People & Appointments: Actis hires ex-Macquarie heads to help with Japan infra push

Emerging markets and sustainability specialist Actis has begun its entry into Japan by poaching Jun Ohashi and Tareq Sirhan from Macquarie. Ohashi, previously head of Macquarie Capital Japan, joins as partner and head of Actis Japan, while Sirhan, Macquarie’s head of principal transactions, joins as head of energy for north Asia. Actis said its decision to launch in Japan reflects its “strategic evolution to invest behind global themes”. The business will focus on infrastructure, with plans to commit $500 million to the country within five years, investing mainly in energy transition assets and real estate. Actis said it is also exploring opportunities in Taiwan and Korea as part of its expansion in Asia.

Laëtitia Tankwe has left French public sector pension scheme Caisse des dépôts Group to join HSBC Asset Management. Tankwe was a responsible investment adviser to the president of the scheme, but will become head of sustainability implementation and assurance. She has previously held roles at BPCE, Bâtirente and BNP Paribas, and sits on the board of the PRI and the Forum pour l’Investissement Responsable. HSBC has also hired Fatima Hadj, chair of the PRI’s structured finance advisory board, as a climate investment strategist. She has held roles at Tikehau Capital, S&P and Moody’s, and is a lecturer on ESG integration at Bocconi University in Italy.

Amanda Young has been promoted to chief sustainability officer at Abrdn, which has established a new sustainability group. Alongside Young, who was previously global head of responsible investment, four new senior sustainability appointments have been made. Danielle Welsh-Rose has been promoted from ESG investment director APAC to head of sustainability APAC and head of sustainability specialists; Mike Everett, previously head of stewardship, has become head of active ownership; Eva Cairns, head of climate change strategy, has taken on responsibility for sustainability insights; and Dan Grandage has been promoted from head of ESG, real assets, to head of sustainable investing.

Daniel Cremin has been promoted to head of climate alliances and product alignment in MSCI’s ESG team. Cremin, who was previously global head of ESG marketing, has held roles at Climate Change Capital and Bunge Asset Management. Speaking on social media, he said the new role “will involve working closely with climate initiatives, alliances and associations to align our products and services to help investors and corporates manage the urgent transition to a net-zero world”. Kerstin Whitmer, previously an executive director in the ESG and climate marketing team, will replace him.

Justine Apollin has joined France’s sustainable investment forum (SIF), Forum pour l’Investissement Responsable, as ESG dialogue and engagement officer. She leaves her role as consultant on energy and climate at AcoAct. In other SIF news, Fredrik von Platen, a member of SEB’s sustainable debt capital markets team, has joined the board of Swedish sustainable investment forum Swesif.

Helen Skinner has been appointed head of responsible investment at ANZ Investments, the asset management arm of New Zealand bank ANZ. She leaves her role as head of emerging wealth at Craigs Investment Partners, and has previously held roles at Newton Investment Management and Schroders.

The Children’s Investment Fund Foundation is hiring a climate finance manager based in London on a 10-month fixed-term contract.