Bridgepoint to hire ESG specialist

Bridgepoint has become the latest firm to appoint a head of ESG, a spokesman for the firm has confirmed.

James Holley will join the European private equity firm in April from KPMG, where is currently UK head of ESG, according to his LinkedIn profile. Holley has been at KPMG for six years, latterly managing the audit and consulting firm’s sustainability practice.

Holley’s appointment was reported earlier this week by the Wall Street Journal.

It is increasingly common for private equity firms to appoint individuals to take responsibility for environmental, social and governance issues across their portfolios.
Permira and Coller Capital are among those to have appointed dedicated ESG chiefs in the last year. Duties for such executives range from consulting with portfolio companies to help them mitigate risks and create value through ESG-related improvements to reporting on ESG-related matters to limited partners.

Bridgepoint currently operates two families of private equity funds. It is investing its 2015 €4 billion fifth flagship buyout fund, which invests in larger mid-market transactions in Europe, and its £600 million (€691 million; $743 million) third development capital fund, which invests in smaller companies. The firm has eight offices in Europe, as well as offices in New York and Shanghai.

Holley did not respond to a request for comment, while Bridgepoint declined to comment beyond confirming the hire.