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.

SGX's New Low Carbon Index Outperformed Comparable Indices and With Less Volatility

SGX Nikkei ESG-REIT Index Futures Launch Is an Ideal Backdrop for an Important Topic: ESG and REITs

<ul>
<li>Last week, SGX and the New York Stock Exchange announced a collaboration focusing on dual listings and new products (primarily ETFs)... and all with an overarching ESG imperative.</li>
<li>Typically, these kinds of announcements are met with a healthy dash of skepticism by investors but the SGX/NYSE agreement is a clear exception, deserving atypical early-stage optimism.</li>
<li>Complementary skill sets (Right Partners), once-in-lifetime market opportunities (Right Place), and leveraging <em>existing</em> cabilities to meet <em>current</em> ESG investing demand (Right Products).</li>
</ul>


Last week, SGX and the New York Stock Exchange announced a collaboration focusing on dual listings and new products (primarily ETFs)... and all with an overarching ESG imperative.
Typically, these kinds of announcements are met with a healthy dash of skepticism by investors but the SGX/NYSE agreement is a clear exception, deserving atypical early-stage optimism.
Complementary skill sets (Right Partners), once-in-lifetime market opportunities (Right Place), and leveraging existing cabilities to meet current ESG investing demand (Right Products).


SGX/NYSE Collaboration Agreement: Right Partners, Right Place, Right Products