Villars Fellows’ Insights from Building Bridges 2025

Thanks to our partnership with Villars Institute, we were delighted to welcome Villars Fellows at Building Bridges 2025. Across three-days, Giulio Pauen, Michael J. Davidsen and Sofiia Martianova participated in various events across the official programme. They also supported the Building Bridges team in private side meetings and engaged in various networking activities.

These fellows have shared their insights across six insightful articles.

• Fixed Income, Flexible Solutions: The Bond Index Reshaping Climate Finance “While it depicts a financial instrument that is purely evidence-based due to its academic origins, it can also be trusted thanks to its sponsor, Bloomberg, which will help ensure a successful launch.” – Giulio Pauen. View the event page here.
• Pricing Nature on the Balance Sheet “Nature functions as essential infrastructure and must be valued beyond its commodified state. If it is not recognized within institutional systems, it remains vulnerable to degradation without consequence.” – Michael J. Davidsen. View the event page here.
• Tracking and Transforming Net Zero finance: Integrity, Innovation & Impact “Scaling climate solutions is critical, but scale must be pursued thoughtfully: it is not about replicating models blindly, but about expanding what works in each local context.” – Giulio Pauen. View the event page here.
• Blended and Beyond: Finance Innovation for Regenerative Agriculture and Market Infrastructure “By mobilizing capital to protect and restore the ecosystems that sustain food production, finance can become a true driver of resilience and regeneration—transforming agriculture from extractive to restorative.” – Michael J. Davidson. View the event page here.
• Innovation in Climate Risk Management Solutions for Asset Owners “Limited in-house expertise forces smaller asset owners to depend heavily on consultants and external managers — many of whom also lack sustainability literacy. This creates a systemic dependency that slows progress.” – Sofiia Martianova. View the event page here.
• Understanding Climate Implications for Assets in Long-Term Portfolios “While green premiums signal progress, the financial system continues to underprice the risks associated with extreme weather, water scarcity, and rising insurance costs. This gap exposes long-term investors to hidden liabilities.” – Sofiia Martianova. View the event page here.

About Villars Fellows

Villars Fellows begin their journey between ages 13 and 19, driven by a passion for enabling change toward a resilient, sustainable future. Partnering high schools and education platforms nominate these young, motivated leaders through a rigorous selection process, guided by the mission and values of the Villars Institute. They engage with thought leaders and gain insights from accomplished experts, executives and entrepreneurs. Learn more →