Hugh W. Brown Jr.

Hugh is responsible for leading work with investors and corporations on strategies to mitigate Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) risks and advising on adaption techniques to changing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in corporate supply chains. As part of this work, Hugh leads investor engagement of Ceres' company research and projects on key global supply chains, with a particular focus on commodities linked to deforestation.

He translates many of these ESG impacts through the Ceres Working Group on Land Use and Climate, which also include innovating how investors integrate multi commodity-related ESG risks in portfolio management through the use of alternative data, leading primary research for investor-company engagements of material supply chain impacts, and developing capital markets research-driven ESG support resources for institutional investors.

Previously, Hugh led Ceres’ Investor Water Hub, a working group of the Ceres Investor Network made up of more than 90 global institutional investors with $19 trillion in assets under management. He focused on capital markets ESG integration of water risk and data analytics for investment portfolios to bolster buy/sell decisions and investor engagement.

Hugh also has 15 years of investment management expertise in various roles. Hugh previously worked at the $200 billion SBA Florida that manages the state pension fund and other trust assets. There he focused on ESG risks across asset classes, risk management, and total fund special project research. Hugh has also worked for Morgan Stanley. In addition to his global thought leadership in ESG integration, Hugh has served his country and others through service in the U.S. Air Force and by sitting non-profit boards. Hugh grew up in Florida and loves warm weather. He double-majored in History and International Affairs and earned his B.A. from Florida State University. He also holds an MBA from the Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship at Nova Southeastern University.