(WSJ) Investors Pile Into ETFs Dedicated to Socially Responsible ESG
For those who questioned if ESG has staying power, 2020 responded with a resounding “yes.” According to FactSet, flows into US ESG-related ETFs reached a record $27.4 billion in 2020, doubling the size of the sector. With a new climate-friendly administration taking office in the US, demand for ESG funds should continue to rise in 2021 and beyond.
How a growing asset manager made its first ESG hire.
Read and share this case study here (PDF).
Our client is a growing asset manager with a long history of value investing, including a top-ranked equity Global Value team which identified the need to integrate ESG factors into their investment process. TLG was engaged exclusively to identify and attract an ESG Analyst who would develop a new ESG framework, identify governance priorities, and integrate ESG factors into the Global Value team’s investment process.
Framework – as ESG factors are achieving mainstream consideration, many investors still do not have a framework for their integration. Our client needed to meet candidates with experience developing a framework from scratch.
Consensus – the effects of ESG factors on investment performance are still being debated. Our client needed candidates with strong leadership qualities, including the ability to engage skeptics and build consensus within the Global Value team and beyond, including the C-suite and other investment teams.
Turnaround – TLG was awarded the mandate after a retained search firm was unable to generate adequate results, including strong engagement from short-listed candidates. TLG needed to provide a fresh look and prompt turnaround.
TLG has mapped the market of ESG investment talent and developed relationships with relevant leaders in asset managers, consultancies, and ESG data providers. At the outset, our filter yielded a long list of 76 potential candidates who were not previously engaged.
We customized our screening interviews to capture our Client’s needs for experience in ESG framework development, positive leadership traits including consensus-building and advocacy, and genuine interest in the opportunity.
Diverse short-list – TLG short-listed 13 profiles, 11 of which were selected for interviews (85%). 6 of those 11candidates are diverse (55%).
Finalists – 3 highly engaged finalists were identified 5 weeks from engagement.
Placement – with our help, the Company landed a passive candidate they were targeting from start to finish. Also a diversity candidate, she was pre-closed by TLG and accepted the offer within 24 hours of delivery. She starts in March.
Sean Locke is Managing Partner and Founder of TLG | slocke@locke-group.com
The Locke Group (TLG) is a specialist executive search firm which has served the financial industry since 2003. As a boutique, we are deeply invested in our clients – our care for their experience and the experience of their candidates is second to none – and we possess both the strength and flexibility to deliver results which help to power their business.