First Sentier Investors Appoints New Global Head of Responsible Investment

Global investment manager, First Sentier Investors (FSI), has appointed Kate Turner as Global Head of Responsible Investment (RI) and bolstered its RI team with four new appointments.

Sydney-based Turner replaces Will Oulton, who is retiring from the business at the end of the year. FSI Chief Executive Officer Mark Steinberg said: “I am delighted to internally appoint Kate as successor to this important role. For the past three years, Kate has played an integral role in working with our investment and Responsible Investment teams to support integration of ESG considerations into our investment processes, while also regularly engaging with clients and stakeholders."

The new RI hires include Finian Power, Head of ESG Policy & Regulation: Appointed to the role in October this year, Power was previously Head of Investment Management in FSI’s Dublin office. Power now plays a leading role in developing the firm’s understanding of current and emerging ESG/sustainability policy and regulatory issues globally, drawing on more than 20 years’ experience in managing regulatory change in asset management.

Bjorn De Smedt, RI Specialist: Sydney-based De Smedt is a corporate governance, climate change and sustainability specialist with over 18 years of experience in the financial services industry and a deep knowledge of ESG data and analytics. Prior to joining FSI in October this year, he worked for Institutional Shareholder Services for 12 years.

Rhys Foulkes, RI Specialist: Foulkes has spent the past 15 years in investment management focused on fixed income, most recently as Senior Credit Analyst at FSI, developing a special interest in ESG. Based in London, Foulkes will transition into his new RI role in the coming year.

Belinda White, RI Specialist: Sydney-based White has long been an advocate for increasing gender diversity in the workplace and championing financial gender equality, and has spent the past 20 years working in external stakeholder engagement. For the past three years, she has held the role of Senior Communications Manager at FSI and will move into her new RI role in January 2023.

The recent additions follow on from the appointment of RI nature and biodiversity specialist Joanne Lee, based in Hong Kong earlier this year, and Sydney-based RI Analyst Will Bartlett last year.

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