Beware of ESG bubble, says ex-chair of world’s biggest pension fund

Eiji Hirano, former chairman of the board of governors of Eiji Hirano, who was chairman of the board of governors of Japan’s Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF) from 2017 until earlier this year, presided over a tumultuous period for the fund as it became a world leader in ESG investments. The fund now needs to reassess its approach to ESG, he said.

TOKYO: The former head of the board of governors at the world’s largest pension fund said he sees signs of a “bubble” in environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing, and said the Japanese fund needs to consider how much ESG assets contribute to returns.

Eiji Hirano, who was chairman of the board of governors of Japan’s Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF) from 2017 until earlier this year, presided over a tumultuous period for the fund as it became a world leader in ESG investments.