Sasja Beslik
Sasja Beslik | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 24, 1974 Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| Occupation(s) | Finance specialist, author |
| Years active | 1998–present |
| Known for | Advocacy of financial sustainability, leadership in responsible investments |
| Notable work | Where the Money Tree Grows (2021), Guld och gröna skogar (2019) |
Sasja Beslik (born December 24, 1974) is a renowned Swedish and global finance specialist celebrated for his advocacy of financial sustainability. Since 2019, he has been affiliated with J. Safra Sarasin.
Life and career
Originating from Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Beslik escaped the conflict in Bosnia in 1993 and ultimately made Sweden his home. After obtaining Swedish citizenship, he pursued studies in economics and journalism at Stockholm University.
His professional journey commenced as a journalist reporting on wars and humanitarian emergencies for the Red Cross between 1998 and 2000. Subsequently, he served as a social impact assessment consultant for BP across Angola, Georgia, and Nigeria. Transitioning into banking in 2004, Beslik took on the role of Head of Responsible Investments and later became deputy CEO at Banco Funds/ABN AMRO in Stockholm.
In 2009, Beslik joined Nordea as the leader of responsible investments and corporate governance. He was appointed CEO of Nordea Investment Funds Sweden in 2011 and advanced to head responsible investments at Nordea Asset Management in 2013. By 2017, he spearheaded Nordea’s Sustainable Finance division, driving the integration of corporate responsibility initiatives.
Beslik is the author of "Where the Money Tree Grows" (2021), "Guld och gröna skogar" (2019), and writes the weekly newsletter ESG on a Sunday. He departed from Nordea in 2019 to take up a position at Bank J. Safra Sarasin.
Sustainability work
Beginning in the early 2010s, Beslik and his team at Nordea began embedding environmental stewardship, social accountability, and ethical business practices into the bank’s €320 billion investment portfolio (as of 2018). When portfolio companies failed to align with these principles, Nordea pursued corrective measures or divested holdings, including shares in major corporations such as Boeing and Lockheed Martin. This methodology contributed to advancing long-term sustainable investment trends throughout Nordic nations.
During the Dakota Access Pipeline protests in 2016, Beslik engaged directly with members of the Sioux tribe and identified insufficient consultation with Native American communities. In response, Nordea placed three partner firms under a six-month investment quarantine to conduct risk evaluations and hold discussions with Greenpeace. The bank indicated it would divest if indigenous rights were compromised. After these companies did not comply, Nordea withdrew its investments, influencing other investors like ING Group to follow suit.
Beslik illustrated that H&M could raise Bangladeshi garment workers’ pay to a living wage by increasing product prices by only fifty cents per item. He also researched cobalt shortages—a vital component for electric vehicle batteries—traveling to the Democratic Republic of the Congo to evaluate how producers there address long-term challenges including human rights issues.
Following the 2018 Facebook–Cambridge Analytica privacy scandal, Beslik declared that Nordea would place Facebook investments under quarantine by suspending new acquisitions within its sustainable investment portfolio.
Awards
In 2016, Beslik was honored with the Swedish Banking Profile of the Year award.
King Carl XVI Gustaf bestowed upon him in 2013 the H. M. The King's Medal, 8th size with the ribbon of the Order of the Seraphim recognizing his notable achievements in advancing Swedish environmental and sustainability thought.
He earned recognition as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in Davos during 2011.
The Stars Fund—Nordea’s sustainable equity fund launched by Beslik in 2011—was awarded Sweden's best overall equity fund title in 2017, marking it as the first sustainable fund to receive this accolade.
In 2020, Beslik was acknowledged as the most influential individual globally within green finance.
External links
- Profile of Beslik at the EITI website