Leading Sustainability

Leading Sustainability: Dr Christine Chow (ICGN Chairman and Global Sustainable Investment Leader)

In this latest episode, we speak with the remarkable Dr Christine Chow, currently serving as Chairman of the Board at the ICGN, most recently Global Head of Active Ownership at UBS and highly dedicated competing dressage rider. With an international career spanning over 25 years, and working across London, Prague, Beijing, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Manila and the UAE, Christine was also recognised as the ‘Sustainable and ESG Investment Woman of the Year’.   Christine is one of the most recognised and inspiring global leaders within Sustainable Investing, and here she offers a rare glimpse behind the scenes of her journey across numerous continents and global investment firms, the challenges along the way and the opportunities that she has created for herself at numerous junctures throughout her career, most notably her recognised expertise within Artificial Intelligence. Christine offers an extremely candid and self-reflective analysis that should prove invaluable to those navigating next steps in sustainability.    Timestamps:   (00:58) Christine’s journey into investing (03:05) The impact of an international career (10:13) Building and nurturing talent  (14:55) Diversity within sustainability careers (17:56) Balancing personal and professional life (23:20) Future direction within sustainability and AI (28:04) Understanding AI’s risks and opportunities (31:41) Advice for aspiring sustainability professionals

Leading Sustainability: Narina Mnatsakanian (Global Head of Impact Investing)

In this episode, we speak with Narina, a widely recognised individual from the world of impact investing, talking very candidly and openly about the roots of her career at the PRI, and her transition into the world of impact investing, and how it has evolved over the years.   Narina also speaks very openly about the challenges of juggling her many roles as a full-time parent to three children, and the exciting period ahead for her as she considers new opportunities, the benefits of creating mental space and leveraging her professional network.    Timestamps:    (00:30) Career beginnings and start of the PRI (05:32) Transitioning from PRI to asset management (12:45) Impact investing; a natural progression (21:35) How to prepare for a career in impact (23:43) The challenge of juggling multiple roles (33:28) The value of mental space during a job search (37:31) Being in a full-time job as a full-time mother (43:42) The outlook for sustainability and impact (45:34) Alternative career options after graduating

Episode 10: Leading Sustainability - Ashley Hamilton Claxton (Royal London Asset Management)

In this landmark episode finally hitting double figures, I meet with Ashley Hamilton Claxton, the Head of Responsible Investment at Royal London Asset Management, a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal London, the UK’s largest mutual life and pensions company, with £170 billion AUM and deep roots within sustainable investing.   Ashley is a significant figurehead in the industry, but speaks with real honesty and humility about the experiences that shaped her career, including time spent on the ground handling real world impact for mining communities in Guatemala, navigating the rapid change within sustainability and tips for harnessing diversity in hiring practices of her own.    Timestamps:   (01:14) The journey into sustainable finance and CSR (07:20) The mining sector and real-world experiences (14:31) Navigating career growth against rapid change (20:50) Assessing diverse talent when hiring into the team (27:46) Career impact from specialist vs. generalist roles (35:57) Parenting shaping a view on impact and sustainability (38:15) Curiosity from people outside the industry (43:34) Advise to those starting out in the sector right now (46:16) Fielding opposing views and how to process them (49:38) If not sustainability, then what instead?

Episode 9: Leading Sustainability - James Purcell (Deputy Chief Sustainability Officer)

In this episode, I meet with James Purcell, most recently a Managing Director and Deputy Chief Sustainability Officer at Credit Suisse, as well as the Co-Author of ‘Sustainable Investing in Practice’ and Sustainable Finance Course Lead and Lecturer for the highly acclaimed ESCP Business School in Berlin.    James offers a refreshing and timely outlook on the practicalities of sustainable investing, removing emotion from the topic as we move into a new era for the sector, a current and future state analysis of ESG skills requirements and its likely application for growth in the private markets.   Timestamps:   (00:48) Getting into a sustainable investing career (03:04) How the industry has evolved over the years (06:04) Taking the emotion out of sustainable investing (10:20) Regional differences in sustainability (12:29) The changing role of ESG ratings and ideology (17:01) Balancing different backgrounds in sustainability (21:23) Upskilling and education in sustainability (24:55) Connecting sustainability with commerciality (30:40) The growth opportunity within private markets (32:47) Common misconceptions and counter arguments (37:51) Crucial role of identifying common goals in ESG

Episode 8: Leading Sustainability - Mark Hays (Glenmede Investment Management)

In this episode of the Leading Sustainability podcast, I meet with Mark Hays, Managing Director and Head of Sustainable and Impacting Investing at Glenmede Investment Management, a privately owned wealth and investment management business established in 1956 with $45 billion AUM serving clients across 50 states in the US.     Mark is one of the first guests on the podcast with a pronounced focus within the impact sector specifically, and he brings some much needed insight into the different areas of thematic growth focus for those seeking a career in this sector, how the US political backlash has allowed for true impact investors to thrive and what we can expect from the US election outcome in November.   Timestamps:   (01:02) Getting into investing and the path to sustainability (07:55) Correlation between impact and returns (10:13) Areas of thematic expertise growth within the industry (13:58) The importance of social issues as financially material (17:18) Political backlash as a filter for authentic impact firms (20:16) Managing expectations and misconceptions around impact (23:03) The nuanced impact of US election outcomes on the industry (27:50) Generational differences in the views on sustainability (30:11) What level of impact to expect with a career in this industry (35:34) Advice to those starting in the industry and lessons learned (38:02) Handling opposing views vs. tribal approach to sustainability (40:42) The importance of mentorship aligned with career growth