Leigh Madeira

Leigh is Co-Founder and Head of Investments at Ponterra, a carbon project developer that operates the world’s highest quality nature restoration projects. As Head of Investments, Leigh leads all investor and buyer engagement, including closing the company’s recently announced 10,000 hectare reforestation project in Panama with Microsoft, Rubicon, and Carbon Streaming. Leigh started her career as an investment banker at Credit Suisse before moving on to become an investor at two different asset managers in California, managing a combined $50 billion. She then co-founded Blue Forest Conservation, a climate finance startup backed by the Rockefeller Foundation, where she developed and launched the innovative and highly successful Forest Resilience Bond. In total, Leigh has over 15 years of experience in investing, climate finance, entrepreneurship, and nature-based solutions.