Putnam Investments, a privately owned investment management firm headquartered in Boston, has appointed Jacquelyn S. Vanderbrug to the new position of head of sustainability strategy, the company said today. Reporting to Putnam President and CEO Robert L. Reynolds, she will also join the firm’s operating committee.
“We are thrilled to welcome Jackie to Putnam, where she will play an integral role in further expanding our firm’s focus in the critical realm of sustainability,” Reynolds said in a prepared statement. “At a time when ESG-related questions are rising in complexity and intensity, we are focused on further strengthening our investment-centric approach to these issues.”
Vanderbrug will work closely with an array of internal partners, including Katherine Collins, head of sustainable investing, and Catherine Saunders, head of corporate sustainability, the company said.
Prior to joining Putnam, Vanderbrug served as head of sustainable and impact investment strategy in the chief investment office for Merrill Lynch at Bank of America, and for Bank of America Private Bank.
Vanderbrug earned a bachelor's degree from Calvin College and a M.B.A. degree from the University of Michigan. She is a published author on a range of subjects, and is active with professional organizations that include the U.S. Sustainable Investment Forum, the Aspen Institute, Gender Smart, Trustees of the Donations, and Duke University’s Impact Investing Initiative.
Founded in 1937 by George Putnam, who established one of the first balanced mutual funds, Putnam Investments reported $176 billion in assets under management at the end of July.