New Forests has appointed Sam Rorabaugh as Global Head of Investments, placing the North American investment executive in charge of coordinating investment activity across the firm’s global natural capital platform.
Rorabaugh will provide leadership across New Forests’ investment organization and work with regional teams spanning North America, Australia and New Zealand, Africa and Asia.
He will simultaneously retain his existing position as Regional Director of Investments for North America.
The expanded role comes as New Forests builds out its Global Landscape Opportunities strategy, its first global natural capital investment offering.
The strategy is expected to invest across forestry, agriculture, related processing and infrastructure, along with complementary markets including carbon and biodiversity.
Natural capital has increasingly developed into a distinct institutional investment category encompassing productive land, forests and environmental markets.
New Forests’ strategy reflects an effort to bring these assets together across geographies rather than operating solely through region-specific investment programs.
Rorabaugh joined New Forests in 2020 and has led its North American investment team. He has also worked across the company’s regional investment and business-development groups, supporting capital raising and investment transactions.
He succeeds David Shelton as Global Head of Investments.
Shelton will focus fully on his position as Managing Director for Australia and New Zealand and on New Forests’ broader growth initiatives. During more than two decades with the firm, Shelton has been involved in investments spanning forestry, agriculture, processing and related infrastructure.
Rorabaugh’s elevation also gives New Forests continuity as it expands its global investment platform and works to attract investors looking for exposure to natural capital, carbon markets, biodiversity and sustainable land-based assets.
KEY QUOTES:
“Sam’s appointment reflects the strength of our internal talent and positions him to build on the global investment platform established under David’s leadership.”
Michelle Elliot, Executive Director, Global Funds Management at New Forests
“As natural capital continues to evolve into a recognised asset class, I’m excited to be working closely with Sam to help more investors understand the importance of including natural capital as an essential component of their portfolios.”
David Shelton, Managing Director, Australia and New Zealand at New Forests
