First Sentier MUFG Sustainable Investment Institute appoints lead

Velina Karadzhova has been appointed to lead the First Sentier MUFG Sustainable Investment Institute, which was launched by First Sentier Investors and MUFG in May.

She will be responsible for developing the Institute's research program. The studies the Institute undertakes will examine how macro-level sustainable issues affect the performance of companies and investor capital allocation.

She will work closely with the Institute's external advisory board of sustainability academics and industry leaders, appointed to inform and enable a quality research agenda.

"Velina's considerable experience in the fields of ESG-related research will be invaluable in this new role to lead and further develop the Institute's sustainable investment research programme. The reports will promote critical, urgent and under-reported sustainability issues, while outlining actions the industry and broader society can take to help address these problems," First Sentier Investors global head of responsible investment and chair of the Intsitute, Will Oulton, said.

Karadzhova was previously an ESG analyst and utilities sector lead at MSCI, and has held roles as a credit ratings analyst at Moody's and a senior associate in audit at PwC.