Articles & Insights

Reflections on My First Year at Terra Alpha

Dear Friends of Terra Alpha,
  
During the summer of 2021, when I interviewed with the Terra Alpha team, I knew I was engaging with an informed and dedicated group of people. It was thrilling to discover a firm that shared my high conviction that corporations and the capital markets need to be full participants and active partners in responding to the existential threat of climate change. The opportunity to meld my long and growing concern about climate change, and its many impacts on our environment and quality of life, with my professional skills in business development and client service, was a compelling proposition. I really wanted to work at Terra Alpha!
 
September marks my one-year anniversary at Terra Alpha. For me, the first twelve months have presented a steep learning curve, a stimulating and dynamic working environment, and a lot of fun. In short, what I liked about the firm when interviewing has all been confirmed. It’s been a good fit for me professionally and personally.
 
What has been a pleasant realization in my early days at Terra Alpha is that we’re a good fit for so many investors, both individuals, and institutions. All of us at our firm has chosen a path that nearly everyone in the world feels is daunting and overwhelming. We take it on with optimism and rigor, believing through our investing, our corporate engagement, and our thought leadership that we can deliver three outcomes: better financial returns, better environmental returns, and a better world.
 
I want to thank my colleagues, our investors, and the many others with whom I have interacted. This past year has been a wonderful journey, and I, of course, have much more to learn. The nature of our mission encourages continual learning for all of us. I am tremendously gratified by the growing number of accredited individuals, family offices, foundations, and endowments that have chosen to invest with us over my first year.
 
I wake up every morning with the belief everyone is an environmentalist; it’s just that many don’t know it yet. I am the sales guy, so I am optimistic, positive, and somewhat relentless. I am encouraged by the growing numbers who do embrace information, and knowledge, with a sense of urgency. I look forward to many more productive conversations with my Terra Alpha colleagues and members of the investment community in the years ahead.
 
Warmest regards,

Phil Swan

Terra Alpha