Olivia Coldrey

Biography

Olivia Coldrey is a guest researcher in the Transformative Institutional and Social Solutions Research Group of the IIASA Energy, Climate, and Environment Program.

She has over 20 years’ experience working in Australia and internationally at the intersection of energy markets, finance, law, and innovation. She is currently on sabbatical from her role as Sustainable Energy for All’s technical lead for energy finance and clean cooking, where she advises the CEO/Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All on strategy to mobilize climate and commercial finance for universal energy access, and oversees the flagship Energizing Finance research series. Previous roles include Director, Sustainable Finance at the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) and Investment Director of the Australian Solar Institute, the Australian Government's leading solar energy agency from 2009 to 2012. Starting her career as a lawyer, for 12 years Olivia advised financial institutions and corporations on project finance, structured trade, and political risk insurance transactions with Baker McKenzie in Sydney and Hong Kong, Latham & Watkins in New York, and in-house at Australia’s export credit agency.

A Fulbright Scholar and US Department of State Climate Change Fellow, Olivia holds a Master of Laws with Merit from the London School of Economics, a Bachelor of Laws from the University of New South Wales, and a Bachelor of Economics from the Australian National University. She is currently undertaking her PhD at the University of Queensland.

Last update: 16 MAR 2022