Lousie Eyres

Australian Ethical has announced the appointment of Louise Eyres to the board of its super fund, effective 25 March 2026.

Ms Eyres is an experienced non-executive director with extensive expertise in commercial, customer, marketing and digital strategy as the chief marketing officer in ASX, global mutual and member-based organisations as well as in federal government agencies. In her most recent executive role, Louise was Chief Marketing Officer for legalsuper.

Chair of the Board, Fiona Reynolds said: “We are delighted to welcome Louise to the Australian Ethical Superannuation Board. She brings with her significant commercial and marketing leadership experience across a range of sectors and will be a real asset to the Board as we continue to improve our member engagement and go to market strategies.”

Commenting on her appointment, Ms Eyres said, “Through my roles at ANZ, legalsuper and Vanguard, I have significant experience in superannuation and I look forward to bringing that experience to bear in a trustee capacity at Australian Ethical. Acting in our members’ best financial interest, I firmly believe that we can do well and do good, delivering award winning super.”

Ms Eyres’ appointment is part of an ongoing process of board renewal at Australian Ethical Superannuation and follows the appointment of Fiona Reynolds to Chair of the Board in August 2025, the retirement of Kate Greenhill from the Board in November 2025 and the appointment of Mark Puli in February 2026.

Fiona Reynolds concluded: “It is an exciting time to join our Board, and I know the experience Louise brings with her will further enhance the Trustee’s oversight of Australian Ethical Retail Superannuation Fund.”

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Australian Ethical has announced the appointment of Mark Puli to the board of its super fund, effective 11 February 2026.

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Brian Bissaker

Australian Ethical Investment has announced the appointment of Brian Bissaker to its Board as an independent Non-Executive Director, effective 15 April 2025.

Brian has a successful career spanning more than 30 years in financial services and consulting, including as CEO of Colonial First State, CEO of Virgin Money and Group Executive of Bank of Queensland.  Brian has also held numerous Board positions and is a former adjunct professor at the University of Sydney Business School.

In addition to the Australian Ethical role, Brian currently holds Board positions with MetLife Insurance Australia, IMB Bank and is Chair of leading private girls’ school, Monte Sant Angelo College.

Australian Ethical Investment Chair, Steve Gibbs said “Brian is a seasoned financial services executive and highly experienced Non-Executive Director, with a distinguished track record of business success.  We welcome his deep investment management and governance experience to the Board to further accelerate both our growth and our impact.

“We have an ongoing process to ensure the timely renewal of the AEI and AES Boards, and we’ve been pleased to welcome significant talent in Richard Brandweiner, Fiona Reynolds, and now Brian to the team over the past Financial Year.”

Commenting on his appointment, Mr Bissaker said, “Australian Ethical’s growth in recent years is admirable – leveraging its authenticity as a genuine ethical business to achieve rapid and significant success.

“It’s proof that you can be a financially successful business and deliver great outcomes for customers and the world more broadly.  I am looking forward to working with the Board and the management team as the business embarks on its next phase of growth.”

The appointment of Brian to the Australian Ethical Investment Board follows the retirement of Mara Bún in October 2024 after 10 years as Non-Executive Director, and the appointment of former Pendal CEO, Richard Brandweiner as Executive Director in September 2024. Fiona Reynolds joined the Australian Ethical Superannuation Board in July 2024.

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Fiona Reynolds and John McMurdo

Australian Ethical Superannuation has announced the appointment of Fiona Reynolds to its Board, effective July 2024.

Ms Reynolds was formerly CEO of the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), a UN-supported international network of socially and environmentally responsible financial institutions. She brings more than three decades of experience in responsible investing and superannuation to guide one of Australia’s fastest-growing super funds.

Australian Ethical Chief Executive Officer John McMurdo said, “We are delighted to welcome Fiona’s deep global expertise in responsible investment to the Australian Ethical Superannuation Board.

“The weight of consumer expectation on our sector is growing year on year, with most Australians now expecting their super and other investments to be invested responsibly. Our fund continues to grow in response to this demand. Having Fiona’s significant talents on the AES Board will help guide our approach and growth over the coming years.

Fiona Reynolds said, “I look forward to joining the board of Australia’s leading ethical superannuation fund.

“Australians deserve retirement security, and the assurance that their superannuation is being invested for the good of people, animals, and the planet. Where we invest our money matters, and I encourage every Australian to feel empowered by that.”

Chair and Non-Executive Director of Australian Ethical Superannuation Board, Steve Gibbs, said, “It’s with great pleasure that we welcome Fiona Reynolds to the AES Board. This appointment will bolster the Board’s advisory capability and adds credence to our ethical investment approach, which has been baked into our foundations since 1986.”

Ms. Reynolds spent nine years in London, growing the PRI to more than 4,000 signatories and 180 staff globally between 2013 and 2022.

She holds various leadership and advisory roles with FAIRR Initiative, the UN Global Compact Network Australia, Finance for Peace, and the Office of the NSW Anti-slavery Commissioner.

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Notes:
[1] Top 10 growth in members and AUM, Super Insights Report 2024, Page 21. KPMG
[2] From Values to Riches 2024: Charting consumer demand for responsible investing, RIAA.

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Estelle Parker

With increasing attention on greenwashing in finance, the largest and most comprehensive responsible investment conference in the Southern Hemisphere, RI Australia 2023, will take place in Melbourne and online on 10-11 May 2023. Held by the Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA), the two-day conference will bring together more than 800 sustainability leaders and industry practitioners with 90 expert speakers across more than 30 sessions to demonstrate best practice in the burgeoning sustainable finance sector.

This year’s theme is “Scaling new heights in ESG and impact”, and RIAA’s Executive Manager, Estelle Parker, says it comes at a time when the responsible investment industry is facing a reckoning to deliver on the positive outcomes promised and combat greenwashing. “The industry has been thrust into the sights of governments, regulators, and not least its clients who care about the impacts of their investments. No one can afford to not be paying attention right now,” she says.

The efforts of regulators to address greenwashing will be a significant focus; with Karen Chester, Deputy Chair at the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, delivering a keynote address on ASIC’s direction. Dr. Sean Carmody, Executive Director of the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority, will join the discussion on how Australia’s forthcoming sustainable finance taxonomy will provide much needed definitions of what constitutes a sustainable investment.

A session Estelle predicts will draw significant attention is cheekily titled “ESG: Woke & Broke?”. This session will delve into the current political attack on ESG investing by far right conservative elements in the US, and explore whether this could happen in Australia and elsewhere. Fiona Reynolds, Independent Director and Advisory Board Member who will be speaking during this opening session says, “we need to prevent ESG becoming the political football. How do we as an industry stop ESG from entering the culture wars? This isn’t just a US issue, it impacts all global investors.” Estelle Parker says that, ultimately, ESG is not political, “it constitutes good investment practice and is mainstream now. Investors don’t want governments preventing them from considering certain risks in investment decision making.”

RIAA’s research shows that approximately $726 billion in assets under management in Australia is now managed via a stewardship or corporate engagement approach. Stewardship codes have proliferated around the world. Prominent amongst these is the UK’s, which sets a high bar to entry, and has provided a blueprint for further stewardship codes globally. “This is why we invited Claudia Chapman, Head of Stewardship at UK’s Financial Reporting Council to be one of our international keynote speakers. She will share her experience developing and implementing the UK Stewardship Code and explore where next for stewardship. I would expect the growing focus on collaboration and systems change to achieve positive real-world outcomes will form part of this,” says Estelle.

While undoubtedly a step in the right direction, RIAA research shows a perception that the growth in corporate engagement and stewardship may be flooding corporate boards with a sea of requests from investors. A panel session including corporate leaders such as Patricia Cross from OFX, Dr. Guy Debelle from Fortescue Future Industries, and Mark Rigotti CEO of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) will provide insights on what corporate engagement looks from the inside and practical advice for investors to work more collaboratively to alleviate the burden on companies and achieve the real-world outcomes desired.

RI Australia 2023 will place a spotlight on First Nations luminaries. Karen Mundine, CEO at Reconciliation Australia, and Phil Usher, CEO at First Nations Foundation, will speak on Voice to Parliament and how investors be a genuine partner in reconciliation and self-determination. Professor Peter Yu AM, Vice President (First Nations) at ANU, Benson Saulo, the first Indigenous person to be appointed an Australian Consul-General, and Leah Armstrong, Managing Director at First Australians Capital, will speak on First Nations investment markets. Ian Hamm, Chair of the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation and new Board member of the AICD, will speak on Caring for Country and how investors can partner with First Australians.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was a wake-up call for investors, and RIAA’s Human Rights Working Group has been busy working on a guide to navigate investing that may be affected by armed conflict-related issues with experts from organisations like the Australian Red Cross. Delegates at the conference will be presented with the exclusive launch of the ‘Investors and Armed Conflict: A Guide’, a toolkit that provides essential frameworks and insights for investors and companies seeking to protect human rights and mitigate risks associated with armed conflict. “This is going to be a vital toolkit for investors to support human rights in conflict-affected regions like Ukraine and Myanmar, and what they can do before, during and after conflict,” says Estelle.

RI Australia 2023 is set to be a jam-packed conference with sessions covering a diverse range of topics, from modern slavery and workplace culture to big tech, human rights and reputation management. There will be interactive workshops on target-setting and promoting ESG within organisations, as well as sessions tailored to financial advisers, including responsible investment for beginners, and advice on how to construct a good responsible investment portfolio. Attendees will also gain insights into consumer research and demand.

With over 500 members representing US$29 trillion in assets under management, RIAA is dedicated to ensuring capital is aligned with achieving a healthy society, environment and economy.

“Not only is the program comprehensive featuring the latest trends and emerging issues, we see this as an unique opportunity for attendees to develop their skills and knowledge, make connections and explore growth opportunities in the sustainable finance space,” says Estelle

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Luke Ellis

Man Group, the active investment management firm, has announced that it has become a signatory to the United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI). Two of Man Group’s investment businesses, discretionary manager Man GLG and systematic equity manager Man Numeric, have been signatories to the PRI since 2012 and 2014, respectively.

The firm is now elevating its commitment to the Man Group level, implementing the Principles across its five investment businesses – Man AHL, Man Numeric, Man GLG, Man FRM and Man Global Private Markets – that collectively manage $95.9b (as at 30 June 2017) in client assets.

Man Group takes a diversified approach to responsible investment across its investment businesses, which encompass a broad range of active strategies, including discretionary, systematic and quantitative strategies, private markets as well as investment and advisory services. In elevating the Principles to a Group level, Man Group recognises the continued importance of the best practices endorsed by the PRI, which have developed to accommodate increasingly diverse investment approaches.

Founded in 2005, the PRI is a global network for investors committed to integrating environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) considerations into their investment practices, ownership policies and business strategies. The six Principles for Responsible Investment are a voluntary and aspirational set of investment principles that offer a menu of possible actions for incorporating ESG issues into investment practice.

Luke Ellis, Chief Executive Officer, Man Group, said “as we continue to develop our responsible investment capabilities and offering, we are delighted to elevate the UN-supported Principles for Responsible Investment to the Man Group level. Consideration of environmental, social and governance factors is increasingly a priority for our clients globally, and as we manage our investors’ capital we are committed to supporting their values and aims across our firm.”

Fiona Reynolds, Managing Director, PRI said “over the last few years, Man Group has demonstrated a strong commitment to responsible investment. It’s a great credit to them that they are now taking this commitment to the next level. This move sends a positive signal to others in the alternative investment space, whom we hope will follow Man Group’s lead.”

In June 2017, Man Group appointed Steven Desmyter as Head of Responsible Investment and Chair of Man Group’s Responsible Investment Committee, and Jason Mitchell as its Sustainability Strategist, recognising their instrumental role in developing and driving forward the firm’s responsible investment capabilities. Steven and Jason will each be presenting at PRI in Person, the global responsible investment conference, taking place in Berlin on 25-27 September.

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Brandywine sign the United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment.

Brandywine Global Investment Management, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Legg Mason, Inc., have announced it has become a signatory of the United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI).

“Signing on to the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) is the latest initiative in Brandywine Global’s ongoing integration of environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) issues into our investment approach,” says David Hoffman, CFA, managing director and portfolio manager for the firm’s Global Fixed Income team.

“As we strive to provide investment strategies that deliver strong risk-adjusted returns, we recognize the meaningful impact that ESG issues can have on long-term performance,” he adds.

“We are delighted to welcome Legg Mason affiliate, Brandywine Global, to the PRI and applaud their commitment to creating value by incorporating long-term investment strategies,” says PRI Managing Director Fiona Reynolds. “More investors are seeing the benefits of embracing responsible investment as a way to manage risk, identify new opportunities and in so doing, create positive returns for their clients and contribute to the future sustainability of financial markets.”

Andy Sowerby, Country Head and Managing Director Legg Mason Australia says; “Brandywine Global has established a strong track record of managing investments for clients across Australia and New Zealand. For example, the Legg Mason Brandywine Global Opportunistic Fixed Income Trust is a leader in its category and has over A$500m in assets under management locally.

“We are delighted to see the firm join the list of other Legg Mason affiliate fund managers who are PRI signatories, including Western Asset, Clearbridge, Martin Currie, RARE Infrastructure and Clarion.”

Joining the UN-supported PRI serves as another significant step in the firm’s growth story, although Brandywine Global’s involvement in ESG investing long predates its relationship with the organization.

“We’re honored to be part of a larger community dedicated to sharing information and furthering responsible investment practices for the betterment of our industry, especially on behalf of our clients,” says Hoffman.

“As environmental, social, and corporate governance considerations are critical elements in investment management, we’re proud to let our clients know that these issues are important components of our integrated analysis.”

The UN-supported PRI is recognized as the leading global network for investors committed to incorporating ESG considerations into their investment philosophies. The UN-supported PRI’s network of international investors work together to implement a set of voluntary principles that provide a framework for integrating ESG factors into investment analysis and ownership practices aligned with investors’ fiduciary duties.

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