Earth Capital Partners hires sustainable ag, forestry team

London, 28 January: Earth Capital Partners (ECP) has hired a three-strong sustainable forestry and agriculture team, in advance of the launch of a suite of funds.

Bosworth Monck has been appointed head of sustainable agriculture and forestry investment for ECP, supported by Gabriel Montana and Richard Smith, who both join as partners at the London-based firm. 

The team will advise on agriculture, forestry and biodiversity investments, with a particular focus on investing in Latin America, ECP said. The company is planning “a series of institutional grade funds in these areas, each with appropriate risk-return characteristics and low correlation to traditional asset classes”. The company declined to elaborate.

Prior to joining ECP, the trio were with IBIS Asset Management, which ECP describes as “a captive financial advisory group to a large multi-sector private conglomerate”.

ECP, which is backed by Stanley Fink, founder of hedge fund giant Man Financial, is aiming to raise $5 billion over the next four years into a series of environmentally-focused funds which will aim to deliver competitive returns while addressing sustainable development challenges.

In November, ECP announced the first close of a planned €750 million ($1.125 billion) fund to invest in solar, biogas and biomass projects in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, in cooperation with E.ON Climate & Renewables, an arm of the German utilities giant.