Guy’s & St Thomas’ Foundation, the £1bn charitable endowment for health impact, has appointed Emma Davies as its new chief investment officer.
Davies will be responsible for implementing the investment strategy of the foundation’s endowment, which comprises a diversified portfolio of investments, land and other properties.
She replaces Ethan Hall, who had held the role since 2021.
The foundation’s overarching endowment strategy aims to make investments that deliver long term and sustainable financial returns as well as have positive health outcomes.
The foundation is committed to using its assets to generate a positive health impact including a £100m allocation to impact investments last year, one of the largest allocations made by any UK-based charitable foundation.
Davies will also be instrumental in driving the foundation’s commitment to become a more responsible investor across all key ESG factors, as well as further its wider sector and peer group engagement.
Davies brings a range of experience to the role. She has held roles at JP Morgan, Perry Capital, The Wellcome Trust, Marylebone Partners and as the founding chief investment officer at Big Society Capital.
Most recently she co-led the team at Octopus Ventures, where she helped launch the Octopus Future Generations Venture Capital Trust, which invests in businesses that support sustainability, improved societal outcomes and measurable health impact.
Davies said: “The dual mandate the foundation sets for its endowment to drive financial returns and health impact is ambitious and exciting. It’s leading the way for foundations and mainstream investors in showing how we can all contribute to building a healthier society.”
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