Zenith appoints new Head of Responsible Investment

Zenith Investment Partners has appointed Dugald Higgins as the new Head of Responsible Investment & Real Assets, to lead the growth of the firm’s responsible investment offering.

Higgins has worked for Zenith since 2009 and was previously Zenith’s Head of Real Assets and Listed Strategies. His new appointment will meet the increased demand from financial advisers to develop Zenith’s ESG insights.

Zenith’s General Manager and Head of Research Bronwen Moncrieff said having a resource dedicated to ESG will help the entire Zenith Group, including Chant West, have a stronger capability and a more consistent approach to responsible investing.

“Zenith believes responsible investment issues should be fully incorporated into the broader fund analysis process and Dugald’s strong research background will bring a unique perspective on how this needs to work in order to optimise outcomes for investors,” she said.

“Investor interest, client feedback, manager activity and general market momentum is growing significantly in the area of responsible investing, and we are committed to it as both a service provider in our industry and as a business in our community.”

Moncrieff also credited Higgins as the driving force behind Zenith’s work in responsible investing, since he is the chair of Zenith’s Responsible Investment Committee.

“His involvement in sustainability issues in investment research date back to 2002 and going forward he will be tasked with continuing to drive our RI capabilities across the Group,” she said.

Higgins appointment comes as the importance of ESG has grown for the global economy, and the demands of investors to know that their investments are making positive social and environmental impacts have increased.

“We believe responsible investment and incorporation of ESG is crucial in promoting a stable economy, and investors should be provided with investment choices that have measurable impacts as well as financial returns,” Moncrieff said.