Australian Ethical has announced the following senior appointments:
Ludovic Theau will join as Chief Investment Officer effective 3 April 2023. Theau is the former Chief Investment Officer of the $30bn Clean Energy Finance Corporation and has more than 30 years’ investment management and investment banking experience across Europe and Australia with global organisations including Hastings, Westpac, ABN Amro, Macquarie, UBS and BNP Paribas.
John Woods, Australian Ethical’s Head of Asset Allocation, has been promoted to the role of Deputy Chief Investment Officer and Head of Multi Assets. A registered CFA, Woods has 17 years’ investment experience across asset allocation and prior to joining Australian Ethical in 2021, held senior investment roles at as well as strategy and portfolio management roles at CLSA, Macquarie Group, and IBM.
Alison George will commence in the new role of Head of Impact & Ethics effective 1 May 2023. She will lead Australian Ethical’s research team and also be accountable for the ongoing development of the company’s impact framework and delivery. With more than 25 years’ experience across impact investing, ESG, sustainability and accounting services, she has held previous senior investment and leadership roles at Regnan, Monash Sustainability Enterprises, Essential Services Commission and EY.
Head of Ethics Research, Dr Stuart Palmer, will step into the role of Ethical Futures Lead to focus on bespoke dedicated areas of research and analysis relating to the ethical investing landscape.
Managing Director John McMurdo said: “Australian Ethical’s significant leadership and global reputation, enables it to attract and retain domestic and international candidates of the highest calibre. The appointments of Ludo, John and Alison reinforce this position, and further enhance our leadership in ethical investing not only in Australia, but globally.”
Mark Burgess will join ART as a Director of the ART Board and a Member of the Investment Committee in mid-2023. He is currently a board member and Investment Committee Chair of HESTA and will join ART after his term concludes at HESTA. Burgess is a former Managing Director of the Future Fund and has held roles as both Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer for major investors and financial institutions internationally and in Australia.
Linda Apelt joins as a Director of the ART Board (effective from 27 January 2023). She is formerly the Agent-General for Queensland in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland Trade and Investment Commissioner for Queensland in Europe and Sub-Sahara Africa. Apelt is currently the Chair of Opera Queensland and a Member of the Griffith University Council. She previously served as a Director on the QSuper Board of Trustees from 2001–2005 and as Director-General of the Departments of Housing and Community Services.
Guy Debelle joins as external Adviser to the ART Investment Committee (effective from 25 February 2023). Dr Debelle worked at the Reserve Bank of Australia for 25 years, including as Deputy Governor for six years. He also recently held a role as Chief Financial Officer and he is a director at global green energy company Fortescue Future Industries. Dr Debelle previously chaired the climate change working group of the Australian Council of Financial Regulators.
Commenting on the appointments, ART Chair Andrew Fraser said: “All three of our new appointees are exceptional leaders in their own right and we’re proud to have them join Australian Retirement Trust.”
Workplace mental health and well-being not-for-profit SuperFriend has announced the appointment of Nicholas Vamvakas as its new Chairperson to its Board of Directors, effective from 14th February 2023.
Vamvakas’ appointment follows his tenure on the SuperFriend Board since 2021. With 35 years in the financial services sector, he has held executive positions at Cbus and ME Bank and was the former CEO at Equipsuper. Vamvakas is also the Chair of the Finance Risk and Audit Committee of Football Victoria.