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Guernsey Funds Forum 2022 Blog

19 May 2022

Are there truly endless opportunities in sustainability?

We Are Guernsey hosted their annual Guernsey Funds Forum at etc.venues – 155 Bishopsgate, central London. And what an event!

Following an introduction from the returning Daisy McAndrew (an experienced commentator and presenter), Dharshini David (the BBC’s Global Trade Correspondent since January 2020) delivered the keynote speech. It’s easy for an economist to be bleak in these difficult times and she warned that there is more ‘precautionism’, but Dharshini told the audience that having come through last few years more resilient we should be more optimistic.

On the topic of optimism, the first panel of speakers took the stage to talk to the attendees about opportunities in sustainability. The panel was made up of Gillian Browning, Director of the Guernsey Financial Services Commission’s Investment, Fiduciary and Pension Division, Dylan Cox of Pitchbook, Lorraine Johnston of Ashurst and Sona Stadtelmeyer-Petru of J. P. Morgan Asset Management.

Gillian kicked off the discussion talking about Guernsey green funds. There are now over £4bn assets in green funds, with a total on 13 registered funds. Gillian also commented that greenwashing is a term banded about the industry, but to date there has been no evidence of greenwashing in Guernsey – governance has truly been the bread and butter of the Bailiwick for years.

We heard Sona Stadtelmeyer-Petru, Executive Director of J.P. Morgan, talking about the interpretation of ESG in 2015, which was all about risks, but she surmises that in 2022 ESG is all about opportunities.

Dylan Cox, Head of Private Markets Research at PitchBook, advised that ESG really is an unstoppable wave, it can’t be ignored.

As We Are Guernsey have highlighted in their write up of the event “Guernsey is aiming to put itself at the forefront of sustainable investment, consolidating its early wins in the environmental and governance space to make it a leading jurisdiction for ESG investment.”

If you are interested in attending the next Guernsey Funds Forum in 2023 or would like to meet a member of the Imperium Funds team please contact Charlotte Parr – charlotte.parr@imperiumfunds.co.uk.