Bank
Valerie Hickey is the Director for Environment at the World Bank Group. In this role, she leads a global team that leverages data, knowledge, and partnerships to ensure that the WBG’s public and private sector investments in nature, natural resource management, pollution management, and the circular economy generate more and better jobs, in more places, putting another nail in the coffin of poverty. This work centers on scaling proven solutions to achieve greater impact and to build a better future for communities, companies, and countries. Prior to that she was the Global Director for Climate Change and the Global Director for Environment at the World Bank following a decade managing the World Bank’s public sector portfolios on climate and environment in Latin America and in Europe and Central Asia. In those roles she managed cross-sectoral teams that invested in countries and communities on issues related to climate change, sustainable forest management, integrated conservation and development, integrated coastal zone management, fisheries and aquaculture, pollution management and environmental health, environmental economics and environmental risk management.
