ESG expert exits U Ethical

U Ethical Investors has lost a  key member of its executive team.

Desiree Lucchese, who held the position of ethics and impact manager has departed the investment house.

"After three years of extraordinary growth and collaborative stewardship, my role has come to an end," she wrote on social media.

A responsible investment specialist, she has expertise in environmental systems, innovation projects and the integration of ESG data into investment strategies and decision-making.

While at U Ethical. she led the integration of ESG data and the UN Sustainable Development Goals into the investment process and managed the firm's active stewardship activities with portfolio companies, key stakeholders, and industry peers.

With a background in climate science, sustainability best practice and infrastructure planning, Lucchese has been involved in numerous trans-disciplinary and cross-sectoral initiatives, including the EU Commission's life cycle harmonisation pilot phase, the UK's Capital Markets Union and the UN Global Compact - Cities Programme.

In the post, she thanked her team for making a unique model of ESG integration a reality.

Before arriving at U Ethical, she worked as an ESG consultant with MSCI.

Lucchese was previously a senior sustainability consultant, Urban Systems Advisory at AECOM.

She has also held numerous board directorships addressing climate and ethics, including the UK Climate Disclosure Standards Board and Environmental Investment Organisation.