Hannah joined Omnis in 2022 having begun her career at a UK actuarial consultancy, Lane Clark and Peacock, LLP. Hannah has nearly 20 years’ experience in investment manager research and more recently worked at Russell Investments evaluating and identifying investments strategies that offer the optimal risk and reward characteristics for clients. At Omnis she will lead our work on selecting and monitoring the investment managers of the Omnis funds.

Q1. Why is corporate culture becoming more important to you when deciding who you allocate assets to? 

Because when things go wrong — and they inevitably do — it’s culture that makes the difference. A strong, inclusive culture gives people the space to challenge ideas, to stick together under pressure, and to do the right thing, not just the easy thing. And the truth is, if the culture’s off, it shows up in performance eventually.

We’re not just backing numbers on a screen; we’re backing people. So I want to work with teams that reflect the world we live in, not just the way it’s always been. The old boys’ club isn’t just outdated — it doesn’t hold up in today’s world. We’ve got a responsibility to help make the industry more open, and culture plays a huge part in that.

Q2. In your view, why is it important to set a higher standard of stewardship and behaviour within the investment industry?

Because we’re stewards of other people’s money — that’s a huge responsibility. And it’s not just about returns, it’s about trust. People need to believe that we’re acting in their best interests, thinking long term, and making decisions with integrity.

The industry’s come a long way, but there’s still too much short-term thinking and too many closed doors. We need to hold ourselves to higher standards — on diversity, on transparency, on the way we engage with the world around us. If we want companies to improve, we must do the same ourselves. It’s about leading by example.

Q3. Why did you decide to sit on the ACT Stewardship Council and what does it mean to you personally?

 I joined because I care about where this industry is heading. If we want to see proper change — more accountability, more inclusion, better decision-making — then we must be part of driving it. Sitting on the council gives me the chance to help push that forward. This is about trying to make it easier for the next generation. Creating an industry that’s not just technically excellent, but genuinely welcoming is something that matters to me.