Adam Matthews
Rainmakers & Potstirrers

Adam Matthews

Chief Responsible Investment Officer: Church of England Pensions Board

www.churchofengland.org

POT STIRRER
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‘Losing Anglo as a distinct entity may serve short-term financial interests, but as an asset owner we are not convinced such a consolidation will serve our long-term interests as a pension fund’

AS the investment chief of the Church of England Pensions Board, which holds significant investments in the mining industry, Adam Matthews has become an influential voice in the sector. In April 2024, he openly criticised a proposed merger between Anglo American and BHP, warning of potential long-term negative consequences for mining investors. Recently, he reiterated his opposition to a second potential takeover attempt, emphasising that while the pension fund he manages does not oppose takeovers in principle, it is concerned about the long-term interests of asset owners.

Matthews is renowned for his expertise in the complexities of mining investment, especially in a time of global pressure to achieve net zero carbon emissions and transition to clean energy. He serves as the chair of the Global Investor Commission on Mining 2030 and a founding member of the Transition Pathway Initiative, a global asset-owner-led initiative that assesses companies’ readiness to transition to a low-carbon economy. In recognition of his work on climate change, the former archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, awarded him the Canterbury Cross in 2022.

Additionally, Matthews played a key role in establishing the Investor Mining and Tailings Safety Initiative in August 2020, following the Brumadinho disaster in Brazil, where a tailings dam collapse resulted in 270 fatalities. This initiative challenges mining companies to commit to best-practice standards for tailings dam safety.

LIFE OF ADAM

Matthews matriculated from the Haberdashers’ Boys’ School in Hertfordshire, England. He obtained a BA in politics in 1999 from the University of Sheffield. He started his career as a parliamentary researcher but moved into environmental advocacy when he was appointed director on wildlife trade for Central and West Africa for a coalition of NGOs including the Zoological Society of London. In December 2014 he became head of engagement and secretary of the Ethical Investment Advisory Group at the Church of England. After four years, he was appointed as investment chief of the Pensions Board.

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