ESG Investor’s weekly round-up of new hires in the sustainable investing sector, including abrdn, HSBC AM, Impax and Low Carbon.
UK asset manager abrdn has created a new Sustainability Group, which will support its investment processes and sustainable investing value chain by setting frameworks and standards, ensuring active ownership, and supporting product design, client reporting and outcomes. Previously Global Head of Responsible Investment at abrdn, Amanda Young has been appointed to the executive role of Chief Sustainability Officer to lead the group. “The Sustainability Group will continue to coordinate and set the abrdn house view and standards on sustainability matters including climate change, corporate governance, voting and active ownership to support the investment teams in delivering a coherent ESG integration and engagement strategy,” she said. “More broadly, our strong leadership team will help drive abrdn’s Sustainable Investment approach forward, working to influence external bodies on governance, sustainability, engagement and regulatory matters.” Young has also made a series of appointments to the Sustainability Group, effective from 1 April. Danielle Welsh-Rose is now Head of Sustainability APAC and Head of Sustainability Specialists, having previously worked for abrdn as ESG Investment Director (APAC). She will lead the development of abrdn’s sustainability training academy, ‘Growing Sustainably’. As the group’s Head of Active Ownership, Mike Everett will work with teams across the investment sector to ensure that active ownership activities, such as engagement and voting, are a key part of the investment process. Everett was formerly Head of Stewardship. Previously working as abrdn’s Head of Climate Change Strategy, Eva Cairns joins the new group as Head of Sustainability Insights and Climate Strategy, where she will lead sustainability, climate and thought leadership investment research. Dan Grandage, formerly Head of ESG, Real Assets, is now Head of Sustainable Investing. He will help to build the asset manager’s common approach to sustainable investing, including setting the sustainability standards and frameworks, ensuring ESG integration is factored into all asset classes. “Client demand for sustainable investment products is evolving rapidly and the EU Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) classification that came into force last year helps the industry deliver greater transparency to investors, enabling them to make better informed investment decisions on where to allocate their capital and help drive positive change for people and our planet,” said Devan Kaloo, Global Head of Public Markets at abrdn.
Fatima Hadj and Laëtitia Tankwe have recently joined HSBC Asset Management in new sustainability-focused roles. Hadj has been appointed Climate Investment Strategist, and will be lead the firm’s climate change strategy, ensuring climate considerations are embedded across its investment platform. She is joining with over 20 years’ experience in scaling financial services businesses and helping them to consider ESG-related factors from a risk and impact perspective. Hadj has held multiple roles at Moody’s, Tikehau Capital and the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI). “Fatima’s role is an important next step as we focus on climate change mitigation in investments,” said Stuart Kirk, Global Head of Research and Responsible Investments at HSBC AM. In the newly created role of Head of Sustainability Implementation and Assurance, Tankwe will be creating and delivering assurance frameworks for HSBC AM’s sustainability commitments to customers and industry partners. Prior to joining, she was the Responsible Investment Advisor to the President of French public sector pension scheme Caisse des dépôts Group. “We are embedding the highest standards for sustainable investing across our value chain,” said Erin Leonard, Head of Sustainability at HSBC AM. “Tankwe will help drive the development of our sustainable investment activities and to ensure that we deliver on our net zero commitments, and curbing climate change.”
Sustainability-focused asset manager Impax Asset Management has appointed Paul Voûte as its new Head of Distribution, Europe & Asia-Pacific. Joining from Federated Hermes, where he was Head of EMEA Business Development, Voûte will be responsible for Impax’s business development, consultant relations, RFP, portfolio specialists, and client relationship management teams based in London and Dublin, serving European and Asia-Pacific clients. The appointment is part of efforts to deepen Impax’s distribution, product and marketing capabilities within its Client Service and Business Development team. In parallel, Meg Brown moves from leading marketing and business development in Europe and Asia-Pacific to a new global role as Chief Product and Marketing Officer, reporting to Ian Simm, Founder & Chief Executive.
Low Carbon, a renewable energy investment manager, has appointed experienced impact investor and technology executive Ed Colligan as Head of Americas. Colligan, who will also serve on the firm’s board of directors, will support Low Carbon’s business growth in North, Central and South America as it works towards its ambition of creating 20GW of operational renewable energy capacity by 2030. A Silicon Valley veteran and former President of Handspring, which launched the Treo, widely recognised as the world’s first smartphone, Colligan recently been active in sectors including climate fin-tech, micro-mobility, digital entertainment and neuroscience. “We are delighted to welcome someone of Ed’s stature to Low Carbon. His track record of helping innovative businesses scale up their operations speaks for itself and reflects Low Carbon’s own commitment to global expansion,” said Roy Bedlow, Chief Executive at Low Carbon.
