Leonardo Pradela

Experience

• 

  UNESCO Chair in Reading

  Aug 2008 - Mar 2010

  Research Assistant
• 

  PUC-Rio

  Mar 2010 - Sept 2011

  Research Assistant at the Fulbright Chair in American Studies
• 

  Funbio - Fundo Brasileiro para a Biodiversidade

  Aug 2011 - May 2013

  Assistant Project Manager

  • Co-authored and pioneered an operational manual for an indigenous-based REDD+ fund documenting spending rules, internal organization structure, and how income from carbon credit sales must be re-invested in the community. • Assisted in the design of a cap & trade system to curb industrial discharges in Rio de Janeiro after participating on a carbon emissions/industrial pollution evaluation taskforce.• Managed a $250,000 grant from the World Bank for the Forest Investment Program in Brazil, collaborating with applicable federal agencies, private sector, NGOs, and indigenous groups. • Co-managed REDD+ feasibility studies in the Brazilian Amazon, evaluating drivers of deforestation, state of carbon markets, and carbon standard methodologies. Show less

• 

  TMP Systems

  Aug 2013 - Aug 2016

  Associate

  • Contributed to the development of payment-performance financial mechanisms for climate change adaptation projects in Africa and Central America. • Conducted Monitoring and Evaluation preliminary assessments: survey design and execution, field visits, data collection, and analysis to gain a better understanding of local and regional environmental and social dynamics subsequently producing result summaries for stakeholders. • Spearheaded an innovative methodology to effectively research and examine materially significant disputes between project developers of extractive industries and local populations in developing economies. Produced a database with hundreds of case studies and a collection of economic, social, and environmental indicators, which resulted in the development of innovative risk assessment tools for corporate clients.• Analyzed the environmental, social and governance risk (ESG) management processes within the Asian Infrastructure and Investment Bank (AIIB). Developed innovative view of how to address ESG risks in rural development projects, most notably by proposing more efficient and less onerous strategies backed by qualitative and quantitative evidence. Show less

• 

  The Economist Intelligence Unit (The EIU)

  Feb 2017 - Mar 2019

  Researcher

  • Conducted vital background research for several of the EIU’s public policy indices across multiple countries using a series of qualitative and quantitative indicators. • Interviewed high-level officials, C-suite executives, and country experts on topics connected to each index and compile primary data points.

• 

  Climate Advisers

  Apr 2017 - Dec 2017

  Senior Consultant

  • Developed and executed research methodology that identified irregular activities within the soy and palm oil supply chains. • Operated a Bloomberg Terminal daily, collecting and analyzing capital structure, qualitative performance of supply chains and equity composition of publicly traded companies in the soy, palm oil and cattle sectors. • Drafted communication strategies to substantiate claims of wrongdoing by soy producing and processing companies. • Researched the state of the carbon market in Brazil for REDD+ projects. Work commissioned by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) looking to identify early adopters for the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA).• Mentored six Dow Sustainability Fellows from the University of Michigan focused on studying sustainable supply chains. Show less

• 

  Walmart

  Apr 2019 - Jun 2021

  Senior Manager, Natural Capital

  Core responsibilities include: • Manage the shared value strategy on forests for Walmart Inc and the Walmart Foundation;• Design, development and execution of the Walmart Foundation's natural capital philanthropic strategy, concentrated on forest interventions;• Inform and advise Walmart leadership on business relevant activities around critical agriculture and forest supply chains.

• 

  Wells Fargo

  Jun 2021 - Dec 2021

  ESG Integration
• 

  Walton Family Foundation

  Jan 2022 - now

  Program Officer - Oceans