David Pitt-Watson

David Pitt-Watson is an investment manager; that involves managing the savings of many billions of pounds, set aside by millions of people who save for their retirement. He also teaches finance at Cambridge University. His particular interest is in shareholder activism. That means using the powers which shareowners have to change the behaviour of companies. Sometimes this can be about their financial management, but sometimes it’s about their social and environmental performance. He has also written extensively about the flaws in the financial system, and has been involved in some the reforms required to make the financial system work properly. He has advised policy makers around the world on these sort of issues, in particular to promote “responsible investment”, including chairing the UN Environment Programme’s Finance Initiative for the Paris climate talks. And he has been involved himself in politics, both as a Councillor, and as the Finance Director of the UK Labour Party. David went to state schools, then to Oxford and Stanford Universities. He is married, lives in North London, and has three children all of whom are or were at state schools there.