Maximilian Horster is Head of ISS ESG, leading a global team assisting clients in developing and integrating responsible investing policies and practices through the provision of industry-leading solutions and data. Based in Frankfurt, Germany, Max oversees the unit’s core Data & Analytics, Product, and Index offering as well as ISS’ dedicated climate team that helps financial market participants understand, measure, and act on climate-related risks across all asset classes. In addition, he manages ISS’ financial intelligence unit, EVA, which enables investors to uniquely measure, analyze, and value corporate performance and inform investing decisions.

Max joined ISS in 2017 following its acquisition of the financial industry business of South Pole Group, which he co-founded. There, Max and team developed the world’s largest database of company-level climate change data and pioneered the development of leading, standardized investment climate screening tools. Prior to this, Max worked at Capital Group Companies in North America, Asia and Europe and has, over the past decade, led several European Union-funded greenhouse gas accounting projects while also advising member states on the matter. He is a frequent speaker at conferences, teaches about ESG at several universities, and publishes regularly on the opportunities and challenges of ESG investing. Max holds a PhD in History from the University of Cambridge.