Swiss private bank appoints new head of sustainable investment research

Swiss private bank J Safra Sarasin has announced Pierin Menzli to be the new head of sustainable investment research while unveiling plans to strengthen its commitment to sustainable investment.

The J Safra Sarasin Group, which focuses on long-term prosperity and commercial, social and ecological responsibility, said that the appointment would help reinforce the bank’s leadership position in sustainable investment and “take the investment philosophy to the next level”.

Pierin Menzli is a co-founder of Contrast Capital and a former head of research at SAM Sustainable Asset Management AG. Menzli also worked for the annual sustainability assessment of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index.

He said, “I am very excited to join bank J Safra Sarasin. In my new role at the Bank, I will work to improve sustainability insights to be integrated across all steps of the bank’s sustainable investment process, from company analysis to portfolio construction and to risk analysis.”

The bank has also announced a long-term mandate with sustainable investment solutions advisor Contrast Capital, which Menzli contributed to found.

Jan Poser, head of asset management at J. Safra Sarasin said, “We are convinced that the global economic drivers of innovation and resource scarcity will continue to broaden the demand for sustainable investment solutions from niche providers into the mainstream investment market.

“We are taking this step to remain ahead of the competition and ensure our clients benefit from the next generation of sustainable investment ideas, products and services.”

Further reading:

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Responsible investment is ‘an inevitable movement in society’

Finance giant UBS: ‘sustainable investment has entered the mainstream’