ESG Investor’s weekly round-up of new hires in the sustainable investing sector, including ISSB, IIGCC, Eastspring Investments, Moody’s, Man GLG and Insight Investment.
Former Danone Group Chair and CEO Emmanuel Faber has been appointed to lead the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB). The Trustees of the IFRS Foundation announced Faber will serve as Chair of the ISSB, effective 1 January 2022, for an initial three-year term. His appointment follows the creation of the ISSB, which was officially unveiled at COP26 in November, alongside the consolidation of the Climate Disclosure Standards Board and the Value Reporting Foundation (which houses the Integrated Reporting Framework and the SASB Standards), and the publication of prototype general disclosures and climate disclosure requirements developed by the IFRS Foundation’s Technical Readiness Working Group. At French food giant Danone, Faber introduced various sustainability-led reforms to reduce the firm’s ESG risks and impacts, as well as innovations to help investors and credit providers better understand how sustainability factors might affect their assessment of enterprise value. Faber also founded and chairs several international organisations and initiatives, including the One Planet Business for Biodiversity coalition and the G7 Business for Inclusive Growth coalition―co-chaired with the OECD Secretary General. He initiated Danone Communities, a social business initiative providing funding to bring nutrition and water access for vulnerable communities, as well as the Livelihoods Venture, which provides funding for ecosystem restoration and the development of sustainable farming in emerging economies. The ISSB Trustees will shortly call for nominations for the remaining ISSB members, ensuring diversity in representation and professional experience, and announce the appointments of Vice-Chairs and senior staff members to create the ISSB’s leadership team. “Investors need information on which to make informed decisions. The ISSB represents an opportunity to fulfil that need in a fast-changing world, where climate will drive major shifts in the coming years,” said Faber. “We should build on the momentum resulting from the formation of the ISSB at COP26. I’m excited about the opportunity to work with stakeholders in developing ESG standards that inform global capital allocations, market prices and cost of capital, working alongside the IASB.”
The Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change (IIGCC), a European investor network focused on addressed climate change, appointed six new members to its board following its 2021 AGM. Existing board member Jon Johnsen, CEO of PKA, has also been confirmed as Vice Chair. Bruce Duguid, Head of Stewardship, EOS at Federated Hermes, Claudia Kruse, Managing Director – Global Responsible Investment & Governance, APG Asset Management, Graham Cook, Chief Investment Officer, Environment Agency Pension Fund, and Kelly Christodoulou, Listed ESG & Stewardship Manager at AustralianSuper, were all elected to the board at the AGM, which took place on 1 December. Adam Matthews, Chief Responsible Investment Officer, Church of England Pensions Board, was also re-elected. In addition, following a board meeting on 9 December 2021, and to ensure a balanced and diverse range of skills and experience, Caroline Le Meaux, Head of ESG Research, Engagement and Voting, Amundi and Sandy Boss, Global Head of Investment Stewardship, BlackRock were also co-opted to serve on the board. “I would like to welcome our new board members, and to thank those who are stepping down for their valuable service,” said Faith Ward, Chair, IIGCC. “The new members bring skillsets and a diversity of perspectives that will prove extremely beneficial.”
Eastspring Investments, the asset management business of Prudential, appointed Stuart Wilson as Head of Sustainability, to be based in Singapore. Subject to regulatory approvals, Wilson will commence his role on 10 January, 2022 and will report directly to Wai-Kwong Seck, Chief Executive Officer, Eastspring Investments Group. In this new role, Wilson will lead the firm’s responsible investment efforts across the business. He joins Eastspring from Sunsuper, the largest superannuation fund by membership in Queensland, Australia, where he was the Head of Responsible Investing. “The appointment of Stuart bolsters our Sustainability team. His appointment will also strengthen our efforts with our parent company Prudential in transitioning to a low-carbon future,” said Seck.
Julia Haake has been appointed Managing Director for Market Strategy in Moody’s ESG Solutions Group. In this newly-established role, Haake will be responsible for shaping and articulating Moody’s commercial sustainability and ESG strategy impact. She will report to Andrea Blackman, Global Head of Moody’s ESG Solutions. “Julia’s experience in sustainability and ESG makes her the ideal person to strengthen our offerings and communicate the exciting news about the depth and breadth of Moody’s tools and domain expertise,” said Blackman. Haake’s remit will include steering Moody’s ESG Solutions’ research and outreach, as well as overseeing the group’s methodology team. She joins Moody’s from ISS, where she was part of the ESG business unit’s leadership team. She has worked in sustainability and ESG since 1993, first as a researcher at the German Wuppertal Institute and at Versailles University in France, where she completed her PhD thesis in environmental economics. Haake subsequently held roles at O2 France as a consultant, La Poste Group as CSR lead, and at German ESG research house Oekom.
Man GLG, the investment arm of Man Group, has appointed Yohann Terry and Jann Breitenmoser as Portfolio Managers in the firm’s equity team. With 15 years’ investment experience, Terry will run responsible investment strategy focused on water and the circular economy. He will be based in Man’s Pfäffikon, Switzerland office and will report directly to Man GLG CEO Teun Johnston. Terry joins Man GLG from J Safra Sarasin Asset Management (JSS AM). Before joining JSS AM, he was at Exane BNP Paribas, where he was a financial analyst in the utilities sector with a focus on water and renewable energies. He later led a team concentrating on thematic investing and sustainability. Breitenmoser also joins Man GLG from JSS AM, where he co-managed a strategy focused on the UN Sustainable Development Goals as well as a sustainable European small cap strategy. During his time at JSS AM, he also covered the industrials and information technology sectors. Prior to that, he was at Akina (formerly Lombard Odier Private Equity), working as a private equity associate. Breitenmoser started his career with Credit Suisse. He is also based in Pfäffikon and will report to Terry.
Insight Investment, a global asset manager owned by BNY Mellon, has appointed a portfolio manager focused on ESG portfolios and a senior stewardship analyst to its Fixed Income Group. Fabien Collado joined as ESG Portfolio Manager having previously managed ESG-integrated portfolios for AXA Investment Managers, where he worked for 12 years. At Insight, he will manage ESG mandates and impact strategies. Rhona Cormack joined as Senior Stewardship Analyst to support Insight’s engagement programme. She works alongside credit analysts and is part of Insight’s responsible investment team. Cormack joined from EY where she spent five years as a specialist in climate change and sustainability. “We’re pleased to welcome Fabien and Rhona to Insight,” Lucy Speake, Co-Head of Fixed Income at Insight, said. “Their appointments strengthen our team as we respond to client demand for ESG strategies designed to drive change. We have an active engagement programme that we seek to enhance to improve investment outcomes and better meet client needs.”
