Active asset manager Allianz Global Investors (AllianzGI) announced today a restructuring of its dedicated sustainable investments team, along with addition of two new hires, Thomas Roulland and Julien Bertrand, to the team.

Roulland and Bertrand are both joining AllianzGI from Axa IM, where Roulland served as Head of Responsible Investment Solutions, Models & Tools, and Bertrand worked as an ESG analyst.

Under the new structure, the team will be organized under three pillars:

• Sustainability Methodologies & Analytics. This newly created team will innovate with state-of-the-art technology and ESG data, including Artificial Intelligence and Natural Language Processing, in order to support research, develop new methodologies across asset classes and develop client-oriented solutions. The team will also oversee AllianzGI’s ESG integration efforts, ESG scoring method and develop the firm’s data set for the climate strategy. The team will be led by Roulland, who will be joined by Bertrand as an ESG analyst.

• Sustainability Research & Stewardship. This new team manage thematic research and engagement strategy. The team will be led by Mark Wade, previously Co-Director of Research Credit, with Isabel Reuss continuing to head the Sustainability Research team, which will also develop a thematic approach along the topics of Climate, Planetary Boundaries and Inclusive Capitalism. AllianzGI also announced the promotion of Antje Stobbe to Head of Stewardship, responsible for leading the firm’s engagement and proxy voting activities globally.

• Sustainable Investment Office. The newly created team will be responsible for shaping AllianzGI’s overall sustainable investment strategy and policies, sustainable product strategy and the coordination of cross-functional sustainability topics across the firm, and will play a critical role in providing improved knowledge to clients and other stakeholders on AllianzGI’s sustainable investment capabilities. Nina Hodzic, who was Director ESG Integration and Solutions since 2019 has been promoted to lead the new team.

AllianzGI stated that the new moves are being made to enhance its commitment to sustainability and accelerate its ambition to be a leader in sustainability. The announcement follows a significant acceleration of the firm’s sustainable investing strategy launched earlier this month, with the announcement that 74 of its equity, fixed income and multi-asset funds, representing €70 billion of AUM, will join its current sustainable investment offering.

Matt Christensen, Global Head of Sustainable and Impact Investing at AllianzGI, said:

“This structure brings a new focus on ESG data and technology, a refreshed research setup and a dedicated sustainable investment office that will help accelerate our drive to embed sustainability across the firm. The team set-up will provide us with the platform we need to ensure that we are in a position to shape – not follow – the market in the years ahead on critical issues like climate change and social inequalities.”