Hiral Patel is a Managing Director and Global Head of Thematic Investing Research at Barclays. The team focuses on identifying investment opportunities (public and private companies) relating to disruptive technology, sustainability and demographic change, and has created a range of investor tools to aid ESG and Thematic investors. Hiral and team ranked #2 in the 2023 European Equity Research II Survey (Thematic Category). Hiral joined Barclays in 2013 and has 15 years of industry experience, previously working at KPMG in Financial Audit. Hiral studied Economics, Politics & International Studies at the University of Warwick and is a qualified Chartered Accountant.

Laia Marin, CFA, is a Vice President in the Thematic Investing Research team at Barclays. The team focuses on identifying investment opportunities (public and private companies) relating to disruptive technology, sustainability and demographic change, and has created a range of investor tools to aid ESG and Thematic investors. Laia has a thematic focus on Venture Capital as well as Food Waste, Social Inclusion, Green Data Centers and Cultured Meat. The team ranked #2 in the 2023 European Equity Research II Survey (Thematic Category). Laia joined Barclays in 2020 and has six years of industry experience, previously working at Allianz Global Investors as a graduate focusing on sustainability and ESG. Laia holds a Masters in Finance from ESADE in Barcelona, graduated from Bocconi University in Milan with a degree in International Economics, Management and Finance and is a CFA Charterholder.