Impact Investing Musings

In the following episodes, we bring you insights from this year’s AVPN Global Conference (“GC2025”), held September 9-11 in Hong Kong. There will be episodes highlighting thought leadership from prominent speakers. This includes snippets from speeches and special features of our speakers on Impact Investing Day (September 10). In this episode, we feature Elizabeth Boggs Davidsen, CEO of GSG Impact...

In the following episodes, we bring you insights from this year’s AVPN Global Conference (“GC2025”), held September 9-11 in Hong Kong. There will be episodes highlighting thought leadership from prominent speakers. This includes snippets from speeches and special features of our speakers on Impact Investing Day (September 10). In this episode, Dato’ Sri Abdul Rasheed Ghaffour, Governor of Bank Neg...

The Ford Foundation is one of the world’s largest private philanthropic institutions, with more than 80 years of experience advancing social justice and reducing inequality globally. Through its pioneering Mission-Related Investments (MRI) strategy, the Foundation has committed a substantial portion of its endowment - starting with $1 billion - to investments that align financial discipline with i...

In the following episodes, we bring you insights from this year’s AVPN Global Conference (“GC2025”), held September 9-11 in Hong Kong. There will be episodes highlighting thought leadership from prominent speakers. This includes snippets from speeches, and special features of our speakers on Impact Investing Day (September 10). Impact investing is entering a new era - one where Asia is no longer f...

In the following episodes, we bring you insights from this year’s AVPN Global Conference (“GC2025”), held September 9-11 in Hong Kong. There will be episodes highlighting thought leadership from prominent speakers. This includes snippets from speeches, and special features of our speakers on Impact Investing Day (September 10). Impact investing is entering a new era - one where Asia is no longer f...

In the following episodes, we bring you insights from this year’s AVPN Global Conference (“GC2025”), held September 9-11 in Hong Kong. There will be episodes highlighting thought leadership from prominent speakers. This includes snippets from speeches and special features of our speakers on Impact Investing Day (September 10). Impact investing is entering a new era - one where Asia is no longer fo...

Entrepreneurial Households (EHs)—resilient, resourceful families generating multiple income streams—are rapidly transforming from recipients of development aid into independent economic agents shaping the future of emerging markets. Yet, despite their growing significance, the unique needs of EHs remain largely underserved by traditional markets. In this episode, we speak with Jyotsna from EPIC Wo...

Due diligence is one of the most significant cost and time barriers in scaling impact investments, particularly for small and growing businesses (SGBs) and high-impact SMEs. The economics of conducting thorough due diligence on these enterprises often discourages investors from deploying capital at the scale needed to drive meaningful change. In this episode, Audrey Selian, Director of the Artha I...

Investing with a focus on children’s well-being is not only a moral imperative but also a strategic approach to achieving sustainable development goals. UNICEF’s Innovative Finance Hub is pioneering this space with the groundbreaking 'Child-Lens Investing Framework,' guiding global capital markets and investors to integrate child-related considerations into investment decisions. In this...

Many impactful ventures, particularly those addressing complex social or environmental challenges, require time to develop, scale, and demonstrate their full impact. This makes them unsuited to traditional investment timeframes.  This episode explores the crucial role of catalytic capital and the advantages of aligning financial objectives with timeframes required to achieve impact. Alankrita Kher...

In this episode of Impact Investing Musings, Co-Founder and Chairperson of LabourNet, unpacks the complexities of the investment spectrum and explores where impact meets profit. From understanding the distinctions between nonprofits, social enterprises, mission-driven for-profits and impact investments  to discussing funding structures and gestation periods for social enterprises, Gayathri shares...

In this episode, Natasha Garcha, Senior Director of Innovative Finance and Gender-Lens Investing Specialist at Impact Investment Exchange (IIX), joins us to discuss the intersection of gender equality and climate resilience. We delve into gender-transformative climate action and how empowering women and marginalized communities is central to sustainable progress.  Through initiatives like the Oran...

This episode takes listeners through the evolving landscape of impact measurement and management (IMM) in Asia, highlighting the need for standardized impact metrics to foster credibility and confidence among investors  and developing impactful investment strategies in Asia.   Our guest, Christina Leijonhufvud, CEO of BlueMark, will discuss how BlueMark’s work—particularly their Fund ID service, w...

In this episode, Chi Tran, Senior Associate at Earth Venture Capital, discusses how Vietnam’s rapid economic transformation and strategic focus on climate tech are positioning it as a leader in Southeast Asia’s climate innovation space. We explore how Vietnam’s demographic strengths, renewable energy potential, and trade advantages create a unique environment for impactful investments. Chi shares...

This episode explores how Natural Capital investments address Asia-Pacific’s environmental needs. Antoine Raes, Investment Director for Natural Capital in the APAC region at Mirova, shares insights into Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) that Mirova deploys in Asia, from sustainable agriculture to ocean conservation and land restoration, highlighting the region’s unique opportunities for driving both en...

In this episode of Impact Investing Musings, Varad Pande, Partner at BCG, dives into the critical role of climate finance in enabling Asia’s just energy transition. With Asia-Pacific accounting for 50% of global emissions, Varad unpacks the region’s unique challenges and opportunities in moving toward sustainable energy solutions. He also shares key insights from the People-Centric Energy Transiti...

West Asia presents a rich tapestry of opportunities for impact investors, driven by its diverse economies and vibrant communities.  In this episode of the Impact Investing musings Beau Seil, the Founder and Managing Partner of Gray Fractal and Sonia Weymuller, the Co-Founder and General Partner at VentureSouq (VSQ) will delve into the unique landscape of impact investing in West Asia, highlighting...

Investors are increasingly drawn to the untapped potential of frontier markets across Asia, recognizing the profound impact these opportunities can have on low and lower-middle-income populations. These regions, often characterized by unique challenges and opportunities, present a promising landscape for impact investors seeking meaningful returns and societal impact.  In this latest episode of  I...

With a funding gap in meeting the SDGs by 2030, which all of Asia is currently projected to miss, there is a clear imperative to leverage and mainstream blended finance.  In this episode Nandini Chaudhury, Principal, Head of South and Southeast Asia, CrossBoundary Group, will explore what blended finance means in today’s markets and how it can be implemented at scale to attract commercial capital...

With significant amounts of capital being directed towards impact investing, the locus of attention is on impact measurement and management (IMM).  Effective IMM is hampered by challenges such as the lack of a universal framework, inconsistent use of metrics, and impact washing. In this episode, Prof. Hao Liang,  Associate Professor of Finance at Singapore Management University will speak on the i...

The impact investing landscape is experiencing unprecedented growth in both depth and sophistication, reflecting a dynamic evolution over the last couple of years. As the industry grows, impact investors find themselves at the intersection of profound challenges, regulatory shifts, and transformative global events.  In this inaugural episode, we explore the nuanced journey of impact investing in A...