Guatam Bakshi

Early life

Originally born in India, Guatam Bakshi and his family moved to Canada when he was quite young. After graduating from high school, Guatam Bakshi studied at Seneca Polytechnic College in Toronto between 2001 and 2004, eventually earning a diploma in Computer Science and Computer Systems Technology with a specialization in software engineering. During his time there, he also founded that institution’s Chess Club and Linux Club. Between 2006 and 2011, Bakshi attended Ryerson University, also located in Toronto, where he received a Bachelor of Commerce degree with a specialization in Information Technology Management.

Career

Guatam Bakshi entered the working world as a self-employed consultant offering expertise in models and development. In this capacity, he would divide his time between Toronto and Chicago. Following that, he took a role rooted in foreign exchange and derivatives trading with TD Bank in 2012. Two years later, he was promoted to a position that dealt with the bank’s derivative trading technology, with a heavy focus on listed and over-the-counter options and futures. 

In the summer of 2015, Bakshi accepted an offer to serve as Head of Risk and Valuation, Derivatives Technology with Scotiabank’s Global Banking and Markets division for a year, before becoming the Managing Director of Private Markets, Global Wealth and Asset Management with Manulife for the next three years.

In 2019, Guatam Bakshi took the plunge to enact his longstanding vision of creating a company that would play a major role in combating worldwide climate change. The result was 15Rock, a pioneering software-as-a-service platform in climate risk management. Since its inception, the company has become a global leader in providing advanced machine learning and financial modeling solutions to investors, helping them understand and take action against environmental risks. By translating these risks into concrete financial outcomes, 15Rock enables its clients to make informed decisions about portfolio holdings based on the results.

During a 2023 interview with the website Unite.AI, Guatam Bakshi reflected on what inspired him to create 15Rock in the first place. “I have always been interested in history and have been in awe of the challenges humanity has been able to resolve with courage. There are many examples of this from the bravery in WW2, to Mandela’s battle against a seemingly unbeatable foe. Climate change is that foe today and it will touch every aspect of our lives. It’s just not about flooding or heat waves for people far away. It will get closer to every single one of us and it should be impossible for us to ignore.” Later in the same interview, Bakshi added, “Like the internet transformed the world, so will this transition. It is impossible for humans to continue to increase the temperature in the world and survive. As with slavery being banned, I believe we will enter a point where high-emitting companies will not be allowed to operate.”

Bakshi’s extensive background in finance and technology has been pivotal in shaping 15Rock’s approach to problem-solving. The company’s unique ability to combine sophisticated analysis, artificial intelligence, and scientific data to assess the financial implications of corporate behaviour has received recognition from the United Nations and backing from Google.

15Rock’s core mission is to support the transition to a low-carbon economy by offering tools that help investors track, report, and monitor emissions. The company’s netZero reporting tool assists in aligning corporate and industrial activities with the goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Additionally, 15Rock creates comprehensive decarbonization plans, evaluates corporate climate strategies, and provides realistic pathways for companies to reduce emissions.

The platform’s ability to process vast amounts of data and generate actionable insights has made it an extremely useful resource for individuals and corporations trying to make environmentally friendly investment decisions. By holding companies accountable for their environmental impact, 15Rock plays a crucial role in the global effort to fight climate change.

Net Worth

Unknown.