Danielle Welsh-Rose, Aberdeen Standard Investments.
Job title: ESG investment director – Asia-Pacific.
How many years have you spent in the region? I was born in Australia and have lived here my whole life.
What do you consider to be your hometown? Melbourne.
Educational background: Bachelor of Arts, Monash University; Masters of Environment, The University of Melbourne; Graduate Diploma of Applied Finance, Finsia; Masters of Law (Juris Doctor), Monash University
What is the toughest challenge you’ve faced in your professional life? There have been numerous occasions over my career where I’ve had to really stand up for what I believe, often in the face of sometimes extreme hostility. As an ESG professional these situations do go with the territory (although thankfully this is changing!), and you do develop somewhat of a thick skin, but it is never an easy situation to navigate.
What achievement in your job are you most proud of? I’ve not been in my current role for very long, but I’m proud to be working in an organisation that takes ESG to its heart, and that is willing to take a leadership role in prosecuting the investment case for integrating sustainability considerations into all we do.
What have you learned from the Covid-19 pandemic? That government and corporate leaders can indeed respond rapidly to a crisis, mobilising vast amounts of money and resources to upend “the way things have always been done”. There are a lot of lessons to be learned that could and should be applied to other global challenges such as climate change and inequality.
If you could change one thing about the funds industry, what would it be? We, as an industry, have a diversity problem. If we changed this, then the flow-on benefits to the industry, to our clients, and to wider society would be highly impactful.
What’s the best investment you’ve made? I see travel as an investment. If you can travel in such a way that gets you out of your comfort zone, that allows you to really explore another culture and to understand how other people live (even if it is in your own backyard), it can give you a broader perspective on the world and an empathy that is invaluable.
Tell us something about you that most people don’t know: I am a big fan of the ‘BHAG’ – Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal. I like to set myself scary goals, which has manifested itself in the completion of several ultra-endurance events like iron-distance triathlons and a 100km run (never again… probably!), and a life-long habit of undertaking study while working.
What is your favourite cuisine and why? Chocolate, no explanation required!
Your house is burning. Your family is safe. You have time to rescue one object. What would it be and why? Assuming my dog is counted as family, I would grab our old photos.
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