Multinational investment bank Barclays announced it has promoted Sasha Wiggins to be its Group Head of Public Policy and Corporate Responsibility. In the newly created position, Wiggins will report directly to CEO Jes Staley.
In her role as Group Head of Public Policy and Corporate Responsibility, Wiggins will lead Barclays' efforts to combat climate change by spearheading the “evolution and operational implementation of the Group's extensive new Climate Policy.”
Wiggins was most recently Barclays’ Group Chief of Staff, a role she has held since 2018. She first joined the bank in 2002 and has held numerous corporate and private banking roles including serving as the CEO of Barclays Bank Ireland from 2015 to 2017. Prior to Barclays, Wiggins worked as an Investment Manager at now-defunct financial services firm Teather & Greenwood from 1995 to 2002.
In a press release, Staley stated, “Sasha's broad banking knowledge and, most importantly, her ability to build strong relationships of trust, and engage effectively with diverse stakeholders, make her the ideal candidate for this critically important role."
Barclays’ latest hire is part of a larger sustainability initiative, which was intensified in October 2019, when the bank created a Sustainable and Impact Banking Group. Moreover, just last week the company’s enhanced Climate Policy was approved by 99.9% of shareholders at an annual general meeting.
Other major banks are also creating and filling sustainability positions. For instance, last week Morgan Stanley hired a global head of sustainability and Citigroup created a Chief Sustainability Officer position in September 2019.
