Human Planet formally enters the Middle East and North Africa with senior partner leadership, targeting large-scale mobilisation of private capital into climate and social impact sectors.
Former HSBC Managing Director Sabrin Rahman brings nearly two decades of sustainable finance, ESG governance, and regional policy experience spanning Europe, MENA, and Turkey.
The expansion aligns impact finance with regional policy frameworks including Saudi Vision 2030 and UAE Net Zero 2050, while deepening carbon markets and blended finance activity.
Human Planet, formerly known as KOIS Advisory, has appointed former HSBC sustainability executive Sabrin Rahman as Partner, marking a decisive step in the firm’s expansion into the Middle East and North Africa. Rahman will join the global impact finance advisory firm effective January 1, 2026, with a mandate to build and scale innovative funding structures across climate, health, education, and livelihoods.
The appointment formalises Human Planet’s entry into a region that has rapidly become a focal point for sustainable finance, sovereign capital deployment, and climate policy experimentation. It also reflects growing investor appetite across MENA for performance-linked, investment-ready solutions that move beyond traditional grant-based models.
A Strategic Entry Into MENA’s Capital Landscape
Human Planet’s move into MENA comes as governments and institutional investors across the region accelerate efforts to channel capital into net-zero pathways, economic diversification, and social resilience. Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the UAE’s Net Zero 2050 strategy have created a policy backdrop that increasingly favours blended finance, results-based instruments, and private sector participation.
“As we widen our global presence, the Middle East and North Africa present a powerful opportunity to design and deploy impactful financial solutions at scale,” said Florian Kemmerich, Managing Partner at Human Planet. “Sabrin’s expertise, networks, and long-standing commitment to sustainable development in the region make her an ideal catalyst for bridging local ambition with global innovation.”
Rahman will focus on structuring financing vehicles that align public priorities with private capital, particularly in sectors where bankability has historically constrained scale.
From Global Banking to Regional Impact Finance
Rahman joins Human Planet after nearly two decades working at the intersection of finance, sustainability, diplomacy, and development. Most recently, she served as Managing Director and Head of Sustainability at HSBC for Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and Turkey, a role she held for over 14 years.
During that time, she led major sustainable finance and philanthropy initiatives, helping mobilise billions of dollars toward climate mitigation, adaptation, and just transition objectives. Her work spanned corporate sustainability strategy, ESG governance, and cross-border partnerships with governments, multilaterals, and civil society.
Rahman also played a central role in shaping the UAE Presidency’s Action Agenda and the UAE Consensus at COP28, contributing to high-level coordination across public and private stakeholders at a moment when global climate diplomacy faced rising geopolitical and economic strain.
Recognised among the Fin-Erth Top 100 Women in Climate, and holding advanced degrees from the University of Cambridge and the University of Sydney, Rahman brings both policy depth and execution experience to the role.
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“Joining Human Planet at this pivotal moment will help unlock the next generation of impact-driven capital in the Middle East and North Africa,” Rahman said. “Across the region, stakeholders are ready to move from vision to rapid implementation. I am excited to bring globally validated expertise and solutions to help realise this transformation with integrity and impact.”
Scaling Instruments, Not Just Capital
Human Planet has built a reputation for designing financial instruments that translate public good objectives into investable opportunities. Its work spans impact bonds, results-based financing, blended finance structures, and the development of carbon projects that can attract institutional capital into underserved markets.
To date, the firm has structured more than $500 million in assets, working with investors, multilaterals, governments, and global corporates to deliver measurable environmental and social outcomes.
In MENA, Human Planet plans to design scalable financing vehicles aligned with national priorities, support governments and philanthropies in transitioning toward performance-based funding, mobilise capital from sovereign wealth funds and family offices, and develop regional carbon credit projects.
Christian Meyer zu Natrup, Managing Partner at Human Planet, said Rahman’s appointment strengthens the firm’s leadership at a moment when climate finance needs both urgency and credibility. “Sabrin is an amazing leader, full of empathy and clear-eyed determination. I look forward to working closely with her in MENA on our mission to fund climate and sustainability action.”
As global capital increasingly looks to the Middle East for scale, liquidity, and long-term policy alignment, Human Planet’s expansion positions it at the intersection of regional ambition and global impact finance architecture.
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