Nikola Zahariev is as green as they come. While his bread-and-butter concerns M&A and project finance for renewable projects, Zahariev is as diverse as the Amazon rainforest. After all, there are not many lawyers who have restructured a trade organisation (Sustainable Energy Association), advised government grant programmes (the UK Government’s Heat Networks Investment Project and Green Heat Network Fund) and financed a solar park – all of which he accomplished in 2022, in addition to becoming the first non-founding partner to join the equity at Lux Nova.
Diversity is the theme of 2023, too. Indeed, Zahariev will turn his hand to natural capital and nature-based solutions to biodiversity, and work with local authorities to rescue failed private developments to use them for renewable projects. What’s more, Zahariev has taken a page from retailer Patagonia’s book and will help the firm to launch an initiative to commit at least 1 per cent of every invoice to green causes. All while being the vital BMX chaperone for his daughter and recovering from his annual role as Santa at his children’s school grotto.