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Herbert Smith Freehills partner Rebecca Perlman has been recognised as one of the most influential ESG innovators across Europe by Real Deals, the leading private equity publication.

Highlighted in the magazine's 2023 Future 40: Innovators list for her track record delivering innovative ESG-led solutions for clients, Rebecca is described as "the mastermind" behind the firm's global impact investment practice.

The prestigious award acknowledges Rebecca's role as an early adopter of providing specialist ESG and impact related advice, having established the firm's Impact Investment Practice back in 2014 - which has seen more than 250 lawyers advising on cross-sector impact deals since its inception - and more recently in leading the firm's ESG practice in the UK, US & EMEA. Highlights of the team's work include helping more than 3,000 clients navigate developments through the launch of a digital ESG regulatory tracker, and establishing pioneering sustainability-related initiatives with a number of clients.


Commenting on her award, Rebecca said: "The levels of investment, regulatory upheaval and societal change required to decarbonise economies and meet social challenges – from improving diversity to tackling inequality – are on a scale not seen for generations. Challenges of this magnitude can only be solved through teamwork and collaboration across disciplines and sectors. The collective, integrated approach that the firm's ESG and Impact teams have adopted is therefore critical in our ability to support the impact that our clients are seeking to achieve."

This latest award follows recognition in NatWest's WISE100 list of the UK's most influential women in impact investment and as the first ESG lawyer to feature in The Lawyer’s Hot 100, which described Rebecca as “a star pushing HSF forward in the ESG space”.

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