ESG Investing Conference 2024

Afzal Amijee, Product Director, EMEA Data & Analytics, Broadridge. Afzal has a track record of executing and delivering go-to-market product strategies within a regulatory environment (SDR, SFDR, Consumer Duty and Value for Money), and has extensive experience in the global financial services industry.

Hortense Bioy, CFA, is Head of Sustainable Investing Research at Morningstar Sustainalytics. She leads the group’s ESG thought leadership research efforts globally with the objective of educating investors about ESG and providing them with the tools they need to evaluate investments through an ESG and sustainability lens. Based in London, Hortense joined in May 2024 from Morningstar Manager Research, where she led sustainability research for six years, first in Europe and then globally. Previously, she led Morningstar’s European ETF research for eight years. Hortense joined Morningstar as an ETF analyst in 2010 from Bloomberg where she was a financial journalist. She began her career as an M&A analyst at Société Générale in Hong Kong. Hortense holds a master’s degree in finance from Paris Dauphine University and a postgraduate degree in finance from Paris Sorbonne University. She is also a CFA charter holder.

Dr. Matthias Breier is Head of ESG Product at FE fundinfo, the leading leading financial data company connecting the asset management industry to distribution networks in the UK, Europe and Asia Pacific. In his role, he sets the product strategy and execution plans for ESG product solutions for asset managers and advisory clients. Prior to FE fundinfo, Breier worked as ESG Product Manager at CSSP, a fund and portfolio ESG reporting company based in Liechtenstein. Matthias has a PhD in Business Model Innovation from the University of Lappeenranta, Finland.

Stuart is Head of Product Governance and ESG Product at M&G Investments, a dual role, which among other things involves responsibility for regulated fund materials (prospectuses, KIDs, etc.) and ESG Product design. Stuart is M&G Investments’ lead for SDR, having previously been central to the development of M&G’s SFDR documentation. He is an active participant in various Investment Association, TISA, and UKSIF committees. Prior to joining M&G, he was a lawyer at Allen & Overy before working in various capacities at Royal London, Threadneedle, Morgan Stanley, State Street, Franklin Templeton and Invesco. He is President of Wapping Hockey Club and former Chair of the London Youth Games.

Tom is a partner in Burges Salmon's financial services team and heads the firm's funds and financial regulation team. He specialises in investment funds and financial services regulatory work, with particular expertise in relation to the structuring, establishment, operation and winding up of UK regulated investment funds such as OEICs, AUTs and ACSs. He acts for fund operators and other product providers, administrators, investment managers, advisers, platforms, custodians and, on the buy side, for institutional investors such as pension funds. He is co-author of the chapter on regulated collective investment schemes in ‘Financial Advice and Financial Products – Law and Liability’ published by the Oxford University Press. Tom has spent time on secondment at both The Royal Bank of Scotland and the BNP Paribas group.

Andy Ford is Head of Responsible Investment at St. James’s Place (SJP). Andy is a member of the investment team and is focused on investment manager selection and monitoring as well as leading SJP’s Stewardship activity. Before joining SJP in 2024 Andy was Head of ESG Investment Directors at Aviva Investors. Prior to this he held positions in investment management and equity research at firms including Standard Life Investments, JP Morgan Cazenove and Goldman Sachs Asset Management. Andy graduated from the University of Cambridge in 2002 and is a CFA Charterholder. He also holds the Professional Risk Manager designation, the Global Association of Risk Professionals Sustainability and Climate Risk Certificate, the Cambridge Sustainable Finance Certificate and the CFA ESG Certificate. Andy is currently studying for a MSc in Carbon Management at the University of Edinburgh.

Ulf Herbig is Director Data and Innovation at Kneip. He has over 15 years of experience in the Financial Services and Asset Management industry. Before joining Kneip he worked for Hauck & Aufhäuser Asset Management and Hauck & Aufhäuser Private Banquiers. He has been representing the Luxembourg Fund Association (ALFI) in data standardization initiatives of FinDatEx on EPT, EMT and EET. Furthermore, Ulf is active in various associations, including TISA, the IA, EFAMA, BVI and ALFI.

Nosheen Malik is Head of Sustainability, Risk and Regulation at Artemis Investment Management, where her responsibilities include managing all sustainability-related regulatory change. She previously led the firm’s implementation of SFDR and TCFD requirements and is now leading the firm’s strategic approach to SDR implementation. Nosheen is also a member of the Investment Association’s Sustainability and Responsible Investment Committee. Prior to joining Artemis, Nosheen has acquired a broad range of cross-discipline experience over her 23-year career. She began her career as a corporate lawyer at Clifford Chance before transitioning to the hedge fund industry as a portfolio manager. She subsequently advised corporate and investment fund clients as an independent consultant. Nosheen is also a diversity advocate and was appointed to the Advisory Board of the Government-commissioned Socio-Economic Diversity Taskforce in 2020, playing a key role in drafting the Taskforce’s recommendations report, her contribution to which earned her the Freedom of the City of London.

With 40+ years in the City and a marked tenure at M&G, Jeffrey Mushens has continually innovated – from launching M&G’s Direct to Customer business to spearheading TISA projects. As a chartered accountant, thought leader, and pioneer, Jeffrey’s legacy in the financial realm remains unassailable.

Brandon Wong is a solicitor in Burges Salmon’s Funds and Financial Regulation team and focuses on financial services regulatory matters for a broad range of clients. Brandon regularly advises on the formation and regulation of retail fund structures for fund manager clients as well as on the development and regulation of investment platform propositions. More recently, Brandon has advised a number of wealth management clients on the application of the FCA’s Sustainability Disclosure Requirements including in respect of both new fund launches and changes to existing funds.

As Director of Risk and Technical Policy at TISA, Lisa has emerged as one of the leading voices in Consumer Duty, having brought together the industry to produce a comprehensive Best Practice Guide, and currently working to bring about a standardised framework for data sharing across the distribution chain. Lisa also leads TISA work on vulnerability, an area which she is particularly passionate about, having had lived experience. Lisa is an experienced outsourcing, risk and CASS specialist with over 25 years’ experience in financial services, with a particular focus on client protection. She has held senior roles encompassing oversight of outsourced delivery of services within the asset management sector to both retail and professional clients, and held the role of CF10a, an FCA approved role responsible for compliance to Client Asset Protection. Prior to this she held senior roles in a large outsourcing service provider, including as a Lead Client Relationship Manager responsible for delivering services appropriate for a regulated firm, and leading large operational finance teams based in the UK and India. She has significant experience in implementing oversight and risk management frameworks to effectively identify and manage the risks associated with outsourcing and offshoring regulated activities. During her time as a CF10a, she took a key role in a joint client/service provider remediation programme, gaining valuable experience and insight into meeting the regulators expectation in relation to service providers performance, and regulated firms oversight of its outsourcing arrangements. She has a breadth of regulatory knowledge, in particular with a deep understanding of SYSC; CASS; COBs; COLL; MiFID; and MiFID II and is accomplished in assisting senior managers to Board level in understanding regulatory obligations.