Amsterdam-based Dune Partners says it wants to help investors and companies turn sustainability into a strategic opportunity that produces real impact.
Three former members of Holtara’s senior team – the sustainability arm of global financial services provider Apex Group – have launched their own advisory firm. Marieke Boudeling, Pieter van Dijke and Sebastiaan Greeven, have set up Amsterdam-based Dune Partners, with the aim of helping private equity firms, family offices and portfolio companies turn ESG into strategic value. Their services range from ESG due diligence to carbon footprint assessments.
Dune believes that sustainability is evolving from a “niche ambition” to a “central force” in how businesses and investors operate, which is why the timing was right for the launch, Boudeling told Impact Investor.
“In a world of platforms and metrics, sustainability can become commoditised, stripped of strategy and separated from real progress. This is a risk for everyone working in sustainability. If we are not driving progress, then what are we spending our time on? At Dune Partners, we believe that beyond the dashboards and disclosures lies a bigger question – how do we use this to create real-world impact? That’s the space we enjoy most, where data drives decisions, and strategy leads to measurable change,” Boudeling said.
Clients
Boudeling, Van Dijke and Greeven have about 12 years of experience each in sustainability consulting work, including at Spring Associates, a boutique strategy advisory firm, and De Kleine Consultant, a non-profit strategy advisory firm run by students.
Dune Partners is currently advising two Dutch private equity funds and a listed corporate, Boudeling said, adding she wasn’t able to make their identities public.
Although some firms are quite advanced in collecting ESG data, they can sometimes struggle to show actual progress, according to Boudeling. “We believe this is the result of a focus on reporting, instead of strategic decision-making,” she said.
Dune Partners aims to act as a bridge between analysis and action, according to Van Dijke.
“We help our clients make decisions by answering questions such as where does real impact lie, what investments are needed, and what does it deliver?” Van Dijke said.
Dune Partners is aiming to build a boutique, partner-led firm focused on high-quality and bespoke advisory work, according to Boudeling.
“Our client base historically consisted of mid-market private equity in North-West Europe and their portfolio companies, and we want to expand our scope to smaller investors such as venture capital, impact or climate-focused, and larger companies such as listed corporates,” Boudeling said.
