Janus Henderson Investors has appointed Paul LaCoursiere as global head of environmental, social and governance (ESG) investments, who will commence the role on 6 January, 2021.
LaCoursiere had over 20 years of investment research experience and in the newly-created role would drive the integration of ESG across its strategies.
He joined from Aviva Investors, where he had held various roles since 2014 and was most recently global head of ESG research.
LaCoursiere had also held senior portfolio manager, client portfolio manager, and senior fixed income strategist roles with Chicago Equity Partners, Barclays Global Investors, and Munder Capital Management.
He would be based in Janus Henderson’s London office and report to Enrique Chang, global chief investment officer.
Chang said the firm believed there was a correlation between the evaluation of ESG factors and identifying companies that would grow and succeed in the future.
“Paul augments our existing strong capabilities with his experience and leadership skills which will further embed ESG capabilities within our investment philosophies,” Chang said.
Matt Gaden, Janus Henderson Investors head of Australia, said he believed the transition to a low-carbon economy is a trend that will continue and COVID-19 had given an accidental glimpse into a low-carbon future.
“Cities have been quieter and with a marked reduction in air travel we have seen a significant drop in air pollution levels,” Gaden said.
“In Australia, we are also witnessing more investors and those who advise them, demand investment portfolios that reflect their broader values.”
“Janus Henderson has a 30-year history in sustainable investing and we are continually scanning the horizon to help protect our clients’ wealth from risk – whether that’s political, environmental, social or economic in nature, or even from risk on a governance front,” he said.
“Paul’s appointment is a valuable addition to our expanding ESG capability and our commitment to consideration of ESG across all asset classes and as a firm.”
