Jodie Barns, Senior Analyst, ESG, ACSI

Jodie is an ESG Analyst for the Australia Council of Superannuation Investors covering listed equities in the governance, engagement and proxy voting team. A key part of her role is engaging with ASX-listed boards on behalf of members on ESG and emerging shareholder issues covering predominantly the building materials, energy & utilities, oil & gas and transport sectors. At ACSI Jodie leads the climate change engagement program and is involved in longitudinal and bespoke research.

Wilma de Groot, PhD, Head of Quant Equity Portfolio Management team, Robeco (NLD) (via video link)

Wilma de Groot is Lead Portfolio Manager of the Core Quant Equities capability and Head of the Quant Equity Portfolio Management team. She is responsible for Enhanced Indexing and Active Quant strategies and specializes in asset pricing anomalies and portfolio construction. She has published in various academic publications including the Journal of Banking and Finance, Journal of International Money and Finance, Journal of Empirical Finance and the Financial Analysts Journal. She is a guest lecturer at several universities. Wilma joined Robeco as a Quant Researcher in 2001. Wilma has a PhD in Finance from Erasmus University Rotterdam and holds a Master’s in Econometrics from Tilburg University. She is a CFA® charterholder.

Bruce Duguid, Director, Head of Stewardship, EOS at Federated Hermes (UK) (via video link)

Bruce Duguid is head of stewardship at EOS. As well as overseeing the team of engagement professionals, Bruce leads engagements with environmentally-exposed companies across the oil and gas, mining, and utilities sectors. Prior to joining EOS, he was head of sustainability at the UK Green Investment Bank, where he spent four years working on the project to establish the bank. This followed a variety of corporate strategy roles, including a management consultant position at the Boston Consulting Group. 

Kim Farrant, Head of ESG, Hostplus

Kim is the Head of ESG at Hostplus and leads the fund’s approach to responsible investment across all asset classes, and including ESG integration, active ownership, climate change and investing in sustainable outcomes. She is also responsible for the fund’s Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) - Balanced option.

She has more than 15 years experience as a responsible investment and sustainability professional. Prior to Hostplus, she held roles as the Portfolio Manager, Responsible Investments at VicSuper and Director within Ernst & Young’s Climate Change and Sustainability Services Team.

Kim holds Bachelors degrees in Civil Engineering and Economics and a Master of Science, where her research focussed on engagement and voting.