RI People & Appointments, August 1: Generation, BMO, Northern Trust, AXA

Mamadou-Abou Sarr has moved to Chicago to “spearhead” Northern Trust Asset Management’s ESG expansion. Sarr has been Northern Trust’s head of ESG since 2014 and will move from Abu Dhabi to the firm’s headquarters in Chicago. To assist the expansion of its ESG work, Northern Trust recently appointed Julia Kochetygova – former head of sustainability indices at S&P Dow Jones Indices – as a senior ESG research analyst at its London office. It plans to make further hires, one in London and another in Chicago, in “coming months”, a spokeswoman told RI.

Al Gore’s Generation is recruiting an equities manager to focus opportunities in Asia. The London-based firm, headed up by Al Gore and David Blood, wants the new addition to specialise in the Asia region (excluding Japan) across Generation’s flagship Global Equity Fund and its Asia fund. Applicants must have “a long term interest in sustainability, particularly its materiality for investors and the capital markets”, according to a statement from Generation.

Focusing Capital on the Long Term (FCLT) has appointed Sarah Keohane Williamson as its inaugural Chief Executive Officer. Williamson joins after 21 years at fund manager Wellington, where she was most recently a Partner and Director of Alternative Investments. FCLT was launched in 2013 by the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) and McKinsey & Company to develop practical structures, metrics and approaches for longer-termism in the investment and business worlds. It is also backed by BlackRock, The Dow Chemical Company and Tata Sons. Williamson said: “FCLT’s goal is to become a hub for ideas and a resource for those who want to implement longer-term behaviours among investment and business professionals.”

Emma Lupton has joined BMO Global Asset Management in its London office as an ESG Analyst. Lupton was previously at CDP as a European Water Account Manager, where she managed the organisation’s water programme expansion and workedwith investors and policymakers. Prior to that, she spent three months participating in a research project at Alliance Trust, reviewing the financial integration of ESG factors and incorporating water into the investment process.

The Carbon Trust is expanding its team in Latin America by creating a new director position. The organisation, which advises companies and investors globally on how to reduce their emissions, told RI that it was experiencing growth in the region and was, as a result, seeking a director to head its operations there. The position will be based out of Brazil, where it currently has just one member of staff. It has a fully-staffed office in Mexico.

Nicolas Moreau, Chairman and Chief Executive of AXA France, has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer at Deutsche Asset Management. Moreau was a former CEO at AXA Investment Managers. He replaces Quintin Price who departed in June for health reasons, after just a few months at the firm.

Olaf Huth has joined Aquila Capital’s advisory board. The ESG-focused investment firm has added Huth to its board, citing his track record with high net worth clients, family offices and institutional investors. He previously held senior positions at HSBC Trinkaus. “Alternative investments have been an area of increasing importance for Aquila Capital,” said Huth, whose role has now commenced.

Social Investment Scotland (SIS) has hired Chris Jamieson as Lead Fund Manager for its Social Growth Fund. Jamieson formerly worked at Royal Bank of Scotland – most recently in the role of Assistant Director of Corporate Banking. SIS is a not-for-profit lender to charities, community organisations and social enterprises that may struggle to access conventional finance. It was created in 2001 by the Scottish Government, and has backing from RBS, Bank of Scotland, TSB, the Co-operative Bank and Clydesdale.