RI People & Appointments, Oct. 15: Sustainalytics’ McCarron leaves

Benjamin McCarron, Director, Asia at Sustainalytics, the environmental, social and governance (ESG) research house, has left the firm. McCarron’s departure comes just months after he joined Sustainalytics as part of its acquisition of Responsible Research, the Singapore-based ESG firm where he was Head of Research. The deal was finalized at the end of June. Prior to working out of Singapore, McCarron previously oversaw the integration of ESG at UK-based The Co-operative Asset Management (TCAM). Sustainalytics has begun recruiting a senior manager as McCarron’s replacement. Diederik Timmer, Managing Director of Sustainalytics’ European offices and Global Director of Institutional Relations, said the company had come to a “mutual agreement” with McCarron on his departure and that he would be on a period of gardening leave. As well as McCarron’s replacement, Timmer said Sustainalytics was looking to add two or three staff to the seven-strong personnel in its Singapore office. Lucy Carmody, the founder of Responsible Research and a former Asian equity research broker and CSR professional, now based in the UK, is currently on sabbatical. Sustainalytics has said Carmody will take up the role of Director of Institutional Relations, UK, beginning in the fourth quarter of 2012. McCarron could not be reached for comment.

Michael Diaz, the former Deputy CEO at sustainability rating agency Inrate, is to join the board of Switzerland-based sustainable bank Alternative Bank Schweiz (ABS). Diaz, currently at LGT Capital Management, will take over as head of investment and retail banking from Edy Walker. Inrate merged with peer firm Centre Info in 2010.

The winners of the FIR–PRI European Research Awards, organised by France’s Forum pour l’Investissement Responsable and the UN-backed Principles for Responsible Investment, have been named. They include: Enguerran Petit, Ioannis Oikonomou, Paul Lanoie, Jérémy Laurent-Luchetti, Nick Johnstone and Stephan Ambec.Marie-Christine Korniloff has been named director of SRI at Financière de l’Echiquier, the French boutique with €4.3bn under management. She was previously head of sustainable development at France’s Groupe BPCE. Link

Pam Wei Liu and David Cockcroft have joined Bridges Ventures, the UK-based sustainable growth investor, as Associates in its Sustainable Growth Funds team. They join from Citigroup and JP Morgan respectively.

Armin Sandhoevel, CEO of Allianz Climate Solutions, is to head up a six-strong renewable energy infrastructure team at Allianz Global Investors. Roderick MacDonald and Martin Ewald also join from Allianz Climate Solutions as portfolio managers. The team is planning to launch a renewables fund in the first quarter of next year.

Dr Ulrich Schröder, CEO of German state investor KfW Bankengruppe is the new President of the Long-Term Investors Club (LTIC), a group of 15 leading investors including the European Investment Bank, France’s Caisse des Dépôts, Italy’s Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, the Netherlands’ APG and Canada’s OMERS.

Rhodri Mason has been named as head of investment solutions and product strategy, a new role, at Hermes Fund Managers, the fund firm ultimately owned by the BT Pension Scheme. Mason will report to Harriet Steel, global head of business development. He joins from alternatives group Man Investments where he was head of UCITS management. He has had stints at Blackrock, Barclays Global Investors, LaSalle Investment Management and M&G Investments. Link

Lise Kingo, Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff at Danish drugs firm Novo Nordisk, has been named as the new chairman of the Danish Council on Corporate Social Responsibility. Anders Ladekarl, secretary general of the Danish Red Cross, becomes deputy chairman. Henrik Heideby, CEO at pensions firm PFA, also joins the council as a member.