Hedge Fund Marshall Wace Planning $1 Billion Sustainability-Themed Fund

Mark Segal July 6, 2020

ESG investing continues to enter the mainstream, as leading hedge fund Marshall Wace is reportedly planning a new $1 billion sustainability-themed fund, according to an article in the Financial Times. We spoke with a source familiar with the matter who confirmed the story as reported in the FT.

Marshall Wace is one of the world’s largest alternative asset managers, with approximately $45 billion in assets, specialising in long/short equity. The firm has over 240 employees, with offices in London, New York, and Hong Kong.

According to the report, the fund will invest in stocks with strong ESG ratings, while betting against weaker-rated shares, based on information from external analysts who focus on a range of sustainability issues.

The fund will utilize the firm’s proprietary system MW TOPS, which it uses to collect investment ideas from over two hundred sell side institutions and independent research providers. The TOPS architecture allows for global, diversified portfolios with differing risk and trading profiles, according to the firm.

Mark founded ESG Today following a 20 year career in investment management and research. Prior to founding ESG Today, Mark worked at Delaney Capital Management (DCM) in Toronto, Canada, most recently as the firm’s head of U.S. equities. While at DCM, Mark was part of the firm’s ESG team, responsible for evaluating and tracking the sustainability factors impacting portfolio companies, and assessing the suitability of companies for portfolio inclusion. Mark also spent several years in the sell-side research industry, covering the technology and services sectors. Mark holds an MBA from Columbia University in New York, a BBA from the Schulich School of Business at York University in Toronto, and is a CFA charterholder.