LEADERSHIP

” I remember feeling completely inspired and convinced that the enormous responsibility to protect our planet, lay on our shoulders. “

 – Daniel Paul

 

DANIEL PAUL 

Founder, CEO, and Chief Sustainability Officer

BSc Double Major in Environmental & Geographical Science, Ocean & Atmospheric (Climatology) Science and Engineering (UCT), BSc (Hons) in Physical Oceanography (UCT), MPhil in Maritime Economics (Stell), LLM in Maritime Law. Thesis: Towards a Legal Regime for Limiting Ship-source Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Awarded with First Class Distinction, Supervised by Prof. John Gibson (Institute of Marine & Environmental Law, UCT), Certificate in Corporate Sustainability (NYU Stern School of Business), Certified Sustainability Professional (GRI), AMIEnvSc (Institution of Environmental Sciences, UK).

Founder, CEO, and Chief Sustainability Officer

BSc Double Major in Environmental & Geographical Science, Ocean & Atmospheric (Climatology) Science and Engineering (UCT), BSc (Hons) in Physical Oceanography (UCT), MPhil in Maritime Economics (Stell), LLM in Maritime Law. Thesis: Towards a Legal Regime for Limiting Ship-source Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Awarded with First Class Distinction, Supervised by Prof. John Gibson (Institute of Marine & Environmental Law, UCT), Certificate in Corporate Sustainability (NYU – Stern School of Business), Certified Sustainability Professional (GRI), AMIEnvSc (Institution of Environmental Sciences, UK).

Dan was fortunate to grow up in Cape Town, one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It is also home to Table Mountain, and one of the world’s six plant kingdoms, the Cape Floral Kingdom. Therefore, it’s unsurprising that from early on he was conscious of nature and the need to conserve our planet. In 1992, as a child, he sat with his mother and watched on TV the very first United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio de Janeiro, also known as the ‘Earth Summit’.

Dan recalls, “I remember feeling completely inspired and convinced that the enormous responsibility to protect our planet, lay on our shoulders”. Ten years later, as a student studying Environmental Science at the University of Cape Town (UCT), he was fortunate enough to attend the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development (Rio+10) in Johannesburg, South Africa.

And in 2003, as a student studying Oceanography, Dan spent six weeks onboard the ‘SA Agulhas’ (South Africa’s Antarctic Marine Research Vessel) on an Annual Relief Voyage to Marion Island. Together with several world-class scientists they carried out scientific surveys offshore of Antarctica in the Southern Ocean. This once in a lifetime experience had a profound and long lasting impact on Dan’s perspective and passion for our blue planet.

experience you can trust

With a career spanning over two decades specialising in strategic risk advisory services, insurance, commercial and project management. Dan has emerged as a prominent figure in the Sustainability sector. His broad expertise extends across various industries, including energy & power, oil & gas, renewables, environmental consulting, shipping, transportation, civil infrastructure engineering and construction.

Dan is a highly sort after Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Certified Sustainability Professional. He sees himself as a
“Net-Zero Pathfinder” leading companies on their sustainability journey, strengthening resilience, and unlocking competitive advantages that drive sustainable value and profitability.

He is also the driving force behind the creation of ESGScript™, an AI-powered SaaS product that revolutionises sustainability reporting, assurances, ESG and biodiversity data management.

This initiative embodies his commitment to leading the charge towards a Net-Zero future. Under Dan’s leadership, TempletonPaul is a beacon of change in the industry. He leads a small diverse team of highly skilled professionals in social impact & development, ESG data science, and cloud software technology who are dedicated to reinventing sustainability consulting. Dan’s mantra is to “…eat, breathe, sleep, repeat…” sustainability, a phrase inspired by his son’s football t-shirt. His passion extends beyond his professional life.

As an ECB (Level 2) qualified Junior Cricket Coach & Manager, he volunteers as the Head of Junior Coaching, affectionately known as “Coach Dan,” at his local cricket club, demonstrating his commitment to community and youth development. Dan is not just a business leader; he is a Net-Zero Pathfinder™ charting a course towards a more sustainable world.

experience you can trust