Arabesque

About Arabesque

Arabesque is a global financial technology group established in 2013, following a management buyout from Barclays Bank. The firm specializes in combining artificial intelligence (AI) with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) data to provide sustainable investment and intelligence solutions. The initial investment strategy was developed at Barclays between 2010 and 2013 with academic partners from Stanford, Cambridge, and Oxford universities.

The group operates through several distinct businesses. Arabesque AI focuses on technology, building hyper-customized, impact-driven portfolios using its AI-integrated platform, originally named AutoCIO and also known as Aether or Portfolio Dragon. This platform empowers portfolio managers by forecasting stock performance for over 25,000 equities and allowing for the creation of tailored strategies based on thousands of criteria. Another key entity is ESG Book, a global leader in sustainability data and technology. Incubated in 2018, ESG Book provides a central, digital source for corporate sustainability information, serving financial organizations that manage over $120 trillion in assets. The platform aims to make ESG data more accessible and comparable for all stakeholders, allowing companies to act as custodians of their own data.

The company's mission is to mainstream sustainable finance. Its business model revolves around providing data, advisory, and asset management services to a global client base of financial institutions, investors, and corporations. The platforms are cloud-native, utilizing Google Cloud to deliver scalable and cost-effective solutions. The firm is chaired by Georg Kell, the founding Executive Director of the UN Global Compact, who brings extensive experience in corporate sustainability. Founding partner Andreas Feiner, who previously worked at Barclays and co-founded ESG Book, is responsible for the firm's sustainability process. Arabesque has received backing from institutional investors such as Allianz X, DWS Group, and Commerz Real AG.