UBS Asset Management has appointed Darren Rabenou as head of food & agriculture and head of ESG investment strategies covering real estate, infrastructure, private equity and agriculture, both new roles in the firm’s real estate and private markets (REPM) business.

Rabenou will report to Joe Azelby, head of REPM, and will be based in New York.

As head of food & agriculture, Rabenou will drive forward new initiatives to help meet growing investor interest in agriculture. UBS-AM’s successful Farmland strategy, with US$2 billion in assets under management, will be integrated into the food and agriculture client offering.

Over the past few years, client demand for sustainable investing has grown considerably. In his role as head of ESG investment strategies, Rabenou will oversee REPM’s sustainable private investments, leveraging the firm’s significant expertise to expand the business’ direct environmental, social and governance capabilities, and manage the development of products with a sustainable overlay to help meet clients’ evolving needs.

Rabenou has more than 30 years of investing experience, including over 12 years evaluating and investing in global agriculture. Prior to joining UBS, he was a partner at Fabbri Fund Management (part of the Fabbri Group), a California-based farm operator and investment group.

Prior to this, he spent 11 years as a managing director at Terrapin Asset Management, where he was a member of the firm’s investment and operating committees. He has also held senior positions at JP Morgan Asset Management, Prudential Investments and ING Barings.