Cox will become chairman on the 1 December when she takes over from Otto van der Wyck, the founder of two of Europe’s large private equity firms, who is stepping down after six years.

Climate Change Capital is an investment manager and advisor specialising in the opportunities created by the global transition to the low carbon economy. It has $1.5bn under management and focuses on the alternative asset classes: carbon finance; private equity; sustainable property and energy infrastructure.

Advisory services are provided to financial, strategic and policy advice to energy-intensive industries, financial institutions, clean technology companies and governments.

Cox, who became a non-executive director of Climate Change Capital in May last year, says: "Climate Change Capital has already made a significant contribution to the global carbon, renewables and clean tech markets, and is doing what it set out to do – to finance a reduction in carbon emissions and give investors a decent return.”

Also retiring from the board is James Rooney, the president of Kearsange Energy Development Corporation in the US. Rooney will remain chairman of MJ Bradley & Associates, the US strategic environmental consultancy which CCC acquired in 2008, and president of CCC’s US holding company, Climate Change Capital Inc.