Specialist active asset manager Polar Capital has appointed Alexander Macdonald (pictured) to a newly formed role as group head of sustainability, as reported by ESG Clarity in the UK.

Macdonald, who has been at Polar Capital for five years, takes up the role from his previous position in the client services team, where he has been increasingly focused on responsible investment and ESG. “Sustainability and ESG factors are essential to the investment community worldwide, as capital allocators and responsible stewards of our clients’ capital,” he said.

As well as leading Polar Capital’s focus on sustainability within the business, he will be in charge of further integrating ESG factors into the firms’ portfolios. He will also chair a new committee charged with identifying key regulatory and legal initiatives in sustainability and ESG.

Sandy Black, CIO of Polar Capital, said: “Zandy’s appointment is a vital step in Polar Capital’s integration of ESG factors into our investment strategy. Responsible investing is becoming ever more important in the financial industry.”