Rikesh Patel, CFA, is the Senior Advisor on conservation finance to Conservation International. Rikesh has worked in investment banking and financial advisory for over 15 years, focused on the design, structuring and raising of capital for impact-related themes. Rikesh advises Conservation International on the design and scaling of nature-related investment vehicles across nature-positive SMEs, carbon and other natural capital assets. Rikesh was previously Head of Capital Markets with Open Capital in Nairobi, designing impact-led investment vehicles and raising capital for businesses across the Continent, and also spent time designing nature-based investment funds with TNC NatureVest. Rikesh started his career in investment banking with Santander Global Banking and Markets in London focused on strategy and renewable energy and infrastructure structured finance.