A DAY IN THE LIFE OF
Romane Thomas Trinity Endowment Investment and Sustainability Officer
Q Tell us about your role and how you came to be at Trinity.
Q What are the goals you are working towards, and the challenges you are facing?
I am the Investment and Sustainability Officer for the endowment of the College, where I oversee our investments in securities and all sustainability initiatives. I work in the Senior Bursar’s Office, and we are a small and dynamic team, passionate about the College and helping to fund its charitable objectives.
You’ll know that early in 2021 the College announced changes to its investment policy, committing to divesting from all fossil fuel investments in public equities by the end of that year, which we achieved. Trinity’s endowment also committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions before 2050. This is a real challenge, not only for Trinity but for all organisations.
I came to be at Trinity through a secondment from my previous work in management consulting in Switzerland, and first worked with the Master, Dame Sally Davies, before moving across Great Court to focus on our investments and sustainability initiatives. I have found it incredibly fulfilling ever since.
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What does achieving net zero mean and how do we get there? This is the problem I am helping to solve for Trinity’s endowment. One unique aspect is that 50% of the investments are in property. For example, the College owns Felixstowe Docks, the Cambridge Science Park, and the O2 Arena. How do we decarbonise these
