Perspectives Announces Management Transition and Welcomes New Leadership Team

Freiburg/Alicante, 1 October 2025

After 22 years, Perspectives is entering a new chapter with a full transition in its executive leadership. As of 1 October, 2025, the three longstanding members of the management team— Managing Director and Founder Sonja Butzengeiger, Managing Director Stephan Hoch, and Senior Founding Partner Axel Michaelowa – are handing over leadership to Sergi Cuadrat as Managing Director for Carbon Markets, Gunnar Geyer as Managing Director for Corporate Resources, and Igor Shishlov as Managing Director for Climate Policy.

The former management team will remain closely involved with Perspectives. Supporting the organisation in their new role as partners, as well as in their capacity as shareholders of the company, Sonja, Stephan, and Axel will continue to provide strategic guidance, thematic expertise, client engagement, and external representation.

Passing the Baton

“Perspectives’ management transition reflects both the maturity of our company and the natural evolution of leadership within an organisation that has established itself as a globally recognised actor in climate policy and carbon markets during the past 22 years. Building on these strong foundations, Perspectives is ready to enhance its contribution to addressing climate change under its new leadership. 
 
When we founded this company, we did so with the conviction that independent, science-based advice could meaningfully shape climate policy and accelerate action on a global scale. This conviction remains unchanged, while what began as a small group of like-minded experts has grown into a diverse and international team that supports institutions, governments, businesses, and civil society around the world. Perspectives’ development and resilience to crises that crippled many of our competitors have surpassed our expectations. It is with both pride for our achievements and humility regarding the enormous challenges posed by the climate crisis that Sonja, Stephan, and I now entrust Perspectives to our successors in leadership to write the next chapter in its history. The new management team brings proven expertise and renewed energy, while reaffirming the company’s vision, mission, and values.  
 
The unsettled times we live in demand perseverance, consistency, daring ideas, collaborative spirit, and unshakable commitment to high-integrity solutions. Climate change is accelerating, international cooperation is fraying, and the need for credible Net Zero strategies has never been more urgent. Perspectives has always stood for pragmatic, high-integrity approaches in support of climate change mitigation and adaptation. Our new leadership will uphold these guiding principles that have ensured Perspectives’ reputation and independence, as we keep navigating a rapidly changing climate policy and market landscape.  
 

We wish Sergi, Gunnar, and Igor every success as they carry Perspectives forward with the same passion and determination that drove us from Perspectives’ very first day. In this spirit, we will do our best to bring in our rich and still growing experience as partners and shareholders and jointly harness new opportunities for Perspectives and the broader climate policy and business community.”  

– Axel Michaelowa, Senior Founding Partner  

 Meet the New Managing Directors

This development builds naturally on existing leadership to ensure stability and a seamless continuation of work. Both Igor Shishlov and Gunnar Geyer have held senior roles within Perspectives since 2017 and 2022, respectively, and bring deep institutional knowledge to their new positions. Together with Sergi Cuadrat, who joined Perspectives earlier this year as a Senior Consultant, they form a management team that combines critical insight, operational depth, technical competencies, research expertise, and a shared commitment to high-integrity climate solutions.

 

• Sergi Cuadrat, with over 20 years of experience in international carbon markets, is a recognised expert in designing and implementing high-integrity climate mitigation strategies across the Global South. He has held senior leadership roles in the private sector and has advised multilateral institutions on operationalising Article 6 and unlocking climate finance. His work bridges policy, finance, and technology to deliver scalable, transparent, and equitable solutions that accelerate the transition to Net Zero.
• Gunnar Geyer, economist and former Head of Finance and IT, brings more than 20 years of extensive experience in nonprofit management, public finance, and digital transformation. He established and managed a privately funded economic research institute, served on the board of two foundations, and has overseen large-scale research grants and consulting projects at Perspectives.
• Igor Shishlov, former Head of Climate Finance at Perspectives, is a recognised expert in climate policy and finance with over 15 years of research, advisory, and teaching experience. He has advised multilateral development banks and national governments on climate policy, led research on reforming export credit agencies, and teaches Climate Change Economics at HEC Paris.

 

Together, they bring a bold, lucid, and agile approach to leading Perspectives: one grounded in excellence and driven by purpose.

A Vision for the Future

Under the new leadership, Perspectives is reaffirming its vision to advance transformative climate solutions for a just and resilient world with Net Zero emissions by 2050, and its mission to deliver independent, high-quality, and innovative advisory on climate policy and carbon markets. The company remains guided by its core values that have defined it since its founding: collaboration, inclusion, independence, impact, innovation, and integrity. These principles will continue to shape its work as it focuses on consolidation and excellence in all areas of advisory, delivering high-quality, effective solutions for clients worldwide, and strengthening resilience and capacity for the long term.

“We’re honoured to take on this responsibility at such a critical time for climate action. Our shared goal is to strengthen Perspectives’ role as a trusted partner bridging research and advisory on climate policy and carbon markets to achieve impactful climate action.”

–  Sergi Cuadrat, Gunnar Geyer, and Igor Shishlov, Managing Directors

 

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