Joanna Myerson - Grantham Research Institute on climate change and the environment

About

Jo has a deep interest in maximising UK pension scheme investment in opportunities which will support UK pensioners in retirement, both from a risk/return but also an environmental perspective.

Background

Jo has a legal background. As trustee director for one of the leading professional trustee firms, Jo chairs boards of pension schemes ranging from £1 million to several billion pounds across diverse sectors. Jo also advises government on pension scheme structures and investment, and has led pensions industry engagement with the National Wealth Fund with a view to maximising asset allocation opportunities whilst promoting the UK’s clean energy ambitions. Jo also sits on the DWP’s Technical Working Group charged with drafting guidance on pension trustee fiduciary duty. Jo has co-created a collective investment stewardship service which has enabled smaller pension schemes to collaborate to effect more targeted, practical and ultimately more effective stewardship.

Research interests

Jo brings a unique combination of practitioner expertise and policy insight that is highly relevant to the Academic Unit’s research priorities in climate finance, sustainable investment, and institutional governance. As a former lawyer and trustee chair overseeing pension schemes ranging from £1 million to several billion pounds across diverse sectors, Jo possesses real-world experience in fiduciary decision-making and capital allocation experience that Jo uses to enrich the Unit’s theoretical and empirical research.

Jo’s expertise in pensions governance and sustainability policy directly addresses one of the most pressing challenges in climate finance: mobilizing institutional capital, particularly UK pension funds, toward climate transition investments in emerging markets. Currently, UK pension funds allocate merely 0.5% of assets under management to emerging market and developing economies (EMDEs), despite these regions being critical to achieving global climate goals. During her visit, Jo will provide critical support across several key areas to enhance the Institute’s research impact and industry engagement.