Investor Group on Climate Change announces new Chair and Deputy Chair

PRESS RELEASE

The Investor Group on Climate Change (IGCC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Stephen Dunne, Board Director and Chairman of the Investment Committee at Cbus Super Fund, as Chair of the IGCC Management Committee, and Helga Birgden, Global Business Leader, Responsible Investment at Mercer Investments, as Deputy Chair.

The IGCC was established in 2005 and today has around 70 members, including Australian and New Zealand institutional investors managing over $2 trillion in assets under management, focused on the investment implications of climate change.

Stephen Dunne stated: “I look forward to taking on the role of Chair for IGCC and contributing more to investor advocacy and action on climate change”.

“Climate change is the defining issue of our time. Investors, and capital markets, are at the heart of our ability to bring down emissions and build resilience to the physical effects already locked in by global warming”.

“Through my long association with IGCC, I know that they have a unique ability to represent investors on climate change in the policy world and catalyse accelerated action in the real economy.

“I would like to thank my predecessor Mr Frank Pegan for his many years of strong support for IGCC, and the work he has done to grow IGCC from an idea to an influential industry voice on climate change”, said Mr Dunne.

Helga Birgden stated: “I am pleased to be taking on the role of Deputy Chair with IGCC”.

“Climate change is increasingly seen as a key area of risk and opportunity for global investors. Developing the right tools and solutions is an important part of tackling climate change and IGCC’s work across the industry continues to help investors put policy into action”.

“I would like to thank Mr Ian Woods as he steps down from the position of Deputy Chair of the Management Committee, for his long term support and industry leadership in establishing IGCC as an essential investor voice on climate change in Australia and New Zealand”, said Birgden.

Commenting on the appointment, Emma Herd, Chief Executive Officer of IGCC stated: “Stephen brings a wealth of industry experience to the role of Chair of the IGCC Management Committee. Helga has a global reputation for leadership in responsible investing and climate change management for investors. I look forward to working with Stephen and Helga to take investor advocacy on climate change to the next level”.

“I would also like to personally thank Frank Pegan and Ian Woods for their remarkable tenure in growing IGCC into the organisation it is today”, said Herd.

This announcement accompanies the release of the IGCC 2018 Annual Report, setting out IGCC’s major activities and achievements in 2018, a landmark year for investor action on climate change.

“It’s clear that 2018 was a milestone year for investors acting on climate change. Investors invested more, voted more and engaged more on climate change than any year to date. But there is much more work to do if we are to have a chance of limiting global warming to less than 2°C. Both Stephen and Helga will help to increase IGCC’s influence and impact in 2019, as investors look to step up action on climate change”, said Herd.

Stephen and Helga were appointed to the Management Committee at the IGCC Annual General Meeting, held on December 12th, 2018.