Mercer Investment Consulting has further recognised the growth in the demand for socially responsible investments by creating a new senior consulting role to lead its responsible investment (RI) business across the Asia Pacific.

Mercer has appointed Helga Birgden, the manager of governance and sustainable investment at the $20 billion UniSuper fund, to the new role. Simon Eagleton, Mercer principal, said there was an obvious client demand for advice on issues related to socially responsible investing. He said: “We need to be ahead of the curve on this. Our clients come to us because they expect us to be experts. “These [RI] areas bring a new dimension of risk. We have hired someone with a deep technical knowledge of all of the risks associated with RI.” Mercer was the first asset consultant to establish a committed global RI offering and has been recognised in the industry as a forerunner in the field. Birgden’s appointment brings the group of dedicated RI professionals globally to 10.