Thu, Mar 28, 2024
A A A
Welcome Guest
Free Trial RSS pod
Get FREE trial access to our award winning publications
Industry Updates

Mirova builds out impact investing team

Monday, February 28, 2022
Opalesque Industry Update - Mirova, a pureplay sustainable finance investment firm and affiliate of Natixis Investment Managers, has completed hiring for its impact private equity team.

The team will manage Mirova's environmental impact investing, which is designed to further the growth of companies that solve sustainability challenges. Marc Romano, Head of Mirova's impact private equity, said the team was now fully rounded out and is ready to invest whenever opportunities are identified. Three investments have already been done by the team (Tallano Technology, Agronutris, Ombrea).

"We have hired talented professionals for this innovative approach with direct experience of the verticals we seek to invest in," said Romano. "They are all passionate about impact investing and have made it a focus in their careers."

Joanna Parent has joined as investment director after more than six years at Suez Groupe, where she was an investment director for Suez Ventures, its venture capital arm. She was also M&A director for Suez's Smart and Environmental Solutions Business Unit, completing investments in companies which aim to disrupt water and waste management services.

Youssef Belatar joins as an investment director from Citizen Capital, a pioneer in impact investing in France. At Citizen Capital, he worked on early-stage and late-stage transactions in various sectors, with a strong focus on energy transition stakes. He led seven investments. He is also involved in social causes including mentoring of students and entrepreneurs, helping homeless people, and serving on the board of the NGO Banlieues Sante?.

Anne Boulet joins as an investment manager from Total Eren, where she was vice president in charge of business development in Africa. She participated in transactions in Latin America and Africa.

Vanessa Carvalho joins the team as an investment advisor. She joined Mirova Group in early 2021 as part of the Sustainable Ocean Fund team. She spent five years at CDC Group, a leading impact investor in Africa and South Asia. At CDC, she was responsible for due diligence structuring and execution of direct equity investments in food and agriculture, farming and forestry.

"All of them have joined us because they want to make an impact," said Romano. "We have hired them for their vertical expertise, for their collaborative outlook, and for their direct experience.

"They all have different backgrounds and have worked in a variety of cultures and investment settings. We like these attributes, they reflect Mirova's diverse workforce and allow for better investment decisions."

Before joining Mirova, Romano held various positions at Rothschild & Co, including managing director of Five Arrows, the private equity business. He was also General Partner and co-CEO of Rothschild & Co Asset Management.

The impact private equity team will be supported by the wider Mirova ecosystem, which includes teams dedicated to energy transition, natural capital, social impact investing and sustainability research. "The new team will have the support of a strong and efficient ecosystem as we set about deploying investors' funds over the coming months and years," Romano added.

What do you think?

   Use "anonymous" as my name    |   Alert me via email on new comments   |   
Previous Opalesque Exclusives                                  
Previous Other Voices                                               
Access Alternative Market Briefing

 



  • Top Forwarded
  • Top Tracked
  • Top Searched
  1. KKR raises $6.4bn for the largest pan-Asia infrastructure fund[more]

    Laxman Pai, Opalesque Asia: The New York-based global investment firm KKR has raised a record $6.4bn for its second Asia-focused infrastructure fund, underlining investors' continued appetite for private markets. According to a media release from the alternative assets manager, the figure top

  2. Bucking the trend, top hedge fund makes plans for a second SPAC[more]

    From Institutional Investor: SPACs aren't dead. At least not to the folks at Cormorant Asset Management. The life sciences firm, whose hedge fund topped its peers in 2023, is confident it will match the success of its first blank-check company. Last week, the life sciences and biopharma speciali

  3. Benefit Street Partners closes fifth fund on $4.7 billion[more]

    Bailey McCann, Opalesque New York: Benefit Street Partners has closed its fifth flagship direct lending vehicle, BSP Debt Fund V, with $4.7 billion of investable capital across the strategy. Benefit Street invests primarily in privately originated, floating rate, senior secured loans. The fun

  4. 4 hedge fund themes that are working in 2024[more]

    From The Street: A poor earnings report from Tesla (TSLA) has not hurt the indexes on Thursday. The decline in Tesla stock, which is losing its position in the Magnificent Seven pantheon, is more than offset by strong earnings from IBM (IBM) and ServiceNow (NOW) . In addition, the much higher-t

  5. Opalesque Exclusive: A global macro fund eyes opportunities in bonds[more]

    Bailey McCann, Opalesque New York for New Managers: Munich-based ThirdYear Capital rebounded in 2023, following a tough year for global macro. The firm's flagship ART Global Macro strategy finished the year up 1