People & Appointments: James Leaton quits Moody’s for pension-led SDG project

James Leaton has left his role as Senior Vice President for ESG and Climate Risk at Moody’s to become Research Director at SDI Asset Owner Platform. Launched last year, the Platform is a collaboration between pension giants PGGM, APG, AustralianSuper and British Columbia Investment Management, to encourage the flow of capital into investments that support the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Leaton was Research Director at think-tank Carbon Tracker between 2010 and 2018, and has also held roles at PwC and WWF.  

The UK’s sustainable investing body, UKSIF, has announced the election of four board members. Louise Dudley, a global equities portfolio manager at Federated Hermes, has been re-elected for a second three-year term. David Farrar, who recently left his role as a climate specialist at the UK’s Department for Work and Pensions to become Climate & Stewardship Policy Manager at the National Employment Savings Trust, has also been appointed. He will join fellow new recruits Lyn Tomlinson, Head of Impact at Cazenove Capital, and Catalina Secreteanu, Executive Director for Client Relations at Sustainalytics. 

Australia’s Investor Group on Climate Change is recruiting a Corporate Engagement Analysis to lead its efforts on oil and gas and contribute to its work under Climate Action 100+. The role is part of an expansion of the body’s engagement team and the successful candidate will undertake research on Australian companies’ climate transition targets and plans.

Elsewhere in Australasia, the Principles for Responsible Investment is on the hunt for a Signatory Relationship Manager for Australia and New Zealand. With a salary between A$115,000-125,000, the role will involve “acting as signatories’ first day-to-day contact and resolving signatories’ issues in an accurate and timely manner and proactively developing and maintaining strong relationships with strategic signatories” according to the job listing, which is open for applications until November 7.

CDP has created its first ever Chief Impact Officer position, which will be filled by its interim Executive Director, Nicolette Bartlett. Bartlett started with the non-profit in 2016 as Director of Carbon Pricing, before spending nearly four years as its Director of Climate Change. In her new role, she will help CDP implement its latest five-year strategy, which will see it widen its scope to cover more environmental issues, and increase its focus on targets and performance.  

Infrastructure specialist InfraRed Capital Partners has announced six new partners, including Phil George, who oversees financial reporting and management for its renewables arm, TRIG; Thomas Buss, its energy transition specialist; and Sean Watson, who focuses on InfraRed’s European renewable energy investment strategy.  

Sophie Burgis has joined Impax Asset Management as an Investor Relations Associate working in private equity and infrastructure. Brugis leaves her role in investor relations at Cyan Finance.