SYDNEY, March 13, 2024 – New Forests, a leading investment manager specializing in nature-based real assets and natural capital strategies, today announced significant enhancements to its leadership team with the appointments of Michelle Elliot as Global Head of Funds, and Sanjiv Louis as Director of Investments for Asia. These appointments are poised to reinforce New Forests’ commitment to sustainability and strategic growth in response to the increasing demand for carbon, biodiversity, and natural capital.
Michelle Elliot steps into a newly crafted role, taking the helm of New Forests’ global funds management platform. With a vision to streamline operations, investment analytics, and leverage technology for strategic growth, Elliot brings a wealth of experience from her 17-year tenure at Macquarie Asset Management in Asia Pacific, where she last served as Chief Operating Officer. “New Forests effectively links climate, nature, and finance with operations underpinned by a sustainability approach which has been central to the business and its culture since inception. I am excited to join the company at such a significant time as we continue to grow and drive value for our clients with a focus on innovation as well as efficiency,” Elliot remarked on her new role.
Sanjiv Louis will lead the Asian investments team from Singapore, focusing on identifying, evaluating, and securing nature-based solutions and natural capital investments within the Southeast Asia region. Louis’ extensive background spans over 23 years in investment banking and alternative asset investment across Asia, holding senior positions at Sail Ventures, Credit Suisse, and UBS.
Mark Rogers, Chief Executive Officer of New Forests, expressed enthusiasm for the new additions to the team, stating, “Michelle and Sanjiv are key hires who will bring their deep experience to our teams, helping us to continue to deliver to our investors, while ensuring we’re remaining focused on our vision of seeing investment in land use and forestry as central to the transition to a sustainable future.”
The strategic expansion of New Forests’ leadership team follows the recent appointment of Sarah Campbell as General Counsel in October 2023, succeeding Margaret Cole upon her retirement. Campbell brings over two decades of experience to the role, most recently serving as General Counsel and Company Secretary for Adamantem Capital.
New Forests manages A$11 billion in assets across over 1.3 million hectares of investments, focusing on sustainable timber plantations, conservation areas, carbon and conservation finance projects, agriculture, timber processing, and infrastructure. As a Certified B Corporation, New Forests is dedicated to generating shared prosperity for its clients and the communities where it operates, furthering its mission to accelerate the transition to a sustainable future.
