National Basketball Association superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is lending some star power to a new ESG fund being launched by Calamos Investments.
Mr. Antetokounmpo, a 27-year-old power forward for the Milwaukee Bucks, has captured top NBA honors over the last three years, including MVP, NBA Finals MVP, NBA Defensive Player of the Year and All-Star MVP.
He was born and raised in Athens by parents who immigrated from Nigeria.
John P. Calamos Sr., Calamos Investments' founder, chairman and global CIO, is the son of Greek immigrants.
Jessica Fernandez, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for the Naperville, Illinois-based investment manager, declined to provide details on the new fund — including additional information on Mr. Antetokounmpo's involvement with the fund — while the registration is pending, but said in an emailed statement that the shared values between Calamos Investments and Mr. Antetokounmpo "forge the foundation for a great partnership" that will seek to generate investment and societal returns.
According to the August 24 filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Calamos Antetokounmpo Sustainable Equities Trust will invest at least 80% of net assets in U.S. issuers that meet ESG criteria of subadviser Calamos Advisors LLC., whose proprietary analysis looks at how companies address ecological limits, environmental stewardship, environmental strategies, stance on human rights and equality, societal impact and corporate governance practices.
It will invest primarily in common stocks and American depositary receipts, according to the SEC filing.
The new fund will be co-managed by James Madden and Anthony Tursich, senior vice presidents who run the Calamos Global Sustainable Equities Fund, launched in December.
In August 2021, Calamos Investments acquired Pearl Impact Capital, a sustainable investment firm with about $120 million in assets under management, as part of a plan to expand its ESG capabilities.
It also appointed Messrs. Madden and Tursich to lead the firm's sustainable equities team.
