In the investing world, it’s considered the holy grail of capitalism. How can someone maximize returns on their capital, while still generating a positive impact on people and society?
But does it really need to be so difficult? And what might be included in a model portfolio that reduces poverty and mitigates resource waste – while still achieving high returns on investment?
There are a growing number of people who believe that it really isn’t all that difficult to simultaneously enrich your soul and your wallet. And this week, we’re going to introduce you to two people who have staked their careers on that belief.
In a special edition of the Emerging Opportunities show, Frontera News Managing Editor Gavin Serkin joins Bloomberg’s New York Bureau Chief Jason Kelly in quizzing two leaders in the world of impact investing: Jean-Philippe de Schrevel and Amit Bouri.
De Schrevel, one of the pioneers of microfinance and private equity funding for companies serving emerging-market consumers, founded Bamboo Finance in 2007. His Geneva-based company has poured hundreds of millions of dollars into sustainable agriculture and off-grid energy, along with healthcare for those most in need and financial services for the disenfranchised across Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Bouri co-founded the Global Impact Investing Network, an organization that has fast expanded to 200 members and groups some of the biggest names on Wall Street. GIIN has been leading efforts to build infrastructure and support activities, education and research to spur coherent impact investing strategies.
Kelly is the author of The New Tycoons: Inside the Trillion Dollar Private Equity Industry That Owns Everything and the recently released Sweat Equity: Inside the New Economy of Mind and Body.
Serkin is the author of Frontier: Exploring the Top Ten Emerging Markets of Tomorrow.
Their discussion – held at The Peninsula Hotel in sunny Beverly Hills – is titled Investing in the Next Frontier: Myths, Realities & Change.
The topics:
- Which countries have the greatest potential for economic, environmental and social progress in the next decade?
- What are the most promising sectors?
- The challenges of dealing with fragmented, corrupt, illiquid markets, currency volatility, and a lack of exits
- Is widespread interest in impact investing within frontier markets creating a bubble?
- Social Progress Index Bottom 10 – How to make the biggest difference
Tune in today, Monday 9 May, for the conversation on the Frontera podcasts page:
