PRI’s Director of Responsible Investment Lake to leave after two years in role

Rob Lake, Director of Responsible Investment at the PRI, the UN-supported responsible investment initiative, is leaving the body after two years in the post to establish his own responsible investment advisory firm.

Lake is one of the senior leadership team at the PRI and currently oversees a range of programmes including the integration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues across asset classes; engagement with companies; the PRI Academic Network; strategic research, and public policy work.

He also manages regional networks around the world and oversees the recruitment of new members at the 1,182-signatory body.

Given his background as former Head of Sustainability and Governance at giant Dutch asset management group APG Asset Management, Lake has worked closely with pension funds and investment managers worldwide to help them integrate sustainability factors into their operations.

He was at APG from 2007 to 2011. Before that he was Head of Corporate Engagement at Henderson Global Investors the UK-based fund management group for just over six years.Lake is a member of the Strategy Council for the Norwegian Government Pension Fund and sits on the Working Group of the International Integrated Reporting Committee as well as the Advisory Council to the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board. He will leave the PRI on May 17.

Lake’s departure comes as the initiative is seeking to implement a more stringent reporting framework for its signatories and take on more of a role in public policy.
In January, for example, it launched a major “strategic and systemic” review looking at how it can help to remove some of the main barriers to a sustainable global financial system.

A PRI spokesperson said it would be recruiting a replacement for Lake “as soon as is practical”.

In February Fiona Reynolds took over as Managing Director of the PRI, having previously been CEO of the non-profit Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees.

PRI Executive Director James Gifford said: “Rob has played an invaluable part in the development of PRI’s new strategic direction and the continued strengthening of its work programme as a whole.

“There is no doubt he will continue to add considerable value to the investment industry. We wish him well in his future ventures.”