Ernst Müller#14444

Ernst Müller

Director/Of Counsel (ESG EMEA), Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
Ernst is an accomplished ESG and sustainability legal professional with over a decade of experience advising multinational corporations, governments, and international organisations across the EMEA region.
 
His work is recognised for transforming ESG risk into strategic opportunity, having led the development and implementation of enterprise‑wide ESG frameworks, driven multijurisdictional regulatory compliance, and guided high‑stakes ESG‑related litigation and transactions.
 
His legal and strategic expertise has supported Fortune 500 companies and publicly listed entities in navigating complex ESG obligations, aligning with global reporting standards—including TCFD, CSRD, and ISSB—and enhancing long‑term stakeholder value. As a trusted advisor to national governments and multilateral institutions, he has shaped domestic ESG policy frameworks and contributed to international sustainability standards. This includes co‑developing national ESG regulatory guidance and advising on cross‑border green hydrogen initiatives and climate‑aligned infrastructure projects.
 
In addition to his advisory work, he holds leadership roles in several global ESG governance bodies, serving as a Steering Committee Member of the Net Zero Lawyers Alliance, the Africa Representative of the IBA SDG & ESG Working Group, and a Standards Committee Member of the Green Hydrogen Organisation. His background as a certified Environmental Management Inspector and Environmental Assessment Practitioner strengthens the integration of technical and legal dimensions in sustainability strategy execution.
 
He also contributes as a postgraduate lecturer and regularly speaks at global forums on sustainability, the energy transition, and green finance.

Qualified Year

  • 2016

Experience

  • Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr (2014 - 2016)
  • Baker McKenzie (2016 - 2016)

Membership

  • International Bar Association's (IBA) Sustainable Development Goals and ESG working group
  • The Net Zero Lawyers Alliance's steering committee
  • Green Hydrogen Organisation's (GH2) standard committee

Qualifications

  • Master of Laws (International Law and Global Administrative Law) (2023)
  • Bachelor of Laws (2013)
  • Bachelor of Science (Hons) Environmental Management and Analysis (with distinction) (2010)
  • B.Sc. Environmental Science (with distinction) (2009)
  • Various certificates (2019)

Education

  • University of the Witwatersrand (2023)
  • University of Cape Town (2009 and 2013)
  • University of Pretoria (2010)
  • University of Cambridge (2023, 2024)

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