RI People & Appointments, Oct. 9: Thomas Kuh, Executive Director of ESG Indexes at MSCI, departs

Thomas Kuh, Global Head of ESG Indexes at MSCI, has stepped down from his role at the index and ESG data firm. RI understands he will take some time out of the sector. He was responsible for engagement with key clients regarding the adoption of ESG indexes for index-linked products and as policy benchmarks. He initiated the collaboration with Bloomberg Barclays to develop a family of ESG fixed income indexes. He joined MSCI in 2010 following the $1.55bn acquisition of the RiskMetrics Group, which acquired KLD Research & Analytics in 2009. During his 17 years at KLD, Kuh held a number of positions, the last of which was Managing Director of KLD Indexes.

Edwin Velzel, former CEO of Dutch insurer Univé, has been named CEO at Dutch pension giant PGGM. He takes up his new role from November 1, succeeding Else Bos, who is becoming Executive Director and Chair for Prudential Supervision at De Nederlandsche Bank from July 2018. Velzel served as chair of PGGM’s Supervisory Board from May 17-September 13. Last Month, RI also reported that Marcel Jeucken, Managing Director Responsible Investment, at PGGM was leaving the €205bn fund to become an independent adviser on responsible investment.

Dietrich Domanski has been named as the new Secretary General at the Financial Stability Board (FSB), the high-level banking body that oversees the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). Domanski, currently Head of Economic Analysis at the Bank for International Settlements, takes over from Svein Andresen.

Reto Schwager, who became interim CEO at sustainability boutique RobecoSAM when Michael Baldinger stepped down unexpectedly in 2015, is leaving to head up Schroder Adveq. UK fund firm Schroders acquired private equity firm Adveq earlier this year. Schwager, who was Global Head of Private Equity at Robeco, will be based in Zurich and will report to Schroder Adveq’s executive chairman Stephen Mills.

Nick Temple, deputy CEO of Social Enterprise UK, has been appointed as the new chief executive of Social Investment Business, one of the UK’s first social investors. Temple, who has also held positions at the British Council and the School for Social Entrepreneurs, will start the role in January 2018.

David Miller has been declared the ‘unofficial’ winner of one of two Member-at-Large seats open on the Board of Administration of the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS). The other seat will be decided by a runoff election next month between incumbent Michael Bilbrey and challenger Margaret Brown. Miller, who has served as a state regulator, labor leader, and mediator, will be considered unofficial until formal certification by the California Secretary of State. He and the winner of the runoff will each serve four-year terms beginning January 2018.Faith Ward, Chief RI Officer at the UK’s Environment Agency Pension Fund (EAPF), has been named Chief Responsible Investment Officer at the Brunel Pension Partnership (BPP), one of the new eight pension pools formed by UK local government pension funds. Ward is one of three senior appointments at the fund. She is joined by Matthew Trebilcock who has been named as Client Relationship Director, and David Anthony who has been appointed Head of Finance and Corporate Services. All three join from funds now pooled in to the Brunel partnership – with Trebilcock and Anthony joining from Cornwall Council and Wiltshire Pension Fund, respectively.

Orith Azoulay, Head of SRI Research at Natixis, will head up the French investment manager’s newly launched ‘Green & Sustainable Hub’. Housed in the firm’s Corporate and Investment Banking division, the hub will provide issuer and investor clients with green and sustainable finance expertise and research. The ‘hub’ will also include a research centre to be managed by Senior SRI Analyst, Cecile de Coincy. Azoulay will report to Mohamed Kallala, Global Head of Investment Banking, and Luc Francois, Head of Global Markets. Announcement

Cathrine de Connick-Lopez, Sustainable and Responsible Investment Officer at Columbia Threadneedle Investments, has been appointed Head of ESG at Invesco Perpetual. She leaves the funds arm of Ameriprise Financial after nine years. RI was told by an Invesco spokesperson that de Connick-Lopez will lead a small team based out of London and will work closely with the firm’s global ESG team.

Silvia Dall’Angelo, Global Economist at London based hedge fund manager, Prologue Capital, has been appointed Senior Economist at Hermes Investment Management, the £30.8bn fund manager owned by the BT Pension Scheme. She will now be responsible for providing macroeconomic analysis and commentary, non-standard macroeconomic modelling, and developing relationships with key central banks and monetary authorities.

Matthieu Maurin, Director, Sustainable Finance and Renewables at BNP Paribas, has been appointed Managing Director at French carbon data solutions developer, Carbon4 Finance, IPE reports. Carbon4Finance is a subsidiary of French carbon analytics company, Carbone4 – which has been used by French pension funds ERAFP and FRR.

Michael Monaghan, former Managing Director of State Super Financial Services Australia Ltd., has reportedly been appointed Non-Executive Director at wealth management firm, Australian Ethical Investment.

Philip Stork, Professor of Financial Markets and Instruments at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam, has been named on the board of Dutch civil service pension fund ABP. He was appointed by the Board on October 1 after being nominated by the fund’s accountability body, on behalf of pensioners.

The Climate Bonds Initiative is looking for a Manager of Market Analysis on a one-year contract.