Tag Archive for: HASI

Daniela Shapiro: Senior Managing Director, HASI

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Daniela Shapiro“I want to continue working on solutions that create a better future for generations to come,” says Daniela Shapiro. “That way, when I eventually hang up my boots, I’ll feel fulfilled knowing I helped move the ball forward.”

For Shapiro, every step of her journey has been about aligning her professional success with a broader mission to leave the world better than she found it.  She shares how she aims to create a meaningful legacy through sustainable energy investing, empowering the next generation of leaders, and cultivating leadership growth that is rooted in awareness and purpose.

Powering a Purposeful Journey

Energy has defined Shapiro’s career and character.  She initially approached energy in its most literal sense. “I went to college with the goal of working as an electrical engineer,” she recalls, “but I didn’t work a day in that field.” Her trajectory shifted when a professor, consulting for a private equity firm, offered her an internship. That pivotal opportunity introduced her to the world of energy finance, steering her away from the technical aspects of engineering and into the broader financial landscape of the energy sector.

The first decade of Shapiro’s career spanned private equity, a role with the Brazilian government during its energy market deregulation, and project financing at ABN-AMRO. While she started out working in oil and gas, she eventually pivoted toward renewable energy.

“I was nearly finished with my MBA at Northwestern University, which was part of an agreement I had with the bank to gain international experience, and I was expecting to return to Brazil. When they offered me the chance to be part of a newly created group focused on financing renewable energy, I jumped at it. That’s when I shifted my career fully to renewables and climate-related financing solutions.”

The 2009 financial crisis prompted another significant transition, leading Shapiro from banking to energy development. She held several executive roles, including most recently CFO of Guzman Energy. Over two decades of financing and developing energy projects, Shapiro cultivated a strong professional network that ultimately opened the door to her current position at HASI, a leading U.S. climate investment firm based in Annapolis, Maryland.

“Susan Nickey, who is our EVP and Chief Client Officer, has been an industry friend for almost twenty years, and also a mentor and advocate. When HASI was going through a planned leadership transition, I was thrilled that she put my name in the hat.”

Now, two years into her role as a Senior Managing Director, she is responsible for growing the company’s investments in distributed solar project market and expanding solutions for broader onsite and as-a-service offerings. Shapiro continues to thrive. Her blend of technical expertise, financial insight, and passion for sustainability positions her to tackle the complex challenges of clean energy, driving solutions that align with her values and vision for a more sustainable future.

Driven by Determination, Strengthened by Authentic Connections

Shapiro cites her determination and drive as key factors behind her success. “When I set my mind to something, I don’t stop until I achieve it. It may not be perfect or painless, but I don’t give up easily,” she says. This mindset has driven her to excel in demanding environments and to adapt to new challenges throughout her career.

However, Shapiro notes that sheer determination is not enough to keep moving up the ladder—equally important are the interpersonal skills and energy one brings to relationships.

“I’ve been fortunate to have people throughout my career who believed in me—cheering me on, offering advice and feedback, and making connections without me even asking. It’s incredible to have successful individuals in their own fields freely share their time and insights. For a long time, I questioned why I was lucky enough to receive that spontaneous support when others might not. But I’ve come to believe it’s about the energy you have within—the loyalty mentality that resonates with people and inspires them to invest in your success.”

Fostering authentic connections while building a professional network is another essential element of Shapiro’s success.  She underscores the importance of quality over quantity and recalls how the 2009 banking crisis highlighted the power of having those genuine connections.

“People I didn’t expect to care went above and beyond to help, making introductions and offering referrals,” she says. “That experience showed me that people will be there for you if they believe in you and feel you will be there for them…it’s about knowing who your tribe is and having genuine relationships.”

Leadership Growth Through Adaptation and Coaching

As Shapiro’s career took her higher up the ladder of leadership, she found it increasingly important to evolve her leadership style, particularly as the landscape has changed since her early days in investment banking.

“Back then, the culture was hierarchal and purely bottom-line, with little emphasis on tailored motivation and individual circumstances,” she recalls. As she progressed, she recognized the importance of balancing her results-oriented mindset with softer skills.

“As I moved higher in my career, I recognized the value of awareness and empathy, understanding different perspectives, styles, and what motivates the current workforce as it’s different from when I was a young professional.”

Today, her leadership prioritizes open communication and constructive feedback.  “I have been focused on rebalancing my ‘get things done’ upbringing with understanding how people receive and digest information, and how they can grow.”

Executive coaching has played a key role in refining Shapiro’s approach. “I worked with a coach for six months and it really helped me address blind spots and have the kinds of deeper conversations that catalyzed my growth.”

Coaching also taught her to embrace imperfection as part of the growth process. “As women, we often feel everything needs to be perfect before we act,” she observes. “But it’s about building momentum—get the first ball rolling and then the second and go from there.  You have to embrace the process or risk giving up too soon.”

“I have a lot more work to do as a leader. And we should always feel there is plenty of work ahead of us. Progress is a happy day.”

Empowering the Next Generation

Shapiro’s career in renewable energy is driven by a profound sense of purpose.

“Once I entered this space, it became clear I wasn’t here by accident. It truly aligns with my values.”  She continues, “I want to continue to work with solutions that create a better place for future generations.”

For Shapiro, collaboration and a shared sense of responsibility are key. “It’s about using my voice and building a network of collaboration that fosters the mentality of what we need to achieve. I will continue to lend my time, resources, and enthusiasm to others that are coming after, so that we keep moving the work forward.”

This focus on future impact naturally extends to her dedication to mentoring the next generation, especially empowering women in the workforce.

“I think an important legacy that we can all leave is to think about the younger generation—what they can learn from us and how we can be a helping hand to those that are just starting out.”

Shapiro acknowledges the unique challenges women face the higher they rise in leadership. “It requires sacrifices, and it’s not easy,” she notes, reflecting on her own struggles to balance work and motherhood.  “There were times I felt like I wasn’t excelling in either role, but learning to silence those doubts was key to moving forward.”

By creating opportunities and fostering collaboration, Shapiro hopes to inspire a new generation of leaders who besides being highly competent in their fields, are also compassionate and committed to making a difference. “The earlier one understands the interplay of these skills, the earlier they will feel successful,” she says.

Living a Life of Meaningful Connections and Experiences

Outside of work, Shapiro’s life is centered on family and meaningful experiences. “I’m all about experiences, not things,” she says. She loves traveling, cooking, and exploring different cultures, using these activities to broaden her perspective and that of her children.

“Living in another country taught me to see the world through different lenses,” she says. “It’s not always about right or wrong but about acknowledging diverse viewpoints and finding common grounds.” This philosophy shapes how she raises her children. “We travel to show them that the privileged world we live in is just one piece of a much larger puzzle.”

These values don’t just shape her family life—they fuel her commitment to creating a better future.  Whether it’s guiding her team or raising her children, Shapiro’s vision is clear: fostering excellence, empathy, collaboration, and a sense of responsibility to leave the world better for future generations.

By Jessica Robaire

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Susan Nickey: Executive Vice President and Chief Client Officer of HASI

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Susan NickeySusan Nickey, Executive Vice President and Chief Client Officer of leading climate investor HASI, is an agent for change. In her career, she’s learned that engaging directly but respectfully with detractors and designing fair, innovative solutions can lead to positive outcomes for both naysayers and pioneers.

“When you’re trying to come up with a solution or break down a wall, it isn’t simply saying, ‘it needs to happen.’ You have to spend a lot of time thinking about creative solutions to make it work for an incumbent who might say ‘no, I don’t want that’, or ‘I’m not going to do that.’ It’s how you listen to both sides of an argument and come up with a creative solution. Thoughtfully parsed risk allocation, for example, can enable both parties to move forward in a way that they both deem is balanced and fair for them.”

Nickey cites the clean energy industry itself as a perfect example of how creating innovative change can bring significant, positive impacts. “I have spent my whole career in the clean energy industry, becoming passionate about the cause of making the environment cleaner. Working with people who share my passion only makes what I do more fulfilling. Every day, I wake up with the thought that I have an opportunity to make a difference.”

Finding Her Way to Making a Difference

From an early age, Nickey knew she wanted to make a difference. She recalls in elementary school her mother lecturing her that it was her obligation to “make the world a better place,” observing she was naturally talented. Although Nickey initially considered a career in medicine, her focus and interests migrated to pursue a career in global finance as a path to tackling “big international problems.” But it wasn’t until she met a business client of her father’s, a Swiss banker, who advised her to set a path forward and commit to it, that she started to set herself on a dedicated path to achieve her goals.

With a strong, early focus on languages and math, Nickey entered the University of Notre Dame, majoring in Finance and studying abroad for a year in France. She completed her formal education with a master’s degree from the Foreign Service School at Georgetown in International Business Diplomacy. After taking a position at ABN AMRO Bank and being accepted to join their first non-Dutch expat program, she was on the road to fulfilling her early dreams of a career in international finance. But an unexpected opportunity within ABN AMRO arose that changed her trajectory when she was offered the chance to join the Bank’s first energy-focused project finance group. Nickey remembers her boss at the time telling her that she should grab the opportunity to work in the U.S. power industry, foreseeing it would become a “game-changer.”

“I was assigned to lead alternative energy. I ended up being at the brink of the industry before ‘renewable’ was a common industry term and before wind or solar were even on the landscape – but we were on the cusp of what we now call the ‘renewable energy industry.’ Looking back at my early discussion with that Swiss banker, I frequently give that same advice to other people making career decisions. Namely, it’s important to set a course, to be on a path, and to show that you’re driven and that you know how to get places. But adding from my own experience, I also emphasize being open to pivoting along the way – to consider new opportunities that arise – and if it’s the right one, grab it. You never know where it will take you! And if you’re like me, the framing you developed in your early days will stay relevant in your new career chapter and can still bring you to where you set out to go originally on a different route.”

Since that pivotal decision to move to the alternative energy sector in 1988, Nickey has continued to build her career, earning several accolades and recognitions along the way. Among these awards are Tamarindo’s Wind Power List (2023), A Word About Wind’s (AWAW) North American Power List (2018-2022), AWAW’s Women’s Power List (2021), Environment+Energy Top 100 (2021), and The Cleanie Awards Woman of the Year (2020). Nickey also currently serves as chair of the board of the American Clean Power Association.

Becoming a Leader in the Clean Energy Industry

Being at the forefront of a new industry allowed Nickey to flex her creativity to develop solutions to the challenge of getting people on board with investing in new energy sources, which in the early days seemed cost prohibitive.

“I remember the early days when the consensus was that wind and solar would never be more than ‘alternative’ – and would only amount to 1% or 2% of our total energy mix because they were unaffordable. It was important to stand back and say, ‘how do we make it more affordable?’ And the solution was not just improving technology, but also driving innovation in financing structures and lowering the cost of capital for an energy industry with high upfront capital costs but harnesses an energy source which is free. If you believe like I do that we need renewable energy, that we need cleaner energy, we have to keep finding innovative solutions. Saying ‘No, this can’t work’ was not then and still is not an option for me.”

Learning to Work with Opposition

Nickey notes that she has been surprised by how you can change people’s approach or their entrenchment in an old model. Breakthroughs arrive by not only being persistent, but also by listening closely and mindfully, maintaining a rational mindset, and “meeting people where they are.”

“When you keep pushing forward and creating allies along the way and are not afraid to engage with detractors or people putting up walls, you can get great things done. I’ve been pleasantly surprised when the person I thought was an immovable opponent to something all of a sudden comes back and says, ‘Hey, it wasn’t about you. I’m really glad we got this done.’” She continues, “Everyone’s human and worthy of respect. If you can understand and acknowledge where they’re coming from – and find those points of common ground – great things can get done.”

Nickey credits her approach in part to her early master’s training at Georgetown. At the time, the program was led by Madeleine Albright and diplomats including Henry Kissinger would come to lecture. Learning from two great Secretaries of State, and other people during this time, the skills of the “art” of negotiation and diplomacy shaped her approach toward constructively dealing with opposition.

“You may not agree with everything but try to find a common ground and create some trust – establish a personal bond. With that, from my experience, I’ve solved and negotiated through my most intractable, unwieldy, and thorny situations.”

The Value of Mentors and Growing a Network

In her own life, Nickey prizes continued openness to learning and getting feedback from others. In talking about the value of mentorship, she notes that the gift of a true mentor is not only someone who gives good advice but also is willing to observe you closely, to see and to identify where there may be gaps. Nickey believes it is important to find people in one’s life who are willing to give candid feedback about strengths and weaknesses and are comfortable talking about personal opportunities for development.

“By yourself, it’s very difficult to see the whole picture of your life – how you come across to others in your business life, in your personal life. And looking back, the best mentors in my life were the ones that pushed me the hardest – the ones who prompted me to understand myself, then take my game to the next level. For me, that was the best career help I ever received.”

Going beyond individual mentorship, Nickey emphasizes the importance of leveraging a network of mentors, particularly as a woman, in energy or finance. “People get ahead or get in the door because they have mentors, sponsors, and networks. You still have to walk through that door each day and deliver yourself – being devoted to building a real network will prove invaluable to opening doors and creating opportunities. And now, where I am in my career, I’m surrounded by successful women at all levels. I have the opportunity to leverage that network and develop it to be even stronger than it has ever been.”

Collaboration is Key

Collaboration has been a key component of Nickey’s leadership approach, and it features strongly in her advice for women who are mid-career in their leadership journey.

“Respect everyone who is in the room with you. You have been asked to work on a multi-level team, be mindful not just of ‘the boss’, everyone in the room has ideas to bring and value to contribute. By listening to everyone, and respectfully communicating to everyone horizontally, not in silos, you will bring people together to drive forward whatever project or whatever collaboration you’re working on. Work to ensure everyone is engaged in a successful outcome.”

Nickey loves competitive sailing. She grew up sailing and racing and enjoys the opportunity to get back into competitive sailing now that she lives in an area on the water in Maryland.

“It’s very much a collaboration: learning how to speak to each other clearly and efficiently, being close enough to know what the other person is going to do, having a basis of trust that everyone’s going to do their part, and that if something starts going wrong, being confident to know how to pitch in and that the team will all come together. I realize I not only like sailing and racing because it is beautiful to be out on the water, but it is also very much a tactical intellectual sport to navigate the wind, the weather, and the waves. Best of all, it also reminds of the beauty of teamwork.”

By: Jessica Robaire

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