VFMC hires BHP ESG exec

The Victorian Funds Management Corporation (VFMC) has hired a former BHP ESG executive for a role in its investment stewardship team.

Chelsea Patten joins VMFC as manager,  investment stewardship. She comes to the Victorian state fund manager from BHP, where she was head of ESG Australia/Asia in group finance.

Previously, she worked as chief of staff in the BHP chairman's office and as manager, public policy and issues management. She has previously worked for BlueScope Steel.

This is the second hire for VFMC's investment stewardship team in as many weeks. Last week, Ryan Cook joined the investment stewardship team as well. Cook comes to VFMC from the Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA), where he was a senior responsible investment analyst.

VFMC confirmed Cook's appointment.

Cook will report to VFMC's head of investment stewardship, Shali Lingaretnam, who reports to chief investment officer Russell Clarke.

According to VFMC's investment stewardship policy, their investment stewardship approach focuses on four key areas of work: active ownership, ESG integration, undertaking major ESG projects, and collaboration.

"The field of investment stewardship is broad and encompasses diverse areas of consideration," VFMC says in its policy. "As such, it is intended that this policy has broad application."

The fund has a "longstanding and ongoing focus" on several priority themes that broadly map to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Those priority themes cover governance and culture, climate risk management, modern slavery, human rights, ethical supply chains and labour standards, occupational health and safety, and gender and diversity.

Prior to working at RIAA, Cook held roles at Greenfleet and The Thin Green Line Foundation.