Climate action and sustainable development non-profit organisation Verra has decided to appoint Mandy Rambharos CEO, effective August 12.

She will succeed Judith Simon, who has been interim CEO since founding CEO David Antonioli left the organisation.

Rambharos’ selection was made after an extensive search by a global search firm and driven by the goal of selecting a CEO with demonstrated leadership in shaping carbon markets, extensive relationships with stakeholders, a proven record of success in implementation and a commitment to Verra’s mission.

Rambharos has significant experience in the carbon markets. For more than 15 years, she was a negotiator for South Africa and Africa at the United Nations climate talks and chaired negotiations on carbon markets. This experience will come in handy as she guides Verra’s strategy and as the broader voluntary carbon market continues to evolve.

Rambharos was instrumental in the Just Energy Transition Partnership agreed at COP26, in Glasgow, between South Africa and Germany, France, the UK, the US and the EU.

This background has led to her recognition as a thought leader on the global stage and given her extensive relationships across the industry, from government to private to nonprofit sectors. Rambharos also served on the Verra board of directors from 2019 to 2021 before rejoining in 2023.

“We are delighted to welcome [Rambharos] as our new CEO. Her experience is unparalleled, and we are confident that her poise and expertise in organisational excellence and her decades of work in the carbon markets will allow her to hit the ground running on day one and lead Verra.

“We look forward to an exciting future under her leadership. On behalf of the entire board, I would also like to extend our deepest gratitude to [Simon] for her leadership and dedication during this transition period. Her commitment has been invaluable, ensuring stability and continuity for our organisation,” Verra board chairperson Ken Markowitz said on July 26.

As a current Verra board member, Rambharos brings a deep understanding of the organisation to her new role. This eliminates the need for an extended learning curve and enables the organisation to focus on the urgent demands of the climate crisis.

She takes the helm of Verra from global organisation the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), where she served as VP for global climate cooperation, leading EDF’s strategy to promote well-designed carbon pricing and markets that support the transition toward a low-emissions future.

“I am honoured to lead the organisation I have had the privilege to work with as a board member. As I assume this new role, I will drive strong governance, responsive global stakeholder engagement that is inclusive and transparent, efficient processes with quick turnaround times, and that ultimately deliver our common goal—reducing carbon emissions for a climate-resilient, flourishing planet for all,” Rambharos said.

Prior to her work at EDF, Rambharos spent 20 years at State-owned utility Eskom Holdings, where she was instrumental in developing the utility’s transition from a coal-dominated utility to one investing in some renewables capacity.

Rambharos’s efforts laid the groundwork for Eskom to meet its target of reducing carbon emissions by 71-million tonnes a year by the end of the decade, as it announced last month.

She also served on South Africa’s Presidential Climate Commission, where she advised on the country’s pursuit of its just energy transition, promoting clean energy jobs, social justice and poverty eradication.

“Carbon markets are crucial to enable carbon neutrality and they must work efficiently and with unquestionable integrity. I look forward to working with the talented people at Verra to deliver these outcomes for a climate-resilient future for us all,” Rambharos said.

Meanwhile, During her tenure as interim Verra CEO, Simon launched the New Era for Verra initiative to promote the most impact within the organisation – operational excellence, enhanced programme integrity and impact and accountability.

In addition, she enhanced relationships with governments, particularly those in developing countries, resulting in eight new memoranda of understanding for relevant activities with governments.