Robeco has appointed David Thomas as Senior Portfolio Manager to complement the investment team of the forthcoming RobecoSAM Biodiversity strategy. Mr. Thomas has joined the company’s Zurich office and is working alongside investment professionals from Robeco’s Thematic Investment team, SI Research, and Active Ownership across the company. Together with Aaron Re’em, a long-standing member of Robeco’s thematic investment team and key developer of the investment strategy for the biodiversity theme, Mr. Thomas is currently preparing for the launch of the RobecoSAM Biodiversity Equities thematic investment strategy in Q4 2022.
Mr. Thomas comes from Ellerston Capital, where he was a Portfolio Manager, managing multiple strategies including a fund for one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth asset owners. He brings 28 years of experience in financial markets. Having worked for global corporations such as Price Waterhouse Coopers, Macquarie Bank, Morgan Stanley and CLSA, his expertise in equity markets has been honed over multiple roles in both Sydney and London, focused on the consumer and IT sectors. Mr. Thomas holds a Bachelor of Business from Swinburne University and successfully completed the leadership program at Harvard Business School.
Mark van der Kroft, CIO Fundamental and Quant Equity, Robeco:
“We are very pleased to welcome David to Robeco. Our range of thematic investment strategies has seen strong interest, and our dedication, ambition and commitment allows us to attract the best world-class professionals. David’s appointment marks an essential step toward launching the RobecoSAM Biodiversity Equities thematic investment strategy, an important milestone in the biodiversity roadmap we outlined earlier this year.”
David Thomas, Senior Portfolio Manager, RobecoSAM Biodiversity Equities strategy, Robeco:
“The acceleration in the loss of biodiversity poses significant risks to the global economy: USD 44 trillion – or half the world’s GDP – is dependent on nature. The financial sector has a crucial role in helping to reduce further biodiversity loss by investing in companies that sustainably use or preserve natural capital. I am very proud to have been appointed Senior Portfolio Manager of the new strategy. I am pleased to be working with Aaron and the wider team of investment and SI specialists. Together we aim to deliver to our clients an exciting and meaningful opportunity within the biodiversity theme.”
Robeco intends to launch the RobecoSAM Biodiversity Equities strategy in Q4 2022. It will be an actively managed strategy that invests in a concentrated yet diverse portfolio of companies. The investment universe will be comprised of companies that support the sustainable use of natural resources and ecosystem services, as well as technologies, products and services that help to reduce biodiversity threats or contribute to restoring natural habitats. The strategy will be classified as ‘Article 9’ under the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR). Further information about the strategy will be available at launch.
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