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22 October 2024 - Joining up the dots: why environmental impact needs a broader lens to achieve meaningful change

Online roundtable with Vontobel Asset Management.

Posted on Oct 22, 2024

Only members with restricted access (ie. academics, asset owners, government and regulatory, independent advisers/trustees and sponsoring employers) can view this article. Please login or join to view.

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In 2023, global investments in energy transition technologies once again surpassed investments in fossil fuel. Although this momentum is encouraging, all climate scenarios agree the capital directed to energy transition needs to scale up significantly, with renewable energy taking the largest share of investments. 
 
However, those sustainable energy supplies need to be connected! With more volatile and decentralised power generation from wind and solar, a comprehensive net-zero energy system needs to be complemented with a smarter and more resilient grid infrastructure. 
 
During this roundtable, we explored:  

  • How environmental impact investors with a broader lens can capture the full universe of opportunities.   

  • How to measure the positive impact of investments made from these opportunities. 

Who was this event open to?

This event was open to asset owners such as pension fund trustees and in-house executives, independent investment advisers, professional trustees and consultants. 
Watch recording here
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Speakers

Marco Lenfers, Client Portfolio Manager, Vontobel Asset Management

Marco Lenfers joined Vontobel Asset Management in 2013 and is a Client Portfolio Manager covering the Listed Impact strategies within the Sustainable Equities Boutique. Previously, he held similar roles at Vescore AG and at Notenstein La Roche Privatbank AG, both of which Vontobel acquired later on. From 2010 to 2013, he was Head of Client Portfolio Management at Bank J. Safra Sarasin AG in Basel.

From 2005 to 2009, he worked as Senior Relationship Manager for institutional clients at Bank Sarasin AG in Munich. From 2000 to 2005, he was Senior Portfolio Manager at HSBC Global Asset Management (Deutschland) GmbH in Düsseldorf. Marco holds a degree in Business Economics (Diplom-Kaufmann) from the University of Münster. He also is a CFA® charterholder.

Matthias Fawer, Senior ESG & Impact Analyst, Vontobel Impact Equity Team

Matthias joined Vontobel in 2016 and is a senior member of Vontobel’s Impact Equity team, leading their work in evaluating companies’ ESG ratings, investigating controversies and assessing their involvement in critical business areas alongside Vontobel’s financial analysts. 
 
Matthias co-ordinates their proxy voting and engagement activities and he is the author of their annual Impact reports. Before joining Vontobel, Matthias held similar roles at Vescore AG and NotensteinPrivatbank AG (acquired by Vontobel in 2016). 
 
Before that, he was a sustainability analyst at Bank J. Safra Sarasin. In the 1990s, he worked in the ecology department of EMPA, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, as senior expert for environmental life-cycle assessment on behalf of Swiss and European industry associations. 
 
Matthias holds a Masters' degree in Natural Sciences and a PhD from the Institute of Biotechnology at the ETH Zurich. 

Host

Karen Shackleton, Chair and Founder, Pensions for Purpose 

Karen has worked in the finance sector for over 30 years. As well as being Founder of Pensions for Purpose, she is Chair of the Strategic Investment Board for the Ministry of Justice and a Non-executive Director and Chair of the Board of Resonance Ltd, a social impact investment company. She sits on the Advisory Council of the Impact Investing Institute.  
  
Karen also provides independent investment advice to the London Boroughs of Islington, Camden and Hounslow through Apex Group. She was the Chief Executive/Managing Director of AllenbridgeEpic Investment Advisers from 2010 to 2013. Before that, she had 10 years’ experience as a fund manager and director for County NatWest and BZW Investment Management (now BlackRock).  

Pensions for Purpose

Pensions for Purpose exists as a bridge between asset managers, pension funds and their professional advisers, to encourage the flow of capital towards impact investment. Our aim is to empower pension funds to seek positive impact opportunities and mitigate negative impact risks.

Our Community allows members to learn from leaders in the impact investment industry. We provide a trusted environment to interact, collaborate and share knowledge. Members engage in a programme of activity to shape their strategy in ESG, sustainable and impact investments.

For more information, please email the Membership Manager.