Alpha-Centric ESG Research

Kyle Rudden

I am an ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) analyst with an alpha-centric approach to ESG research. After all, ESG investing is, first and foremost, investing. "Alpha-centric" does not mean apathetic, however. Quite the contrary. I believe global sustainability – i.e., environmental stewardship, social equality, and economic prosperity – is imperative, and private-sector capital is its cornerstone. Private-sector capital still has fiduciary responsibilities. Profitability is necessary for sustained impact. The Triple Bottom Line. People, Planet, AND Profit.

More importantly, you. I value your investment in Smartkarma research, and commit to Insights worthy of your time and money. That means giving ASEAN ESG the attention it deserves, and with Insights that are substantive and differentiated; the intersection of material and under-covered. You can expect investigative research into emergent ESG issues; data-driven analyses of deals (pre-IPO ESG research, ESG-focused M&A consequence analyses, etc.); and trading-oriented ideas like ESG short selling and playing ESG index constituency changes.

I bring both ESG expertise and traditional investing experience, as well as some rather unique perspectives on ESG (a lesson in governance from Enron, anyone?). I spent the last decade exclusively on ESG, researching links to equity returns, credit ratings, cost of capital, and yield spreads. I also contributed to ESG reporting standards (SASB and GRI), and the MBA curriculum (Impact Investing) at the Kellogg School of Management. Previously, I was an Institutional Investor and Wall Street Journal All-Star sell-side analyst at J.P. Morgan.

Please, feel free to contact me about anything.

Biden Making Good on Major Environmental Promises: Rejoins U.S. In Paris Agreement

Battle Lines Drawn As BABA Builds Out First/Last-Mile Capacity; But Who Will Fund 75+ Bn CNY CapEx?

In a series of election-related Insights last year, I discussed how a Biden win would be a positive for sustainability and ESG. His policies are a huge win for quintessential ESG investments (e.g., electric vehicles), but also for ESG investing itself via pro-ESG legislation and a new mindset at the SEC.Still waiting on the legislation, but that is understandable – Biden has been in office, and Congress in session, for barely a month during which there was a bit of riot up on Capitol Hill. We are seeing that change in SEC mindset, however, in a recent announcement that portends things to come.Last week the SEC issued a statement in which acting SEC Chairwoman Allison Herren Lee directed the SEC staff to increase scrutiny of climate disclosures in company filings. Whilst not a full-blown ESG directive, it is a major step for an SEC that was at war with ESG under Chairman Jay Clayton.

In a series of election-related Insights last year, I discussed how a Biden win would be a positive for sustainability and ESG. His policies are a huge win for quintessential ESG investments (e.g., electric vehicles), but also for ESG investing itself via pro-ESG legislation and a new mindset at the SEC.Still waiting on the legislation, but that is understandable – Biden has been in office, and Congress in session, for barely a month during which there was a bit of riot up on Capitol Hill. We are seeing that change in SEC mindset, however, in a recent announcement that portends things to come.Last week the SEC issued a statement in which acting SEC Chairwoman Allison Herren Lee directed the SEC staff to increase scrutiny of climate disclosures in company filings. Whilst not a full-blown ESG directive, it is a major step for an SEC that was at war with ESG under Chairman Jay Clayton.

Biden Making Good on Major Environmental Promises: New SEC Is More ESG-Focused

Tesla

Biden Making Good on Major Environmental Promises: New SEC Is More ESG-Focused