ESG investing, and more specifically ‘E’ is likely to take center stage in Asia as climate impact is forecasted to hit the region the hardest. The COVID pandemic has heightened this awareness of ESG risks and subsequent flow of capital towards more responsible investments further. ESG Funds have since become a viable pathway for some social investors seeking to implement an ESG-oriented investment strategy.
However, beginners may find the ESG Funds landscape difficult to navigate. Firstly, there is not yet a standard ESG reporting framework, although there are early leaders in the more unified markets in Europe and the US. Asia has also yet to enforce disclosure in a region with varying maturity in corporate governance. This has resulted in the lack of standardized, transparent and comprehensive ESG data and benchmarks.
Asia’s sustainable development goals are also at a different stages of achievement. Millions still lack access to energy, modern sanitation and clean water. This means Asian asset managers and investors may decarbonize their portfolios at a different pace than their Western counterparts. However, this also creates opportunities to catalyze more investment into Asia’s ESG Funds who engage Asia’s diverse communities in its new, greener pathways.
Join us to hear the challenges and successes experienced by some of Asia’s ESG Fund pioneers, as well as their outlook on how the landscape may potentially evolve.
Key Takeaways
- Learn about the types of funds that are suitable for ESG or impact investing strategies
- Understand the considerations when assessing and adopting ESG/sustainability frameworks across various fund possibilities
- Know the best practices adopted in the launch of ESG funds in Asia
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Praveen Jagwani
CEO, UTI International Singapore Co. Ltd. & UTI International Ltd.
Praveen has 27 years of experience in banking and investment management. Based in Singapore, he has been in his current role for nine years and has the mandate to build a global franchise for India centric assets.
Praveen started his career with ANZ Grindlays Bank, working with them in India, Australia and Bahrain across Credit, Consumer Finance, Systems & Private Banking. Later at Standard Chartered, as the Chief Investment Officer for Middle East and South Asia, he built the Wealth Management and Investment Advisory business. He then joined Merrill Lynch in London and managed their Hedge Fund & Private Equity Advisory business. He holds an under-graduate degree in Computer Science, a Masters degree in Operations Research and an MBA. In 2002, he completed the Chartered Financial Analysis (CFA) program.
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Stephanie Bilo
Chief Client & Investment Solutions Officer, responsAbility
Stephanie is in charge of Private Debt, Sales, Product Development & Management and Marketing & Communications teams. She has 20+ years of experience in banking and finance, and has ample experience in sales and distribution with institutional investors, family offices, and private clients. She has in-depth know-how as to the structuring of investment solutions, and a PhD in Finance from the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland.
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Tim Macready
Chief Investment Officer, Brightlight Investment Management
Tim brings over 20 years of experience in investing. He is passionate about seeing capital used in transformative ways that deliver financial and impact outcomes in complementary ways. He is the Chief Investment Officer of Brightlight, a firm that delivers impact investment advice and solutions to clients across the Asia-Pacific region. Previously Tim was the Chief Investment Officer of Christian Super. Tim sits on several Investment Committees and has extensive governance experience across investment and not-for-profit organisations.
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Patsian Low
Chief of Staff, Head of Platforms AVPN
Patsian is a driven social impact professional with over 24 years experience in fields of social finance, social entrepreneurship, philanthropy, non-profit leadership and commercial finance in the US and Asia. She has built strong networks of cross-sector stakeholders, managed multi-disciplinary teams, conceptualized and driven innovative projects and strategies that deliver results. She can add value to breakthrough strategic and operational efforts, especially in complex, multi-disciplinary impact initiatives. She does so through leadership, advisory, consultation and training in the fields of social economy, impact philanthropy and non-profit strategy.
She is currently Chief of Staff at AVPN, helping to build platforms that mobilise financial, human and intellectual capital towards specific thematic impact in Asia. She also advises AVPN’s work to mobilise policymakers across Asia to engage in the social impact funding ecosystem.
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