HELGA BIRGDEN
Head of Responsible Investment Mercer, Asia Pacific

Helga is the leader of Mercer's responsible investment business in the Asia Pacific. She joined Mercer in October 2007.

Primarily, Helga provides clients with advice on formulating RI policies and integrating them into their investment programs. She also manages the development of research into regional RI-specific investment management products, and assesses the extent to which mainstream fund managers' vote, engage and assess environmental, social and corporate governance issues in the region.

Additionally Helga works with the global team on global RI projects. She has amassed more than 10 years experience in working with pension funds and other asset managers on voting, corporate engagement and regulatory reform in key markets nationally and globally.

Her most recent role was Manager Governance and Sustainable Investment at UniSuper, one of Australia's largest superannuation funds, where she developed and managed the fund's investment governance policies and sustainable investment program.

Helga holds a Master of Enterprise Innovation (Business) from the leading finance program at Swinburne University/Ernst & Young.