As expected, Stuart Kirk has stepped down from his role as HSBC Asset Management’s global head of responsible investing to work on a project to deliver «the greatest sustainable investment idea ever conceived».
Stuart Kirk has resigned from his role as HSBC Asset Management’s global head of responsible investing, according to a post from his Linkedin account, less than two months after his original suspension over comments about the financial industry’s overemphasis on climate change at an investor summit.
«Ironically given my job title, I have concluded that the bank’s behavior towards me since my speech at a Financial Times conference in May has made my position, well, unsustainable,» Kirk said in the post.
Kirk has nearly 27 years of experience across finance, journalism and consultancy. Prior to joining HSBC in 2020, he had worked for DWS, Deutsche Bank, Financial Times and Oliver Wyman.
«Crack Group»
According to Kirk, he will be working on new opportunities including a project to deliver «arguably the greatest sustainable investment idea ever conceived» together with a «crack group of like-minded individuals».
«Sounds fanciful – but I am not one for hyperbole, as viewers of my presentation know well,» Kirk said. «Meanwhile, I will continue to prod with a sharp stick the nonsense, hypocrisy, sloppy logic and group-think inside the mainstream bubble of sustainable finance. Follow me on LinkedIn if you want to learn the right way to think about ESG – and let me tell you, most of what’s out there is bonkers.»
