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Phillip Bruner
Professor of Practice of Sustainable Finance

Education

  • PhD The University of Edinburgh (2022)
  • MSc The University of Edinburgh (2013)
  • BA University of Washington (2005)

Expertise

Climate Risk and Finance, Renewable Energy Finance, Sustainable Entrepreneurship, venture capital and angel investing

Positions Held

Co-founder & Chief Executive Officer, Enian
Founder & Rapporteur, Green Investment Forum
Director, Growth Advisors & Investors
Executive Director, Sustainable Heat & Power
Co-founder & Managing Director, Sustainable Community Energy Network
Co-founder & Managing Director, Scottish Global Relations Forum
Business Development Executive, Edinburgh Climate Change Institute

Selected Publications

"Who Owns the Future: Community Power in the Age of AI"
Bruner, P. (2026). Environment+Energy Leader.

"Net-Zero AI — Why America’s Data Infrastructure Must Lead on Resilience"
Bruner, P. (2025). Environment+Energy Leader.

Climate Risk Wiki
Bruner, P., & de Medicci Bruneau, J. (2025). UW Climate Risk Lab, Foster School of Business.

"Data Can Help Save the World from Climate Change — But Mind the Transparency Gap"
Bruner, P. (2020). Reuters.

"The Political Economy of Climate Change & Sustainable Entrepreneurship", in Social Innovation & Sustainability, Johns Hopkins University Research in Innovation & Entrepreneurship Series.
Bruner, P., Harrison, R., & van der Horst, D. (2018).

"No Free Market for Energy"
Bruner, P., & Barlag, C. (2014). MIT Sloan Management Review.

Honors and Awards

Puget Sound Business Journal Environment & Sustainability Award for Individual Leadership, 2026
Bloomberg Green Champion, 2024
UK Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council PhD Studentship, 2015

Courses Taught

FIN 579 Climate Risk & Innovation
FIN 479 Sustainable Finance & the Real Economy

Phillip Bruner

Academic Department

Finance & Business Economics

Academic Service

Advisor, Net Impact Group
Advisor, Foster Wine Club

Current Research

Political Economy of Climate Risk, Resilience Economics, Project Finance for Permanence

Featured Research

Quoted in “WA Historic Floods Spell ‘Disaster’ for Hard-Hit Businesses.” The Seattle Times, December 2025.
Quoted in “Trump, the Fed and Climate’s Undeniable Systemic Risk.” Central Banking, February 2025.
Quoted in “Green Fintech Proving Crucial to Global Sustainability Goals.” Financial Times: The Banker, May 2020.