About uS

Dr. Ariel Cuschnir (president)

Over twenty (29) years' experience as an environmental & social governance (ESG) manager at the programmatic / regional level, and at the project-specific level. Supported multiple investment assignments for international Lenders, multilateral financial institutions, private equity firms and private clients (project sponsors), across sectors and geographies. His experience includes:

v Environmental and Social Risk Management and Monitoring.

v Sectors of experience include: renewable energy, infrastructure, investments in roads and transmission lines, oil & gas, pipelines (onshore and offshore), ports, airports, agribusiness.

v Capacity training to clients on international standards and Environmental & Social safeguards.

v Provides support on the development and implementation of project and corporate Environmental and Social Management Systems (ESMS), monitoring performance, proposing Change Management procedures when needed.

v Extensive experience working across E&S disciplines (i.e. environment, biodiversity, occupational health and safety, social and stakeholder engagement, cultural resources, and Indigenous Peoples) and proven track record in building bridges across key stakeholders.

v Examples of involvement with key financial institutions / Lenders, and their E&S Standards and Safeguards include: Inter-American Development Bank, IDB-Invest, World Bank/IFC, EBRD, CIFI, CAF, KfW-DEG, FMO, EKF, PROPARCO, SMBC, Intes-SanPaolo, BanColombia, Citi Group, Banco Santander, OPIC, and multiple Investment Groups.


Dr. Ariel Cuschnir


Languages:

Spanish (mother tongue), English, Portuguese, Hebrew.

Education:

● PhD., Ecology, Tel Aviv University, Israel, 1991

● M.Sc., Ecology, Tel Aviv University, Israel, 1982

● B.Sc., Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Israel, 1978

● B, Sc. in Zoology, Universidad de La Plata. Argentina. 1973- 1976


Dr. Cuschnir's Professional focus

ESG and Sustainability - Dr Cuschnir has promoted ESG and sustainability matters and integrating solutions and recommendations at early stages of investment decisions. In recent years Dr. Cuschnir has worked together with investors and project sponsors in identifying not only risks but also opportunities, such as community benefit sharing and collaboration.

E&S Risk Reduction and Management - His focus area has been reducing E&S risks in investments, by taking into consideration the regional and site-specific environmental, socioeconomic and cultural conditions (as well as the political context), and by identifying key drivers for reaching the desired objectives. He is highly experienced in incorporating E&S risk management measures into short-term/rapid investment decisions, and into long term asset/investment management.

Client interface – Dr. Cuschnir believes that close communications with clients (project sponsors), Lenders, investors, and relevant stakeholders are key to understanding needs and elaborating solutions. Through this interaction he facilitates the inclusion of ESG considerations at all phases of investment and works to attain support on these considerations from all stakeholders. He has been involved also with government entities in Latin America and Asia, promoting the necessary changes that will allow the adoption of ESG recommendations for investments.

Geographic Experience:

AMDA Consultants works on a regular basis in collaboration with a vast network of environmental and social specialists in more than 30 countries Latin America, Africa, Asia, Oceania, and some in Europe (Spain, United Kingdom, and Italy). These consultants have many years of experience in broad environmental and social matters and also specializing, among other, in the following disciplines:

  • Cumulative impacts

  • Ecosystem Services

  • Public consultation and stakeholder engagement

  • Indigenous peoples

  • Biodiversity and Monitoring

  • Resettlement

  • Due diligence and site visits

  • Capacity training on International Standards

  • Development and implementation of Environmental &Social Management Systems (ESMS)

This network of specialists have demonstrated senior experience (more than 10 years each) working with private project sponsors, international lenders, and public sector.