Octopus Investments, part of Octopus Group, today announces the appointment of Jennifer Ockwell as Head of Institutional. Jennifer will be responsible for co-ordinating Octopus’ global institutional strategy as it continues to expand its offering to institutional investors.
“Octopus has ambitious plans to provide global institutional investors with a range of investment strategies that deliver both significant financial returns and meaningful environmental and social impacts. Jennifer’s impressive credentials and extensive experience working within the institutional market will accelerate and strengthen our plans considerably.”
Chris Hulatt, Co-founder Octopus Group
Based in London, Jennifer will lead Octopus’ institutional funds distribution team, strengthening its engagement with new and existing investors across pension funds, insurers, sovereign wealth funds and family offices in regions that include the UK, Europe, Asia, United States and the Middle East. She will report into Jonathan Digges, Octopus’ Chief Investment Officer.
Jennifer joins Octopus with a 20-year track record in institutional fundraising, working with some of the industry’s most successful fund managers, including Franklin Templeton and Janus Henderson, where she served as Head of UK Institutional. Most recently, Jennifer was Head of Institutional at Triple Point, an investment manager focused on purpose-led investments in areas such as social housing, digital infrastructure, energy and venture capital. During her career, Jennifer developed a strong passion for impact investing and encouraging institutional capital into the growing sector.
Outside of her primary roles, Jennifer previously acted as a company-appointed trustee of the Henderson Group Pension Scheme, which operates a Defined Benefit and Defined Contribution scheme, and currently serves as a trustee for the Diversity Project, an organisation set up to help charities with social mobility, diversity and inclusivity aims. In 2020, Jennifer won Investment Woman of the Year for small to medium firms at Investment Week’s Women in Investment Awards, for her work promoting diversity & inclusion and impact investing.
Chris Hulatt, co-founder of Octopus Group, said:
“Octopus has ambitious plans to provide global institutional investors with a range of investment strategies that deliver both significant financial returns and meaningful environmental and social impacts. Jennifer’s impressive credentials and extensive experience working within the institutional market will accelerate and strengthen our plans considerably. But it wasn’t just Jennifer’s track record or industry tenure that gave us the confidence she would be successful at Octopus. Jennifer stood out for her experience and passion in investments that help build a better tomorrow for people and the planet, an ethos that we live and breathe at Octopus.”
Jennifer Ockwell said:
“My career, particularly over the last few years, has been defined by encouraging institutional investors to commit capital towards investments that will have both a positive financial and societal impact. With my personal and professional commitment to purpose-driven behaviour and investing, joining Octopus was hugely attractive given its similar, shared values, and culture.
“I am looking forward to introducing my wonderful institutional network to Octopus in order to increase the speed with which institutional investors adopt more impact-led investments.”
Jennifer is Octopus’ latest institutional appointment, following the arrival of Robert Cashmore MBE as Head of Institutional Funds Distribution, Middle East, in October 2021. Robert joined Octopus from roles within the UK Government, where he previously served as its Director for Investment in the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan, and Head of Investment for Saudi Arabia.
Octopus currently manages £3.4 billion on behalf of institutional investors, representing a core and growing business within the Group. It specialises in alternative investments, across renewable energy, real estate lending and development, healthcare and venture capital.