Deborah Gilshan

Deborah Gilshan provides strategic, independent advice on investment stewardship, sustainable finance and diversity to clients across the investment chain. She has extensive global experience in engaging with board directors, senior leaders, regulators and investors on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues. Previously, Deborah was an Investment Director in the ESG team at Aberdeen Standard Investments and, prior to that, Head of Sustainable Ownership at RPMI Railpen, the investment arm of the UK Railways Pension Scheme. She started her career in corporate governance at the UK’s Co-operative Insurance Society in December 2000. Deborah initially worked in corporate tax at EY and read Mathematics & English at the University of Manchester.

Deborah chairs the Ethics & Systemic Risk Committee of the International Corporate Governance Network, having joined the Committee in June 2014.  In May 2021, she was appointed to the Advisory Panel of the UK’s Financial Reporting Council. Deborah is a Fellow of ICSA: The Governance Institute and holds the ICSA’s Professional Award in corporate governance.

Deborah is an Ambassador for the 30% Club, having previously co-chaired their UK Investor Group. In October 2011, Deborah founded The 100% Club, a multi-sector alliance dedicated to gender equality.  She advises the Women Societies Alliance, which seeks to create equal opportunities in the finance industry for female graduates. Deborah has been recognised for her work on empowering the female talent pipeline and promoting gender diversity.

Deborah is a regular commentator and writer on corporate governance, sustainable finance, investment stewardship and diversity and her work and opinion have featured in the Financial Times, the New York Times, the Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance, Sky News and other mainstream financial media. She is the lead author of two publications: (i) The Ethics of Diversity for the UK’s Institute of Business Ethics (2020) and (ii) Say on Pay: Six Years On – Lessons from the UK Experience for Railpen Investments with Pensions & Investment Research Consultants (2009).