Claudia Kruse
APG Asset Management
The Asset Owner Platform is established and backed by leading asset owners, providing a unique business model in the market for specific SDG-related research. We believe that a common asset owner-led initiative improves credibility through standardization and brings efficiencies in implementation. The rules-based approach based on financial data and utilizing AI results in a consistent, systematic, and efficient application of the methodology. Furthermore, the standard allows for a high degree of transparency by providing clear references to the underlying data.
The Design Authority BV (DA) is the decision-making authority within the SDI AOP and responsible for the development and maintenance of the SDI taxonomy and guidance, SDI definitions and classification methodology.
The Design Authority BV consists of four equal shareholders, APG, Australian Super, British Colombia Investment Management Corporation and PGGM.
Asset Owner Board representatives
Jennifer Coulson
BCI
Stephanie Weston
PGGM
Sandra Silea
Director ESG and Stewardship
Claudia Kruse
APG Asset Management
As Managing Director Global Responsible Investment & Governance Claudia Kruse is part of the management team of APG Asset Management reporting into the CIO/ Board. APG manages over EUR 400bn on behalf of Dutch pension funds. Her fifteen people strong team implements the responsible investment policy on behalf of APG and its clients across all asset classes. The focus is on active ownership, ESG integration tailored to the specific investment strategies and investing in solutions that contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals.
Jennifer Coulson
BCI
Jennifer Coulson Senior Managing Director & Global Head, ESG at BC Investment Management. Shas worked in the financial services industry for more than 20 years. She began her career in the mutual fund business working for a national firm that specializes in responsible investing solutions. She oversees Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) integration for portfolio companies across asset classes; engages with companies to manage ESG risk; develops public policy submissions on ESG matters of broad relevance to the investment industry; and oversees the proxy voting program for Public Markets. Jennifer has an undergraduate degree in Environment & Resource Management from the University of Western Ontario as well as a Masters in Environmental Studies from York University. She has attained the Institute of Corporate Directors designation (ICD.D); Chairs the Investor Group of the 30% Club of Canada; serves on the Investment Advisory Committee for the University of Victoria Student Investment Fund; and, is a member of the Board for the SDI Asset Owner Platform. Jennifer was recently recognized as one of B.C’s Most Influential Women in Finance by BC Business Magazine.
Stephanie Weston
PGGM
Sandra Silea
Director ESG and Stewardship
Design Authority Team
James Leaton
Research Director
Hans Op ‘t Veld
Chairman Member & Markets Committee
Monique Sturmans
Operational manager
Stefan Gevaert
SDI Analyst
James Leaton
Research Director
James Leaton is Research Director at the SDI AOP as of October 2021. He joined from Moody’s, where he was a Senior Vice President in the credit rating agency’s global environmental, social and governance (ESG) team. At Moody’s, James was the architect of carbon transition analysis of companies across high impact sectors, before leading broader ESG research and outreach efforts in EMEA.
James was previously Research Director at Carbon Tracker – an independent research house - where he led a team producing thematic energy research combining elements of climate change scenarios with financial analysis. James was lead author of a series of research which sparked investor interest in the concept of stranded assets, and led to a number of investor initiatives on carbon asset risk.
James also advised blue-chip clients on climate change and sustainability strategy whilst a consultant at PwC, and was a senior policy advisor at WWF, focusing on the development and biodiversity impacts of extractive industries. James holds a Masters degree in Environmental Technology from Imperial College, University of London.
Hans Op ‘t Veld
Chairman Member & Markets Committee
Hans Op ‘t Veld is Principal Director Responsible Investment of PGGM. In this capacity he is focused on building out the Sustainable Development Investments Asset Owner Platform (SDI AOP) and has been seconded to the Design Authority where he's leading the Members & Markets Committee.
As Head of Responsible Investments PGGM he previously led a team of 16 professionals looking after the implementation of Responsible Investment in the EUR 240 billion investment portfolio of PGGM.
Hans joined PGGM in 2007 and headed up the listed real estate department before transitioning to Responsible Investments in 2018. Furthermore, Hans served as vice-chair of the SASB Investor Advisory Group. In his academic capacity, Hans is a Research Fellow at the Amsterdam School of Real Estate and is a PhD. Candidate at Tilburg University.
Monique Sturmans
Operational manager
Monique Sturmans is Operational Manager and Secretary to the Board, Research Committee and Members & Markets Committee of the Design Authority BV, a role she has held since the organization's launch in July 2020.
Prior to her current position, Monique worked as an interim professional, in communications, change management and operational management for a diverse range of companies.
From 2010 – 2017 she was Head of Internal Communications at Robeco setting up communication processes and instruments and ensuring consistent and frequent global internal communication with a team of 8 fte.
Before that she was Head of the Executive Office at APG Asset Management. In this position she was Secretary to the Board of APG Asset Management and responsible for the support staff (10 fte) in the company’s offices in Amsterdam, Heerlen, New York, and Hong Kong.
Since 1993 she is also the driving force behind Inquire Europe a non-profit organization that encourages research into quantitative methods for investment management.
Stefan Gevaert
SDI Analyst
Stefan Gevaert joined the SDI AOP as SDI Analyst in March 2023 to focus on improving and expanding the SDI Taxonomy. He did so after two years at Utrecht University’s Copernicus Institute, where he published research on Green Hydrogen investment flows within the context of just sustainability transitions. His work on this topic supported the launch of a global academic network for “Critical H2” studies. As part of his time at UU, Stefan also contributed foresight work to the Deep Transitions project, which engaged 18 leading public and private investors on integrating multi-system sustainability as part their investment practices, leading to the development of a novel Transformative Investment Philosophy.
Prior to that, Stefan led a consulting initiative at EcoReview which mapped trends, actors, and barriers related to sustainable public procurement incentives in the Netherlands in order to develop more cost-effective verification guidelines in the transitioning infrastructure sector. He also brings prior experience and familiarity with the SDI Taxonomy from his time as Company Classifier with data science partners Entis in 2019. Stefan holds an MSc in Sustainable Business & Innovation as well as a BA Liberal Arts with Major in Philosophy from King’s College London.
Design Authority Research Committee
Nick Chee
Associate Director ESG and Stewardship
Asimwe Ruganyoisa
RI Strategy & Partnerships Manager
Arnold Lam
Associate ESG
Gert-Jan Sikking
Senior Responsible Investment Advisor
James Leaton
Research Director
Stefan Gevaert
SDI Analyst
Nick Chee
Associate Director ESG and Stewardship
Asimwe Ruganyoisa
RI Strategy & Partnerships Manager
Arnold Lam
Associate ESG
Gert-Jan Sikking
Senior Responsible Investment Advisor
James Leaton
Research Director
James Leaton is Research Director at the SDI AOP as of October 2021. He joined from Moody’s, where he was a Senior Vice President in the credit rating agency’s global environmental, social and governance (ESG) team. At Moody’s, James was the architect of carbon transition analysis of companies across high impact sectors, before leading broader ESG research and outreach efforts in EMEA.
James was previously Research Director at Carbon Tracker – an independent research house - where he led a team producing thematic energy research combining elements of climate change scenarios with financial analysis. James was lead author of a series of research which sparked investor interest in the concept of stranded assets, and led to a number of investor initiatives on carbon asset risk.
James also advised blue-chip clients on climate change and sustainability strategy whilst a consultant at PwC, and was a senior policy advisor at WWF, focusing on the development and biodiversity impacts of extractive industries. James holds a Masters degree in Environmental Technology from Imperial College, University of London.
Stefan Gevaert
SDI Analyst
Stefan Gevaert joined the SDI AOP as SDI Analyst in March 2023 to focus on improving and expanding the SDI Taxonomy. He did so after two years at Utrecht University’s Copernicus Institute, where he published research on Green Hydrogen investment flows within the context of just sustainability transitions. His work on this topic supported the launch of a global academic network for “Critical H2” studies. As part of his time at UU, Stefan also contributed foresight work to the Deep Transitions project, which engaged 18 leading public and private investors on integrating multi-system sustainability as part their investment practices, leading to the development of a novel Transformative Investment Philosophy.
Prior to that, Stefan led a consulting initiative at EcoReview which mapped trends, actors, and barriers related to sustainable public procurement incentives in the Netherlands in order to develop more cost-effective verification guidelines in the transitioning infrastructure sector. He also brings prior experience and familiarity with the SDI Taxonomy from his time as Company Classifier with data science partners Entis in 2019. Stefan holds an MSc in Sustainable Business & Innovation as well as a BA Liberal Arts with Major in Philosophy from King’s College London.