Arjun hires Rhyadd Keaney-Watkins as head of ESG and launches first Sustainability Report
- Keaney-Watkins joins following an extensive ESG consulting career
- Will work closely with investment and asset management teams, ensuring integration across Arjun’s operations
- Sustainability Report outlines the fundamentals of how Infrastructure Asset Management is helping improve ESG credentials of portfolios and deliver on international targets
European asset manager Arjun Infrastructure (Arjun) has recently launched its inaugural Sustainability Report and formally announced the appointment of Rhyadd Keaney-Watkins as Head of ESG.
Keaney-Watkins has nearly two decades of ESG consulting experience working with Development Finance Clients (such as the International Finance Corporation, Development Banks, and Export Credit Agencies) on infrastructure transactions (pre- and post-financing) across developed and emerging markets. In addition, Rhyadd worked with asset managers in the real estate and infrastructure sectors in relation to ESG strategy and implementation. At Arjun, he will work closely with the investment and asset management teams, ensuring ESG integration across the asset manager’s operations.
Alongside the appointment is the launch of Arjun’s inaugural Sustainability Report, with both fundamentally underlining the firm’s commitment to delivering on its own and supporting the ESG objectives of clients, according to Arjun’s Managing Partner Surinder Toor.
He continued: “There are many asset managers, infrastructure or otherwise, who retrofit someone into a sustainability role, but this isn’t the case for Rhyadd and is one of the many reasons we’re excited to have him on board. Rhyadd’s a true sustainability expert, he is a Chartered Environmentalist, Chartered Member of the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management [CIWEM] and holds an MSci. in Environmental Geoscience from Imperial College. He brings a deep-rooted understanding of the issues facing the infrastructure industry, but also solutions that can help the industry as a whole move forward.”
The role of infrastructure in delivering positive ESG impact is nothing new to Arjun. Earlier this year, for instance, the firm announced the successful construction of a new biogas plant in Kliplev, South Jutland, Denmark. At full production the plant can annually upgrade and export 48 million Nm3 of biomethane to the gas network.
Since joining, Rhyadd has helped augment Arjun’s in-house ESG capabilities and has delivered several key initiatives. A notable example includes the advancement of the firm’s climate physical risk assessment by integrating scenario analysis when considering the risks of physical hazards – such as heat stress and extreme wind risk – across multiple future climate scenarios and time horizons. This has already aided key asset management discussions on how to improve the resilience, and long-term value protection, of investments.
Rhyadd is also supporting the development of new fund strategies, including Article 8 products as defined under the EU Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (‘SFDR’). Rhyadd’s involvement has helped ensure that Arjun’s strategy remains environmentally robust, credible, and purpose-led.
Speaking of his joining, Rhyadd Keaney-Watkins said: “I’ve immediately been struck by the great work already being done by the business, and also the eagerness of the team at all levels to further leverage ESG to deliver on our client’s long-term objectives of stable, resilient and purposeful returns. At a time of such change and urgency, direct infrastructure will play a pivotal role in providing the utilities and services that will underpin tomorrow’s society. This presents an exciting opportunity for our clients and I look forward to delivering on this together”.
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About Arjun Infrastructure
Arjun Infrastructure Partners is an independent asset management company dedicated to executing and managing mid-market infrastructure investments. Founded in 2015, Arjun now manages €4.8 billion of capital on behalf of prominent institutional investors.
Arjun’s team of 29 professionals and a further 8 industry partners has extensive operational and financial experience in the utilities, energy & renewables, digital and transportation infrastructure sectors. We offer a proven ability to source bilateral investment opportunities and have a strong focus on ESG as part of our long-term, responsible asset management approach.
