We were delighted to welcome Fay Margo into our London office this week. Fay is the CEO of specialist communications advisory firm Brackendale Consulting, which focuses on private markets. She shared her expertise with Kate Goodall, Head of ESG & Sustainability at PER, in a conversation about promoting ESG strategies, engaging with journalists and publishing market leading ESG reports.
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With the fallout from Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) dominating recent headlines, we engaged with private markets communications expert Fay Margo to hear her top tips on engaging with the media to promote your firm's ESG strategy.
One of the key drivers of the increased focus on ESG regulation is the changing expectations of LPs. As Fay outlined, in the past ESG was often seen as a nice-to-have, but has now become a must-have for LPs. This means that PE firms of all sizes, including small funds with limited teams, must take ESG seriously, have proper policies in place, and be able to communicate them to clients.
When speaking with journalists about their ESG strategies, Fay advised to focus on numbers and science, and steer clear of politics. Talking about growth potential and value add can help to bring ESG stories to life, and using case studies, such as those from GED Capital and Sullivan Street Partners, can illustrate the practical benefits and real impact of implementing strategies. Fay emphasised that being candid with journalists is essential, and everything said to them must be substantiated. She also warned against trying to push ‘puff pieces’ without a clear newsworthy angle, as these will fail to interest journalists. Agencies such as Brackendale can help strategically determine which stories and messages are newsworthy and interesting.
One of the key drivers of the increased focus on ESG regulation is the changing expectations of LPs. As Fay outlined, in the past ESG was often seen as a nice-to-have, but has now become a must-have for LPs. This means that PE firms of all sizes, including small funds with limited teams, must take ESG seriously, have proper policies in place, and be able to communicate them to clients.
When speaking with journalists about their ESG strategies, Fay advised to focus on numbers and science, and steer clear of politics. Talking about growth potential and value add can help to bring ESG stories to life, and using case studies, such as those from GED Capital and Sullivan Street Partners, can illustrate the practical benefits and real impact of implementing strategies. Fay emphasised that being candid with journalists is essential, and everything said to them must be substantiated. She also warned against trying to push ‘puff pieces’ without a clear newsworthy angle, as these will fail to interest journalists. Agencies such as Brackendale can help strategically determine which stories and messages are newsworthy and interesting.
Firms must also integrate ESG considerations into their decision-making process and identify areas of improvement to meet LP expectations. Clear, concise, and carefully considered KPIs, containing a combination of qualitative and quantitative measures, prove to be the most valuable information within an ESG report from an LP perspective. Fay mentioned that the recent trend she has seen favours shorter ESG reports, as long as all the information is covered.
As ESG becomes integral to private equity firms and investors, it's important to be prepared to talk about the relevant strategies and their impact. Private markets professionals should be transparent, provide substantiated data, and be sure to highlight the growth potential and value add of their ESG strategies. Fay’s key takeaway was that being open, honest, and transparent in all ESG communications is essential.
Fay Margo
Fay founded Brackendale in 2013 after spending a decade within the European private equity industry. Fay was previously IR Manager at Munich-based private equity fund Cipio Partners, where she also carried out PR and deal origination work. Prior to this she was private equity consultant at Arbor Square Associates. In her earlier career as a financial journalist, Fay wrote for The Economist, The Financial Times Group, Private Equity International, IR magazine, and France Unquote, as well as appearing as a commentator on CNBC Europe’s Power Lunch and Squawk Box programmes.
Get in touch with Fay
Brackendale is a global consultancy offering investor marketing, media relations, graphic design and investor pitch training services to the private equity industry.
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Kate Goodall
Before moving into recruitment over seven years ago, Kate spent more than 15 years in the private equity market as an Investor Relations Manager for Capital Dynamics and SVG Advisers. During her time with SVG, she was part of a small team which led the development of the firm’s responsible investment strategy which was implemented across the business.
Kate’s industry experience combined with a qualification in Business Sustainability Management from the University of Cambridge provides her with a unique insight into ESG and sustainability, underpinning her advisory approach to each mandate. Kate helps clients define roles to identify the best talent, both generalists and specialists, at all levels of seniority, including several Head of ESG positions as well as building out teams. Kate also regularly participates in industry events and provides commentary.
Kate’s industry experience combined with a qualification in Business Sustainability Management from the University of Cambridge provides her with a unique insight into ESG and sustainability, underpinning her advisory approach to each mandate. Kate helps clients define roles to identify the best talent, both generalists and specialists, at all levels of seniority, including several Head of ESG positions as well as building out teams. Kate also regularly participates in industry events and provides commentary.
Get in touch with Kate