Rathbone Greenbank Investments has made a duo of senior hires in its Bristol office, appointing David Cox to the newly-created role of head of investments, and Laura Hobbs to the role of investment director.
The sustainable investing arm of Rathbones Investment Management, plucked both hires from Brunel Pension Partnership.
Cox has been made responsible for evolving Greenbank’s investment proposition having spent five years at Brunel, where he was deputy chief investment officer. During that time, Cox led the management of around £30bn of public market investments, while also directing initiatives in sustainable and environmental initiatives.
He began his career as an analyst at Fidelity International, leaving in 2010 to join JP Morgan, where he became EMEA head of multi-asset solutions.
Hobbs (pictured), one of Cox’s colleagues at Brunel, has been hired as an investment director. Hobbs joined Greenbank in August 2022, according to her Linkedin page, and she is tasked with managing charity portfolios and helping charities to align their investments with their ethical values and sustainability ambitions.
Hobbs spent two-and-a-half years as a sustainable investment manager at Brunel, where she led the firm’s sustainability and climate integration strategy.
Hobbs has also worked at Barclays Wealth and Investment Management, leaving for Saunderson House in December 2015. There, she established a suite of socially-responsible portfolios, before moving to become deputy head of ethical and responsible investment at CCLA Investment Management.
Alongside her professional employment, Hobbs sits on the investment committee of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) as an independent investment adviser.
Emma Williams also joins the team as a senior ethical, sustainable and impact researcher.
On Cox’s appointment, head of Rathbone Greenbank John David said: “David brings a wealth of experience and, as our new head of investments, will help us evolve our investment proposition to meet the needs of the growing number of private, charity, and family office clients wanting to see their portfolios invested sustainably.
“He, along with Emma and Laura, are valuable new members of the team, and I look forward to them being a part of the next chapter of our business as we further strengthen our client offering.”
