Ludovic Theau

A leading ethical fund manager, Australian Ethical, has announced the expansion of its private markets offering with the launch of its Australian Ethical Growth Opportunities Fund providing institutional grade ethical private markets investment to wholesale investors.

Australian Ethical’s Growth Opportunities Fund has received Australian Government backing via the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) with a cornerstone commitment up to $125 million, alongside a $500 million seed investment from Australian Ethical.

The Fund provides wholesale investors access to an institutional grade, scalable, diversified portfolio of private markets investments designed to deliver both market rate returns and measurable impact. It is an open-ended fund that blends investments alongside like-minded institutional capital, delivering purposeful, long-term exposure to unlisted real assets.

It follows five key thematics: decarbonisation, digitalisation, urbanisation, circular economy and changing demographics, and employs impact measurement to assess the net benefit of each investment. Initial investments include recycling infrastructure, renewable energy and battery storage, renewable data centres, and aged care facilities.

In addition, every investment is aligned to Australian Ethical’s Ethical Charter, which guides how capital is allocated to create positive outcomes while avoiding unnecessary harm to people, planet and animals.

Australian Ethical Chief Investment Officer Ludovic Theau said: “The biggest opportunity to capitalise on and support Australia’s net zero transition is in private markets. We’re leveraging our expertise, capability and networks to partner with some of the best specialists and managers to democratise access to these opportunities for wholesale channels, and we’re co-investing capital to take advantage of and support these opportunities together.

“We’re pleased to receive the support of the Australian Government through the partnership with the CEFC on this Fund. With the road to net-zero before us, this Fund allows investors to capitalise on the long-term growth opportunity this presents and feel good about where their money is invested.”

According to a McKinsey report for the Business Council of Australia, a 2035 climate target north of 60 per cent will require more than $400 billion in new capital investment from government and industry.

CEFC Executive Director, Heechung Sung said: “This investment demonstrates how the CEFC can use its existing assets to help catalyse new market offerings and support the next phase of growth for sustainable finance.

“By backing a new institutional vehicle with CEFC investments, we are helping to establish a scalable platform for climate-focused assets, crowding in capital and expanding the reach of sustainable finance to a broader audience to accelerate Australia’s decarbonisation.”

Australian Ethical’s Head of Private Markets Adam Roberts said: “Australian Ethical’s Growth Opportunities Fund gives wholesale investors access to a wide range of impactful private investments providing immediate diversity without having to commit and tie-up large amounts of capital in a single private equity or venture capital investment.

“Drawing on two decades of impact investing experience, we apply institutional rigour and active industry engagement to identify solutions to global challenges. We invest where we see enduring tailwinds and the potential for attractive long-term, risk adjusted returns.”

The Fund has an Impact Advisory Forum that is separate to the Fund’s investment team, who review and monitor the impact reporting across the portfolio. It aims to deliver 11-13% per annum (after fees and expenses) over 7-year periods whilst providing quarterly liquidity.

The post CEFC invests up to $125m with Australian Ethical in new partnership supporting a net-zero future  appeared first on AdviserVoice.

Nathan brings more than 30 years’ experience in Australian financial markets, including managing up to $6.5bn in Australian equities portfolios as Deputy Head of Equities at Perpetual Investments and co-founding Ethical Partners Funds Management where he was the Investment Director.

In this role, Nathan will lead Australian Ethical’s high-performing equities team and contribute to furthering the development of the firms’ global and local equities strategies, product offering, and support on the expansion of distribution activity.

Australian Ethical CIO Ludovic Theau said, “We have been investing in our investment capability in a disciplined way over the past 5 years and Nathan’s appointment is yet another milestone in the execution of our strategy.

“Nathan brings a depth of knowledge and expertise in responsible investment leadership, and his appointment builds on the exceptional talent we already have. He will play a critical role in continuing to deliver on our conviction that ethical investment delivers strong long-term performance.”

Incoming Head of Equities Nathan Parkin said, “I’m excited to join Australian Ethical as an organisation with such authenticity and clear purpose. I look forward to helping Australian Ethical continue to provide excellence in ethical investment, on behalf of those wanting to exercise genuine choice. It’s philosophy also aligns with my belief that capital markets have a critical role in encouraging corporates to further their net zero ambitions.”

This appointment follows Australian Ethical’s acquisition of sustainable fixed Income manager Altius Asset Management and its team of seven, and the appointment of Adam Roberts to the role of Head of Private Markets in mid-2024.

Nathan joins Australian Ethical at a time when it’s investment approach, products and team continue to receive recognition with the multi-asset suite most recently receiving a ‘Recommended’ Lonsec rating, and the flagship Australian Shares Fund achieving 30 years of out-performance against the benchmark.

The post Australian Ethical appoints Head of Equities  appeared first on AdviserVoice.

Adam Roberts

Australian Ethical Investments has announced the appointment of Adam Roberts as its new Head of Private Markets.

Roberts brings over two decades of investing experience, having held senior roles at Macquarie Group and Cerberus Capital Management.

At Macquarie, he served in several investing roles, as well as Global Head of Strategy across the asset management business. His recent focus was on infrastructure and real assets that deliver both commercial returns and measurable impacts, addressing issues like inequality and climate change.

In his new role, Roberts will oversee Australian Ethical’s Infrastructure Debt Fund, a renewable and infrastructure debt fund that finances key Australian projects in renewable energy, social infrastructure, and property projects with a social or environmental benefit. He will also manage Australian Ethical’s existing >$1 billion private markets portfolio across private equity, infrastructure, real estate, private credit, and venture capital, and explore additional private markets product solutions catering to wholesale and institutional clients

Reporting to Australian Ethical CIO Ludovic Theau, Roberts’ appointment reflects the company’s continued focus on strengthening and diversifying the investment team’s capability.

Theau said, “Adam’s expertise in private markets aligns perfectly with our mission to invest for a better world for people, animals, and planet and deliver strong long-term returns. Adam has hit the ground running and over the coming months will further bolster our private markets offer targeting infrastructure and renewable energy projects that align with focus on long-term sustainable growth.”

The post Australian Ethical appoints new Head of Private markets appeared first on AdviserVoice.