Get to know our Venture Partner Guy Ranawake
In this interview Guy Ranawake, Venture Partner at Conduit Connect talks about his journey from studying economics at the University of Cambridge to becoming a key player in the climate tech sector. He shares his experiences working with PWC, Citi, Barclays, and Evercore, and how he shifted his focus to renewable energy and climate-focused technologies. We'll hear about his successes, challenges, and thoughts on the current state of climate tech, as well as his advice for young professionals. Join us to learn more about his work and vision for a sustainable future.
Tell us a little bit about your background?
I was a slow starter! Having studied economics at University of Cambridge, I qualified as a chartered accountant with PWC located in London and Berlin. I then moved into investment banking with institutions like Citi, Barclays and Evercore with a particular focus on the energy and infrastructure focus before becoming a fund manager with a UK-based cleantech fund. More recently, I have created a portfolio of roles which include acting as CFO and/or Corporate Finance Advisor to start-up and growth-stage companies in climate tech space, as well as being a Venture Partner at Conduit Connect.
What has been your greatest success to date? And your greatest challenge?
Having the opportunity to help young and exciting founders to realise their goals while at the same time improving the world for others. To do this in a world of risk-aversion, uncertainty and, dare I say it, fear.
What led you to work in the impact space?
My career in investment banking mainly focused on fossil fuel-based electricity generation. While this helped with the provision of relatively cheap and reliable electricity, it had the unintended consequence of emitting large amounts of HGH into the atmosphere, thus contributing to global warming. Since 2015, I have refocused my time on renewable forms of energy and climate-focused technologies which can help mitigating the impact of rising temperatures and the wider climate crisis.
What are you most excited about in the impact space currently?
I am particularly exciting about new technologies to be applied in the hard-to-abate “industrials” sector, such as carbon capture, utilisation and storage (“CCUS”), green hydrogen, long duration energy storage.
Could you give us a short overview on what climate tech is? What is your overall view/feeling of current state of the climate?
Ther are a variety of definitions, but I like to describe it as technologies that are explicitly focused on the reduction of GHG emissions and addressing the impacts of global warming. I believe that there is now a widespread recognition that it will be very challenging (and some say impossible) to limit global warming to below 2.00C. However, I remain an optimist and believe that the roll out of current and new technologies, combined by a change in people’s behaviour supported by government policy and regulation, will allow future generations to live sustainably on this earth.
What are some of the most pressing problems currently that you’d like to see being addressed?
How to bring general public on the long-term energy transition journey while recognising the short-term difficulties brought about by the cost-of-living crisis. Developments such as the US Inflation Reduction Act and EU Green Deal show that government support can help support this objective.
What’s one piece of advice you would give to your younger self?
Be bold and trust your gut!
What’s the worst piece of advice you have received during your career?
Not being told to be bold and trust your gut!
When you were a child what did you want to be?
Mountaineer
As our resident expert in Climate, how has your experience been as a VP of the Conduit Connect?
A fabulous opportunity to meet and work with like-minded individuals with a shared mission to make the world a better, fairer place for ourselves, our children and our children’s children.