Perennial spins off sustainable investment business

Perennial Partners has established a standalone sustainable investment business, Perennial Better Future, and tagged portfolio manager Damian Cottier to lead it.

Cottier will be joined by ESG and equities analyst Emilie O'Neill and institutional and retail business development lead George Whiting. Perennial Partners broader distribution and investment analyst team will provide additional support.

Perennial Partners' executive director Anthony Patterson said the business was born out of a passion for sustainable investment. "The world of sustainable investment has made a 180-degree turn in the last 15 years. Today, an investment in a sustainable business contributing to a better future is far more likely to lead to better returns than investing in conventional businesses."

Perennial Better Future Trust was created in 2018 and has returned 13.3% per annum.

Cottier says the move to launch Perennial Better Future provides a new opportunity for Australians to invest with an ESG-focus. "With the help of the financial advice community, we look forward to bringing a means for everyday investors to contribute to a better future by investing in companies that are helping to solve some of society's biggest challenges."

Cottier has been with Perennial Value Management for the last sixteen years as a portfolio manager and equity analyst. He previously was a corporate lawyer with firms including Gilbert + Tobin and Baker & McKenzie.