Eurosif announces strategic review amid EU Action Plan and Micilotta’s departure

Eurosif, the European sustainable investment membership organisation, is considering its future on the back of the European Commission’s major push on sustainability, in an announcement that comes just days after its Executive Director left with no replacement.
The body, which represents national Sustainable Investment Forums (SIFs) in Europe, has appointed former Chairman of the French SIF, Thierry Philipponnat, to “assist the board in developing a strategy to identify the future opportunities for Eurosif to enable it to continue to play a leading role in influencing industry policy and practice”. An economist, Philipponnat was also head of Brussels-focused NGO and lobby group Finance Watch.
In a statement, EuroSIF said the decision to review “the future mandate and role for Eurosif” was made at its board meeting last month. Last week, its Executive Director of four years, Flavia Micilotta, began a new role at the Luxembourg Stock Exchange, leaving the Brussels-based body without a head.
In fact, Eurosif appears to have no full-time employees, currently.

When asked how many full-time staff it has, RI was told by UKSIF – the SIF that plays an oversight role in Eurosif – that until April, when the review process ends, Eurosif operations will be managed by Charlene Cranny, UKSIF’s Communications and Campaigns Director as Interim Director of Operations, and Grégoire Cousté, General Delegate & Secretary General of the French SIF, as Interim Treasurer – “on a part-time basis”.“The strategic review process will include future strategy governance, organisational structure, membership, mission and objectives,” said the official statement, adding that it was “an opportune time for the Association” on the back of the EU’s Action Plan on Financing Sustainable Growth.

“The review will include future strategy governance, organisational structure, membership, mission and objectives”

“As the commitment of many parties to the [Action Plan] becomes clear, the Eurosif board has decided to review how best to support its implementation by leveraging the contacts and expertise of the member SIFs and, in turn, their members.
“This will aim to address the challenge and opportunity that implementation of the Action Plan at a national market level provides. The board’s view is that these opportunities lie primarily with the member SIFs, but also include other varied legitimate interests including from the finance industry, civil society, NGOs and academia.”