FRANCE- Innovest, the US provider of research and ratings of companies’ environmental and social practices, has opened an office in Paris in response to growing demand for socially responsible investment products in France and southern Europe.

Managing director Pierre Trevet, who has relocated from the New York office to oversee the move, says: “there has been a great deal of activity in the French SRI market recently following the absorption of Arese, a leading French research house, by Vigeo.

“We feel this is an excellent opportunity for Innovest to capitalise on the recent restructuring, as well as demonstrating its resolve in being close to the rapidly evolving sphere of SRI in the French market.”

Innovest has hired Valery Lucas-Leclin, previously head of research at Arese, to work closely with Trevet. Says Trevet: “he will play a large part in ensuring the smooth integration of French expectations and culture into Innovest’s foremost analytical platforms.”

The group is planning over the next few months to hire more analysts in France for its research team.

Innovest’s partners include the investment managers ABN Amro, T Rowe Price and Credit Lyonnais while institutional clients include the California teachers’ pension fund CALPers and the e150bn Dutch fund ABP.

Topics