Mirroring client’s demands for ESG products, our company has seen an increasing amount of hiring activity in the sector.
We are pleased to share a limited selection (ie that which is in the public domain) of our research within Europe via our monthly ESG digest.
Please contact Chris Manfield for more information about our ESG offering. We are naturally, unable to share client or candidate specific information.
ESG MOVERS AND SHAKERS – EUROPEAN EDITION
NOVEMBER 2021
● Legal & General Investment Management (LGIM) – Kurt Morriesen will be the asset manager’s new head of investment stewardship, joining in January from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), where he is a senior adviser for impact investments and SDGs, a role he has held since 2018. At LGIM Morriesen will report to CEO Michelle Scrimgeour, and takes over the position from Sacha Sadan, who left in 2021 to become the head of ESG at the Financial Conduct Authority.
● Investment Association (IA) – Sonja Laud, Legal & General Investment Management’s CIO, has been appointed as the new chair of the Investment Association’s investment committee.
● Golding Capital Partners – The asset manager for alternative investments has named Christian Schütz as head its ESG office. Schütz will be responsible for implementing the company’s sustainability goals internally.
● Sylvia Solomon and Philippe Lenoble have been appointed to the board of CFA UK. Solomon is director of ESG and Business Development at Equitile Investments Ltd where she sits on the Investment Committee and is Chair of the Governance Committee.
● Real estate-focused alternative investment platform Slate Asset Management announced the appointment of Bozena Jankowska as Managing Director and Global Head of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG). In her new role, Jankowska will be responsible for leading the development of ESG practices and policies at the firm, aimed at safeguarding the performance of Slate’s global investments.
● Credit Suisse announced that it has hired Jeroen Bos from NN Investment Partners, appointing him to the newly created position of Global Head of Sustainable Investing for Asset Management. In his new role, Bos will build up Credit Suisse Asset Management’s sustainability capabilities, and work to strengthen the division’s sustainable investment offering globally.
● Newton Investment Management Limited, part of global investment company BNY Mellon announced the appointment of Therese Niklasson as Global Head of Sustainable Investment. Niklasson will join the Newton executive committee, and be responsible for driving the company’s strategic plan for responsible and sustainable investment globally. Niklasson will report to Euan Munro, CEO of Newton Mellon Investment Management.
● Federated Hermes has appointed Olivia Lankester as responsible investing and sustainability director within its global emerging markets equities team.
● Climate Management & Accounting Platform (CMAP) Persefoni announced it is expanding its international reach, with the establishment of a UK team, and the appointment of Anne Reaney as Co-Founder of Persefoni UK and Head of Sales, EMEA.
● HSBC Asset Management announced that it has hired Christine Chow, appointing her as its new Head of Stewardship and Engagement, leading the firm’s responsible investing work around engagement with issuers and growing the firm’s research and insights in this area.
● The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), one of the leading organizations promoting standardized ESG reporting, announced the appointment of Eelco van der Enden as CEO.
● Schroders announced the evolution of its global sustainable investment team with several senior appointments and promotions, building on the firm’s commitment to expanding our sustainable investment capabilities. Margot Von Aesch has been appointed Head of Sustainable Investment Management, a newly-created role, with her remit encompassing detailed research, the development of sustainable investment models and ensuring the continued integration of this analysis into Schroders’ investment decision-making. Angus Bauer joins from Redburn where he was a partner and former co-head of the Redburn ESG franchise. Angus has been appointed to the role of Sustainability Analyst, to strengthen our sustainable investment research team, reporting into Margot. Kimberley Lewis Head of Active Ownership, will lead their Active Ownership work. She worked most recently at Federated Hermes International, where as a Director of Engagement Kim helped drive the firm’s engagement proposition. Reporting to Kimberly Lewis is Katie Frame, Katie recently joined Schroders as Active Ownership Manager from Federated Hermes International where she was an Engagement Manager. Margot and Kimberley will report to Andy Howard, Global Head of Sustainable Investment at Schroders.
● Global alternative asset management Tikehau Capital announced a new ambition to reach €5 billion of assets dedicated to addressing climate change by 2025. The company also announced the launch of the Climate Action Centre, a new platform to be headed by newly appointed Group Climate Director Pierre Abadie.
● Société Générale announced the appointment of Hacina Py as Chief Sustainability Officer, replacing outgoing Global Head of Corporate Social Responsibility Sylvie Préa,
who has held the role since 2016, and been with the bank for 36 years. The bank also announced the elevation of the CSO role, which will report directly to General Management, beginning next year, highlighting “the central part of CSR in the Group’s strategy.” Py will also join the Group Management Committee.
● Legal & General Investment Management (LGIM) announced the appointment of Kurt Morriesen as Head of Investment Stewardship. Morriesen will join the business in January 2022 and will lead LGIM’s Investment Stewardship team, working on raising market standards and best practice to hold companies to account on issues from climate change to board independence and diversity.
● Newton Investment Management appointed Therese Niklasson as Global Head of Sustainable Investment. Niklasson will join the Newton executive committee and be responsible for its strategic plan for investment.
● Snorre Gjerde, ESG & Responsible Investment Analyst, at Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM), has joined the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), bringing the membership up to 34 senior executives.
● Plia Systems announced the launch of its ESG division as well as the appointment of Anita Karppi as Chief Revenue Officer and Head of ESG.
● Specialist alternative asset manager Gresham House has appointed Jonathan Walker and Rosie French to its sustainable investment team.
● TMF Group has hired Flavia Micilotta as Director of ESG solutions. Micilotta will join the Dutch-based consultancy firm with nearly 20 years of experience in sustainability and working to incorporate ESG considerations into financial activities.
● BNP Paribas Asset Management (BNPP AM) has made a number of stewardship and sustainability research appointments within its Sustainability Centre. Rachel Crossley has been appointed Head of Stewardship in Europe, based in London. Also based in London, Malika Takhtayeva has been appointed Sustainable Fixed Income Lead, EMEA.In Paris, Thibaud Clisson has been appointed Climate Change Lead. Robert-Alexandre Poujade has been appointed Biodiversity Lead, also to be based in Paris. Staying in Paris, Delphine Riou has been appointed Inclusive Growth Lead.
● Federated Hermes announced Olivia Lankester joined its global emerging markets equities team as Responsible Investing & Sustainability Director, reporting to Kunjal Gala, Lead Portfolio Manager.
● Eelco van der Enden has been appointed as CEO of the Amsterdam-based Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), an international sustainability reporting standards organisation.
● Rotterdam-based Robeco announced Colin Graham as its new Head of Multi Asset Strategies and Co-Head of Sustainable Multi Asset Solutions as part of an expansion of its Sustainable Multi Asset Solutions capabilities.
● BMO Global Asset Management hired two European responsible investment product specialists. Karlijn Van Lierop will join the business in January 2022 as the Product Specialist for the Netherlands, working on BMO GAM’s Responsible Engagement Overlay business in the country. Isabelle Meyer joined BMO GAM in October 2021 as a Responsible Investment Product Specialist for the German market.
● Blue Horizon has appointed a Partner and two Directors to its investment team. The Zurich-based investor added Lea Bajc as a Partner focusing on the value chain, creating impact and growth in the portfolio.
● Global Healthcare Opportunities (GHO), the European specialist healthcare investor, has appointed Manuela Rankine as Director of Sustainable Investing.
● The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) has announced plans to restructure its governance with a two-tier board structure. Taking effect from 31 October, the current board of directors will form the GRI Supervisory Board. Another management board will also be created, consisting of GRI’s incoming CEO and Dani Marunovic, the standards-setter’s CFO.
● Aegon Asset Management has bolstered its responsible investment team with three new hires. Andy Woods has joined the UK team as Responsible Investment Manager and will be responsible for heading voting activities and related engagements with companies across Aegon’s portfolios. Jamie McAloon has also been hired into the UK team as Responsible Investment Associate.
● Global energy technology investor EV Private Equity has appointed Ulrika Wising to its Advisory Board.
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