Principles for Responsible Investment’s Chief Operating Officer de Graaf leaves

Peter de Graaf has left his role as Chief Operating Officer at the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) to return, in part, to consulting firm Carnstone Partners.

De Graaf is a former FTSE executive who had helped with a 2014 review of governance at the PRI while at Carnstone. As COO at the signatory body, de Graaf oversaw key projects, strategic planning as well as communication and events such as the flagship PRI in Person.

He had joined the PRI in December 2016 and is a former Managing Director (EMEA) with FTSE Group, where he was involved with the FTSE4Good sustainability index. He was also Managing Director and board member at environmental research firm Trucost (now part of S&P).
He told Responsible Investor he felt he is better suited to being an external management consultant than a COO.At the time of his appointment, PRI Managing Director Fiona Reynolds welcomed his expertise in operational management and his knowledge of business planning, budget management and reporting. A PRI spokesperson said the UN-supported body is having an “ongoing discussion” about the COO role and how it can best be filled.

Meanwhile, the PRI has released a guide for investors on corporate climate change lobbying. The aim is to help investors engage with portfolio companies on their direct and indirect lobbying practices related to climate policy.

It comes as the PRI’s signatory base continues to grow; it currently stands at 1,984 — boosted by recent sign-ups like the UK’s LGPS Central and London CIV pension pools, the Netherlands’ Stichting Pensioenfonds Horeca & Catering and firms like SEI Investments and Ortec Finance. Dutch banking giant ING Groep signed up on April 5.