Unwritten Breakfast Roundtable with Dan Firger: Sustainability Leaders in US Private Markets

Unwritten Breakfast Roundtable with Dan Firger: Sustainability Leaders in US Private Markets

The Whitby Hotel, New York City

18th November

Unwritten convened its inaugural New York roundtable, bringing together a curated group of private market leaders to examine whether the current climate capital stack is truly fit for purpose. We were joined by sustainability and investment heads from global asset managers, private credit funds, and infrastructure investors, alongside specialised advisors.

The conversation was framed by forthcoming research from Dan Firger. Synthesising interviews with over 100 stakeholders—including allocators, GPs, and policymakers—the session interrogated the widening gap between high-level ambition and the practicalities of deployment.

The subsequent discussion, held under the Chatham House Rule, explored the 'tale of two markets' currently facing global GPs: the divergence between European LPs driving stringent climate requirements and a US market increasingly focused on immediate fiduciary returns. Attendees debated how to navigate this dichotomy while moving the focus from compliance-heavy reporting to genuine value creation.

The group also examined the intersection of AI load growth and grid capacity, asking whether the technology will serve as a transition accelerator or a stressor on infrastructure. The event concluded with a look ahead to 2026, focusing on the need to 'operationalise' climate intelligence—translating abstract risk data into granular, decision-useful insights for investment committees and portfolio operations.