Flexstone Partners appoints Caroline Gibert as new Head of ESG
Flexstone Partners, a leading asset manager specialised in small and mid-cap global private equity markets and a PRI signatory since 2014, further enhances its ESG approach with the appointment of Caroline Gibert as Head of ESG. In this newly created role, Caroline will lead Flexstone Partners’ ESG strategy at both a firm and portfolio level, responsible for strategy, policies, data collection, reporting, and processes.
Flexstone follows an inclusive approach with a diverse and value-driven team dedicated to tackling social, environmental and governance issues. “In 2020, we worked on a concrete approach to reinforce our ESG engagement and new thinking on how to use responsible investment to benefit both our clients and company as a whole”, commented Caroline Gibert.
Four Sustainable Development Goals have been selected by Flexstone Partners employees in order to guide its role as a ‘citizen firm’. Above all, its aim is to continue contributing to the protection of the environment (goal 13); promote social equality and opportunity (goals 4 & 5); and enhance diversity and inclusion (goal 8).
Flexstone has also reshaped its proprietary ESG analytical and reporting tools to implement an active approach throughout its investment process. “Our mission is to deliver attractive risk adjusted long term performance to our clients. The objective of ESG integration is to enrich our mission by making sure all portfolio managers and underlying companies are well-placed to develop a sustainable business model.”, adds Eric Deram, Managing Partner at Flexstone.
Caroline Gibert will be supported by an ESG working group with interdisciplinary responsibilities to ensure a consistent ESG integration across the firm. Concrete objectives have been set:
Flexstone’s implementation of robust ESG criteria dates back to 2006, when its first mandate was set up with strong ESG guidelines. From that time onward Flexstone has kept improving its ESG approach. The firm signed the UN-PRI in 2014 and outlined a formal ESG investment policy. In 2020, Flexstone committed to the France Invest-sponsored “Gender Equality Charter” and published its first Global ESG policy.
The appointment of Caroline Gibert is a new step in Flexstone’s ESG journey. Caroline’s new function will come in addition to her current role of head of investor relations and business development, working hand in hand with Flexstone’s clients to adapt dedicated ESG reports to their own values and guidelines.
About Flexstone Partners
Flexstone Partners (“Flexstone”)1, an affiliate of Natixis Investment Managers, is a leading investment solutions provider in private assets with a global reach and local footprints in New York, Paris, Geneva, and Singapore. It specializes in the selection of private equity, private debt, real estate, and infrastructure fund managers for investment by Flexstone’s clients. Flexstone manages primary and secondary investments as well as co-investments. Flexstone’s expertise is distinguished by a high flexibility in building customized portfolios that are tailored to the unique needs and constraints of each investor whether institutional or private individual2. Flexstone offers a large range of services, from advising on private assets portfolio construction to the management of fully discretionary separate accounts and funds of funds. Flexstone, with more than 40 professionals, manages $7.8 billion3. It is a majority owned subsidiary of Natixis Investment Managers, one of the largest investment managers worldwide.
Further information: www.flexstonepartners.com
1 Flexstone is the name that collectively identifies Flexstone and its underlying companies.
2 Under certain conditions related to marketing and prospection regulatory requirements specific to each entity.
3 Source: Flexstone Partners at 6/30/2020. Assets under management and advisory made up of commitments for closed-end private placement funds, and sum of Net Asset Value and unfunded commitments otherwise.
About Natixis Investment Managers
Natixis Investment Managers serves financial professionals with more insightful ways to construct portfolios. Powered by the expertise of more than 20 specialized investment managers globally, we apply Active Thinking® to deliver proactive solutions that help clients pursue better outcomes in all markets. Natixis Investment Managers ranks among the world’s largest asset management firms1 with nearly $1.1 trillion assets under management2 (€910.0 billion).
Headquartered in Paris and Boston, Natixis Investment Managers is a subsidiary of Natixis. Listed on the Paris Stock Exchange, Natixis is a subsidiary of BPCE, the second-largest banking group in France. Natixis Investment Managers’ affiliated investment management firms include AEW; Alliance Entreprendre; AlphaSimplex Group; DNCA Investments3; Dorval Asset Management; Flexstone Partners; Gateway Investment Advisers; H2O Asset Management; Harris Associates; Investors Mutual Limited; Loomis, Sayles & Company; Mirova; MV Credit; Naxicap Partners; Ossiam; Ostrum Asset Management; Seeyond; Seventure Partners; Thematics Asset Management; Vauban Infrastructure Partners; Vaughan Nelson Investment Management; Vega Investment Managers4; and WCM Investment Management. Additionally, investment solutions are offered through Natixis Investment Managers Solutions, and Natixis Advisors offers other investment services through its AIA and MPA division. Not all offerings available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit Natixis Investment Managers’ website at im.natixis.com | LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/natixis-investment-managers.
Natixis Investment Managers’ distribution and service groups include Natixis Distribution, L.P., a limited purpose broker-dealer and the distributor of various US registered investment companies for which advisory services are provided by affiliated firms of Natixis Investment Managers, Natixis Investment Managers S.A. (Luxembourg), Natixis Investment Managers International (France), and their affiliated distribution and service entities in Europe and Asia.
1 Cerulli Quantitative Update: Global Markets 2020 ranked Natixis Investment Managers as the 17th largest asset manager in the world based on assets under management as of December 31, 2019.
2 Assets under management (“AUM”) as of September 30, 2020 is $1,067.3 billion. AUM, as reported, may include notional assets, assets serviced, gross assets, assets of minority-owned affiliated entities and other types of non-regulatory AUM managed or serviced by firms affiliated with Natixis Investment Managers.
3 A brand of DNCA Finance.
4 A wholly-owned subsidiary of Natixis Wealth Management.
Flexstone follows an inclusive approach with a diverse and value-driven team dedicated to tackling social, environmental and governance issues. “In 2020, we worked on a concrete approach to reinforce our ESG engagement and new thinking on how to use responsible investment to benefit both our clients and company as a whole”, commented Caroline Gibert.
Four Sustainable Development Goals have been selected by Flexstone Partners employees in order to guide its role as a ‘citizen firm’. Above all, its aim is to continue contributing to the protection of the environment (goal 13); promote social equality and opportunity (goals 4 & 5); and enhance diversity and inclusion (goal 8).
Flexstone has also reshaped its proprietary ESG analytical and reporting tools to implement an active approach throughout its investment process. “Our mission is to deliver attractive risk adjusted long term performance to our clients. The objective of ESG integration is to enrich our mission by making sure all portfolio managers and underlying companies are well-placed to develop a sustainable business model.”, adds Eric Deram, Managing Partner at Flexstone.
Caroline Gibert will be supported by an ESG working group with interdisciplinary responsibilities to ensure a consistent ESG integration across the firm. Concrete objectives have been set:
- To produce dedicated ESG reports to each client and a Global ESG report;
- To reach a target for women to represent 40% of the investment teams by 2030;
- To become a neutral carbon company by 2050
Flexstone’s implementation of robust ESG criteria dates back to 2006, when its first mandate was set up with strong ESG guidelines. From that time onward Flexstone has kept improving its ESG approach. The firm signed the UN-PRI in 2014 and outlined a formal ESG investment policy. In 2020, Flexstone committed to the France Invest-sponsored “Gender Equality Charter” and published its first Global ESG policy.
The appointment of Caroline Gibert is a new step in Flexstone’s ESG journey. Caroline’s new function will come in addition to her current role of head of investor relations and business development, working hand in hand with Flexstone’s clients to adapt dedicated ESG reports to their own values and guidelines.
Flexstone Partners (“Flexstone”)1, an affiliate of Natixis Investment Managers, is a leading investment solutions provider in private assets with a global reach and local footprints in New York, Paris, Geneva, and Singapore. It specializes in the selection of private equity, private debt, real estate, and infrastructure fund managers for investment by Flexstone’s clients. Flexstone manages primary and secondary investments as well as co-investments. Flexstone’s expertise is distinguished by a high flexibility in building customized portfolios that are tailored to the unique needs and constraints of each investor whether institutional or private individual2. Flexstone offers a large range of services, from advising on private assets portfolio construction to the management of fully discretionary separate accounts and funds of funds. Flexstone, with more than 40 professionals, manages $7.8 billion3. It is a majority owned subsidiary of Natixis Investment Managers, one of the largest investment managers worldwide.
Further information: www.flexstonepartners.com
1 Flexstone is the name that collectively identifies Flexstone and its underlying companies.
2 Under certain conditions related to marketing and prospection regulatory requirements specific to each entity.
3 Source: Flexstone Partners at 6/30/2020. Assets under management and advisory made up of commitments for closed-end private placement funds, and sum of Net Asset Value and unfunded commitments otherwise.
About Natixis Investment Managers
Natixis Investment Managers serves financial professionals with more insightful ways to construct portfolios. Powered by the expertise of more than 20 specialized investment managers globally, we apply Active Thinking® to deliver proactive solutions that help clients pursue better outcomes in all markets. Natixis Investment Managers ranks among the world’s largest asset management firms1 with nearly $1.1 trillion assets under management2 (€910.0 billion).
Headquartered in Paris and Boston, Natixis Investment Managers is a subsidiary of Natixis. Listed on the Paris Stock Exchange, Natixis is a subsidiary of BPCE, the second-largest banking group in France. Natixis Investment Managers’ affiliated investment management firms include AEW; Alliance Entreprendre; AlphaSimplex Group; DNCA Investments3; Dorval Asset Management; Flexstone Partners; Gateway Investment Advisers; H2O Asset Management; Harris Associates; Investors Mutual Limited; Loomis, Sayles & Company; Mirova; MV Credit; Naxicap Partners; Ossiam; Ostrum Asset Management; Seeyond; Seventure Partners; Thematics Asset Management; Vauban Infrastructure Partners; Vaughan Nelson Investment Management; Vega Investment Managers4; and WCM Investment Management. Additionally, investment solutions are offered through Natixis Investment Managers Solutions, and Natixis Advisors offers other investment services through its AIA and MPA division. Not all offerings available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit Natixis Investment Managers’ website at im.natixis.com | LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/natixis-investment-managers.
Natixis Investment Managers’ distribution and service groups include Natixis Distribution, L.P., a limited purpose broker-dealer and the distributor of various US registered investment companies for which advisory services are provided by affiliated firms of Natixis Investment Managers, Natixis Investment Managers S.A. (Luxembourg), Natixis Investment Managers International (France), and their affiliated distribution and service entities in Europe and Asia.
1 Cerulli Quantitative Update: Global Markets 2020 ranked Natixis Investment Managers as the 17th largest asset manager in the world based on assets under management as of December 31, 2019.
2 Assets under management (“AUM”) as of September 30, 2020 is $1,067.3 billion. AUM, as reported, may include notional assets, assets serviced, gross assets, assets of minority-owned affiliated entities and other types of non-regulatory AUM managed or serviced by firms affiliated with Natixis Investment Managers.
3 A brand of DNCA Finance.
4 A wholly-owned subsidiary of Natixis Wealth Management.