Desiree Fixler

Desiree Fixler is a leading expert in the field of sustainable finance and investment banking with over 25 years of experience in innovating and shaping financial markets. Once a champion of ESG from within, she is now one of its fiercest critics. Renowned for exposing the dark side of Net Zero and DEI, she is a sought-after keynote speaker, media contributor and advisor.

She serves as a trusted advisor to financial institutions and regulators, including the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority and the Monetary Authority of Singapore. In addition to guest lecturing at leading universities, she captivates audiences with her rare insider perspective and unapologetic truth-telling — all in pursuit of restoring trust in financial markets.

In a defining moment during her tenure as Group Sustainability Officer at Deutsche Bank’s asset manager, DWS, Fixler exposed material greenwashing at the company- huge disparities between public ESG claims and internal statements and actions. When her concerns as well as her job were dismissed by the C-suite and Board, she decided to speak out publicly. Subsequent investigations by U.S. and German authorities resulted in a dramatic series of events, including a federal police raid, the removal of the top executives and the largest SEC and German prosecutor greenwashing fines to date.

Fixler’s whistleblowing action sent shockwaves throughout the finance industry, catalyzing efforts to tackle greenwashing. She poignantly shares this cautionary yet inspirational story that emphasizes the power of speaking up to drive meaningful change.

Prior to DWS, she has held senior roles at JP Morgan, Deutsche Bank and Zais Group, where she built and managed ESG investing and structured credit businesses. Her track record of product innovation includes several award-winning and market transformational products, including the development of the iTraxx and CDX indices, as well as a series of impact securitizations.

Fixler holds a BSc Economics (Hons) from the London School of Economics and is a former member of the World Economic Forum’s Future Council.