News & Insights: 12/04/2024

ICYMI - AfDB President to co-chair Clean Cooking in Africa Summit, Preqin launches ESG fund performance benchmarks, and M&G appoints Alex Banzic; Begins redevelopment of £250m West End asset

In today’s newsletter, Preqin, the global leader in alternative assets data, tools, and insights, announced on Thursday, the launch of its ESG fund performance benchmarks, a market-first, according to a press statement issued by the company.

Also, global leaders from government, private sector, and civil society will meet at UNESCO in Paris on 14 May for the first-ever leaders’ summit dedicated to making 2024 a turning point for clean cooking access in Africa. The African Development Bank Group President Dr Akinwumi Adesina will co-chair the upcoming Summit on Clean Cooking in Africa alongside President Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre of Norway, and International Energy Agency Executive Director Fatih Birol.

In other news, M&G Real Estate (M&G), part of M&G’s £73.4 billion private markets business, has promoted Alexander Banzic to Head of Australia, as the firm seeks to further grow its presence in the Australian real estate market. The firm (M&G) also last Friday, announced the redevelopment of The Ribbon – its 80,000 sq. ft West End office scheme on the corner of Oxford Street and Wells Street – marking a significant step in its commitment to deliver assets of scale in prime locations.