This week, Swedish pension fund AP7 held a webinar to discuss the conclusions of a recent report about climate lobbying and invited Swedish Minister of Financial Markets Per Bolund. Interestingly the discussion that emerged centred more on the classic battle of active owners vs. adepts of radical exclusions than on the main topic.
On the international scene, it was hard to miss Biden’s announcement that the US will be rejoining the Paris Agreement. We took a closer look at Biden’s climate plan and highlight some positive surprises.
We also caught up with Anja Rundquist who is leaving S&P Global Market Intelligence to join Worldfavor, a Swedish-based SaaS who proposes a platform which could solve many asset managers’ conundrums collecting data from portfolio companies as the new EU taxonomy comes into force.
In Norway, Storebrand Asset Management appointed Kamil Zabielski as Head of Sustainable Investments, filling a position that had been left vacant when Matthew Smith moved to KPMG last October. Meanwhile, Jupiter Asset Management lost Charlie Thomas, Head of Strategy, Environment and Sustainability, to EdenTree after 20 years at the company. Abbie Llewellyn-Waters will be replacing him.
East Capital Group acquired a 10% stake in Alquity and launched strategic partnership focused on synergies and scale which aims to strengthen sustainable investments, impact and improve ESG practices through the creation of a joint ESG and Impact Council. Also this week, Capital Dynamics partnered with EOS Investment Management to jointly acquire the rights to build three new solar projects in Italy while BNY Mellon Investment Management unveiled a trio of new ESG-focused thematic strategies – Future Earth, Future Food and Future Life.
Last but not least, the feedback from 44 organisations, including the PRI, the GRI, the CDSB, SASB and the WWF broadly endorses the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG) dual institutional set up on non-financial disclosures.
