United StatesPORTSMOUTH, N.H. September 20, 2022 — Impax Asset Management, the specialist asset manager investing in the transition to a more sustainable economy, today announced the appointment of Charlie Donovan as Senior Economic Advisor.
Charlie will deepen the firm’s expertise in understanding the opportunities arising from a global energy transition. He will contribute to Impax’s thought leadership initiatives and provide insights on North American policy developments to Impax’s clients and investment teams. He joined Impax on September 19, 2022 and is based in Seattle, where he remains Visiting Professor of Sustainable Finance at the Foster School of Business at the University of Washington.
Charlie Donovan was previously Professor of Practice at Imperial College London and Founding Executive Director of the business school’s Centre for Climate Finance and Investment. He serves as academic co-chair of the Coalition for Climate Resilient Investment, an investor body representing US$20 trillion of assets under management, and is co-author and editor of Renewable Energy Finance: Powering the Future. Charlie began his career as an Energy Policy Analyst at the US Environmental Protection Agency before moving to BP plc where he was part of the team that launched BP Alternative Energy in 2005 and later served as the Head of Structuring and Valuation for its Global Power business.
“As a widely known and highly respected economist, Charlie could not be better placed to help us further develop our thinking and advise our investment teams and clients globally,” said Ian Simm, CEO and founder of Impax Asset Management. “Following the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, the United States is on the cusp of another leap forward in the adoption of clean energy.”
“Impax has been at the leading edge of sustainable investing for many years and I look forward to helping the firm expand its thriving North America business”, said Charlie Donovan, Senior Economic Advisor, Impax Asset Management. “Investors are increasingly aware that climate and energy are important elements of the structural shift ongoing in financial markets today. The question of how to secure greater capital flows into clean and affordable energy will dominate policy discussions for years to come. To me, this is the perfect time to be joining a global investment firm with a singular focus on the transition to a more sustainable economy.”
About Impax Asset Management
Founded in 1998, Impax is a specialist asset manager, with approximately £38.0bn / US$44.2bn as of 31 August 2022 in both listed and private markets strategies, investing in the opportunities arising from the transition to a more sustainable global economy.
Impax believes that capital markets will be profoundly shaped by global sustainability challenges including climate change, pollution and the essential investments required in human capital, infrastructure, and resource efficiency. These trends will drive growth for well-positioned companies and create risks for those unable or unwilling to adapt.
The company seeks to invest in higher quality companies with strong business models that demonstrate sound management of risk. Impax offers a well-rounded suite of investment solutions spanning multiple asset classes seeking superior risk-adjusted returns over the medium to long term.
Impax has approximately 260 employees across its offices in the United Kingdom, the United States, Ireland and Hong Kong, making it one of the investment management sector’s largest investment teams dedicated to sustainable development.