Investment consultancy firm JANA has appointed Rachel Halpern as head of sustainability, where she will oversee the firm’s sustainability team, with a focus on managing climate change risk for clients.
Halpern joined from Westpac Group as executive manager for risk, prior to that, she worked in senior counsel and legal roles across the UK and Australia.
This included roles as regulatory counsel for APAC and EMEA at State Street Bank, and as an investigator in enforcement and financial crime division of the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority.
Halpern had decades of experience in developing investment strategies which minimise regulatory and fiduciary risk through the effective integration of environmental, social and governance (ESG).
Duncan Smith, JANA principal consultant, said the firm had been steadily expanding its capabilities in the sustainability space in recent years and this was a newly-created role.
“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,” Smith said.
“Rachel’s experience in ESG integration, and Green Framework implementation in particular, will be fundamental in achieving sustainable long-term investment outcomes from well-constructed portfolios for our clients.”
Halpern said she had dedicated her career to working to drive a real shift in fostering ethical and resilient financial systems.
“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,” Halpern said.
“I look forward to embarking on this journey to continuously improve, support and implement JANA in sustainable investment practices.”
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