Commercial property investment manager Orchard Street Investment Management has appointed Kathryn Barber as head of responsibility and ESG.
Barber will support the business in delivering measurable social and environmental impact on behalf of its inaugural impact fund, Orchard Street Social and Environmental Impact Partnership, as well as continuing to integrate and manage ESG across existing client portfolios.
She joins from GPE, where she held the position of sustainability lead - portfolio and social impact. During her time at GPE, she was responsible for co-delivering the company’s roadmap to net zero at portfolio level, pioneering the establishment of a social impact strategy to integrate social impact initiatives across the business, and overseeing all mandatory and voluntary reporting obligations, including TCFD, sustainability data report, GRESB and CDP.
Barber has also held positions relating to environmental and responsible investment at Intu Properties, Prudential and Hammerson, bringing a broad wealth of expertise and over 10 years of real estate experience to the business.
Barber replaces Lora Brill, who has left Orchard Street to pursue a new opportunity but will continue to provide ESG expertise to the business within a consulting remit.
Barney Rowe, partner at Orchard Street and portfolio manager for the impact fund, said: 'Responsible and impactful investing is at the heart of what we do at Orchard Street, whether that’s through decarbonising existing buildings, investing in local communities or thinking about how we design or upgrade amenity-rich buildings to increase wellness and productivity.
'Kathryn’s entire career has been focused on driving the ESG agenda forward within the UK real estate industry, and her wealth of experience will be important to the growth of our Impact fund and the acceleration of our broader sustainability strategy.'
Said Barber: 'Now, more than ever, it is imperative that industry leaders understand their role in pushing boundaries to deliver long-term responsible returns through a careful alignment of ESG risks and opportunities.
'Orchard Street is a market leader in this respect, with a strong track record of delivering both environmental and social impact, and I look forward to working in a team that is directly delivering a positive impact for investors and our shared global future.'
