10 januari 2011
Threadneedle Investments (Threadneedle) has appointed Iain Richards as Head of Governance and Responsible Investment. Iain will lead a team of three and will be responsible for the environmental, social and governance (ESG) research, policy and engagement on behalf of Threadneedle’s investment team. Threadneedle manages in excess of €71.9bn assets with over €38bn invested in equities.

Iain will join the company on 20 February 2012 and report to Leigh Harrison, Head of Equities.

Iain joins from Aviva Investors where he was Regional Head of Corporate Governance since 2003. Before Aviva Investors he was Head of Corporate Governance at Schroder Investment Management. He has also gained extensive experience at the Department of Trade and Industry, the London Stock Exchange and the UK Listing Authority.

Mark Burgess, Chief Investment Officer, comments: “Iain has extensive experience in corporate governance and will work with our investment teams to ensure we continue to maximise shareholder value through robust engagement with the companies which we invest in.

“Iain’s appointment, which increases our Governance and Responsible Investment team to three, reflects our belief that governance and responsible investment are key aspects of our stewardship responsibilities and an essential part of protecting and enhancing our clients’ long-term investment interests.”

Threadneedle’s Governance and Responsible Investment team includes Cathrine De Coninck-Smith, Governance and RI Analyst and Fionnuala O’Grady, Junior Governance and RI Analyst. Threadneedle Investments is a signatory to the UNPRI and an active member of organisations including the ACGA, UKSIF, EUROSIF, ICGN and ASRIA.