Climate Change in Scenario Analysis

PRMIA Montreal will be holding a conference on the inclusion of climate change in scenario analysis as it pertains to risk management. Global institutional investors increasingly recognize the importance of conducting multi-dimensional assessments of climate change risk and opportunities. Yet for many, a key challenge remains how to incorporate the effects of climate change in risk management strategies and scenario analysis. This is a unique opportunity to hear leading experts discuss this important topic from different perspectives.

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Event Information

Our speakers will provide you with information about:

The increasing relevance of climate data in scenario forecasts and risk management
The availability of climate information and data, climate forecasts and climate extremes
How companies can provide consistent, climate-related financial risk disclosures for stakeholders
How stakeholders are integrating climate change into fiduciary governance and investment beliefs
How investors are incorporating environmental data into investment decision-making processes

Date: April 26, 2018
Time: 11:45 AM - 2:00 PM
Location: Caisse de Dépôt et placement du Québec
1000, place Jean-Paul-Riopelle
Montréal, Québec, H2Z 2B3

Agenda

11 :45 AM - 12 :30 PM: Registration and Networking-Lunch
12:30PM – 2:00 PM: Panel Discussion

Speakers

Curtis Ravenel Global Head, Sustainable Business & Finance, Bloomberg LP

As Global Head of Sustainable Business & Finance, Curtis Ravenel leads Bloomberg’s sustainability initiatives. The program integrates sustainability considerations into all firm operations and leverages Bloomberg’s Terminal to evaluate sustainability-related investment risks and opportunities for its user base of influential decision-makers.
Curtis has worked for Bloomberg in multiple roles. He was the Financial Controller for Asia managing accounting, tax, treasury and audit services for 23 legal entities with combined annual revenues exceeding $1 billion USD. This was preceded by various roles in the Capital Planning and Financial Analysis Groups.
Prior to his work with Bloomberg, L.P., Curtis co-managed a small real estate development group, founded a micro-brewery and worked with the Recycling Advisory Council in Washington, DC conducting Full Cost Accounting and Life Cycle Analysis work.
He currently serves as a board member at the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) and as a member of the Secretariat for the FSB Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosure. Curtis was awarded a David Rockefeller Fellowship with the Partnership for New York City in 2011 and Columbia Business School Exemplary Leadership Award in 2016. He earned an MBA from Columbia Business School and a BA in History from Davidson College.
Abstract:
Curtis will share his perspectives about how companies are adapting to the challenges of providing consistent, climate-related financial risk disclosures that can be used by investors lenders, insurers and other stakeholders.

Karen Lockridge, Principal, Mercer

Karen Lockridge is a Principal in Mercer's Responsible Investment team, based in Toronto. The team assists investors to integrate environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors within their beliefs, policies, processes and portfolios. Karen was a member of the core team that developed Mercer’s Investing in a Time of Climate Change (2015) research report, and co-authored Building a Bridge to Sustainable Infrastructure (2016) and Crossing the Bridge to Sustainable Infrastructure Investing (2017).
Karen graduated from the University of Alberta with an Honours Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics in 1990. She is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries and the Canadian Institute of Actuaries. Karen is a member of the Government of Canada’s Expert Panel on Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Results.
Abstract: Karen will share her perspectives advising financial investors about integrating climate change into fiduciary governance investment beliefs, policy, process and portfolio analysis and management.

Laura Nishikawa, Executive Director and ESG research Director, MSCI

Laura Nishikawa leads a global research team responsible for producing ESG-related research content and developing models to help institutional investors identify, measure and manage investment risks and opportunities arising from material ESG issues. Her team produces research on over 5000 companies across 70 industries, and develops research and tools covering governance, climate change, impact, and screening topics. She also led the methodology and design of ESG fixed income indexes in collaboration with Barclays, and developed MSCI’s Green Bond Criteria.
Laura joined MSCI in 2010 through the acquisition of RiskMetrics, where she led ESG ratings methodology and was the head of ESG fixed income and financial sector analysis.
Laura received her Masters degree in International Economic Policy from Columbia University (SIPA), and her Bachelors degree from McGill University, and is a CFA charterholder.
Abstract: Laura will share her perspective helping investors incorporate environmental data into decision-making processes to manage investment risks and opportunities.

Patrick Grenier, Ph. D., Specialist in climate scenarios and services, Ouranos

Patrick Grenier works at Ouranos, a Montreal-based consortium focused on regional climatology and adaptation to climate change; he is also adjunct professor in atmospheric sciences at the University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM). At Ouranos he provides impact modelers and decision makers with climate services in a variety of sectors including agriculture, wind energy and water resources. He also performs scientific research for the continual improvement of the statistical methods used to construct climate scenarios. Mr. Grenier holds bachelor's and master's degrees in physics from Laval University and McGill University, respectively, and obtained his Ph.D. in environmental sciences from UQAM in 2010.
Abstract: Patrick will share his perspectives providing private sector and public-sector asset owners with relevant climate information and advice about adaptation strategies.

Moderator: David Whittall, Chief Risk Officer, Pembroke Management Ltd

David Whittall is the Chief Risk Officer of Pembroke Management Ltd. and a member of the Steering Committee of PRMIA’s Montreal Chapter. Mr. Whittall focuses on portfolio risk and analytics for Pembroke’s public equity strategies in the US and Canada. Prior to joining Pembroke in 2016, Mr. Whittall was based in San Francisco where he held roles as Partner and Head of Global Equity Strategies at Fiduciary Research and Consulting, Portfolio Manager and Head of Global Equities at Security Global Investors, and Partner and Senior Global Equity Analyst at Montgomery Asset Management. Mr. Whittall began his career as an equity analyst in Hong Kong at Baring Securities where he was an Assistant Director. Mr. Whittall obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in Asian Studies from the University of California, Berkeley.