Gemma leads the responsible investment policy and broader sustainability work at Federated Hermes. Within this role, she is responsible for developing the firm’s net zero and nature positive strategy and leading the implementation of the firm’s advocacy and ESG integration programmes. Drawing on her significant public sector experience and stewardship capabilities, she engages with external stakeholders to advocate for industry progress on all sustainability issues including climate change, biodiversity, human rights, and corporate governance.

Gemma and her colleagues launched one of the only biodiversity champions fund and impact databases (in collaboration with NHM) and have advised the OECD, central banks and finance ministers on the topic as they look to implement the global biodiversity framework agreed at COP15. She has also engaged over 100 companies on natural capital and circular economy related issues and will continue to raise this on the agenda with all investees where nature is a material risk.

Prior to joining Federated Hermes, Gemma worked for nearly a decade as a senior economist at the World Economic Forum, where she spearheaded many flagship benchmarking and thought leadership products including the Global Risk Report and the Inclusive Growth and Development Index. She also launched the Sustainable Markets and a range of ESG initiatives focussed on impact measurement and management. She has previously held roles focused on trade and development at the United Nations and the United States Department of State. Gemma has an MSc in Political Economy of International Development from the London School of Economics and a BA in Economics from Barnard College, Columbia University.