Thede Ruest is Programe Manager and Technical Lead Sustainable Finance at UNDP. He leads engagement with the European Commission on strategic partnerships, with a focus on green bonds and sustainable finance. He brings deep expertise in innovative financing mechanisms and policy advisory. He previously led the Emerging Markets Debt team at Nordea Asset Management and served on the European Commission’s High-Level Expert Group on scaling sustainable finance. He has also held roles with PRI, ING Investment Management and Acap Partners, and supported the South African government on economic policy. Ruest holds a Master’s in Business and Development Studies from Copenhagen Business School and degrees from the International Business School Groningen and the University of Macau.