GIB Asset Management names new Chief Sustainability Officer

GIB Asset Management has appointed Victoria Barron as its new Chief Sustainability Officer following Venetia Bell’s departure.

Barron was previously Head of Sustainable Investment at the UK’s largest corporate pension scheme, BT Pension Scheme, leading its sustainable investment and stewardship strategy. She has over 15 years of ESG and sustainable investment experience, having started as a responsible investment analyst at FTSE4Good in 2010.

She also co-chairs the ASCOR Project (Assessing Sovereign Climate-related Opportunities and Risks), an independent tool created to support investors in assessing countries’ climate transition pathways, policies and related funding needs.

At GIB AM, Barron will drive the firm’s sustainability agenda, develop sustainability frameworks and governance and lead projects to enhance corporate sustainability while supporting its adoption at the sector and regional levels. 

Victoria Barron replaces Venetia Bell as GIB AM CSO

She replaces Venetia Bell, who held the role of Group Chief Sustainability Officer from 2021 to last June, when she left to become the Clean Air Fund’s first Chief Operating Officer.

Katherine Garrett-Cox, CEO of GIB AM, said: “This is an exciting time for us at GIB AM, as we continue to grow our sustainability footprints in the UK and the Middle East. At GIB AM, we’re focused on seeking out, investing in, and supporting sustainable businesses that share our ambition to shape a better future. Building on our strong foundations, we are delighted to welcome Victoria and look forward to her contributions across all our sustainability initiatives.”

The UK-based firm, a wholly owned subsidiary of Bahrain’s Gulf International Bank (GIB), manages US$6 billion in assets. Between 2021 and 2023, it launched four sustainability-focused funds, which hold a combined US$189 million in assets under management.

GIB AM reports on these funds’ sustainability impacts and carbon intensity in its yearly impact and engagement report.