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Federated Hermes Welcomes New Nordic Champion

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Stockholm (NordSIP) – At the start of November, Christine Bergstedt Jorgensen (Pictured) was appointed Director for Business Development in the Nordics at Federated Hermes. Bergstedt Jorgensen has 24 years of experience in the financial industry and has worked for global institutions such as UBS, Nykredit and Aviva, among others. NordSIP reached out to Bergstedt Jorgensen to better understand why she joined Federated Hermes and how sustainable investments stand out in the Nordics.

When the Stars Align

Describing her decision to join Federated Hermes, Bergstedt Jorgensen is keen to highlight the firm’s reputation and its sustainable investment track record.  “I have followed the work of Federated Hermes for a long time, but it was only last year that the stars aligned, and an opportunity came up for me to join the team. The company has a long track record in sustainable investment and with my own extensive experience within ESG, impact and sustainable investments, I knew it would be a good fit,” she says.

Having recently deepened her climate investing expertise also gave Bergstedt Jorgensen a new perspective on her new employer. “A turning point for me was perhaps gaining my CFA Certificate in Climate and Investing. This has really helped me not just understand the risks of climate change, but also the opportunities for investors. Federated Hermes is somewhere where I can have these important conversations with clients,” she adds.

Nordics Remain Committed

At a time when sustainable investing and ESG have come under fire in several countries, Bergstedt Jorgensen notes that the Nordics’ commitment has not waned. “Sustainable investment started out as basic screening criteria, before the emergence of ESG in the early 2000s. The industry then evolved to incorporate impact investment and engagement and is worth tens of trillions of dollars. Despite some of the backlash and politicisation of ESG, sustainable investment in all its forms remains integral to the Nordic market, which is often regarded as a global leader in sustainability practices,” she explains.

According to Bergstedt Jorgensen, this continued commitment to sustainable investing in the Nordics stems from the fact that such factors reflect broader societal values and priorities. “There is a strong commitment from Nordic institutional investors as well as at the corporate and national level. These factors play an important role in the mindset of fund selectors, making it a significant factor in manager selection,” she continues.

A Significant Footprint in the Nordics

Bergstedt Jorgensen argues Federated Hermes enjoys the advantage of being a well-known name in the Nordics. “The Nordics are far from a homogenous market and with that comes a unique set of challenges, even with an on-the-ground presence. There are also a small number of very strong domestic asset managers, which can make it difficult for international managers to get a foot-holding. I consider Federated Hermes to be one of the few that has done this successfully,” she says.

“Federated Hermes has a long-standing presence across the Nordic region, where we have been operating for over a decade. Whilst originally focusing purely on the institutional landscape solutions, we now offer a broad set of solutions across investor types, with a significant footprint for an international manager,” Bergstedt Jorgensen tells NordSIP.

She also notes that Federated Hermes engagement and stewardship services allow it to stand out from the competition based on the merits of its dedication to sustainable investing rather than having to leverage its broader reputation.

“A unique aspect to the company (and one of the key reasons for me joining) is its reputation as a leading Sustainable Investment house. Sustainable investing and all its forms have become a crowded market in recent years, so being authentic and genuine in this sector is key; something Federated Hermes has been able to do because of its long history as a pioneer in this space as well as the size and scope of its stewardship team, EOS, which I find is a differentiator in the conversations I am having with prospective clients,” Bergstedt Jorgensen concludes.

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