RI People & Appointments, December 17: CDP seeking Head of Investor Initiatives

The Carbon Disclosure Project, the not-for-profit organisation backed by 655 institutional investors, is seeking a Head of CDP Investor Initiatives, responsible for the CDP’s work with investors globally. The ad states: “This includes recruiting signatories; generating revenue through membership, sponsorship and new products; thought leadership; promoting the use of CDP data; and collaborating with investor groups including the UN PRI and the Global Investor Coalition on Climate Change.” The role reports to the Co-Chief Operating Officer, Programs and the deadline for applications is January 11 2013.

Aviva Investors, the UK-based asset manager, is recruiting a new Head of Engagement. The role is to provide strategic support to Chief Responsible Investment Officer Steve Waygood “to ensure we deliver on our engagement commitments within the UN backed Principles for Responsible Investment and the Stewardship Code”. The candidate will develop a strategic plan for engagement covering all relevant asset classes and “lead and support” fund managers’ engagement with senior management. The closing date is December 31. Link

Pablo Berrutti, head of responsible investment Asia Pacific at Colonial First State Asset Management, has been named as the new chair of the Responsible Investment Association of Australasia (RIAA), taking over from Duncan Paterson, CEO at ESG research firm CAER. RIAA is also currently hiring a replacement for Louise O’Halloran, who announced her departure in August. Interim general manager Sarah Clawson stepped down in November to join forestry fund manager New Forests.

Thomas Becker has been named at the new chief executive of the European Wind Energy Association, taking over from Christian Kjaer on April 1 2013. Becker is a former Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Danish Ministry of Climate and Energy; he currently heads tyre-recycling firm Genan – which is 48% owned by €15.7bn Danish pension fund group PKA. Kjaer, CEO at EWEA since 2006, announced his departure in September. Link

Harry Hummels, managing director of SNS Impact Investing, the arm of SNS Asset Management, has received the Amsterdam Private Equity Club (APEC) Award for his contribution to the emerging field of Impact Investing. Hummels is also Professor of Ethics, Organisations and Society at Maastricht University and European Liaison of the Global Impact Investing Network.Chaoni Huang has been appointed as Head of Asia Business Development at Trucost, the environmental data provider. She joins from MSCI where she was a senior ESG (Environment, Social, Governance) analyst. She previously worked for the UNEP Finance Initiative in Geneva on its China Outreach project to the financial sector.

Carsten Stendevad, currently global head of the financial strategy group at Citigroup in New York, has been appointed as the successor to Lars Rohde as chief executive at DKK790bn (€106bn) Danish labour market pension fund ATP. Rohde was named in August as the new governor of the Danish central bank. ATP’s Chief Investment Officer Henrik Gade Jepsen has been named acting CEO until Stendevad assumes the role.

The Climate Bonds Initiative, the not-for-profit low carbon investment body, has named a steering committee for renewable energy covered bonds. It comprises Sean Kidney (Climate Bonds Initiative), Frank Damerow (LBBW Bank), Stuart Clenaghan (Eco System Services), Christoph Anhamm (RBS), Angela Clist (Allen & Overy), Julia Hoggett (Bank of America Merrill Lynch), Sean Flannery (ex-State Street Global Advisors, now with consultants Meister and IFOK).

The Business & Human Rights Resource Centre is seeking a new Executive Director to take over from founder Christopher Avery. The London-based centre, which monitors the human rights conduct of over 5,000 companies globally, now has a staff of 23 based in 11 countries.

Liz Prescott has joined the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC), the global coalition of regulators, investors, companies, standard setters and accountants, as Head of Relationships, East Asia and Australasia. She recently joined KPMG Australia and is on full secondment to the IIRC.

Diana Legge has been appointed Company Secretary of BP Pension Trustees Ltd., succeeding Bruce Garner, who has retired. Legge has worked for BP for nine years as Minute Secretary for the Board of BP Plc and Technical Adviser in the Company Secretary’s Office.

PIRC, the UK-based governance research consultancy, has vacancies for temporary Corporate Governance Researchers for the forthcoming 2013 proxy-voting season (closing date: December 21). It is also recruiting a Communications Assistant to work with its communications manager (closing date: January 11). Link