Manju Seal

Manju Seal is the founder of Terra Impact, providing sustainable finance advisory services. She is recognized for her pioneering contributions to sustainable finance, particularly within BMO Financial Group, where she played a critical role in integrating sustainability into Capital Markets Division offerings. Recognized as a thought leader and sought-after speaker at finance and sustainability conferences, she has built a reputation as a forward-thinker and trusted advisor in the field.

As Bank of Montreal’s inaugural Head of Sustainable Finance & Capital Markets ESG Lead, she established and led the Sustainable Finance Advisory, working with corporate and institutional clients to integrate ESG criteria into investments and financing, thereby promoting enhanced sustainability. She guided firm-wide initiatives as a member of the Fixed Income Sales Desk and later the Debt Capital Markets Desk, preparing both the enterprise and the Capital Markets Division for the public adoption of sustainable finance as a new business line. Manju was also a member of the firm-wide BMO Sustainability Council and led the launch of BMO’s Sustainable Bond Program in 2019, including a USD $500 million sustainability bond issuance. She co-authored BMO’s Sustainable Financing Framework, the first of its kind in Canada, and was a key contributor to BMO’s public sustainable finance commitment of CAD $400 billion that same year.

In her advisory role, Manju assisted clients in identifying impactful solutions related to sustainable bond underwriting, product development, and other sustainable financing activities. Her expertise encompasses sustainable finance products such as Green, Social, and Transition Bonds, Sustainability-Linked Loans, and socially responsible investing, enabling her to engage effectively with both issuers and investors. She spearheaded enterprise-wide strategies and thought leadership on sustainable finance and related investments.

Manju’s extensive leadership experience spans institutional asset management, capital markets (investment banking and global markets), nonprofits, and board leadership. Her investment banking career began in the Structured Finance Group-FICC at Goldman Sachs, followed by leading Goldman Sachs Asset Management’s Fixed Income – Risk & Performance Analytics Team, and later serving as a fixed income portfolio manager at McMorgan & Co.

Since 2003, she has provided transformative leadership and corporate governance to nonprofits and social enterprises focused on environmental and social impact. Manju is an American Marshall Fellow (2008), Board President Emerita of Narika, former executive director of LEAP201.org. She is a board director of Proximity Designs and advisor to Global Climate Finance Accelerator. A polymath, she holds master’s degrees in business administration, mathematics, and ethnomusicology.

With a rare blend of expertise, she continues to be a driving force in the evolution of sustainable finance, making her an influential voice and advisor in both the financial industry and global sustainability efforts.