People moves

Bridges expands strategy team with hire

Founded in 2022, Bridges has raised over £1.5bn across its property, growth business, and outcomes partnership investment strategies

Bridges Fund Management has hired Fenglin Zhao as a director in its client and strategy development team. 

The hire is part of plans to attract more investors to impact investing, said the fund house, which invests exclusively in the transition to a more sustainable and inclusive economy.

Zhao will be responsible for developing and overseeing B-Corp certified Bridges’ relationships with its institutional investor clients, alongside the development of existing and new strategies.

She brings experience from previous roles at a number of fund management firms.

Zhao previously led VCP Apex’s European distribution as managing director, advancing its private equity primary fund placement, secondary and direct investment fundraising activities. 

Prior to joining VCP Apex, Zhao was part of the institutional fundraising team at Octopus Investments. 

She has spent many years working in investment management in Europe, North America and Asia, and brings significant investor relations and global capital-raising experience from the likes of JP Morgan Asset Management.

Maggie Loo, partner and head of client and strategy development at Bridges Fund Management, said Zhao’s “talent and broad, cross-border experience will be hugely valuable to us as we look to diversify and expand the firm’s assets under management”.

7IM ESG fund manager retires

Camilla Ritchie has managed the Sustainable Balance Fund since inception in 2007

Seven Investment Management’s (7IM) Camilla Ritchie has retired after more than 16 years at the firm.

Ritchie (pictured) has managed 7IM’s Sustainable Balance Fund since its inception in 2007, during which time the strategy has grown 76%, outperforming the 67% return posted by its benchmark, the IA Mixed Investment 20-60% Shares.

Prior to joining 7IM in 2006, Ritchie worked at Phillips and Drew as a charity fund manager and, at Chiswell Associates, managed a portfolio of small-cap UK growth companies.

Regarding her departure, 7IM said: “We are incredibly grateful for Camilla’s significant contribution during her 16 years at 7IM. All of us here wish her a very long and happy retirement.

“In particular, we would like to thank Camilla for her invaluable role in building and managing the 7IM Sustainable Balance Fund since its inception in 2007, and more recently the 7IM Responsible Choice Model Portfolio range.”

7IM confirmed that Jack Turner, who has been with the firm for 10 years, and part of the investment team since 2016, will become lead portfolio manager for its ESG proposition.

This article first appeared in ESG Clarity sister title Portfolio Adviser.

MJ Hudson hires Thompson to London office

Has 30 years' experience

MJ Hudson has recruited Mark Thompson as director within its ESG & sustainability business.

The firm said Thompson is a sustainability and ESG professional with 30 years’ experience working across consulting and banking companies, most recently at Barclays and before that at PwC. He joins MJ Hudson’s London office.

Emma Bickerstaffe, MD of MJ Hudson ESG & sustainability, commented: “Mark’s extensive technical knowledge and consulting skills will further the growth of our UK practice, and in addition his expertise in human rights in the supply chain will allow us to meet increasing client focus in this area. We look forward to harnessing this as we continue to invest in our growth.”

Thompson added: “ESG and sustainability engagement from private equity firms and their investors has dramatically increased in the last five years, but there is still much more work to do. I’m delighted to have the opportunity to push this agenda forwards with the support of this expert and friendly MJ Hudson team.”

EQ Investors’ Salge promoted to head of sustainability

Wealth manager also hires head of investment operations and promotes Kasim Zafar to CIO

EQ Investors has promoted two individuals, while hiring a head of investment operations.

Louisiana Salge becomes head of sustainability, moving up from senior sustainability specialist. She joined the wealth manager as a graduate intern in May 2018. In her new role, she will be responsible for leading EQ’s sustainable and engagement initiatives.

Kasim Zafar has also been promoted to chief investment officer, overseeing all of EQ’s investment and asset management activities. He has worked at the business for eight years and was at Truestone and Altigefi SA before that.

Meanwhile, Louise McLean moves across from Mazeco Private Wealth as the new head of investment operations. She has 20 years of industry experience across the investment and wealth management sector. Her role involves overseeing how EQ can further develop and enhance its operating capabilities to best support the client base and investment solutions.

Sophie Kennedy, joint-CEO at EQ and ESG Clarity Committee member, said: “I’m thrilled to announce these well-deserved promotions. Kasim and Louisiana have contributed in valuable ways, and we look forward to their continued efforts.

“We are also excited to welcome Louise to the EQ team; her appointment reflects our ambition to maintain our proven track record of providing excellent client service whilst also meeting growing demand for our services.”

Mercer makes sustainable investment team promotions

Kate Brett becomes global intellectual capital leader for sustainable investment

Mercer has appointed Brian Henderson as head of sustainable investment for UK, Europe and IMETA, promoting him from the position of head of defined contribution consulting.

Meanwhile, the global consultancy has also promoted Kate Brett as the firm’s global intellectual capital leader for sustainable investment (SI). She was previously head of the Europe SI team, and she will continue to sit on the global SI team.

“These appointments represent our continued commitment, since establishing the SI team more than 15 year ago, to helping clients implement pragmatic approaches to sustainable investment, net-zero ambitions and their broader ESG goals – wherever they are along their journey,” said Jo Holden, Mercer’s global head of investment research.

Carmignac hires Newton ESG head

Lloyd McAllister now leads Carmignac’s sustainable investment team

Lloyd McAllister has left his role as head of ESG research at Newton IM, joining asset manager Carmignac as head of sustainable investment.

McAllister (pictured) was a member of Newton’s senior leadership team, and led ESG research at the firm for just over a year and a half. He joined the business as a responsible investment analyst in 2018.

His time at Newton followed an eight-and-a-half-year stint at KPMG, which he joined as a graduate, and where he was most recently a risk consulting manager in sustainability services.

As leader of Carmignac’s sustainable investment team, McAllister will be based in London and report to Maxime Carmignac, managing director of the UK business and executive sponsor of ESG at the Paris-headquartered firm.

McAllister’s team supports the fund management team with extra-financial analysis, thematic research and company engagement, as well as advising the business on sustainable investing trends and ESG regulation.

“Lloyd’s deep experience in both ESG research and analysis will help us capitalise on the many opportunities available, as well as navigate the increasingly complex regulatory environment,” Carmignac said

A Carmignac spokesperson added that McAllister’s appointment coincided with the decision by Sandra Crowl, stewardship director at the firm, to retire at the end of January.

“Over the last decade, we have witnessed a profound evolution in the ESG investing landscape and Sandra’s guidance and insight have been invaluable to all at Carmignac as we managed this shift,” Carmignac added. “I want to thank her for her leadership and the significant contribution she has made to our business and wish her the very best for her retirement.”

This article first appeared on sister website Portfolio Adviser.

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