Fink's green fund hires for agriculture investment

Earth Capital Partners, the green alternatives fund manager founded by Stanley Fink, has hired three executives to focus on sustainable agriculture investment, after the Copenhagen climate summit reached agreement regarding deforestation and reforestation.

ECP, set up by former Man Group chief executive Stanley Fink just over a year ago, has hired Bosworth Monck as head of sustainable agriculture and forestry investment and Gabriel Montana and Richard Smith as partners.

The trio will advise on agriculture, forestry and biodiversity investments, with a particular focus on Latin America. The firm plans to launch a series of institutional grade funds in these areas, according to a statement.

Stanley Fink, non-executive chairman of ECP, said, “Appointing this new agriculture team takes us one step closer to having a diversified range of sustainable investment opportunities for institutional investors. One of the positive developments to come out of Copenhagen was an agreement regarding deforestation and reforestation, and this will make the sector even more attractive for investors."

The Copenhagen summit in December backed the establishment of a measure called Redd-plus, or 'reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation', which could see countries that can reduce emissions by preserving their forest being paid for doing so.

Monck, Montana and Smith have all worked together previously at Ibis Asset Management, a captive financial advisory group to private conglomerate, where Monck was chief executive. Monck and Montana also worked together at emerging market-focused private equity firm EMP Global.

-- write to lwillington@efinancialnews.com, mturner@efinancialnews.com