Clayton, Dubilier & Rice Expands European ESG Capabilities

April 26, 2023
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Clayton, Dubilier & Rice today announced that it has expanded its ESG capabilities with the addition of Hannah-Polly Williams as a Director and the Head of ESG in Europe. Ms. Williams will work closely with CD&R’s European investment teams and the U.S. and Global ESG team to accelerate initiatives that create value for the Firm’s portfolio companies in the UK and Europe.

Ms. Williams brings to the new role significant experience across ESG, corporate governance and investor engagement. Most recently, Ms. Williams was a Senior Director at FTI Consulting, where she advised on corporate strategy projects and helped financial services, healthcare and industrials clients devise and implement sustainability programs and improve operational performance. Prior to FTI, Ms. Williams was based in New York as the Global Director of Board Strategy and Engagement at the International Rescue Committee (IRC), a global humanitarian aid, relief and development nongovernmental organization, where she led IRC’s robust Board engagement and was instrumental in launching its global Board DEI Action Plan.  Ms. Williams began her career in London developing private sector partnerships at Oxfam, the Overseas Development Institute and the Allegra Foundation.

“I am excited to expand our ESG team, which we have purposely built to support our portfolio companies and investment teams as they work to create value,” said Vindi Banga, CD&R Operating Partner and former Unilever Executive Committee member, who Chairs the Firm’s ESG Initiatives. “We look forward to HP’s valuable contributions to advance these important efforts in the UK and Europe.”

“CD&R has a well-established ESG program, and I look forward to working with the team to continue building upon it,” said Ms. Williams. “I believe there is considerable value building potential for CD&R, its current and future European portfolio companies, and all of their stakeholders, through the continued integration of ESG considerations.”

Ms. Williams will participate in the Firm’s ESG Initiatives Group, a team of multi-disciplinary specialists responsible for ESG strategy, integration and connectivity across the Firm; external collaborations; and reporting. She is the second addition to the ESG Initiatives Group in the past six months, following Lori Butler, who joined in November 2022 as Director of Environmental Stewardship, a newly created position to help the Firm’s portfolio companies build value through environmental strategies.

Ms. Williams earned a B.Sc. in Economics and Government from the London School of Economics, an M.Sc. in Global Governance and Ethics from University College London and an M.B.A. from Judge Business School at the University of Cambridge.

About Clayton, Dubilier & Rice

Clayton, Dubilier & Rice is a private investment firm with a strategy predicated on building stronger, more profitable businesses across a broad range of industries, including Industrials, Healthcare, Consumer, Technology and Financial Services. Since its inception in 1978, CD&R has managed the investment of more than $40 billion in over 100 companies with an aggregate transaction value of more than $175 billion. For more information on CD&R, please visit www.cdr-inc.com

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