Wells Fargo Asset Management Names Hannah Skeates Global Head of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)

Wells Fargo Asset Management (WFAM) announced today that Hannah Skeates has been appointed global head of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG). Hannah is based in London and will report to Fredrik Axsater, head of WFAM Strategic Business Segments.

In this role, Hannah is responsible for creating and executing a holistic vision for the ESG segment within WFAM, Wells Fargo’s asset management division, which includes 28 investment teams. She will also partner across Wells Fargo’s Wealth and Investment Management (WIM) division to ensure a unified ESG vision and approach throughout the broader organization.

Hannah joined WFAM in January from S&P Dow Jones Indices, where she served as head of global ESG strategy. Prior to that, Hannah served in various roles at BlackRock and Barclays Global Investors in the United States and Europe, including as the iShares global head of sustainable investments and head of iShares EMEA product strategy. She is a senior associate at the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership.

The appointment is part of WFAM’s ongoing effort to expand and enhance its ESG capabilities.

In August, Chris McKnett joined WFAM as senior ESG investment strategist from State Street Global Advisors. Chris is focused on leveraging WFAM’s solutions-focused approach to help clients develop and implement ESG strategies, as well as leading the global marketplace through proprietary ESG research.

Jessica Mann, CFA, is taking on the newly established role of head of Stewardship for WFAM. In addition to her role as a senior ESG advisor, Jessica will focus on strengthening the firm’s proxy voting effort and company engagement, as well as forming stronger ties with Wells Fargo corporate responsibility initiatives. Jessica joined Wells Fargo in 2003.

Jessica and Chris are both based in San Francisco and will report to Hannah.

“ESG is one of the greatest challenges and opportunities facing our clients,” says Axsater. “WFAM is focused on solving the most pressing challenges of our clients, and with the collective experience of Hannah, Jessica, and Chris, we believe we are even better positioned to provide exceptional ESG expertise and solutions.”

“We believe ESG investing is investing in a better future,” Axsater added.

About WFAM ESG investing

Through our independent and specialized investment teams, WFAM brings together a strategic balance of investment capabilities to serve the investment needs of our clients worldwide: institutions, intermediaries, and individuals. We understand ESG issues are among the important considerations that may be incorporated by our investment teams within their evaluation and decision-making.

Our focus is on delivering investment outcomes that meet our clients' needs, including alignment with the priorities and values that matter most to them, and in understanding wide-ranging impacts in a changing world.

We are developing close partnerships with leading industry associations, disclosures and standards bodies, and nonprofit organizations to help lead and drive the latest approaches to the integration of ESG in financial strategies and processes.

About Wells Fargo Asset Management

Wells Fargo Asset Management, a division of Wells Fargo Wealth and Investment Management, strives to help clients achieve their financial goals through top-tier investment options managed by specialized investment teams that are supported by independent risk management and backed by superior, collaborative service. With more than $466 billion in assets under management,* Wells Fargo Asset Management has 29 autonomous investment teams with specialized expertise and proven processes, more than 500 investment professionals, and a global reach with offices and clients around the world.

About Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.9 trillion in assets.* Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy our customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, investment and mortgage products and services, as well as consumer and commercial finance, through 7,800 locations, more than 13,000 ATMs, the internet (wellsfargo.com) and mobile banking, and has offices in 37 countries and territories to support customers who conduct business in the global economy. With approximately 259,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 26 on Fortune’s 2018 rankings of America’s largest corporations. News, insights and perspectives from Wells Fargo are also available at Wells Fargo Stories.

*As of December 31, 2018

Wells Fargo Asset Management (WFAM) is the trade name for certain investment advisory/management firms owned by Wells Fargo & Company. These firms include but are not limited to Wells Capital Management Incorporated and Wells Fargo Funds Management, LLC. Certain products managed by WFAM entities are distributed by Wells Fargo Funds Distributor, LLC (a broker/dealer and Member FINRA).

This material is for general informational and educational purposes only and is NOT intended to provide investment advice or a recommendation of any kind—including a recommendation for any specific investment, strategy, or plan. 321117 2-19

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