Richard Ward

Richard Ward is the Director at Great Circle. Richard was previously an Environmental Consultant with Neglected Climate Opportunities LLC, a subsidiary of Grantham Environmental Trust, from February 2019 to April 2022. Richard was also the Director, Global Methane Emission Abatement Program at Rocky Mountain Institute from October 2016 to February 2019.

Richard has been working in the field of climate change mitigation for over 10 years. Richard has extensive experience in developing and deploying entrepreneurial ventures using disruptive new technologies, business models, and capital strategies to abate greenhouse gas emissions at mega-ton scales.

Some of their key accomplishments include collaborating with major oil companies to sign Guiding Principles committing them to reduce methane emissions and adopt sound policies and regulations; launching the Zero Routine Flaring Multilateral Finance Network in partnership with the World Bank; and building a highly effective coalition with the Omani Oil and Gas Ministry and local operators that originated 63+ methane abatement projects.

Under Richard’s leadership, the Global Methane Emission Abatement Program at Rocky Mountain Institute was able to achieve significant reductions in methane emissions from the oil and gas industry. This program was supported by Sir Richard Branson for the Rocky Mountain Institute and Environmental Defense Fund.

Richard Ward received their HS diploma from Phillips Academy, Andover. Richard then went on to Stanford University where they received their BS in Geology. After working for a few years, Richard decided to go back to school and obtained their MS in Applied Earth Sciences from Stanford University. Finally, they completed a Business Leadership Program at IMD in Organizational Leadership.