Simon O'Connor​

CEO of Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA)
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For over 15 years, Simon has worked in roles across the spectrum of finance, economics and their convergence with sustainability and the environment in Australia and the UK. He has worked as a consultant, an investment analyst, as well as working within the non-government organisation (NGO) sector. In 2014, he joined RIAA in the role of CEO.

Why is it growing so fast?

"In recent times, the huge growth in socially responsible investing has been driven by an awakening among consumers. There is a real sense that they are demanding investment opportunities in this area. Some companies are destroying shareholder value by mismanaging internal ethics issues. Investors are demanding that their fund managers divest from these unethical streams. 

The recently released benchmark report from RIAA shows that consumer demand for responsible investment has doubled to over $31 billion. There’s currently a convergence of factors that are resulting in a very compelling case to invest responsibly. There’s no longer a sense of confusion in the marketplace. 

New entrants into the world of investment are showing great signs of maturity, which matches the growing industry. There are lots of products coming to the market across all asset classes; exchange-traded funds, fixed interest funds, listed investments, responsible cash products on top of traditional domestic equities. This diversity is a positive thing".
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