Bjarni Herrera

I have built a diverse and international career across senior leadership roles in banking, sustainable finance, and professional services; shaped by my Nordic upbringing, Latin American heritage, and years spent living and working in Asia and the United States. Today, I am the CEO and Founder of Accrona, where I help financial institutions, corporates, and investors navigate the transition toward a more sustainable and climate-aligned economy. My global background allows me to approach challenges with unique perspectives, cultural understanding, and a commitment to practical, high-quality solutions. Earlier in my career, I served as the Secretary of the Board of Directors at Arion Bank during its restructuring after the 2008 financial crisis, contributing to governance renewal and organisational stability at a pivotal time. I later co-founded a sustainability and sustainable finance advisory firm, which was acquired by KPMG, where I went on to become the Head of Sustainability. Most recently, I served as COO of CICERO Shades of Green, supporting the organisation’s growth until its acquisition by S&P Global. I see myself as a practitioner, leader, listener, advisor, and talent developer. Outside of work, I enjoy long walks in nature, skiing, reading, and immersing myself in new cultures. I am dedicated to learning, sharing, and contributing to the design of a more sustainable future. In 2024, I published my first book, Supercharging Sustainability: A Big-Picture Overview of ESG 2.0 and Sustainable Finance, which is available on Amazon. My Areas of Expertise ✅ Corporate sustainability: ESG, strategies, policies, business and product development, capacity building, risk management ✅ Sustainable finance: banking and investor integration, due diligence, portfolio allocation and optimisation, legal compliance, business and product development, financing, risk management ✅ Sustainability and VC: building a sustainability service provider, product market fit, sustainability innovation, planning, and advisory ✅ M&A: thinking about being acquired as a founder, finding the right sustainability targets, ✅ Executive leadership in banking, consulting, and professional services ✅ Governance, restructuring, and board-level operations ✅ Cross-cultural management and global market understanding