The professional services company announced the news on Friday, with Mr Silk confirmed to work on ESG matters, as well as investment, infrastructure, strategy and leadership matters.
It comes after Mr Silk announced in July that he was stepping down from his role of AustralianSuper chief executive after leading the fund for 15 years.
“I’m highly motivated about the opportunities in ESG,” Mr Silk said.
“ESG issues are fundamentally investment and financial issues. There is greater recognition in the market that most strong performing companies are those that take seriously ESG matters in the day-to-day running of their businesses.
“It’s a top order issue in Australia, with companies heavily exposed to climate change risks and regulators are continuing to escalate their expectations in how we should manage those risks.”
The appointment comes as KMPG expands its ESG practice with initiatives that include the launch of the decarbonisation hub and specialist ESG training for the firm’s entire Australian staff.
KMPG Australia CEO Andrew Yates said Mr Silk’s appointment reflects the business’ focus on adapting to changes for a more sustainable future and ensuring a positive impact on society.
“With one in every three CEOs planning to invest more than 10 per cent of revenue towards enhancing sustainability,” Mr Yates said.
“ESG is one of our priority investment areas under our refreshed firm strategy. We will sharpen our focus in supporting clients on these important issues.
“I am particularly excited about what Ian can offer our clients. Given his experience, there is no one in Australia better placed to provide strategic advice about ESG matters.”
Neil Griffiths
Neil is the Deputy Editor of the wealth titles, including ifa and InvestorDaily.
Neil is also the host of the ifa show podcast.
