Investment Committee Chair

BA, BSc, GAICD, MBA

Sandra is Chair of the Investment Committee. She has a strong background in ESG and experience on both the buy-side and sell-side. She was the former top-rated head of ESG and utilities equities research at Credit Suisse Australia. She is a director of Workcover Queensland and was a former trustee and Chair of the Investment Committee of QSuper, leading up to its merger with SunSuper.

Sandra is also on the Board of the Investor Group on Climate Change, whose scope includes Australia, New Zealand and Asia, and is on the New Zealand Stock Exchange Corporate Governance Institute. Sandra is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a member of Chief Executive Women.

Investment Committee Member

BEc, FIAA, MAICD

Michael is also a director of Australian Ethical Superannuation Pty Limited.

Michael has been a director of financial services, community services and church organisations with roles focussing on strategy, investments, ethics and leadership. He is currently Chair of Wesley Mission and Chair of Synod Board, NSW/ACT, Uniting Church of Australia. He has been a member of the ethics and stakeholder advisory committees at other organisations.

In the funds management industry, Michael had experience spanning senior investment and general management roles. These roles have included leadership of a large Australian Sustainable Investment Fund and being a company spokesperson on corporate governance issues.

Investment Committee Member

BA (Maths & Economics)

With more than 30 years of investment experience in asset consulting and funds management, Sean’s roles have spanned markets in Asia, London, Australia, and New Zealand. Sean is currently founder and CIO of Aurora Capital, a climate focussed KiwiSaver Fund in NZ. Prior to his current role he led AMP Capital’s Multi-Asset business in Sydney which managed over AU$120b across multi-asset strategies; and was an asset consultant with Willis Towers Watson, where he provided strategic consulting advice to some of the world’s largest pension funds as well as heading up Manager Research in Asia.

Investment Committee Member

BEc (Sydney) FCA GAICD F FIN

Steve is a member of the Investment Committee. Steven has more than 30 years experience in investment, consulting and leadership of financial services organisations both in Australia and internationally.

Steve has extensive experience in global specialised funds management and financial institutions. While at Hastings Funds Management he held various roles including heading the European business, re-establishing the Infrastructure Debt business and heading the global Equity asset management function. Before this Steve was a Managing Director and Head of Debt Capital Markets at Westpac.

Steve is currently a Director of Australian Registry Investments Pty Limited, AssetInsure Pty Limited and is a Member of the Equity and Debt Investment Committees for Vantage Infrastructure.

Investment Committee Member

BEc, MCom, MCom(Hons), CA, GAICD, FGIA

Non-Executive Director since 2018

Julie is a Member of the People, Remuneration and Nominations Committee, the Australian Ethical Investment Limited Audit, Risk & Compliance Committee and the Investment Committee. She is a Director of Australian Ethical Foundation Limited, AvSuper and Masters Swimming NSW. She is also a member of the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust Audit and Risk Committee.

She has over 20 years of experience in executive and board roles including experience with superannuation, investments, financial planning, stockbroking, research, insurance, audit, finance, acquisitions and business integration.

Julie’s most recent executive experience was Group General Manager Corporate Development and General Manager Operations for IOOF. She was previously Director of Finance India and Asia Pacific for Standard and Poor’s, Head of Research for Morningstar, Chief Operating Officer at Intech and Senior Audit Manager with EY. Julie’s prior board experience includes Perennial Value Management, Ord Minnett,Tax Payers Association (NSW Division) and Tax Payers Research foundation.

Chief Investment Officer

MEng, GAICD

Ludovic joined Australian Ethical in April 2023 as Chief Investment Officer.

He has over 30 years of experience in ESG investing, funds management, commercial and investment banking and financial advisory.

Prior to joining, Ludovic was the Chief Investment Officer for the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, Australia’s Green Bank. He also had previous roles at Hastings Funds Management, Westpac, ABN AMRO, Macquarie Bank, UBS and BNP Paribas.

Ludovic holds a Master of Engineering from Ecole Centrale de Paris, France, and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Deputy Chief Investment Officer and Head of Multi-Asset

CFA

John is responsible for the Balanced Fund, as well as the overall AE SAA process. John joined Australian Ethical in March 2021. John’s primary responsibility is to design and implement investment strategies across the range of multi-asset portfolios at Australian Ethical, including the super investment options.

John has 15 years’ experience in the investment industry in Australia and Hong Kong with previous roles as a portfolio manager of both multi-asset and equities portfolios as well as investment strategist at MLC, CLSA and Macquarie. John joined the investment industry after roles in technology companies, including IBM.

John graduated from The University of New South Wales with a Master of Commerce and Bachelor of Engineering (Honours). He also holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.

Equities Analyst & Portfolio Manager

Deana is the Portfolio Manager for Australian Ethical’s flagship Australian Shares Fund. Having joined in 2018, Deana brings deep expertise in Australian equities, with particular focus on technology, consumer, and financial sectors.

Her strategic insights and leadership have helped shape the Fund’s investment approach, aligning it with ethical principles while delivering strong financial returns. In 2024, Deana stepped into the role of Portfolio Manager, where she now oversees the management of the Fund. 

Deana also leads governance and voting responsibilities for equity investments, ensuring that Australian Ethical’s active ownership continues to drive positive outcomes across the market.  

Deana’s career spans over 20 years in equity markets. Prior to joining, Deana was at Macquarie, where she held key roles, including Head of ESG Research, Deputy Head of Small Caps and Senior Investment Analyst. She was recognised for her research excellence and stock-picking abilities through Peter Lee surveys and Thomson Reuters Analyst Awards. 

Deana is a CFA charterholder and holds a Bachelor of Commerce from UNSW. Deana was also a finalist in the 2024 Financial Newswire Women in Wealth Awards in the Investment Professional of the Year category. 

Head of Fixed Interest

Bill has over 35 years of experience and is highly regarded in fixed interest asset management. He is the co-founder of Altius Asset Management. 

Prior to cofounding Altius in 2011, Bill was with Aberdeen Asset Management, where he was head of Australian fixed income and the chief executive officer. He has also worked as head of fixed income for Schroder Investment Management and Deutsche Asset Management.

Bill's career in investment and financial services began in 1984 with the Treasury Corporation of Victoria as a fixed income portfolio manager. He holds a Bachelor of Economics from Monash University.

Systematic Equities Portfolio Manager

Natalie joins Australian Ethical with over two decades of experience in researching and investing in Australian and global equity markets. Most recently, she held the position of Portfolio Manager at Perpetual Limited. Previously, Natalie was Deputy Head of Australian Equities at abrdn Asset Management where she worked for 18 years. At abrdn, Natalie was portfolio manager for the award-winning Small Companies and Sustainable Australian Equities funds.

Prior to this, Natalie worked for Deutsche Bank as an equity research analyst. She has previously held roles at Coca Cola Amatil, NM Rothschild & Sons and Royal & Sun Alliance. She is widely quoted in the press and is an industry panelist.

Natalie holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of NSW where she was awarded a Co-op Scholarship. She is a CFA charterholder and holds a CFA Certificate in ESG Investing.

Natalie holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of NSW where she was awarded a Co-op Scholarship. She is a CFA charterholder and holds a CFA Certificate in ESG Investing. 

Head of Investment Business Management

Clinton is responsible for the operational oversight of the investment team including processes and procedures, systems and technology, commercial and governance, performance and reporting, structure, workflow and resources.

Clinton has over 25 years experience in Financial Services and the Asset management Industry in Australia and Asia Pacific, with previous roles at IAG Asset Management, Manulife Asset Management, Credit Suisse Asset Management and Westpac Banking Corporation. Clinton holds a Bachelor of Commerce from The University of NSW, as well as attaining his professional Chartered Accounting and Certified Information Systems Audit qualifications whilst working at Ernst & Young Sydney.

Head of Private Markets

MPA, LLB, BCom, GAICD

Adam joined the AE Team in June 2024, bringing 15 years' experience investing across real estate, infrastructure, private equity, impact investing and private credit.

Prior to joining Australian Ethical, Adam held several roles within Macquarie's asset management business, in both APAC and Europe, as well as Head of Strategy where he oversaw business and corporate development. Adam also spent a few years at a U.S. based alternative asset manager.

Adam holds a Master's degree in Public Administration from the London School of Economics and Bachelor's degrees in Law and Commerce (majoring in Finance) from Bond University (obtained under scholarship).

Deputy Chief Investment Officer and Head of Asset Allocation Investments

CFA

John is responsible for the Balanced Fund, as well as the overall AE SAA process. John joined Australian Ethical in March 2021. John’s primary responsibility is to design and implement investment strategies across the range of multi-asset portfolios at Australian Ethical, including the super investment options.

John has 15 years’ experience in the investment industry in Australia and Hong Kong with previous roles as a portfolio manager of both multi-asset and equities portfolios as well as investment strategist at MLC, CLSA and Macquarie. John joined the investment industry after roles in technology companies, including IBM.

John graduated from The University of New South Wales with a Master of Commerce and Bachelor of Engineering (Honours). He also holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.

Senior Portfolio Manager

Andrew joined Australian Ethical in 2022. His primary responsibility is the Active Asset Allocation process within the multi-asset funds, including research and implementation.

He has over 20 years' experience in investment management. Prior to joining Australian Ethical, he held a number of roles at AMP Capital, including Global Head of Dealing and Exposure Management and a Senior Portfolio Manager within the macro markets group, focused on alpha generation from fundamental strategies in bond, derivative and currency markets.

Senior Quant Analyst

Viking joined Australian Ethical in 2022. He began his investment career 20 years ago at Macquarie Equities Research in Sydney and eventually lead the Macquarie Quantitative Research team in Asia.

He subsequently joined a boutique fund manager as a Portfolio Manager and Partner where he was responsible for establishing, developing and managing a systemic long short equity portfolio.

Senior Investment Analyst

Yong joined the investment team in November 2022, with more than a decade of experience in the financial services industry. He assists in the management of the multi-asset portfolios through manager research, investment analysis and portfolio monitoring, with a particular focus on fixed income, private credit and infrastructure.

Yong graduated from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) with a degree in Commerce, majoring in Accounting and Finance. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.

Senior Investment Analyst

CFA

Daniel joined the investment team in November 2022, with over 6 years of prior experience at Christian Super. He assists in the management of the multi-asset portfolios with a focus on portfolio construction, asset allocation and risk management.

Daniel graduated from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) with a double degree in Commerce/Economics, majoring in Accounting, Finance and Economics. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.

Portfolio Manager, Emerging Companies and Australian Shares

Andy Gracey is the Portfolio Manager for Australian Ethical’s Emerging Companies Fund, with over 30 years of experience in investment management. Since joining Australian Ethical in 2004, Andy has been instrumental in managing the small cap component of the Australian equities trust, assuming responsibility for this in August 2006. From 2008 to 2024, he also served as Portfolio Manager for the flagship Australian Shares Fund. 

Andy’s career began at Colonial Mutual NZ as a research and domestic equity analyst, followed by two years at Friends Provident Asset Management in the UK. Upon returning to New Zealand, he took on portfolio management responsibilities at ANZ Funds Management. His experience further expanded at Fidelity Australia, where he worked in account management for wholesale fund managers. Before joining Australian Ethical, Andy ran his own Australian Financial Services licensed research business, providing equity research services for ASX-listed companies and institutional investors. 

Andy holds a Bachelor of Business Studies in Economics and Finance, with an honours degree in Finance from Massey University. His extensive background and commitment to ethical investing make him a key driver of Australian Ethical’s growth in small and mid-cap investments. 

Equities Analyst & Portfolio Manager

Deana is the Portfolio Manager for Australian Ethical’s flagship Australian Shares Fund. Having joined in 2018, Deana brings deep expertise in Australian equities, with particular focus on technology, consumer, and financial sectors.

Her strategic insights and leadership have helped shape the Fund’s investment approach, aligning it with ethical principles while delivering strong financial returns. In 2024, Deana stepped into the role of Portfolio Manager, where she now oversees the management of the Fund. 

Deana also leads governance and voting responsibilities for equity investments, ensuring that Australian Ethical’s active ownership continues to drive positive outcomes across the market.  

Deana’s career spans over 20 years in equity markets. Prior to joining, Deana was at Macquarie, where she held key roles, including Head of ESG Research, Deputy Head of Small Caps and Senior Investment Analyst. She was recognised for her research excellence and stock-picking abilities through Peter Lee surveys and Thomson Reuters Analyst Awards. 

Deana is a CFA charterholder and holds a Bachelor of Commerce from UNSW. Deana was also a finalist in the 2024 Financial Newswire Women in Wealth Awards in the Investment Professional of the Year category. 

Portfolio Manager & Equities Analyst

MBA

Mark joined Australian Ethical in March 2016 and has over 13 years’ experience as an equity analyst. At Australian Ethical, Mark has had responsibility for analyst coverage of a number of sectors and is currently responsible for sectors including media, telecommunications, transport, infrastructure & utilities, agriculture, and materials.

Prior to joining Australian Ethical, Mark spent 10 years as a sell-side equities analyst, originally with ABN AMRO Australia and most recently with Morgans Financial Ltd. Prior to joining ABN AMRO, Mark completed a full-time MBA at the AGSM in 2006 and also holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Baylor University, Texas, USA.

Systematic Equities Portfolio Manager

Natalie joins Australian Ethical with over two decades of experience in researching and investing in Australian and global equity markets. Most recently, she held the position of Portfolio Manager at Perpetual Limited. Previously, Natalie was Deputy Head of Australian Equities at abrdn Asset Management where she worked for 18 years. At abrdn, Natalie was portfolio manager for the award-winning Small Companies and Sustainable Australian Equities funds.

Prior to this, Natalie worked for Deutsche Bank as an equity research analyst. She has previously held roles at Coca Cola Amatil, NM Rothschild & Sons and Royal & Sun Alliance. She is widely quoted in the press and is an industry panelist.

Natalie holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of NSW where she was awarded a Co-op Scholarship. She is a CFA charterholder and holds a CFA Certificate in ESG Investing.

Natalie holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of NSW where she was awarded a Co-op Scholarship. She is a CFA charterholder and holds a CFA Certificate in ESG Investing. 

Senior Equities Analyst

Zeljka Black is a senior Equities Analyst with over 20 years’ experience in Australian financial markets. At Australian Ethical her research responsibilities include Industrials, Utilities & Infrastructure, Ag and Lithium sectors.

During her career at Ausbil Investment Management, Zeljka was responsible for covering the Banking, Insurance and Diversified Financials sectors. She also has experience across the broader Industrials sectors, in addition to Financials while at Ethical Partners, 452 Capital and Audant investments.

Zeljka has completed a Bachelor of Mathematics and Finance (UTS), a Graduate Diploma of Applied Finance and Investments (FINSIA) and is also a CFA Charterholder. 

Senior Equities Analyst

CFA

Michelle joined in February 2023 and has over 17 years of experience in equity markets. At Australian Ethical, Michelle is responsible for bank, insurance and real estate stocks.

Prior to joining Australian Ethical, Michelle was an investment manager for Washington H. Soul Pattinson (WHSP) in the Equities Large Caps team. She was at Milton Corporation, a listed investment company for 16 years prior to the Milton-WHSP merger.

Michelle is a CFA Charterholder, CPA qualified and a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Equities Analyst

Jason has over eight years of financial services experience across KPMG, SuperChoice Services and Ord Minnett where he focused on small and micro-cap stocks as a lead covering analyst.

His current analyst coverage – Small cap healthcare, Agriculture and Travel & Leisure.

Quantitative Analyst

Jason joined Australian Ethical in 2015 and has over 8 years experience in the investment industry. Prior to joining, he spent 3 years as a quantitative analyst at BBY Ltd and 2 years as a research analyst at Bandini Investment Holding.

Jason holds a Master of Finance from the University of Sydney and Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) from Monash University.

Head of Fixed Interest

Bill has over 35 years of experience and is highly regarded in fixed interest asset management. He is the co-founder of Altius Asset Management. 

Prior to cofounding Altius in 2011, Bill was with Aberdeen Asset Management, where he was head of Australian fixed income and the chief executive officer. He has also worked as head of fixed income for Schroder Investment Management and Deutsche Asset Management.

Bill's career in investment and financial services began in 1984 with the Treasury Corporation of Victoria as a fixed income portfolio manager. He holds a Bachelor of Economics from Monash University.

Senior Portfolio Manager

Gavin has over 30 years of experience in fixed income markets and prior to confounding Altius Money Management, was with QBE Asset Management's fixed income team as a senior portfolio manager.

He has also held roles at Aberdeen Asset Management and Deutsche Asset Management as a senior portfolio manager, responsible for credit and interest rate portfolio management. He has also worked at the Treasury Corporation of Victoria, managing cash and fixed income investments, and as dealer/portfolio manager of short-term investments at Axiom Funds Management.

Gavin holds a Masters of Business in Finance from the University of Technology, Sydney.

Senior Portfolio Manager

Bill has over 30 years of experience in investments and financial services, with particular expertise in fixed interest. He is the co-founder of Altius Asset Management. 

Before cofounding Altius, Chris was with ANZ Bank as the director of the fund's management and public sector business. Prior to this, he worked as director, fixed income at Credit Suisse Australia and was head of Australian institutional fixed income and money markets at Commonwealth Bank of Australia.

He has also been a fixed income dealer at Deutsche Bank Australia, and dealer and portfolio manager at National Australia Funds Management. He holds a Bachelor of Economics from La Trobe University in Victoria, is accredited by the Australian Financial Markets Association, and is a member of the Institute of Company Directors.

Portfolio Manager

Tim is the Fixed Income Portfolio Manager for Australian Ethical, managing both the Fixed Interest and Income Funds. Tim started with Australian Ethical in 2002 in the Fund Administration team. Since then he has performed roles in Investment Operation, as a Trainee Equities Analyst and backup to the Fixed Income Portfolio manager, eventually assuming portfolio management responsibility for fixed income in 2009.

He graduated from Monash University with a Bachelor of Arts (Politics) and has also completed a Graduate Diploma of Applied Finance and Investment from FINSIA in 2007.

Portfolio Manager

Vincent came to Australian Ethical from Altius Asset Management, which he joined in 2019 as a senior portfolio analyst. He holds responsibility for the management of Altius cash and short-term debt portfolios, as well as quantitative research and modeling. 

Vincent has 15 years of experience in financial services across asset allocation, investment strategy and fixed income portfolio management. Vincent’s fixed income experience includes global rates, FX and credit portfolios.

Vincent holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Actuarial Studies) from Macquarie University and is a CFA charterholder.

Head of Credit Research

Kirsten has over 18 years of experience across finance and credit research, including 7 years with Altius Asset Management.

Prior to this, Kirsten covered investment grade and high yield companies across a range of sectors at Moody’s Investors Service. She also has a background in law and corporate tax consulting with KPMG and legal firms.

Kirsten holds Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Laws degrees from the University of Sydney and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants.

Credit Analyst

Linh comes to Australian Ethical with Altius Asset Management, which she joined in 2023.

She is an experienced Credit Analyst with a demonstrated history of working in the banking industry.

Linh is a strong finance professional with a Bachelor Degree in Business focused in Banking and Finance from Nanyang Technological University. 

Head of Private Markets

MPA, LLB, BCom, GAICD

Adam joined the AE Team in June 2024, bringing 15 years' experience investing across real estate, infrastructure, private equity, impact investing and private credit.

Prior to joining Australian Ethical, Adam held several roles within Macquarie's asset management business, in both APAC and Europe, as well as Head of Strategy where he oversaw business and corporate development. Adam also spent a few years at a U.S. based alternative asset manager.

Adam holds a Master's degree in Public Administration from the London School of Economics and Bachelor's degrees in Law and Commerce (majoring in Finance) from Bond University (obtained under scholarship).

Senior Investment Analyst

CFA

Julian joined the investment team as an analyst in September 2017. He assists with the management of the multi-asset portfolios, including asset allocation, manager due diligence, reporting, and forecasting. Julian has been with Australian Ethical since 2016.

Julian graduated from Macquarie University with a Bachelor of Commerce, with a double major in Economics and Finance, and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.