Reuben is an economist and climate finance expert specializing in international economics, climate risk, and sustainable finance. He is the founder of the Kenya Climate Directory and the Executive Director of Climate Shapers Africa Limited. He currently sits on the Steering Committee of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) AgriFood Project in Kenya.

Reuben has consulted for leading institutions including the World Bank, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, UNEP Finance Initiative, Central Bank of Kenya, Kenya Bankers Association, and multiple UN agencies. He has spoken at high-level forums convened by the International Energy Agency, International Emissions Trading Association, Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero, Alliance for Financial Inclusion, among others.

His work has been featured on platforms such as Africa Policy Journal at Harvard Kennedy School, World Economic Forum, Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR), and Project Syndicate. He has won several awards including the St. Gallen Wings of Excellence Award and the Rudi Dornbusch Prize in International Economics. He has written three book chapters and authored multiple articles and commissioned reports.

As an industry expert, he has trained 850+ professionals at management and senior management levels, delivering trainings across Kenya, Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal, Eswatini, and South Africa. As a subject expert on green financial regulation, he has trained central bankers from over 20 countries. He also served as a Senior Climate Risk Expert on the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) technical assistance programme that developed the Kenya Green Finance Taxonomy.

Reuben holds a Master in International Economics from the Geneva Graduate Institute (Switzerland) and a Bachelor in Financial Economics from Strathmore University (Kenya). He is currently a PhD candidate in International Economics at the Geneva Graduate Institute. As an adjunct lecturer, he has taught climate finance courses at University of Cape Town (South Africa) and Strathmore Business School (Kenya).

An avid traveler, he has visited 22 countries.

Organizations consulted for:

COMMERCIAL BANKS

• KCB Bank Group

• Absa Bank

• Bank of Africa

• Ecobank Kenya

• Kingdom Bank

• Development Bank

• Consolidated Bank

• DTB Group

CENTRAL BANKS & INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS

• Central Bank of Kenya

• Central Bank of Eswatini

• Kenya Bankers Association

• Rwanda Bankers Association

• Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI)

UNITED NATIONS (UN) AGENCIES

• United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

• United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

• United Nations Climate Change High-Level Champions

• Partnership for Action on Green Economy (alliance of five UN agencies)

INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

• World Bank/IFC

• Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors

• Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ)

• Finance for Development Lab, Paris

• Grantham Research Institute, London School of Economics (LSE)

UNIVERSITIES

• Strathmore University 

• Strathmore Business School (SBS)

• University of Cape Town (UCT)

EXPERT CONTRIBUTIONS & WORKSHOPS

• World Economic Forum (WEF)

• Chatham House Africa Programme

• International Energy Agency

• Smith School, University of Oxford

• International Emissions Trading Association

• African Research Impact Network

• Sustainability and Climate Risk (SCR®) Program

• Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL)

• National Assembly of Zimbabwe

• Stockholm+50 Regional Consultations

• World Green Building Council Africa Regional Network

• Organisation of Southern and Eastern African Insurers (OESAI)

• African Venture Philanthropy Alliance

PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT

• UNEP FI 

• Credit Suisse

• McKinsey & Company

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PUBLISHED ARTICLES

• Wambui, R., & Cheruiyot, J. (2025). Project-based guarantees in climate finance: Enhancing effectiveness and scale. Paris: Finance for Development Lab. External contribution.

• Wambui, R., Feyertag, J., & Monnin, P. (2023). Net zero central banking in Africa's diverse economies: challenges, opportunities and policy options. London: Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, London School of Economics and Political Science.

• Mohieldin, M., Kenewendo, B., & Wambui, R. (2023). Breaking Financing Barriers for a Just Climate Transition in Africa. Accra: African Center for Economic Transformation. 

• Kimundi, G. & Wambui, R. (2023). Climate Change, Climate Policy Relevant Sectors and Banking Sector (In)Stability: A Vulnerability Assessment. Nairobi: Kenya Bankers Association.

• Kimundi, G. & Wambui, R. (2023). Climate Change, Climate Policy Relevant Sectors and Banking Sector (In)Stability: A Vulnerability Assessment [Policy brief]. Nairobi: Kenya Bankers Association.

• Wambui, R. (2021). Climate-related Financial Risks for Kenyan Banks: An Analysis of Loan Portfolios and GHG Emissions. Geneva: Graduate Institute Publications.

• Wambui, R. (2019). Systemic Interventions for Sustainable Capital Financing. St. Gallen Symposium. 

• Makambi, S., Kimundi, G., & Wambui, R. (2017). Influence of Bank Lending to the Government on Private Sector Credit in Kenya: A Fiscal Deficit Specification. Nairobi: Kenya Bankers Association.  

• Franceschi, L., Memusi, S., & Wambui, R. (2015). The Cost of Devolution in Kenya: A Cost Analysis of the New Governance Framework Introduced by the 2010 Constitution of Kenya and its Impact on the Country’s Public Finance. Africa Policy Journal, Harvard Kennedy School.

BOOK CHAPTERS

• Wambui, R. (2022). Scaling Up Sustainable Finance and Investment in the Global South: A Case Study on Sub-Saharan Africa. In: Schoenmaker, Di and Volz, Ulrich, (eds.), Scaling Up Sustainable Finance and Investment in the Global South, London: Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR).

MEDIA ARTICLES & OP-EDS

• Wambui, R. (2024). Third-party assurance is the new frontier in sustainability reporting. Business Daily Africa.

• Wambui, R. (2024). Kenya must deepen its economic diplomacy in a globalised world. Business Daily Africa.

• Zhan, J., Casella, B., Wambui, R., & Vine, R. (2023). Why trillions more are needed to bridge the SDG financing gap. World Economic Forum.

• Wambui, R., Feyertag, J., & Monnin, P. (2023). African central banks can help build low-carbon and green economies. Green Central Banking.

• Mohieldin, M., Kenewendo, B., & Wambui, R. (2023). How to Close Africa's Climate-Finance Gap. Project Syndicate.

• Wambui, R., & Shah, R. (2023). How chief sustainability officer role has evolved. Business Daily Africa.

• Wambui, R. (2023). Why Kenya needs information resource tools like climate directory. Business Daily Africa.

• Wambui, R. (2022). The Role of Young Insurance Professionals in Mitigating the Effects of Climate Change Risk in Africa. Africa Ahead.

• Wambui, R. (2022). Interview on working in the area of climate change and sustainable finance. Global Shapers Zurich.

• Wambui, R. (2020). Perspective on the Master in International Economics [Video]. Geneva Graduate Institute.

• Wambui, R. (2019). More Women in Management No Longer Tokenism for Firms. Business Daily Africa.

EXPERT CONTRIBUTIONS

• Contributing author: Factsheet: Breaking Financing Barriers for a Just Climate Transition in Africa - African Center for Economic Transformation (2023)

• Lead author: Report on the Industry Workshop on the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK)’s Guidance on Climate-related Risk Management - Kenya Bankers Association & UNEP FI (2022)

• Lead author: Greening the SMEs: Improving SME Access to Green Finance in Mauritius - UN PAGE (2021)

• Contributing author: Climate Risk Regulation in Africa’s Financial Sector and Related Private Sector Initiatives - AfDB, GCA, & UNEP FI (2021)

• Contributing expert: Sustainable Investment in Kenya: Increasing the Quantity and Quality of Investment Flows - World Economic Forum (2021)

OTHER RESEARCH CONTRIBUTIONS

• UNCTAD (2023). SDG Investment Trends Monitor: Issue 4, September. SDG Investment is Growing, but Too Slowly: The Investment Gap is Now $4 Trillion, up from $2.5 in 2015. New York and Geneva: United Nations. United Nations publication.

• UNCTAD (2023). World Investment Report 2023: Investing in Sustainable Energy for All. New York and Geneva: United Nations. United Nations publication.

• UNICEF (2016). The links between Equity, Governance, Education and Peacebuilding in Kenya. Nairobi: Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office.

• PhD in International Economics Merit Scholarship – Geneva Graduate Institute, Switzerland

• Rudi Dornbusch Prize for best Master thesis in Economics – Geneva Graduate Institute, Switzerland

• Global Winner, Wings of Excellence Award – St. Gallen Symposium, Global Award

• Credit Suisse Merit Scholarship – Geneva Graduate Institute, Switzerland

• Silver Award Winner – UNLEASH Innovation Lab, Singapore

• Values Day Leadership Award – McKinsey & Company, Kenya

• First Runner-Up, CFA Institute Research Challenge – CFA Institute, East Africa

• Most Outstanding Student Award – Strathmore University, Kenya

• Best Overall Student in Financial Economics – Strathmore University, Kenya

• Undergraduate Scholarship – Shah Ranmal Raja Charitable Trust, Kenya

CV & PHOTOS

Curriculum Vitae Download CV

Download headshot: Headshot photos

CONTACTS

LinkedIn    Reuben M Wambui

Email reuben.wambui@graduateinstitute.ch 

cc reuben@kenyaclimatedirectory.org