Former Goldman Bond Veteran Seeks A$150 Million for ESG Fund

(Bloomberg) -- Two former veterans of Goldman Sachs Asset Management and Bankers Trust are turning their hands to the rapidly growing business of sustainable investing, aiming to raise up to A$150 million ($109 million) within six months for a new equity fund.

Philip Moffitt, the former head of fixed income for Asia Pacific at GSAM, and Christopher Selth, who once headed the international funds management operations at BT, established Beckon Capital Pty to source investment opportunities across small- to medium-sized businesses in Australia and New Zealand.

Beckon will seek out private firms focused on helping the community or environment, such as health care and financial services for marginalized groups, and bring them within reach of a broader investor base, according to Moffitt.

“Investors have had limited ability to gain direct access to SME exposure as well as support the sustainable contributions this sector makes to the economy,” said Moffitt, who worked at Goldman for two decades before leaving to pursue a doctorate in psychology last year.

Beckon joins a throng of funds pumping money into assets with positive environmental, social and governance objectives, whose value has skyrocketed to over $40 trillion globally. It has invested in five local companies so far.

Beckon’s technology platform allows SMEs to connect to the investment firm for assessment, providing them with tools to improve their productivity and decision making, Moffitt said.

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