ESG expert joins Forsyth Barr

Forsyth Barr has created a new role for a former NZ Super Fund investment strategist to meet the growing demand for advice and solutions for environmental, social and governance (ESG) based investments.

Tuesday, November 23rd 2021, 9:34AM

Katie Beith joined Forsyth Barr earlier this month and is the company's first head of ESG and is based in Auckland.

Beith's career in ESG-based investment began in 2004 with Newton Investment Management in London where she introduced the UN-supported Principles for Responsible Investment into the company’s processes.

She joined the New Zealand Super Fund in February 2016 where she was a senior investment strategist for responsible investment and a key contributor to driving the fund’s climate change investment strategy and designing its new sustainable finance strategy.

She also sits on the External Reporting Board’s Stakeholder Advisory Panel (XRAP) and is an observer on the NZ National Advisory Board for Impact Investing.

Forsyth Barr managing director Neil Paviour-Smith says many of Forsyth Barr’s significant investment clients, including community trusts, iwi and philanthropic funds, have ESG principles as a priority in their mandates.

“Katie’s expertise will help incorporate ESG factors into our research process, investment strategy, and client reporting as well as assisting advisers with specific client needs,” he says.

Beith says she will help steer a very deliberate commitment to ESG that goes into all elements of the business.

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