IG Group hires Ben Hemington as its First ESG Manager

UK-based spread betting firm IG Group, has appointed Ben Hemington as an ESG Manager, the company announced today.

In this newly created role, Hemington will be responsible for leading and further developing IG Group’s ESG agenda. He will manage the firm’s environmental impact and drive ESG programmes and initiatives.

The appointment further strengthens the company’s commitment to responsible ESG initiatives, in line with both the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and IG’s own well-established purpose and values according to the firm.

These include the company’s commitment to encourage greater diversity in the financial services industry, as evidenced through several partnerships with external organisations such as Code First Girls and TechSheCan, which are designed to support women changing careers and encourage more women into STEM subjects at a grassroots level.

Hemington is based in London and reports into Joanna Nayler, chief legal and governance officer, who joined IG Group in March.

He moves to IG Group from Teach First, where he has worked since 2017, managing many of the charity’s most important private sector partnerships.

A qualified lawyer, Hemington began his career at Herbert Smith Freehills LLP before re-training as a teacher on the Teach First Training Programme.

Covid-19 impact

IG Group said that this blend of experience makes him an ideal fit to drive flagship initiatives such as the IG Brighter Future Fund, a £5 million commitment launched in April 2020 to improve the educational opportunities for those most impacted by Covid-19 around the world.

“We are delighted to welcome Ben to the firm to help drive the ESG agenda across the full spectrum of initiatives and commitments that help IG make a positive impact on our wider society. As the world continues to adapt to a time of exceptional uncertainty in the light of Covid-19, IG recognises the role it can continue to play as a responsible business, providing help and support to those who need it most. Ben’s appointment , and indeed the creation of the role itself, underscores this commitment to our stakeholders as a global business,” June Felix, CEO at IG Group, said.

“It is an exciting time to join IG Group. The recent announcement of the Brighter Future Fund is testament to IG’s deep commitment to ESG. Speaking from experience, I know what a profound impact this money can have on vulnerable members of our communities that are set to be hardest hit by the COVID-19 crisis. I am very proud to be coordinating this and IG’s other ambitious ESG initiatives,” Hemington added.