Sydney-based Kate Turner will replace the current global head of responsible investment (RI), Will Oulton, when he retires from the company at the end of the year.
First Sentier Investors (FSI) chief executive Mark Steinberg said: “I would like to personally thank Will for his significant contribution to the business and to the industry over the last 10 years. During this time, he helped set up the RI team and, more recently, played a central role in establishing the First Sentier MUFG Sustainable Investment Institute. Pleasingly, he will remain actively engaged with FSI in a non-executive/consultancy capacity.
“I am delighted to internally appoint Kate as successor to this important role. For the past three years, Kate has played an integral role in working with our investment and responsible investment teams to support the integration of ESG considerations into our investment processes, while also regularly engaging with clients and stakeholders.
Finian Power, previously head of investment management in FSI’s Dublin office, was appointed head of ESG policy and regulation in October. He has more than 20 years of experience managing regulatory change in asset management and now plays a leading role in developing the firm’s understanding of current and emerging ESG/sustainability policies and regulatory issues globally.
FSI has also appointed three new RI specialists since October.
Based in Sydney, Bjorn De Smedt has moved to FSI after 12 years at Institutional Shareholder Services. He has 18 years of experience in financial services and is a specialist in corporate governance, climate change and sustainability.
London-based Rhys Foulkes, who has worked in investment management for 15 years, including as a senior credit analyst at FSI, will transition into the new RI role in the new year.
Belinda White, who has spent the past 20 years working in external stakeholder engagement, will move from her role as senior communications manager at FSI in January 2023.
“Along with our new appointments, our global RI team is now well-positioned to advise on increasingly complex ESG regulations, and work with investment teams on critical issues including climate change, human rights and modern slavery, diversity and biodiversity — all with the aim of driving long-term investment performance and helping address some of society’s significant challenges,” Mr Steinberg said.
The recent additions follow the appointments of RI nature and biodiversity specialist Joanne Lee, based in Hong Kong earlier this year, and Sydney-based RI analyst Will Bartlett last year.
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