Standard Life Investments appoints new governance and stewardship director

Edinburgh-based global investment manager Standard Life Investments has strengthened its ESG Investment Team with the appointment of Deborah Gilshan as Governance & Stewardship Director.

Reporting to SLI head of stewardship & ESG investment, Euan Stirling, Gilshan, who joins from RPMI Railpen where she is head of sustainable ownership, will play an important role in the implementation of governance and stewardship considerations into the wider mainstream investment process.

She will also actively engage with companies, their boards and regulators on governance issues.

Euan Stirling, head of stewardship & ESG investment at SLI, said: “We are delighted Deborah will join our ESG Investment team, which is growing in size and importance, as we move ESG considerations further up the investment agenda.

The consideration of environmental, social and governance issues is now formally integrated as part of our investment research process.

“As active investment managers, engagement continues to be at the heart of our approach to ESG matters and it is important for us to influence the standards of governance that apply. With her depth of knowledge and experience, Deborah will be a terrific addition to the team and invaluable in helping us to hold boards to account.”

Deborah Gilshan herself said: “I am thrilled to be joining Standard Life Investments, whose approach to governance and stewardship I have long admired. It is really exciting to be joining at a time when ESG considerations continue to increase in significance for investors, companies, regulators and wider society. I look forward to working on behalf of Standard Life Investments’ clients as a steward of their capital in the delivery of long term sustainable value creation.”

In October 2011, Gilshan founded The 100% Club, a network for professional women, which Standard Life Investments supports.

She will join Standard Life Investments in May.

Meanwhile, Standard Life European Private Equity Trust is to proceed with plans to drop its geographic focus after having difficulty sourcing investments after the Brexit vote.

The move have won the backing of shareholders at its annual general meeting.