John I. Babalola Say hello
Sustainable finance & product

Sustainable finance, built into products.

My journey through sustainable finance and product, from capital markets strategy at Nigerian Exchange Group, to research on extra-financial risk, to owning a risk product used by investors today.

Current focus
Current focus

Extra-financial risk across markets

Verisk Maplecroft · Product Owner & subject-matter expert

How environmental, social and geopolitical risks shape value across public and private markets, assessed at asset level through AREA, the risk data product I own at Verisk Maplecroft.

Ongoing · Growing with clients
See progress →Visit AREA ↗
Experience
  • 2023 – now
    ● Current

    Verisk Maplecroft

    Product Owner · Sustainable Finance · London

    I joined as a Research Associate, developing research on equities and corporate debt through the lens of extra-financial risk, and supported the development and launch of AREA.

    In 2026 I became its Product Owner and key subject-matter expert, and I now oversee its product development and adoption, improving it continuously with clients.

  • 2021 – 2022

    Unilever HQ

    Sustainability and Innovation Consultant · London / Remote

    As part of my MPA at the London School of Economics, I advised Unilever HQ on workforce resilience and reskilling across five markets: the UK, Spain, Vietnam, South Africa and the UAE.

  • 2020 – 2021

    Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX Group)

    Analyst, Office of the CEO · Lagos

    Capital markets strategy in the CEO's Office at one of Africa's largest stock exchanges, across public equities, fixed income, sustainable finance and market development.

    I contributed to initiatives supporting Nigeria's green bond market and climate-aligned infrastructure financing, and supported legislative work including the Finance Act 2020.

    I also produced board and investor-level briefings for the CEO's engagements with institutional investors, regulators and policymakers.

Before NGX, I worked in business process management at BUA Group, one of Africa's largest conglomerates. During my MPA, I was also an open innovation consultant to Swiss telecoms company Sunrise UPC.

Advisory & service
  • 2024 – now

    University of Essex

    Impact Advisor

    I advise a doctoral candidate researching climate misinformation and sustainable transitions, helping strengthen the work's practical application and societal impact.

    That means strategic input on policy relevance, and helping translate the research into insights for climate communication and sustainable transitions.

  • 2026 – now

    St Michael's Wandsworth Common

    Trustee and Church Warden

    Elected Trustee and Church Warden of an Anglican parish, providing governance, strategic oversight and fiduciary stewardship alongside clergy and fellow trustees.

    I support strategic planning, financial oversight and the coordination of parish operations, and help embed environmental stewardship across the parish as an Eco Church.

    See the parish team ↗
  • 2021 – 2022

    The Public Sphere Journal, LSE

    Senior Editor

    I coordinated contributing editors and authors for LSE's public policy journal, and edited essays ranging from social impact bonds to tackle homelessness in New York to protecting Europe's food heritage, as well as the journal's first photo essay, on climate adaptation in India.

    See the issue ↗