In this episode of Sustainability Talks, host and Managing Partner of ETF Partners Patrick Sheehan welcomes back a very special guest, Lord John Browne, Co-Founder and Chairman of BeyondNetZero, Senior adviser to General Atlantic and former CEO of BP. When we launched the Sustainability Talks podcast in 2021, Lord Browne was our very first guest. At that time the world looked very different, with President Trump’s term ending, the US pulling out of Iraq and before Russia invaded Ukraine.

Now, Patrick and Lord Browne reunite to dissect the seismic shifts in geopolitics, climate and energy—offering a candid masterclass on how to lead, innovate, and find opportunity in a profoundly unpredictable environment.

Tune in for a powerful, pragmatic and ultimately optimistic discussion on how to navigate the complex trade-offs facing business and politics today and secure a sustainable future.

Chapters: 

00:00 The Evolution of Energy Perspectives

08:59 Navigating Uncertainty in Energy Markets

15:57 The Role of Technology in Energy Transition

21:52 Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Energy

28:48 Cultivating Courage and Leadership in Business

About The Guest: Lord John Browne 

Lord John Browne is senior adviser at General Atlantic and Chairman and Co-Founder of BeyondNetZero, General Atlantic’s first climate growth equity fund focused on supporting and scaling high-growth companies that are developing innovative solutions seeking to meet and exceed net zero emissions targets. He also advises the firm on environmental, social and governance considerations and serves on the firm’s BeyondNetZero Investment Committee. 

Lord Browne served as Group Chief Executive of international energy company BP from 1995 to 2007, having joined the company in 1966 as a university apprentice. He led the company through a period of significant growth and transformation, including BP’s merger with Amoco in 1998. His landmark speech at Stanford University in 1997 established BP as a global leader in the way it thought about and sought to address climate change. 

In 2007, Lord Browne joined Riverstone, where he was co-head of the renewable energy private equity fund until 2015. He is also a former Chairman of Wintershall Dea, a European independent oil and gas company. Lord Browne is Co-Chair of the Prime Minister’s Council on Science and Technology. From 2010 to 2015, he was the UK Government’s Lead Non-Executive Board Member. He was knighted in 1998 and made a life peer in 2001. 

Lord Browne is a Fellow of the Royal Society, Fellow and Past President of the Royal Academy of Engineering, and Fellow of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. He previously served on the boards of DaimlerChrysler, Goldman Sachs, Intel and SmithKline Beecham.

Find out more about Lord John Browne HERE

Find out more about BeyondNetZero HERE

Follow Lord John Browne HERE

Follow Patrick Sheehan HERE

Find out more about ETF Partners at: etfpartners.capital