Citywealth Leaders List, 60 seconds interview – Kate Elliot
This week’s 60 seconds Citywealth Leaders List interview is dedicated to Kate Elliot, Head of Responsible Investment Centre of Excellence, Rathbones.
Tell Citywealth readers a bit about your role.
I lead Rathbones’ Responsible Investment Centre of Excellence, bringing together expertise across sustainability research, ESG integration, and stewardship. Working across the group, we shape the firm’s approach to responsible investment by setting clear standards, providing trusted insight, and developing practical tools that enable colleagues to integrate sustainability considerations consistently and effectively into investment decisions.
What does a typical day look like for you?
No two days are the same, which is one of the most rewarding aspects of the role. A day might involve client meetings and supporting new business, delving into the intricacies of an emerging sustainability topic and its relevance to different industries and regions, meeting with senior leadership at investee companies on ESG performance, or collaborating internally to strengthen systems and frameworks for responsible investment across the business.
Tell us about some recent, interesting client instructions/requests you have received.
We’ve had an uptick in queries about exposure to the defence industry since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and again more recently with conflicts in the Middle East. What is particularly interesting is the breadth of perspectives, from clients seeking to revisit restrictions and potentially increase exposure, to those focused on understanding more indirect links to conflict, including the role of technologies such as AI in military applications.
What challenges do your clients face and how are you helping your clients to overcome them?
Investment can already feel complex, and the addition of ESG and sustainability considerations can make it an even more challenging landscape to navigate. For anyone working in responsible and sustainable investment a key part of our role is to bring clarity, helping clients articulate their objectives, understand the trade-offs involved, and arrive at solutions that balance sustainability ambitions, personal values, and financial outcomes in a coherent way.
Are there any top of mind themes for you or your clients?
Geopolitical conflict and its interaction with human rights considerations remain highly topical, particularly in how these issues translate into investment decisions AI is another key theme, both in terms of rising energy and water use linked to proliferation of data centers and how we can ensure that companies are considering responsible AI principles and human rights due diligence into product development and potential use cases. The pace of technological development continues to outstrip regulation, making responsible AI and human rights due diligence critical areas of focus.
What is your proudest professional achievement?
Without question, my team. Building a group of highly engaged, intellectually curious individuals who are passionate about responsible investment has been incredibly rewarding. Their willingness to challenge ideas and push for better outcomes continually strengthens the quality of our work.
What do you consider to be the most important attributes for a leader?
A leader should be able to provide clarity on overall vision and objectives while translating that into something practical and meaningful for all members of the team. I’ve found that you get the most out of people when they can understand how their work contributes to the wider success of the team and the business. Equally important is fostering an inclusive and supportive culture where individuals feel comfortable sharing perspectives and challenging assumptions. It is often through those discussions that the strongest ideas and most effective solutions emerge.
Who do you most admire and why?
In a professional context, I have been incredibly fortunate to spend the early stages of my career in teams led by inspiring women. As someone who wasn’t sure that they had the right background to be a ‘good fit’ for a career in financial services, often being the sole woman in the room at industry events only served to compound that view. I have had fantastic role models like Elizabeth Haigh, who founded Greenbank in 2004 as Rathbones’ ethical and sustainable investment arm (and was, at the time, one of the UK’s first tailored ethical portfolio services). She helped me build confidence and find my place in the industry.
Where was the last place you travelled to for work or pleasure?
I recently spent time with family in the Kent countryside over the May half-term. With the unusually warm weather, it felt more like a getaway to southern Europe than the UK.
If you weren’t in this industry, what else might you be doing?
Sustainability has always been a central thread throughout my career, so I would likely be working in a role aligned to that purpose – perhaps within an NGO or as an in-house corporate sustainability advisor.
How do you relax after a long day?
I live a short walk from a former quarry in Bristol that has been transformed into a community swimming lake. It’s a hidden spot, and taking a swim there is a wonderfully peaceful way to unwind.
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