Ryan Whisnant

Director, Land Use Finance & Member of the Extended Leadership Group

Ryan leads a team that works with financial institutions, investors, and companies to understand and disclose exposure to forest, nature and other land use-related risks and opportunities, helping to align their portfolios with broader climate goals and scale investments in nature-based solutions.

Ryan has more than 20 years of experience designing and leading initiatives in international conservation and sustainable development focused on nature, climate, and energy. He is a former corporate Director of Sustainability for a Fortune 500 technology company and International Development Officer working in East Asia for more than 5 years on ocean conservation and investment. Prior to his work with WBCSD, Ryan was Managing Director of the Midwest Row Crop Collaborative, a coalition of leading agriculture & food companies and NGOs working together on scalable solutions for regenerative agriculture.

Ryan holds an MBA and an MS in Natural Resources & Environment from the University of Michigan, as well as a BS in Environmental Engineering from Northwestern University.

Ryan was born in Minnesota and developed an early love for the outdoors, exploring the many lakes and forests in the region. His career has combined science and business towards the protection and conservation of nature. He also made time to pursue passions, including working as a professional ski instructor in the mountains of Utah, interning as a ranger in the largest US national park in Alaska, leading adventure camping tours for foreign tourists around US, and devoting two years to full-time wilderness survival and awareness training in Washington State.

Ryan enjoys running, downhill and Nordic skiing, tending to a small but expanding garden and orchard in his suburban yard, and going on adventures with his wife and children.

Linkedin handle can be found here.

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