Columbia Threadneedle’s former head of responsible investment is to retire at the end of this week, following 12 years with the asset manager.
Iain Richards, who had served in the policy research team since 2021, had been outspoken regarding the growth and scrutiny afforded ESG investing and once said it had become ‘heretical’ to question the ‘E’, or environmental, aspect of green investing which dominated most discussions.
Speaking in March 2020, Richards had said there had been a crowding affect that meant the industry’s push towards a huge acceleration in sustainability had opened the door to asset price bubbles and concerns over greenwashing.