Vanessa Havard-Williams joined the Export Guarantees Advisory Council (EGAC) in February 2020. She was appointed Interim Chair in early 2023. Vanessa has had a long career as a senior lawyer. She led Linklaters’ global environmental and climate change practice, founded the firm’s ESG practice and was co-head of the Risk & Resilience and Crisis Management teams. She retired from the Partnership in 2023 and continues to consult to Linklaters on these issues on a limited basis. Vanessa has an in-depth understanding of environmental, social and governance issues; and experience in project finance with export credit agencies. She has worked internationally on issues critical to UKEF such as environment, climate and human rights (and is leading the UK Government’s Transition Finance Market Review in 2024).