Capital Group, one of the world’s largest investment firms, with more than $1.7 trillion in assets under management, today announced the appointment of Jessica Ground as Global Head of ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance).
She will join Capital Group in September and be based in London, Capital Group said in announcing the hiring.
Ground will be responsible for further incorporating Capital Group’s ESG approach into its investment process globally. She will work with teams across Investment Groups, Distribution, Marketing and Technology to advance ESG at Capital Group. Ground will also represent Capital Group as an active participant in organizations promoting ESG issues across the business landscape.
“At Capital Group, we have a long history of conducting deep fundamental research and engaging closely with portfolio companies on ESG issues,” said Rob Lovelace, Vice Chairman, Capital Group. “We’re delighted to appoint someone of Jessica’s caliber and experience to work with our teams to further integrate ESG at Capital Group. ESG is an area of great strategic importance for us and our clients, and we will continue to invest resources to it.”
Ground has more than 20 years of industry experience, all with Schroders, where most recently she served as the firm’s Global Head of Stewardship. In this role she was responsible for leading a team of ESG analysts and corporate governance specialists integrating ESG across geographies and asset classes.
“I’m thrilled to join a company with such a distinct investment process, strong track record and longevity,” Ground said. “Investors increasingly place ESG considerations as a top priority to inform their investment decisions. I look forward to working alongside the experienced Capital Group team to further integrate ESG factors into the firm’s investment process and deliver services that align with clients’ growing expectations.”
During her tenure at Schroders, Ground served as a fund manager on the UK equity team and joined the firm in 1997 as a research analyst covering the Financials and Utilities sectors.
Ground is also Chair of The Investment Association’s Stewardship Committee and Board Member of the Investor Forum.