Ex-Aberdeen Australia chief to lead ethical fund manager

Yasmine Raso

Senior Journalist

26 March 2026

Former country head of Aberdeen Asset Management, Brett Jollie, has joined the ranks of ethical fund manager, U Ethical, as its new chief executive.

Ahead of his commencement on 7 April, the $1.5-billion investment firm said Jollie’s appointment marks a key strategic move to enhance its platform offering and grow its presence in Australia’s institutional and wholesale investor markets.

Jollie boasts over 30 years of experience in global and local funds management under his belt, including 14 years at Aberdeen where he spearheaded a period of growth for the manager and developed a flagship institutional and wholesale distribution platform. His expertise lies across investment strategy, governance, distribution, operations and product development.

“U Ethical has built a highly credible, purpose-driven investment platform over more than 40 years,” U Ethical Board Chair, Fiona Pearse, said.

“We see a significant opportunity to take that proposition to a broader investor market. Brett brings the commercial discipline, distribution expertise and leadership experience to scale the business while preserving what makes it distinctive.

“This is about taking a very strong business and stepping forward with intent. We have a clear growth strategy, and Brett is a leader who has successfully executed strategic growth agendas before.”

Jollie said he was looking forward to “unlocking the full potential” of U Ethical’s investment philosophy focused on ethical screening, ESG analysis and active stewardship, at a time where investors are increasingly looking for more positive and responsible outcomes.

“U Ethical combines a clear ethical framework, an aligned ownership model and a disciplined investment capability. These are powerful foundations for growth,” Jollie said.

“The opportunity now is to strengthen alignment across investment, product and distribution, and to scale that capability to a broader client base without diluting the integrity of the model.

“This is about building on a strong platform. It includes enhancing investment capability, ensuring product market fit, and expanding distribution in a disciplined way.”

Pearse also thanked outgoing CEO, Mathew Browning, for his contributions.

“On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Mathew for his leadership and the strong, well-positioned platform he leaves behind,” she said.

“Mat has led the transformation of U Ethical from the Uniting Church’s internal investment arm into a stand-alone, award-winning responsible investment manager. His vision, leadership, and belief in the power of ethical investing have shaped U Ethical into what it is today, and we are deeply grateful for everything he has contributed.”