Matt and team were given a focused set of criteria with a layer of D&I requirements in a tight market and came through with a set of candidates that would have enabled me to fill the role twice.
Kaizen have delivered multiple times for me, and are always my first go-to for any roles within the Fin Services space. Their understanding of what is needed is key when it comes to removing unnecessary noise, and their communication of progress is open and honest.
Investment Management and ESG
Kaizen Recruitment is Australia’s leading executive search partner to the investment management industry.
For more than 20 years, we have partnered with organisations across Australia’s financial services sector to appoint high-calibre investment professionals. Our experience spans industry superannuation funds, domestic and global Investment managers, family offices, government investment organisations, and investment consulting firms.
Our track record is underpinned by deep market insight, robust search methodology, and long-standing relationships across the institutional investment community.
We support organisations across the investment ecosystem, helping both emerging and established investment teams recruit outstanding talent across a wide range of asset classes and investment disciplines.
Current Trends in the Sector
The Investment Management sector is shaped by the scale and maturity of the superannuation system, which drives a strong institutional focus, long investment horizons and persistent pressure on fees and efficiency. The market spans global asset managers, domestic firms and increasingly sophisticated asset owners, many of whom are building internalised investment, portfolio construction and risk capabilities.
Growth continues to favour private markets, real assets and alternatives, while ESG, governance and data-driven decision‑making are now embedded expectations rather than points of differentiation.
Demand has moved away from pure product or traditional asset‑class specialisation toward multi‑asset, total‑portfolio and execution‑oriented skill sets. Asset owners and larger managers are selectively hiring investment professionals with experience in private markets, co‑investments, portfolio analytics, risk, and investment operations.
The ESG job market has experienced significant shifts in recent years. Following a period of rapid growth, particularly in financial services, the pace of recruitment has now stabilised. While new role creation has slowed, organisations continue to backfill key positions, indicating sustained demand.
The most sought-after ESG skills include ESG integration, reporting, due diligence, and strategy development. The introduction of the Australian Sustainability Reporting Standards (ASRS) by the Australian Accounting Standards Board (AASB) has driven a notable increase in demand for sustainability reporting roles across sectors. In response, many organisations are engaging external consultants to support the initial implementation of reporting frameworks, ensuring compliance with emerging regulatory requirements and reporting timelines.
Our Experience in Numbers
300+
Portfolio Managers, Investment Performance and Sustainable Investment Professionals Placed
60%:40%
Female to male placement diversity split
*as at 2026
5000+
Candidates in our network
Areas of Expertise
- Funds Management
- Superannuation Investments
- Family Offices
- Private Wealth Management
- Treasury
- Asset & Investment Consulting
- Research Houses
- Investment Platforms
- Chief Investment Officers
- Heads of Asset Class (equities, fixed Income, private credit, infrastructure, property, investment strategy, asset allocation)
- Senior Portfolio Managers (equities, fixed income, infrastructure, property, alternatives and multi-asset portfolios)
- Portfolio Managers
- Senior Investment Analysts
- Investment Analysts
- Head of Sustainable Investment / Head of Sustainability
- Sustainability Manager / Sustainable Investment Manager
- Senior Sustainability Analyst / ESG Research Analyst
- Sustainability Analyst / ESG Analyst
- Sustainable Investment Associate / ESG Associate
- Carbon Accounting & Assurance Specialist
- Green Bond / Sustainability-Linked Loan Analyst
Meet the Team
Matt McGilton - Managing Director
With more than 20 years of executive search experience across Australia's financial services sector, Matt has built long-standing relationships within Australia’s institutional investment community. He is recognised for his ability to identify and secure high-calibre investment professionals aligned with each organisation’s investment philosophy and long-term strategic objectives.
Matt works closely with executive leadership teams, boards, and investment committees to deliver appointments across all levels of investment teams, from Chief Investment Officers and Heads of Asset Class through to portfolio managers and investment analysts.
Matt also advises clients on investment team structure, market hiring trends, and succession planning across the institutional investment industry.
Simon Gvalda - Principal Consultant
Simon holds a Bachelor of Commerce, with majors in finance and economics from Deakin University and an Advanced Diploma of Financial Planning through Kaplan.
He has over 8 years’ experience across ESG and responsible investment roles.
Simon thoroughly enjoys connecting with professionals across the financial planning industry and is passionate about helping people achieve their career goals.
In his spare time, Simon enjoys travelling, cooking (his speciality is Korean food), watching sci-fi TV series and getting out in the garden.
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