About Sune Lerche-Pertou
I trained as a forester at the University of Copenhagen. While this is not the most obvious route into organisational leadership, it has enabled me to look at organisations and change from a unique perspective. Working with complex natural systems teaches you something that most management frameworks do not:
At Morningstar Sustainalytics, I designed and led a first-of-its-kind global stewardship programme, bringing 50 multinational companies into sustained dialogue on nature and biodiversity risk. At M&G plc in London, I was brought in to help build a central sustainability function from scratch, working with the executive committees and the plc board to create shared direction across three previously siloed divisions.
While my experiences at Morningstar Sustainalytics and M&G plc were very different; one focused on facilitating change from the outside-in and the other by changing the system from within, they taught me that relationships and human dynamics are core to sustainability transformations.
"A thriving and resilient system arises not from control but from understanding relationships, feedback loops and supporting the system’s inherent capacity to adapt."
Global Stewardship Leadership: Designed and led a first-of-its-kind global stewardship programme at Morningstar Sustainalytics, engaging 50 multinational companies in sustained dialogue on nature and biodiversity risk. Built the programme from the ground up, including its research foundations, participant design, and commercialisation.
Executive & Board Alignment: At M&G plc, facilitated cross-business strategy development and executive alignment across three previously siloed divisions of a newly formed group sustainability function, working directly with the executive committee and board.
Advisory at EY: Advised Danish companies and NGOs on sustainability strategy and ESG reporting, and played a central role in developing the team’s methodological approach to ESG data assurance.
Selected Experience
Academic Engagement: Designed and delivered MBA and master’s-level sessions at Copenhagen Business School integrating systems thinking, governance, and responsible leadership.
UN Delegation: Advised the Danish Ministry of Environment delegation at COP15 in Montreal, advocating for the role of the private sector in the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Youth & Values-Based Facilitation: Designed and facilitated personal leadership development and cross-cultural workshops for UWC scholarship recipients and supported values-based candidate selection.
BSc. Geography and Geoinformatics & MSc. Forest and Nature Management, University of Copenhagen
Rector’s Silver Medal, University of Copenhagen, for academic excellence in research on learning, behavioural change, and environmental advocacy
M.A. in Adult Learning & Global Change (in progress), Linköping University / UBC / University of Western Cape
Credentials & Distinctions
Advanced Diploma in Systemic Thinking and Coaching (ICF Level 2), MurphyBishop
IDG Ambassador, Inner Development Goals Foundation
A Note to Potential Collaborators
Building the capacity to navigate complex organisational and planetary transitions is not work that can be done in isolation. I regularly partner with practitioners who bring complementary expertise to design and deliver programmes that neither of us could offer alone.
If you work at the intersection of human development and systemic change, I would be glad to have a conversation.