How did you secure this role?

This was quite a story because in the beginning, this role didn’t exist. I was recommended by one of my professors at Sciences Po to do an ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) related internship, thanks to my manifested interest/capability in climate/energy field and of course the trust and kindness of my professor. I started in late May of 2017, as a trainee at the CIO (Chief Investment Officer) office of Allianz France, to work on sustainable investment topics for the French portfolio. At that time, we had high level guidelines from Allianz Group on ESG integration into investment, but I quickly understood that the French market requires much more expertise and deliverables from institutional investors, especially in the climate/carbon area.

With the support and guidance of my supervisor, during the six months of my internship, I was essentially in start-up mode, initiating different ESG projects from research to communication, and always documented the progress we made as perceived by the market. After that, I received a one-year fixed term contract (CDD) at the CIO office and continued my good work. On Dec 1st 2018, Allianz France set up a new department within the investment unit, named ESG, innovation and governance. I was then offered a permanent contract (CDI). I have worked in this department ever since.

What is your role and main responsibilities?

My role as a sustainable investment analyst and project lead on carbon/climate topics involves the following main responsibilities: metrics development to assess portfolio level ESG-climate performance for non-financial reporting and disclosure, ESG-climate assessment on new investment opportunities, functioning as the global co-lead of Allianz portfolio decarbonization project SBTi (Science Based Targets initiative), as well as communication and engagement with different stakeholders.

What is the most fascinating and/or surprising aspect at your role?
The most fascinating aspect is that since what I am doing at work is also what I am passionate about in life, I have work-life blend more than work-life balance. And the purpose-driven mindset helps me to perform better, as evidenced by the fact that our latest sustainable investment report, of which I am the writer-in-chief, won the 2019 International Climate Reporting Awards organized by the French government and European Commission.

How does your PSIA experience help you with the role?

My PSIA experience was really the key, it equipped me with both knowledge and courage. In terms of knowledge, I built my technical capability in climate topics via the interdisciplinary courses, my team project on climate finance, as well as my third semester internship in one environmental think tank. Of course, I also learnt a lot from work, but the swift application of what I learnt at PSIA in the beginning of the job gave me a head start.

In terms of courage, I had never expected that one day I would help to create my own job. After hearing so many inspiring stories from my PSIA peers, I came to believe that it is the mission of us in the younger generation to expand the outlook of the world, to fearlessly embark on new journeys and to ardently promote multilateral understanding. Thus when the opportunity came to work as Chinese national for a leading European insurance investor on one of its strategic topics as climate change, I embraced it.

What advice would you give to others?

Always choose the harder path – that’s the quickest way to grow

• Master of International Economic Policy
• Allianz France