Shubha Maheshwari is a global sustainability executive whose work is shaping how capital, climate strategy, and intelligent infrastructure converge to redefine value in real estate. As Vice President of Global Sustainability at Verdani Partners, she leads ESG strategy and execution across global institutional portfolios and advises some of the world’s most prominent real estate investors and operators, including Barings, Artemis Real Estate Partners, Newmark, Hillwood, Fairfield Residential, and Discovery Senior Living. 

With over 16 years of experience, Shubha has led ESG and decarbonization strategies across asset-intensive portfolios exceeding $200B in value, helping organizations align sustainability with financial performance, resilience, and long-term competitive advantage. Her work spans the Americas, Europe, and Asia Pacific, bringing a cross-market perspective that connects investment strategy with operational execution. 

I’ve always believed that sustainability only becomes powerful when it is embedded into how decisions are made, how capital is allocated, how assets are managed, and how performance is measured.

Shubha’s career has spanned continents and sectors, but her mission has remained consistent to move ESG beyond a check-the-box exercise and embed it as a core business strategy. From decarbonization pathways and climate risk integration to ESG data infrastructure and regulatory alignment, she has helped organizations reframe sustainability not just as a risk mitigator, but as a source of value creation. 

What distinguishes Shubha’s leadership is not only her technical expertise, but her ability to translate complexity into commercially grounded action. 

“ESG only works when it drives real business outcomes, when it strengthens asset value, improves resilience, and supports better decisions.” 

Earlier in her career, she often found herself one of the only women, and one of the only people of color, in rooms where sustainability was still seen as optional. Navigating that space required resilience, conviction, and a clear sense of purpose. 

“The moment I stopped seeking external validation and started owning my perspective, everything changed. I found my voice, and with it, the ability to drive real impact.” 

Through her role at Verdani Partners, Shubha has advised global institutional clients across real estate, infrastructure, and investment platforms, helping them build scalable ESG strategies that integrate governance, data, and operations. She previously led ESG strategy for PGIM Real Estate, supporting the integration of sustainability across a $200B+ global portfolio and helping position ESG as a driver of long-term value creation. 

Today, her work is increasingly focused on the next frontier of sustainability, where ESG converges with AI, digital infrastructure, and emerging asset classes such as data centers. 

“The next phase of sustainability will not be defined by reporting frameworks. It will be defined by better decisions. AI is the force multiplier that enables that shift.” 

In this next phase, sustainability leaders will not just report on performance. They will design the systems that determine it. 

Shubha’s leadership philosophy is shaped by both her professional journey and lived experience. 

“Leadership isn’t about being the loudest voice in the room. It is about making the most meaningful impact, and creating space for others to do the same.” 

As a woman of color in a traditionally underrepresented field, she is deeply committed to mentorship and representation, ensuring that sustainability strategies are shaped by diverse perspectives and reflect the communities they serve. 

She is particularly proud of helping organizations move from performative ESG to actionable, outcomes-driven frameworks. 

“It is fulfilling to see companies not only meet compliance goals, but truly embed sustainability into how they operate, and to know I have played a part in that transformation.” 

Currently, Shubha serves as a mentor and thought partner across the industry and is an active speaker at leading global forums including GRESB, CoreNet Global, Greenbuild, IMN, and USGBC. She is also a member of the Real Estate Roundtable and a core member of the GRESB Real Estate Lender Roundtable, contributing to industry dialogue on sustainability, capital markets, and reporting standards. Her work is helping define the next evolution of real estate investment, where sustainability is embedded into decision-making, data systems drive performance, and AI enables a new level of precision, speed, and accountability. 

Shubha holds a Master’s degree in Sustainable Design from Carnegie Mellon University and a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture. She has been recognized among the Environment and Energy Top 100 and Top 100 Asian American Leaders for her contributions to sustainability and the built environment.