Simon Bond is a former Executive Director of Responsible Investment at Columbia Threadneedle having joined the firm in 2003. Simon conceived of, launched and managed the CT UK Social Bond Fund since its inception in 2013, as well as the Threadneedle (Lux) European Social Bond Fund which he launched in 2017. From June 2022, he concentrated his focus on supporting Columbia Threadneedle’s social bond franchise and developing other responsible investment strategies across the firm. Simon retired from the firm in March 2023.
Prior to joining the Columbia Threadneedle, Simon managed £6 billion in his role as the Senior UK Credit Fund Manager for AXA. He also worked for GE Insurance as a Portfolio Manager, Provident Mutual as a Fixed Income Analyst and Hambros Bank as an Investment Accountant and Pension Fund Investment Administrator.
Simon has over 37 years’ experience in the investment industry, with the most recent 32 years specialising in corporate credit. Throughout his career, Simon has taken a keen interest in the social investment space. The first entity Simon reported on as an analyst was Peabody Trust and the first sector he covered was Housing Associations. Simon is particularly passionate about the role of infrastructure in both regeneration and economic growth but stresses that impact reporting should focus on people and place.
Simon now sits on the Responsible Investment Advisory Council at Columbia Threadneedle. Simon also sits as an independent member on the Advisory Committees for each of the Columbia Threadneedle Social Bond Funds (for the UK fund as Chair). He is a board member and Lead Expert at the Impact Investing Institute. He is a Senior Visiting Fellow at the Grantham Research Institute (London School of Economics). He continues to partner with Big Issue Invest as an advisor on Impact. Finally Simon is advising on the development of the CFA Impact Certificate as part of the examination panel.
Simon is a Freeman of the City of London, and an active member of the Guild of Investment Managers.
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