Meet Our ESG Team

Our team of ESG experts underscores SMBC Group in the Americas’ commitment to sustainability


Aaron Franklin

Managing Director, Head of Sustainable Finance
SMBC Group in the Americas

As Head of Sustainable Finance, Aaron Franklin coordinates sustainable finance activities across SMBC Group in the Americas. This spans green bonds, sustainability-linked bonds and loans, sustainable project finance, and other product areas with an increasing emphasis on incorporating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategy into financial products.

A seasoned veteran with almost a decade in sustainable finance, Aaron previously served as the Global Coordinator for Sustainable Capital Markets for a major international law firm.

Aaron publishes frequently on topics related to sustainable finance and has served on the Advisory Council to the Green Bond Principles Executive Committee. He is well-versed in advising corporate issuers on responding to the growing investor and stakeholder demand for ESG performance, as well as structuring sustainability features into financings, including selecting high-quality sustainability priorities and defining eligible expenditure.

He earned his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and a B.S. from Cornell University.




Dolph Habeck

Managing Director, Head of ESG Capital Markets & Syndicate
SMBC Group in the Americas

Dolph Habeck leads the development and execution of an environmental, social, and governance (ESG)-themed financing platform that focuses on connecting investors with borrowers. An early participant in the development of ESG-themed finance, he continues to have an active leadership role in this market’s evolution.

In May 2021, Dolph joined SMBC Group in the Americas from a fintech, where his responsibilities included ESG and sustainability strategy. Previously, he was with Morgan Stanley in London and New York, most recently as the company’s Head of Sustainability Syndicate and Origination in the Americas. At Morgan Stanley, he was involved in numerous innovative transactions in the ESG vertical, including the First Green Corporate Bond, the First Green Sustainability Corporate Bond, the First Green Bond from Brazil, and the First Sustainability-Linked Bond.

Dolph graduated from Lehigh University with a B.A. in international relations.


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