Alastair Ross Goobey Memorial Scholarship

In memory of his contribution to the investment management industry and as a pioneer of the international corporate governance movement, Hermes are proud to launch, in conjunction with the International Corporate Governance Network (ICGN), the ICGN Hermes appeal to fund the Alastair Ross Goobey Memorial Scholarship, which aims to provide the financial assistance necessary to encourage and develop the emergent corporate governance leaders of the future.

Alastair Ross Goobey’s life was one of contribution and achievement. As a highly respected and successful City fund manager, Alastair rose to become chief executive of Hermes. However, it is as a pioneer and champion of the global corporate governance movement, that Alastair is perhaps best remembered. Through his efforts, particularly in promoting shareholder activism as a means of affecting greater corporate accountability, Alastair is credited with transforming the global corporate governance landscape into what we know today.

Brought up in Clevedon, near Bristol, Alastair was educated at Marlborough and at Trinity College, Cambridge, before following his father into investment management. Having made a name for himself as chief investment strategist at James Capel, coming first in the 1990 Extel Survey*, Alastair was appointed chief executive of PosTel in 1993, which he subsequently re-branded as Hermes in 1995. It is during this time that Alastair was most influential in promoting and developing institutional shareholder activism. In doing so, he was instrumental in improving the culture of corporate governance around the world.

So strong were his views on the subject, he saw an opportunity to establish a dedicated arm of the Hermes business, turning corporate governance and shareholder involvement into an investment style of its own. Thus was founded Hermes Focus Asset Management, of which he remained Chairman until 2008. Elsewhere, Alastair’s tireless work ethic and contribution was in evidence across the business spectrum. At various stages of his career, Alastair occupied the roles of Governor of the Wellcome Trust, the world’s largest medical charity; Chairman of Invista Real Estate Investment Management; President of the Investment Property Forum; and Chairman of the International Corporate Governance Network, an organisation he was instrumental in creating. He steered the ICGN through a period of rapid growth, both in terms of reputation, influence and international reputation. He was also a member of the Goode committee on pensions law and of the Middleton committee on the financing of the British film industry.

Alastair also served as adviser to both the Lloyd’s insurance market and Morgan Stanley and held senior non-executive roles at Scottish Life and Cheltenham & Gloucester. Furthermore, as a lover of the arts, Alastair also sat on the investment committee of the National Gallery, was a trustee of the Royal Opera House Pension and Benevolent Funds, Governor of the Royal Academy of Music and a Director of the Almeida Theatre.

In 2000 Alastair was awarded the honour of Commander of the British Empire (CBE), for services to pensions.