RI People & Appointments, September 5: Nordea ESG analyst moves to real estate firm

Anna Strömberg has been appointed as a portfolio manager at Swedish real estate firm Catella’s fund management operations. Catella said she joins from Nordea Responsible Investments, where she worked to develop and operate the processes of sustainability analysis at Nordea and to improve integration between the equity and ESG teams. “We have chosen to recruit an individual with extensive experience of managing equities, combined with excellent knowledge of sustainability. Our clients these days demand strong procedures for sustainability, and we therefore have a clear ambition to also improve in this area. It is important for sustainability efforts to be truly integrated into the management process, and Anna’s extensive experience of portfolio management is therefore central,” said Erik Kjellgren, head of Swedish fund operations.

Harry Pastuszek has been named Client Engagement Vice President, a new role, at PYXERA Global, the US-based body that works with the public, private, and social sectors to address social challenges. He was formerly VP for Enterprise and Community Development. Amanda MacArthur, formerly VP of the firm’s Global Pro Bono practice, will assume oversight of all of PYXERA Global practice areas as Chief Program Officer. Gavin Cepelak becomes VP, Global Pro Bono. Vice President of Operations, Soud Habbas, has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer.

Sam Besley has been named as a regional sales manager for Robeco Australia, according to reports. He joins the fund firm’s Melbourne office from Goldman Sachs Asset Management. Besley will work alongside sales manager, Matthew Young, who was based in Robeco’s Sydney office.

The Global Canopy Programme, the Oxford-based tropical forest think tank, has two new staff. Oliver Wagg begins a new role as Head of Knowledge and Content. He has worked in sustainable business and investment as a journalist and communications consultant for over 12 years, having spent his early career reporting on financial markets and economics. And there is a new member of the team at the Natural Capital Declaration, the global finance-led initiative convened by the GCP and the UN Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI). Marie Morice is Head, Natural Capital Finance Programme. Over the past four years, she worked at Barclays as Head of Global Sustainability Strategy and Delivery.

Jennifer Layke has been selected to lead the World Resources Institute’s Energy Program. She has been leading WRI’s Building Efficiency Initiative, and she will continue to oversee that work, along with WRI’s growing energy portfolio.Désirée Lucchese has joined the Urban Systems team (Building + Places) at AECOM Sydney, part of the New York-listed multinational engineering firm, focusing on developing strategies for precinct-wide sustainability urban planning. She was formerly with the Climate Disclosure Standards Board (CDSB) and has had stints with Inflection Point Capital Management and Sedex. She sits on the board at the Environmental Investment Organisation (EIO) think tank.

ANZ’s Claire Rogers will succeed long-serving CEO Tim Costello as chief executive of World Vision, Australia’s largest international development and humanitarian relief agency. Rogers is currently head of Digital Banking Australia at ANZ and takes up the role in November; Costello will become chief advocate for World Vision Australia.

Jon Little is stepping down as a non-executive director of UK asset manager Jupiter Fund Management as of October 31. A founder of private investment business Northill Capital and a former Vice Chairman of BNY Mellon, Little has been a director for five years.

Actis, the UK-based growth markets investor, has appointed Lisa Pinsley as a director in the Energy team in the Johannesburg office. She previously worked for American Capital Energy & Infrastructure (ACEI), where she was a Director for Africa Investments.

Christine Hurtsellers has been named CEO of Voya Investment Management, the US fund firm (the former ING Investment Management in the US) with $203bn under management. Hurtsellers, who has been CIO of fixed income since 2009, succeeds Jeffrey Becker. Matt Toms replaces Hurtsellers as CIO, fixed income. Becker has been named chairman and CEO at Jennison Associates, part of Prudential Financial’s PGIM investment management business.

Mark Hill has been named as Chief Investment Officer at mining firm Barrick Gold, a new role. He will chair Barrick’s Investment Committee and will work alongside CFO Catherine Raw. He re-joins Barrick after four years at Waterton Global Resource Management, where he is currently a partner and Head of Mining. Announcement

Emelyn dela Peña, Harvard University’s assistant dean for equity, diversity, and inclusion, is leaving her position for a new role at Washington University, according to college newspaper the Harvard Crimson.

Liesel Van Ast has left the Natural Capital Declaration (NCD) to become a Signatory Relations Manager at the United Nations’ Environmental Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI). Van Ast worked as a programme manager for the NCD, working with UNEP FI – as well as banks and fund managers – to promote natural capital considerations into financial products, accounting and reporting. She is now responsible for managing UNEP FI’s relationships with members, overseeing its training programme, and dealing with outreach and engagement with financial institutions.