AI & ESG in Global Equity Investment Breakfast

Our speakers at this investment breakfast are:

Jessica Cairns, Head of ESG & Sustainability

Jessica joined Alphinity in August 2020 in the newly-created role of ESG & Sustainability Manager. Jessica supports the firm’s assessment and integration of ESG-related matters, while focusing on research that will directly impact the team’s consideration of ESG risk. In addition to her firm-wide ESG role, Jessica and her team also fulfil roles supporting the Alphinity Sustainable strategies, specifically evaluating company level contributions to the UN Sustainability Development Goals, utilising Alphinity’s revenue framework.

Prior to joining Alphinity, Jessica was Senior Sustainability Advisor at Transurban where she was responsible for delivering strategic projects, including Transurban’s response to the Task Force on Climate Related Financial Disclosure (TCFD) recommendations and supporting the delivery of sustainability initiatives to meet the company’s broader sustainability strategy. Her previous roles included Case Manager at the Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia (ISCA) and Environmental and Sustainability Consultant at SLR Consulting.

Jeff Thomson, Global Portfolio Manager

Jeff is one of the Founding Portfolio Manager of the Alphinity Global Equity strategies. His focus is on the Banks, Insurance, Property and Consumer Staple sectors, as well as portfolio management oversight.

Jeff worked as a global fund manager at K2 Asset Management in Melbourne from 2011-2015. Previously he worked at Thames River Capital in London (2003-2011) as a fund manager in the European team, managing absolute and long only equity portfolios, and Coronation Fund Managers in Dublin and London (2000-2003), again on the European equity team as an analyst/fund manager. Jeff began his career in financial services as a general industrial analyst at Deutsche Bank Securities (1996-2000) focusing on the chemical, healthcare and media sectors. He qualified as a Chartered Accountant at Ernst & Young in Johannesburg, South Africa and is also a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).