Orchard Street Investment Management has appointed Kathryn Barber from GPE as head of responsibility and ESG.
At GPE, Barber held the position of sustainability lead – portfolio and social impact, and prior to that she held positions relating to environmental and responsible investment at Intu Properties, Prudential and Hammerson.
In her new role, she replaces Lora Brill, who has left Orchard Street to pursue a new opportunity but will continue to provide ESG advice to the business as a consultant.
Barney Rowe, partner at Orchard Street and portfolio manager for the firm’s impact fund, said: “Responsible and impactful investing is at the heart of what we do at Orchard Street, whether that’s through decarbonising existing buildings, investing in local communities or thinking about how we design or upgrade amenity-rich buildings to increase wellness and productivity. Kathryn’s entire career has been focused on driving the ESG agenda forward within the UK real estate industry, and her wealth of experience will be important to the growth of our Impact fund and the acceleration of our broader sustainability strategy.”
Barber added: “Now, more than ever, it is imperative that industry leaders understand their role in pushing boundaries to deliver long-term responsible returns through a careful alignment of ESG risks and opportunities. Orchard Street is a market leader in this respect, with a strong track record of delivering both environmental and social impact, and I look forward to working in a team that is directly delivering a positive impact for investors and our shared global future.”
