EN
Solutions
We support clients across a wide array of industries with the resources, collaborations and tools they need to find the right solutions to help their business in a changing economy.
CleanTech
Supporting Canadian CleanTech companies with their banking and financing needs.
Explore more on CleanTechEnergy Transition
Supporting companies in Canada in their transition from fossil fuels to low carbon technologies.
Climate-Related Sustainable Finance
Enabling mid-sized Canadian companies in their goal of implementing climate strategies with solutions that suit their business needs.
Who We Work With
We work with reputable organizations to provide resources and tools to help support Canadian companies in their environmental sustainability efforts.
Carbonhound supports Canadian organizations with its automated greenhouse gas emissions reporting platform.
Learn more
Grantmatch supports Canadian companies by optimally positioning them to secure government funding.
Learn moreCommercial Insights
Commitment to environmental and social sustainability makes for better tea – and a better bottom line.
Meet the Team
Besa Xhyheri
Managing Director & Head
Besa Xhyheri
Managing Director & Head
Besa is a purpose driven leader focused on reshaping the future. As the Managing Director and Head of Sustainable Finance for RBC’s Commercial Bank, Besa is responsible for integrating Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors into corporate debt solutions known as Sustainable Finance. With more than two decades of progressive experience across Canadian and International Banking, Besa has held leadership roles in sustainable finance, corporate lending, and credit strategy, she designs and implements financing strategies that align with sustainability objectives, ensuring that corporate debt instruments advance ESG goals.
Prior to her current role, Besa spearheaded the launch of innovative financing programs, including Renewable Energy Project Finance, and Sustainable Agriculture Financing. She played a pivotal role in designing RBC’s recurring revenue lending model, developing the bank’s first Supply Chain Finance and Receivables Finance programs, and implementing critical risk frameworks during the COVID-19 response.
Besa holds an MBA from the University of Tirana in collaboration with the University of Nebraska, and a Bachelor’s in Commerce from the University of Tirana. She also holds professional designations as a Chartered Investment Manager and Financial Management Advisor.
A committed mentor and community contributor, Besa supports newcomer professionals, leads mentorship programs at RBC, and volunteers with RBC Race for the Kids. Passionate about building inclusive, future-focused teams, Besa uses finance as a tool for climate resilience, innovation, and equitable growth.
Christine Chiu
Senior Director, Energy Transition
Christine Chiu
Senior Director, Energy Transition
Christine leads the advancement of RBC’s Commercial Bank growth mandate in renewable energy and low-carbon technologies. In her role as Senior Director, Energy Transition, she focuses on delivering long-term financing solutions to asset owners and developers.
Prior to her roles at RBC, she held leadership roles in sustainable finance and renewable energy. At Mitsubishi HC Capital, she drove origination and execution in renewable energy and clean tech. At CORE Partners LP and Finance Earth, she managed due diligence and advisory for solar and natural capital projects. Christine holds a Master of Science from the London School of Economics, a Master of Science from the Universiteit Van Amsterdam, and a Bachelor of Arts from McGill University.
Colin Guldimann
Senior Director, Sustainable Finance
Colin Guldimann
Senior Director, Sustainable Finance
Colin is a Senior Director within RBC’s Sustainable Finance Commercial Banking group and works with RBC’s business banking clients to integrate ESG factors into their debt financing. He also advises them on emerging trends in climate while guiding their decarbonization strategies.
An economist by background, Colin has authored several major reports for RBC on the interface between climate change and the Canadian economy, including “The $2 Trillion Transition” and “High Rise, Low Carbon.”
Prior to joining RBC, Colin worked on mortgage and macro-financial policy for the Department of Finance Canada.
Miguel L'Heureux
Director, Sustainable Finance
Miguel L'Heureux
Director, Sustainable Finance
Miguel is a Director in the Sustainable Finance Commercial Banking group. His role is to engage with commercial clients across Canada and support them in achieving their sustainability ambitions, by leading advisory engagements and executing sustainable finance transactions. Miguel has a diverse background of experience in progressively senior roles, having spent much of his 10-year career working internationally in China and Thailand. His passion for ESG, a client first mindset, and collaborative approach has positioned him to prosper in his role.
Miguel first joined RBC in 2019 as part of the Capital Markets, Global Credit team before moving to the Corporate Client Group, where he was responsible for structuring and executing senior debt solutions for institutional clients. Miguel is a CFA Charterholder, holds an MBA from Fudan University and an Honours Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Ottawa. He also is trilingual, speaking English, French, and Mandarin.
Migena Plesati
Director, Sustainable Finance
Migena Plesati
Director, Sustainable Finance
Migena is a Director in RBC’s Sustainable Finance - Commercial Client Group, where she advises clients on integrating sustainability into their business strategies and accessing ESG-focused financing solutions. With extensive experience across the supply chain industry—including manufacturing, transportation, wholesale, and distribution—Migena has built a reputation for connecting clients with tailored financial solutions by collaborating with internal partners, industry leaders, and key external stakeholders. She is deeply passionate about supporting clients in their transition to more sustainable operations and enabling access to innovative financing solutions, such as sustainable energy initiatives and ESG-linked lending programs.
Christine Terng
Director, Sustainable Finance
Christine Terng
Director, Sustainable Finance
Christine is a Director within RBC’s Sustainable Finance Commercial Banking group, who supports the team in integrating ESG trends and themes into advisory practice and structuring sustainable finance transactions. Combining her experiences across sustainable finance policy, corporate banking and asset management, she is able to bridge gaps between the worlds of sustainability and finance to support clients in accelerating their sustainability ambitions.
She joined RBC in 2023 from Hong Kong where she worked in public policy and sustainable finance at a financial industry association. Christine holds a Master in Global Political Economy from the Chinese University of Hong Kong and a Bachelor in Quantitative Finance from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
Daniel Kong
Associate Director, Sustainable Finance
Daniel Kong
Associate Director, Sustainable Finance
Daniel is an Associate Director in RBC’s Commercial Banking Sustainable Finance group. He assists the team by incorporating sustainability insights across sectors into advisory engagements. As a sustainability professional with over five years of experience in consulting, reporting, and rating, he is passionate in supporting RBC clients in achieving their sustainability goals by leveraging sustainable finance.
Prior to RBC, Daniel was a senior sustainability analyst and operations associate at a sustainability rating agency, where he analyzed the sustainability risks of companies and constantly engaged clients through deep dive sessions. He holds a Master of Science in Environmental Management from The University of Hong Kong and a Bachelor in Geography and Resource Management from The Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Jessica Wu
Associate Director, Sustainable Finance
Jessica Wu
Associate Director, Sustainable Finance
Jessica is an Associate Director in RBC’s Commercial Banking Sustainable Finance group, where she supports advisory engagements with large commercial and corporate clients on sustainable topics and streamlines sustainable finance transaction processes. She has extensive experience in sustainability consulting, reporting, and climate strategy, having worked at multinational renewable energy and utility companies. Jessica holds a Master of Science in Sustainability Management from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Science in Ecology and Biodiversity from the University of Hong Kong.
More Resources
Banking on Buildings: Industry Collaboration Explores Environmentally Sustainable Commercial Real Estate Financing and Valuation
As environmental sustainability and resilience considerations continue to evolve across the commercial real estate sector, five Canadian financial institutions, including Royal Bank of Canada, have come together through the Banking on Buildings Program to explore how these factors may be reflected in financing and valuation practices.
To inform this work, Affine Climate Solutions convened more than 70 participants from across the real estate ecosystem, including financial institutions, appraisers, industry associations, developers, and non-profit organizations to discuss opportunities, challenges, and emerging practices in environmentally sustainable real estate valuation.
The workshop highlighted several considerations for the industry:
- The growing role of environmental sustainability and resilience considerations in business, investment, and risk management decisions.
- The importance of consistent data, tools, and methodologies to support valuation practices.
- The value of collaboration across the financial and real estate sectors to support market adoption and implementation of environmental sustainability and resilience considerations in commercial real estate valuation and financing practices.
Insights from the workshop are informing the development of Affines’ draft framework designed to support future industry dialogue and practical implementation.
Read the full report Accelerating the Adoption of Sustainable Real Estate Valuation in Canada – the Financial Institutions’ Perspective to explore findings developed by Affine Climate Solutions’ including key insights and proposed next steps.
Disclaimer
All expressions of opinion in the report reflect the judgment of the Affine Climate Solutions’ authors as of the date of publication. We do not guarantee the accuracy of the information or expressions of opinion presented therein and they should not be regarded as a complete analysis of the subjects discussed. No endorsement of any third parties or their advice, opinions, information, products or services is expressly given or implied by RBC or any of its affiliates. The reader is solely liable for any use of the information contained therein.
RBC Climate Action Institute
Bringing together economists, policy analysts and business strategists to help research and advance ideas that can contribute to Canada’s climate progress.
Learn moreConnect with Us
Contact your RBC relationship manager to learn more about Sustainable Finance solutions.