Puro.earth, a carbon-crediting platform for carbon dioxide removal (CDR), has announced key leadership appointments aimed at accelerating the next phase of growth in the carbon removal market.
Jan-Willem Bode has been appointed as President, bringing over 25 years of experience in climate finance, corporate sustainability, and project development. A recognised leader in the field, Bode co-authored the first versions of the Gold Standard, has advised major corporations on sustainability strategies, and has served as a Puro.earth board member since 2021. He is also a member of the Expert Advisory Group for the Voluntary Carbon Markets Integrity Initiative (VCMI).
Meanwhile, co-founder and former CEO Antti Vihavainen will transition to the role of Vice Chairman, where he will focus on strengthening strategic partnerships and navigating the evolving policy landscape that impacts the carbon removal industry.
Puro.earth has also appointed Ellen Brouwer – van Haastert as Co-Head of Standard. Brouwer joins from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), where she served as Standards Lead, bringing extensive experience in sustainability standards. Working alongside Puro.earth co-founder Marianne Tikkanen, she will play a key role in developing and ensuring the integrity of the Puro Standard.
“I am delighted to join Puro.earth at this pivotal moment. The company has been instrumental in establishing the global engineered carbon removals market, and I look forward to contributing to its continued expansion,” said Bode. “Our focus remains on innovation, maintaining our leadership position, and upholding the highest standards of quality.”
Vihavainen emphasised the importance of the leadership transition in strengthening the company’s position in the carbon removal industry. “Over the years, we have built a thriving ecosystem of suppliers, buyers, intermediaries, and investors, while ensuring our framework meets the highest regulatory standards. This transition allows us to further develop our work—leveraging Jan-Willem’s expertise while I focus on advancing strategic collaborations and reinforcing the foundations of a trusted carbon removal market,” he said.
The leadership appointments mark a significant step in Puro.earth’s mission to scale durable carbon removal, foster innovation, and enhance trust in carbon markets as the sector continues to evolve.
