The US-born Mr Anson, 48, holds degrees in economics, chemistry and law, a PhD in finance and is a licensed attorney, chartered financial analyst and certified internal auditor.
During the past eight years he has applied his forensic financial skills to the link between corporate governance and shareholder returns and, in the process, become one of the world’s most influential activist investors.
After a decade in the law and asset management, Mr Anson shot to prominence in 1999 when he was appointed chief investment officer of Calpers, the giant Californian state pension fund.
Calpers was a pioneer of activist investing, recognising that it could use its financial muscle – it now manages $200bn – to press companies into making governance improvements that would boost shareholder returns. It issues an annual Focus List, naming and shaming five or so companies it believes are failing investors because of poor governance.
Mr Anson surprised the shareholder activist community in October 2005 when he quit Calpers – and his Californian ranch – for Hermes, the independent UK asset manager whose largest client is the BT Pension Scheme. Hermes, which manages more than £70bn ($140bn) in assets, has pioneered activist investing across several fronts. Its four specialist Focus Funds target companies in Europe and Japan where it believes governance improvements can boost shareholder returns. The funds hold a combined £5bn and each has outperformed its benchmark.
Hermes also recently launched its Equity Ownership Service, where institutional clients outsource to it company engagement issues. Funds under advice for the service are £45bn.
In terms of activist campaigns, Hermes is co-leading one of the Parmalat lawsuits, while Mr Anson has criticised Siemens, Thyssen-Krupp and Volkswagen over governance issues. Last year he voted against the re-election of Arun Sarin, Vodafone chief executive.
In the US, Mr Anson has derided boardroom pay policies at UnitedHealth Group and proposed a resolution at this month’s annual meeting. Improving the ability of investors, especially in US companies, to control executive remuneration remains high on his reform agenda.
He is also chairman of the International Corporate Governance Network, the activist grouping whose members manage combined assets exceeding $10,000bn.