Global asset manager Insight Investment has hired Chandra Gopinathan as Head of Responsible Investment (RI) Research, joining from UK pension scheme Railpen. He will be responsible for leading Insight’s sustainability-related research activities and integrating research findings to improve the firm’s decision making. Managing £665.1 billion (US$841.1 billion) in assets, Insight is a subsidiary of global financial services provider BNY. Gopinathan spent more than four years at Railpen as Senior Investment Manager, where he co-led the credit strategy and manager selection team, with responsibilities including energy transition investment, policy engagement and stewardship, and net zero strategy. He also chairs the Transition Plan Taskforce’s Asset Owner Working Group and is a steering committee member at the Transition Pathway Initiative (TPI) Global Climate Transition Centre. “Chandra has impressive experience gained over two decades across investment strategy, credit, stewardship, climate and net zero initiatives with a specific focus on fixed income,” said Robert Sawbridge, Head of Responsible Investment at Insight. “He has proven experience of implementing and delivering responsible investment research programmes in institutional markets and comes with an important understanding of asset owner requirements in this space.” Gopinathan’s work on sustainable ownership and climate at Railpen was taken over by Adam Gillett, Senior Investment Manager, Sustainable Ownership, while his work with external managers has been absorbed by Kunaal Vora, Head of External Manager Oversight.
