In a statement, JANA said former Westpac executive manager of risk Rachel Halpern had been appointed to the newly created role of head of sustainability.
Ms Halpern had had “an established advisory career covering risk and commercial litigation”, including as regulatory counsel for State Street Bank in Asia Pacific and Europe, and as an investigator in the enforcement and financial crime division of the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority.
“Ms Halpern has a decade’s experience in developing investment strategies which minimise regulatory and fiduciary risk through the effective integration of ESG,” the group said.
“She will oversee JANA’s fast-growing sustainability team with a focus on managing climate change risk for clients.”
JANA principal consultant Duncan Smith said Ms Halpern’s appointment would build on the steps being taken at JANA to maximise its capabilities in the sustainability space.
“We are thrilled to have someone with Rachel’s unique skill set and international perspective on board to ensure we deliver not only exceptional investment outcomes for clients but also superior sustainability outcomes,” Mr Smith said.
“Rachel’s experience in ESG integration will be fundamental in achieving sustainable long-term investment outcomes from well-constructed portfolios for our clients.”
Commenting on her appointment, Ms Halpern said she was excited about the prospect of contributing to the group’s efforts on ethical investing.
“JANA is already leading the way in sustainable investment practices, and as Australia’s largest investment consultancy has the scale to truly influence the future for the industry,” she said.
“I look forward to embarking on this journey to continuously improve, support and implement JANA in sustainable investment practices.”
