Sustainable fund advisor Mirova US gets new CEO

Sustainable fund advisor Mirova US gets new CEO
Zineb Bennani has worked for parent firm Natixis since 2005.
APR 03, 2023

Natixis Investment Managers' sustainable finance subsidiary Mirova has appointed a new chief executive for its U.S. business, the firm announced late last week.

Zineb Bennani, who is currently based in Paris as the chief operating and development officer of Mirova, will take over as CEO of the $8.4 billion-asset U.S. unit in May. Bennani, who has worked for Natixis since 2005, is assuming the leadership role from interim CEO Ritesh Shah. As part of that change, Bennani will also serve as global head of business development at Mirova.

In December, Mirova U.S. chief investment officer Jens Peers, who had served as CEO in addition to holding the CIO position, began focusing on the investment role. With Bennani taking the lead of the U.S. business, Shah will become Mirova’s global head of corporate development.

Bennani’s appointment “will bolster the next phase of growth for Mirova’s U.S. operations and further enhance its client experience,” the firm said in the announcement.

The U.S. subsidiary of Mirova opened its doors in 2017 and currently has a staff of more than 25. Part of the wider company’s growth plan for the next decade includes a focus on the U.S., as “the American markets are key in raising assets under management for the global equities strategy, the expansion of impact investing, and the development of the private assets offer,” the firm stated.

Previously, Bennani was a member of several industry groups, including the corporate governance commission of the French Asset Management Association, the business ethics committee of the International Corporate Governance Network and the French Institute of Directors, according to Mirova.

In the new role, Bennani will continue reporting to Mirova Deputy CEO Guillaume Abel.

Currently, Mirova is the investment advisor on four branded U.S. mutual funds: the Mirova US Sustainable Equity, International Sustainable Equity, Global Green Bond and Global Sustainable Equity funds. Those four funds represented about $940 million in assets as of the end of February, according to data from Morningstar Direct. Year to date as of March 22, the funds had seen more than $12 million in net inflows.

Latest News

Trump to name new Fed governor, jobs data head in coming days
Trump to name new Fed governor, jobs data head in coming days

President says he has a ‘couple of people in mind’ for central bank role.

JPMorgan’s asset management arm targets Europe retail investors in active ETF tie-up
JPMorgan’s asset management arm targets Europe retail investors in active ETF tie-up

Wall Street firm partners with Dutch online broker to fuel push into EU market.

UBS to settle outstanding Credit Suisse RMBS case with $300M payment
UBS to settle outstanding Credit Suisse RMBS case with $300M payment

Agreement with the US Department of Justice comes eight years after settlement.

GeoWealth secures $38M in funding round led by major alternative investment manager
GeoWealth secures $38M in funding round led by major alternative investment manager

Series C funding will accelerate unification of TAMP’s model portfolios.

No succession plan? No worries. Just practice in place
No succession plan? No worries. Just practice in place

While industry statistics pointing to a succession crisis can cause alarm, advisor-owners should be free to consider a middle path between staying solo and catching the surging wave of M&A.

SPONSORED How advisors can build for high-net-worth complexity

Orion's Tom Wilson on delivering coordinated, high-touch service in a world where returns alone no longer set you apart.

SPONSORED RILAs bring stability, growth during volatile markets

Barely a decade old, registered index-linked annuities have quickly surged in popularity, thanks to their unique blend of protection and growth potential—an appealing option for investors looking to chart a steadier course through today's choppy market waters, says Myles Lambert, Brighthouse Financial.