Funds SA loses ESG executive

BY ELIZABETH FRY | MONDAY, 2 DEC 2024 4:12PM

The director of responsible investment Joel Quintal will depart Funds SA in December after more than five years with the $46 billion corporation.

Quintal is returning to Norfolk Island to spend more time with his family.

"In time I may look for opportunities to support growth in this area or pursue something new," he said.

Having come from ESG-related roles within the superannuation industry and government, Quintal played a big role in Funds SA's responsible investment capabilities.

He led the team that established the public sector pension scheme's responsible investment framework, integrated ESG due diligence within the investment process, redesigned and managed the socially responsible investment option and developed the first Climate Risk Response Plan and associated reporting against the plan.

Funds SA chief executive John Piteo said: "We are thankful for the considerable accomplishments achieved by the responsible investment team under Joel's leadership and wish him all the very best in his move back home to Norfolk Island."

"I've been privileged to work in an area that has such a wide-ranging impact on investment outcomes and society generally," Quintal added.

"Having moved from Melbourne, I've loved my time working with Funds SA and living in South Australia. I am now looking forward to returning home and seeing how I can contribute to this area in different ways."

Quintal joined the Adelaide-based fund from Victoria Funds Management Corporation, where he served as head of ESG integration.

He jumped to VFMC from Hesta, where he was a senior investment analyst within the ESG team for just over a year.

This gig followed a three-year stint at Citi as an analyst in equities research looking at remuneration, bribery and corruption, carbon footprinting, safety, slavery and human rights and their impacts on Australian listed companies.

Previously, Quintal spent three years at JL Australia as director of sustainability and worked as an environmental consultant at London-based M&G Investments and Kellogg Brown and Root.