Brooks Macdonald has promoted a member of its research team to lead its responsible investment service (RIS).
Ben Palmer (pictured), who joined Brooks in 2011 on the graduate programme, will be in charge of the firm’s approach to responsible investment and work with advisers to better understand client demand for ESG.
He will retain his current responsibilities as head of the responsible investment research team.
Brooks said the move was in recognition of the growing importance of ESG factors to investors.
Brooks Macdonald chief executive Caroline Connellan said: “We are delighted to appoint Ben Palmer as head of responsible investment and to lead the charge in the ESG and sustainability field.
“This is an exciting time for the business given the growth in the UK market for ESG and responsible investment.”
Palmer said he looked forward to taking the business to the next stage.
“We’ve already recognised that the pandemic has not diverted investors from responsible investing – if anything, it’s accelerated our ‘social’ awareness and we know we have a key role to play in helping advisers identify and provide suitable solutions for a growing number of clients,” he added.
Brooks Macdonald also announced its RIS is now available to international advisers, trustees and clients.
In addition, the firm has unveiled a suitability discussion guide for advisers in response to the increased demand for ESG investing. The guide is designed to help advisers identify strategies that match their clients’ responsible investment preferences.
The RIS, which was launched in October 2018, comprises two strategies: avoid and advance. Avoid screens out companies involved in the production of armaments, tobacco, alcohol, pornography and gambling, while advance invests in funds that provide solutions to sustainability issues or have strong ESG criteria.
