Ecofin expands to Australia

Specialist long-only equity thematic investment manager, Ecofin, is setting up in Australia.

The launch of specialist fund manager, Ecofin Australia, will be based in Sydney and will seek to capitalise on the diverse global investment opportunities brought about by the long term mega-trends of energy security, climate change, population growth, urbanisation and food and water scarcity.

Led by Managing Directors Lisa Wade and Nicki Ashton, Ecofin Australia plans to provide institutional investors in the region with a specialist long-only equity thematic approach to investing that is dedicated to the sustainable opportunities presented by these long-term mega-trends.

The launch of Ecofin Australia came about following the purchase of a 51% stake in Change Investment Management, a Sydney-based climate change and environmental sector investment specialist founded by Wade and Ashton in 2009. As a result Change Investment Management has since been rebranded and now re-launched as Ecofin Australia.

Commenting on the launch, Bernard Lambilliotte, Chief Investment Officer of Ecofin, said: “By combining Ecofin’s investment expertise and experience investing in the global utilities, infrastructure, energy and alternative energy sectors with Lisa and Nicki’s specialist thematic approach, we believe we have created a particularly compelling proposition for new and existing investors. This acquisition will further enhance our skill set in exploiting the global opportunities brought about by the long term mega-trends of energy security, climate change, population growth, urbanisation and food and water scarcity.”

Lisa Wade, Managing Director and Portfolio Manager of Ecofin Australia, commented: “Efficient management of resources, adaptation to the effects of climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions are enormous challenges but also represent one of the greatest investment opportunities of our generation. Combining our own experience of investing in these areas with Ecofin’s complementary and global footprint should, we believe, enable us to provide a superior service to investors.”

Commenting on the long term outlook for climate change, Nicki Ashton, Managing Director and Portfolio Manager of Ecofin Australia, said: “Climate change has been a catalyst for a global focus on efficiency and the use of scarce resources, creating an opportunity for a thematic investment approach. Companies benefiting from these trends should exhibit superior growth profiles and economic returns over the long-term.”

www.ecofin.co.uk