GCA Altium has appointed Dr Jules Wurlod as ESG Director in a newly created role as ethical investing booms across the globe.GCA Altium has a strong history in ESG M&A advisory and has recently increased its emphasis on this area by forming a global ESG advisory team. GCA Altium has also recently introduced an internal ESG programme with a focus on creating a positive impact for all its stakeholders – including clients, shareholders, employees and communities. Jules will support GCA Altium’s deal teams on both ESG origination and execution, and also the internal ESG team with the development and implementation of the firm’s ESG strategy.
Wurlod, who will be based in Lausanne, Switzerland, brings profound knowledge in the area of ESG and sustainability, with more than 10 years of experience across academia, public sector organisations and management consulting. He is a published author in top-tier journals on environmental economics and innovation and has also worked for four years as a management consultant at the Boston Consulting Group across Europe and the Middle East. Jules holds a PhD in environmental economics from the Graduate Institute in Geneva.
Phil Adams, CEO at GCA Altium, says: “We are delighted to welcome Jules to GCA Altium. With his vast experience in the field of ESG and sustainability he will be able to add great value both in terms of the advice we offer our clients and also our own internal ESG efforts. We have always focused on dealmaking with a positive impact and have worked constantly as a firm to improve how we do business. We recognise the strategic importance of ESG in today’s world and look forward to working with Jules to ramp up our efforts in this area.”
Ethical investing is unquestionably booming across the globe. With its focus on the challenges we face today around social issues, sustainability and growth, it is increasingly becoming an imperative for investors. More and more investors are seeking to put their money into assets that have a holistic approach to sustainability, with a focus on disruptive change, financial strength, the environment and a positive social impact. Aside from the long-term benefits to the environment and society, ESG is a hidden success factor in M&A transactions. There are various reasons for this such as the higher cumulative total returns of ESG assets and the continually increasing appetite from investors.
