Key Impact Points:
- PRI Board launches global CEO search as David Atkin prepares to step down in 2025 after leading through record growth and transformation.
- Korn Ferry appointed to lead recruitment, with the Search Committee chaired by CalSTRS’ Sharon Hendricks.
- The next CEO will steer PRI through its 20th anniversary and advance a refreshed mandate focused on impact, digital innovation, and emerging markets.
PRI Launches CEO Search Ahead of Major Strategic Milestones
The Board of the UN-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) has formally initiated a global search for a new Chief Executive Officer. This follows the announcement that current CEO David Atkin will step down in 2025, after extending his original four-year term by six months to ensure continuity.
Atkin led PRI through a transformative phase, overseeing a period during which its signatory base doubled in size from 2019 to 2023. Under his leadership, the organization streamlined reporting processes, deepened policy engagement, and launched the 2024–2027 strategy.
“David’s leadership has been transformative for the PRI, guiding us through significant changes in the signatory base, and now in the sustainable investment environment,” said Conor Kehoe, PRI Board Chair.
Strategic Vision and Legacy
Atkin leveraged his experience as a former CEO of three Australian asset owners and as a PRI Board Director to reposition the organization for long-term relevance. Highlights of his tenure include:
- Launching a new operating model aligned with signatory needs.
- Driving government and policymaker engagement on sustainable finance.
- Turning the PRI in Person conference into a major international platform for responsible investment policy announcements.
“It’s been an honour to lead the PRI through this important phase. We are at a critical inflexion point for responsible investment,” said David Atkin. “Together, we’ve laid the foundation for the next chapter of PRI’s growth and impact.”
Next Phase: Growth, Innovation, and Global Reach
The Search Committee, chaired by Sharon Hendricks, Vice Chair of CalSTRS’ Investment Committee, has retained executive search firm Korn Ferry to identify the next CEO. This leadership transition comes as PRI prepares for its 20th anniversary in 2026 and expands its strategic focus.
Among upcoming initiatives:
- Launching a new digital pathways platform.
- Simplifying the reporting framework for signatories.
- Reinforcing sustainability’s financial materiality.
- Deepening partnerships across the responsible investment ecosystem, especially in emerging markets.
- Hosting the global investment community in Brazil ahead of COP30.
Ultimately, PRI aims to ensure responsible investment remains resilient, relevant, and value-driven for signatories, markets, and society.
About PRI
Founded in 2006 in partnership with the UN Global Compact and UNEP Finance Initiative, the PRI is now the world’s leading advocate for responsible investment. It represents over 5,000 institutional signatories managing more than US$121 trillion in assets. PRI supports investors in incorporating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors into decision-making to advance a more sustainable global economy.
