General Investing >> CEO Interviews >> August 31, 2023

Socially Responsible Investment Strategy Focuses on Biodiversity

Benjamin, Vicki
 Vicki Benjamin is Co-Founder and CEO of Karner Blue Capital, LLC, a women-owned and led, socially responsible investment firm building innovative investment strategies dedicated to protecting the planet’s biodiversity, fostering environmental stewardship, and conserving nature around the globe. As CEO, she helps investors drive portfolios of change, providing timely thought leadership, utilizing Karner Blue’s research platform to identify companies that are leading the transformation towards sustainability and offering investors an opportunity to invest in the companies of tomorrow — today. With over 25 years of experience in the financial sector, Ms. Benjamin has long worked at the intersection of finance and environmental sustainability, growing her passion for using finance to solve some of the world’s most pressing environmental and social issues. Prior to co-founding Karner Blue Capital in 2017, Ms. Benjamin led Calvert Investments, one of the largest responsible investment companies in the United States, first as chief operating officer, then as President and acted as a Senior Partner at KPMG International, one of the world’s Big Four accounting organizations. Vicki received her bachelor’s degree from the University of New Hampshire and an MBA from Bentley University McCallum Graduate School of Business. Profile
Baumbach, Robert
 Robert Baumbach is a Portfolio Manager at Karner Blue Capital, LLC. He served as a consultant to the firm’s Investment Committee beginning in November 2019 and became a member of the Investment Committee in September 2020. He began his career in 1985 at Standard & Poor’s Corporation as an equity research analyst. In 1990, he transitioned to the buy side, first as a Vice President and Equity Research Analyst at Keystone Custodian Funds and later as a Senior Vice President and Equity Research Analyst at Putnam Investments. Mr. Baumbach then joined Babson Capital Management in 1999 as a Managing Director and Portfolio Manager, successfully co-managing micro-cap, small-cap, and mid-cap core and growth strategies, as well as a long/short micro-cap hedge fund. He received a B.S in Business Administration from Towson State University and an M.S in Business from the University of Baltimore. Profile
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TWST: Please start with an introduction to Karner Blue Capital, and tell us about your role there, and your colleague’s role as well.

Ms. Benjamin: