CAD Trust names Andrew Howard CEO to lead next phase of connected carbon market data infrastructure

CAD Trust names Andrew Howard CEO to lead next phase of connected carbon market data infrastructure

Singapore, 18 May 2026 – Climate Action Data Trust (CAD Trust) today announced the appointment of Andrew Howard as Chief Executive Officer. Howard brings more than 25 years of experience across the United Nations, climate policy institutions, and crediting programmes – the same institutions and constituencies that CAD Trust’s infrastructure connects.

The appointment comes at a pivotal moment as countries seek effective routes for providing and receiving mitigation finance. With Article 6 now operational and CORSIA generating significant credit demand, CAD Trust is supporting countries with their reporting of market transactions through the AEF and biennial transparency reports under the Paris Agreement. Transactions carrying the increasing volumes of ICVCM CCP labelled credits must also exhibit transparency and integrity, as do credits used under the carbon accounting frameworks of TCAT and eLedgers or subject to claims guidance under ISO, SBTi or VCMI. These developments are setting carbon markets on a sound future pathway and need trusted, auditable data infrastructure to achieve their full effect.

Howard spent more than 15 years at the UNFCCC secretariat, where he helped establish the Clean Development Mechanism, international emissions trading, and the Kyoto Protocol’s international trading and accounting infrastructure. He is a veteran of international negotiations, having supported these from Kyoto until agreement on the Paris Agreement and its Article 6. He subsequently worked as an independent consultant with governments and international institutions and later became Chief Strategy and Policy Officer at the market’s largest independent crediting programme, Verra. 

He also co-led the development of the Article 6.2 Crediting Protocol with the Gold Standard and the Singapore Government. This included designing the authorisation and reporting workflows between governments, crediting programmes, and project developers that has informed independent programme labelling frameworks and underpins CAD Trust’s AEF reporting work today. Howard chaired the CAD Trust Council during the organisation’s first three years and has remained on the Council since.

“Our carbon markets remain disparate and disjointed. The CAD Trust stands for connecting the data infrastructure of markets across crediting programmes and governments to enable countries in the Global South to access greater and more diverse sources of climate finance. I look forward to leading CAD Trust in its delivery of public-good infrastructure, helping to shift carbon markets from aspiration to operation.”

Andrew Howard, CEO, CAD Trust

“Andrew brings exactly the combination this organisation needs at this moment – deep roots in the multilateral system, genuine relationships across crediting programmes and governments, and a clear understanding of what CAD Trust is for. It has been a privilege to lead the organisation through its early years. I leave it in good hands, and I look forward to supporting its continued growth through the Board and through IETA.”

Federico Di Credico, outgoing CEO, CAD Trust, and IETA Council Vice-Chair

CAD Trust connects 12 registries covering more than 90 per cent of credits ever issued. Its Data Model v2.0, launched in 2025 and co-developed with connected crediting programmes, supports methodology versioning, credit eligibility labelling, and Article 6 AEF reporting. Several governments are either working directly or exploring partnerships with CAD Trust regarding registry interoperability. 

“For capacity-constrained countries navigating Article 6 and CORSIA obligations, harmonised data infrastructure is not just a technical improvement; it is essential for participation. Government partnerships can show what becomes possible when registry data is connected and directly accessible to governments. CAD Trust provides that foundation. The World Bank is excited by Andrew Howard’s appointment because of his strong understanding of both the technical and strategic dimensions of carbon market infrastructure, and his ability to help position CAD Trust as a trusted global public good for the next phase of market development.”

Hania Dawood, Board Member and Global Manager in the Climate Change Group of the World Bank

CAD Trust is a nonprofit, funded by public and multilateral sources and supported by the Government of Singapore, the World Bank, and IETA. Registries publish data directly through CAD Trust on the basis of its public-good status and its independence from commercial interests in the data it holds. This appointment, alongside the broader governance refresh under way, marks the next stage for an organisation that has built its infrastructure and is now focused on scaling it.

“CAD Trust plays an important role in strengthening the integrity and transparency of carbon markets, which are essential for their effective implementation. Singapore looks forward to working closely with Andrew and the CAD Trust team in the next phase of this important initiative.”

Benedict Chia, Director General (Climate Change) at the National Climate Change Secretariat (NCCS) in the Prime Minister’s Office, Singapore