Maria Nazarova-Doyle, CFA

Leading IFM’s Global Sustainable Investment Team as we work towards maximising long-term returns, while creating positive and wide-ranging benefits for communities around the world.

This role was tasked with leading SW customer pension investment proposition and incorporating responsible investment and active stewardship principles into the investment design. Key highlights included: • Setting up an exceptional RI and stewardship team from scratch and leading it from strength to strength. • Putting in place SW’s RI and Stewardship framework, building out to a range of policies, with Stewardship policy and active ownership approach achieving FRC Stewardship Code signatory status in the first round of applications and Exclusions policy seeing £3bn divested from companies not meeting our ESG criteria. • Leading the development of SW Net Zero investment approach. SW was the first pension provider to announce full portfolio targets, and the first provider to issue a transparent Climate Action Plan. This qualified SW for inclusion in the Race to Zero campaign. • Successfully influencing large global asset managers to change their approach to exclusions and voting. • Leading the development of a customer facing ESG app (“FYI”) to help our customers understand more about sustainability of their pensions and see their non-financial impacts, the first of its kind in the pensions industry. • Designing and overseeing the implementation of changes to a range of SW funds to improve their ESG credentials. • Helping to establish the appropriate governance structure to oversee RI and stewardship activities. • Ongoing Board level and executive committee interactions, providing opinions to support their decision-making both within and outside of formal meetings. • Leading on government and regulatory interactions and policy work in all areas related to investments and RI. • Being the spokesperson on investment proposition and sustainability matters in the press, a regular public speaker and an awards judge. • Representing SW in a number of key industry bodies and taskforces. • Supporting key client and EBC relationships as an executive sponsor.

Following the acquisition of JLT Group by Marsh & McLennan in April 2019, I was appointed in this new role, while continuing with the legacy JLT role during the transition period. This role was responsible for leading, formulating and executing a market engagement strategy with the goal to increase Mercer’s market share in DC consulting, financial planning and master trust areas. This role also combined client strategy and proposition development with advising a portfolio of large DC clients on long-term sustainable investment strategies.

Reporting to the Managing Director of Investment Solutions and being part of the management committee, this role was tasked with enhancing JLT’s DC proposition through market leading investment research, service development and advice for the wide variety of DC pension arrangements. The role involved: • Acting as a lead on developing DC investment services to trustee clients and setting up and maintaining JLT’s research and client services for our multiple-award winning corporate pension proposition. • Combining the research and thought leadership role with the client facing role, advising a diverse portfolio of clients. • Representing DC Investments on the internal Responsible Investment working group. • Being the budget holder for DC Investment Consulting and having the ultimate responsibility for delivery on our commercial targets (including new business activities), while managing a team of investment specialists. • Developing house views and collateral relating to DC investments. • Being JLT’s media and social media spokesperson on DC matters, a regular speaker at DC industry events and a professional awards judge. • Working with the government and the regulators on pension policy issues.

As Deputy Head of DC Investment Consulting I had a wide range of responsibilities advising DC trust and GPP pension schemes. I was working on enhancing our proposition with a particular responsibility for launching JLT’s corporate DC offering.

This role involved: • Work on various aspects of investment advice for DC pension schemes. • Manager research in areas of public and private equity. • Developing JLT's new business proposition for investment consulting. • Creating thought pieces, topical articles and market commentaries.

Having progressed to my role as investment consultant, I was providing a full range of advice mainly to DC pension schemes including: • Investment strategy reviews for DC/GPP schemes and advice on default strategy selection. • Advice on cost effective and risk-controlled asset transfer exercises. • Creating our Investment Consulting Practice market updates and thought pieces.

Asset transitions for DB and DC pension schemes (including mergers and buy-ins). Asset allocation implementation and monitoring.

Working for one of Russia's leading private equity firms with $6bn AUM at the time, I was providing analytical support for 2 investment directors specialising in Real Estate and Financial Services.

Achieved the highest mark in the history of the programme, graduating with Distinction and as top of the class

1st class honours achieved

1st class honours achieved