Lazard AM Appoints Robert Wall to Build Sustainable Private Infrastructure Team
Lazard Asset Management (LAM) announced today the appointment of Robert Wall as Managing Director and Head of Sustainable Private Infrastructure. In his new role, Wall will build a team at the firm to manage a sustainable investment strategy focused on private infrastructure companies.
Ashish Bhutani, Chief Executive Officer, LAM, said:
“Clients are increasingly looking for investments that provide diversified returns and that have demonstrable benefits to society in line with a more sustainable world. Robert has extensive experience in investing capital across all sub-sectors of the infrastructure asset class to deliver strong returns.”
Wall joins Lazard after serving for over four years at Federated Hermes, most recently as Partner for Hermes Infrastructure, and as a member of the firm’s infrastructure investment committee in private markets. Before joining Hermes, Wall was a founding member of the infrastructure investments team at the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board.
The appointment comes as investors become increasingly focused on opportunities created by the emerging transition towards lower-impact sources of energy, as countries mobilize to limit the warming effect of greenhouse gas emissions, including multi-billion dollar plans by the Biden administration to revamp energy infrastructure in the U.S. Private markets investors are seen as particularly well positioned for investments in sustainable infrastructure projects, and several, such as Carlyle and KKR have been actively ramping their energy transition-focused investments and teams.
Wall said:
“Sustainable Private infrastructure has the potential to deliver superior, long-term investment returns through active engagement with operating companies, and improves essential services for customers, employees and other stakeholders. This is a fantastic opportunity to provide clients with access to private infrastructure investments, alongside Lazard Asset Management’s global investment resources and expertise in sustainable investing.”
Wall will join LAM in October, and will be based in London.