River and Mercantile has today announced that Roger Lewis has joined the Group in a new role as its Group Head of ESG.

Roger will be responsible for implementing and overseeing the group’s ESG philosophy and core principles across its various investment divisions and integrating these important factors within the firm’s investment processes and asset management activities.  The coordination of these important factors horizontally across our businesses and vertically into our corporate responsibilities is an important and key development.

Roger previously worked at Aviva Investors, where responsibilities included aligning ESG strategy and factors with investment functions across its £47.3bn Real Assets platform, which invests in property, infrastructure and private debt. Prior to this, Roger held roles at Legal & General Investment Management and J.P. Morgan.

Group Chief Executive James Barham, speaking of the appointment, said: “We welcome Roger’s appointment which underscores our commitment to place environmental, social and governance factors at the heart of everything we do. ESG has been a key part of our investment thinking for many years as has our clients’ interest and awareness of the importance of sustainable investing. This appointment will enable us to enhance our commitments and continue to deliver exciting ESG investment opportunities to both current and future clients.”

Roger Lewis said: “With approximately half of all asset managers’ ESG strategies allocated to listed equities, a unique position to influence asset owners through its investment consultant role and a commitment to long-term active management, River and Mercantile is extremely well positioned to capitalise on the opportunities, while mitigating risks, that ESG presents. Several sustainability mega-trends are emerging where financial institutions play an important role, like rapidly increasing awareness of climate change and drive to achieve 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels. This is therefore an exciting time to be joining the Group and I look forward to working with its talented team of investment professionals as they continue to seek opportunities to deliver sustainable, positive returns to investors.”