Radek Stech

Radek Stech (PhD) is the founder and CEO of the Global Principles for Sustainable Securities Lending Community Interest Company (Global PSSL). In performing his duties, he is accountable to The Office of the Regulator of Community Interest Companies.

He formed Global PSSL with the help of significant independent funding from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), part of UK Research and Innovation, through the Sustainable Finance – Law – Stakeholders (SFLS) Network at the University of Exeter Law School. This funding was awarded thanks to Radek’s earlier engagement with stakeholders in shaping values-based banking, green bonds and sustainable project finance as well as continuous contact, research and discussions with staff from the World Bank (an official partner on the grant).

Radek has more than 16 years of solid research, consultancy and advisory experience in sustainable finance, banking and environmental law. He has developed Global PSSL with the cooperation of Aberdeen Standard Investments (now Abrdn), BlackRock, KBC Asset Management NV, NN Investment Partners (now Goldman Sachs Asset Management), PGGM and Aviva Investors since 2018. In 2019/20, Radek co-founded the International Securities Lending Association (ISLA) Council for Sustainable Finance (ICSF) with the aforementioned institutional investors. Despite the Pandemic, and subsequent economic turbulence, Dr Stech grew ICSF membership (including Norges Bank Investment Management) and forged strong partnerships around the world (e.g. with BNY Mellon, eSecLending, J.P. Morgan and State Street upon their request).

In 2020, he founded the Global PSSL CIC which enables committed stakeholders to take leadership roles to improve securities lending. Radek understands that sustainable securities lending and borrowing will play an essential role in the success of the Global Sustainable Finance Market, and has founded the ‘Global PSSL for UN Pathways’ project to help realise this agenda.

Previously, Radek contributed to improving the UK environmental justice system with his report, “Costs barriers to environmental justice”, launched in the House of Lords and referred to the UN Economic Commission for Europe. He worked with the Welsh Government on the first UK sustainability legislation as a senior analyst (later with WWF UK) and has collaborated with the US Chamber of Commerce and international law firms on matters related to global business competitiveness.

He has held fellowships at the George Washington University Law School, the World Bank Group, and the Global Alliance for Banking on Values (GABV). Alongside governors of central banks, and other thought leaders, he is a member of The Bretton Woods Committee.

Radek is an impact driven senior academic at Exeter Law School and Exeter Business School where he teaches international banking law, finance law, Fintech and environmental law.