Divestment debate: should your university or college divest from fossil fuels? London

Held at our offices in the City, this event will focus on addressing the critical aspects of fossil fuel divestment including: why you might divest, how your investments can play a role in influencing change and managing your stakeholders.

Matt Crossman of Rathbones will explore the different divestment strategies available, their financial implications as well as present arguments for and against joining the growing global divestment campaign.

Our guest speaker, Robert Kerse, Chief Financial Officer at the University of Bristol, will explain why the University has committed to divesting from fossil fuels and talk about the process that led to the decision. 

Download our paper on How can Rathbones help universities and colleges navigate the fossil fuel divestment debate?

Agenda

10.30am  Registration and refreshments
11.00am  Welcome, Victoria Hoskins, Investment Director, Rathbone Greenbank Investments
11.05am  Presentations and Q&A

Fossil fuel divestment: why divest and what are the financial implications?
 Matt Crossman, Engagement Manager, Rathbone Greenbank Investments and Stewardship Director, Rathbones 

The case for fossil fuel divestment at Bristol University
Robert Kerse, Chief Financial Officer, University of Bristol

12.05pm  Lunch and networking
1.00pm    Close

Speakers

Matt Crossman
Engagement Manager, Rathbone Greenbank Investments and Stewardship Director, Rathbones

Matt Crossman is an engagement manager for Rathbone Greenbank Investments and a stewardship director for Rathbones, responsible for monitoring news flow on companies, updating company profiles and analysing ethical issues. He also leads Greenbank’s engagement activity and is a member of Rathbones’ stewardship committee. He is a graduate of the University of Bristol where he studied law, with a particular interest in the administration of environmental law, and also has postgraduate qualifications in Sustainable Development theory and practice. He is a trustee of LoveBristol, an urban regeneration charity, and served on the board of the Ecumenical Council for Corporate Responsibility between 2007 and 2012.

Robert Kerse
Chief Financial Officer, University of Bristol 

Robert has joined the University as chief financial officer from the social housing sector where he has held executive level roles in both Bristol and London over the last 13 years. His previous role was as executive director (resources) at Circle Housing, one of England’s largest housing groups with over 300,000 customers and 70,000 properties with a combined market value in excess of £11 billion. Robert was responsible for Circle’s finance, HR, IT, procurement and office facilities. He started his career training as a chartered accountant at PwC in Bristol, after being educated at the University of Cambridge.