Allianz Global Investors is reshaping the structure of its dedicated team under the leadership of Matt Christensen, Global Head of Sustainable and Impact Investing, as well as enlarging it with two new hires.
This new structure creates three pillars, which will help ensure AllianzGI continues to push the boundaries of sustainability for its clients.
First, a newly created Sustainability Methodologies & Analytics team will innovate with state-of-the-art technology and ESG data, including Artificial Intelligence and Natural Language Processing, in order to support research, develop new methodologies across asset classes and develop client-oriented solutions. The team will also oversee AllianzGI’s ESG integration efforts, ESG scoring method and develop the firm’s data set for the climate strategy.
Christensen, Global Head of Sustainability and Impact Investing, says: “We have strong ambitions with regard to carbon reduction, and the new team will be instrumental in transforming the pathway set out by the Net Zero Initiatives into operational targets for investors and comprehensive reporting to our clients.”
Thomas Roulland will head the Sustainability Methodologies & Analytics team. He will be joined by Julien Bertrand as an ESG analyst for methodologies and analytics. Both join from Axa IM, where Thomas Roulland was Head of Responsible Investment Solutions, Models & Tools, and Julien Bertrand worked as an ESG analyst recently.
The second area is a new Sustainability Research & Stewardship team. It will manage the thematic research and engagement strategy under the leadership of Mark Wade, who was previously Co-Director of Research Credit. Isabel Reuss will continue to head the Sustainability Research team, which will also develop a thematic approach along the topics of Climate, Planetary Boundaries and Inclusive Capitalism. Antje Stobbe, member of the Sustainability Research team since 2019, has been promoted Head of Stewardship and will lead AllianzGI’s engagement and proxy voting activities globally. Isabel and Antje will co-lead the “Climate Engagement with Outcome”. This approach aims to engage with companies on the climate transition pathway towards a low carbon economy.
Finally, a newly created Sustainable Investment Office will be responsible for shaping AllianzGI’s overall sustainable investment strategy and policies, sustainable product strategy and the coordination of cross-functional sustainability topics across the firm. The team will play a critical role in providing improved knowledge to clients and other stakeholders on AllianzGI’s sustainable investment capabilities. The team will be headed by Nina Hodzic, who was Director ESG Integration and Solutions since 2019 and has been promoted to the new role.
Matt Christensen adds: “This structure brings a new focus on ESG data and technology, a refreshed research setup and a dedicated sustainable investment office that will help accelerate our drive to embed sustainability across the firm. The team set-up will provide us with the platform we need to ensure that we are in a position to shape – not follow – the market in the years ahead on critical issues like climate change and social inequalities.”
