Anne Simpson
I made it to the PRI office by noon, only just. Anne Simpson, head of CalPERS’ sustainable investment programme, was right behind. Our lunch covered some of the issues facing the steering committee of Climate Action 100+. Anne is chair of he committee and I’m coordinator. The chairmanship is to rotate to an executive at HSBC Global Asset Management in March, so we talked about that transition, among other things.
Anne is my ideal of what a leader is. She’s grounded, no ego, whip smart, funny, positive, good people skills, and determined to achieve good outcomes. When my PRI manager interviewed me for the job, he said I would have no input--I’m there in basically an administrative capacity. I think he was nervous that my background at Preventable Surprises--rattling cages of the powerful--meant that I’d come in with fancy ideas. I told him PS was a campaign role that required a certain tone. Whereas at CA100 I’m happy to facilitate the work of others because the work they do is so important and they have the necessary background to do it. I am a communicator at heart and that is what I have to contribute--helping the various arms of CA100 communicate with each other.
Today Anne said my role would be much bigger--that I would have input and shape the group’s work. I really don’t know which is the case--will I merely be a minute taker and meeting organiser, or will I be part of the discussion in a meaningful way? I don’t know the answer and the lovely thing is I don’t care. I’m working with amazing people and I’m happy just to be in the thick of it. Here, by the way, is Anne’s bio:
Anne Simpson joined CalPERS' Executive Office as Director of Board Governance and Strategy in May 2018.
Formerly, Anne was Investment Director, Sustainability, where she led the development of CalPERS' ESG strategy across the $330 billion total fund, working through partnerships to achieve advocacy, engagement, and integration objectives.
... Her prior roles include: Senior Faculty Fellow and Lecturer, Yale School of Management; Executive Director, International Corporate Governance Network; Head of the World Bank-OECD, Global Corporate Governance Forum; and joint Managing Director, Pensions & Investment Research Consultants, Ltd.
Anne is a member of the SEC’s Investor Advisory Committee, Public Company Accounting Oversight Board Investor Advisory Group, and the Leadership Council of the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice & Human Rights. She also sits on the Advisory Board of the Haas School of Business Center for Responsible Business at the University of Berkeley.
She is the author of "The Greening of Global Investment," published by the Economist, and the co-author of "Fair Shares: The Future of Shareholder Power and Responsibility," published by Oxford University Press.
Anne has a master's degree (converted from a bachelor's) from Oxford University, where she studied politics, philosophy, and economics. She was a Slater Fellow in development economics at Wellesley College, Massachusetts.
Anne is British, has three grown children, and lives in California.
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