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, Dato’ Sri Abdul Rasheed Ghaffour, Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia, shares his keynote on “Catalysing Asia’s Finance for People and Planet”. He reflects on where Asia stands in the Asian Century and what it will take for the region to build prosperity “without regret” - growth that is inclusive, resilient, and sustainable. Drawing on ASEAN’s momentum, the region’s deep pools of long-term and Islamic capital, and the need for stronger ecosystems and enabling platforms, he outlines how Asia can mobilise finance to meet today’s development and climate challenges.Listeners will gain insights into:How Asia’s economic gravity is shifting east, and why ASEAN is becoming a resilient and strategic growth engineWhy Asia’s long-term capital - pension systems, sovereign wealth, and Islamic finance - offers a strong foundation for financing sustainable developmentHow inclusive productivity platforms and ecosystem-based approaches can help scale impact across the region

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 its core impact mission - signaling to peers that endowments can harness the power beyond traditional grants to maximise impact.In this episode, the people who have been driving this very work from the inside, Roy Swan, Head of Mission Investments, and Christine Looney, Deputy Director of Mission Investments, share insights from their front row seats through the decades.Listeners will gain insights into:Roy and Christine’s personal journey applying their years in traditional finance to shift market fundamentals in the endowment world.The process inside Ford: how they challenged industry norms by redefining traditional capital in its use for impact investing, paving the way for others to explore similar paths.How asset owners can measure success without “analysis paralysis,” by simplifying impact reporting.

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 following global trends but actively shaping them.In this episode, we hear from Vineet Rai, Founder & Vice Chairman of the Aavishkaar Group. Founded in 2001, Aavishkaar Group has grown to $1.2 billion in assets under management as an all-rounded impact investing platform today. They continue their influence as a global pioneer in impact investing, with a focus on microfinance, MSMEs, early/growth stage equity, credit, alongside ecosystem building and advisory across Asia and Africa. From his sharing, we have the opportunity to hear insights from a two-decade journey building one of the most comprehensive impact ecosystems in the Global South.Vineet reflects on:How impact investing has evolved over two decades, and why intent and context - beyond outcomes - differentiate it from mainstream capital?Why is Asia becoming a major source of impact capital, with local resources from India, China, Singapore, Japan, and the Middle East reshaping the ecosystem?What it takes to scale impact in emerging markets - from ecosystem building to accepting unpredictable returns - and Aavishkaar's vision to reach $7 billion AUM by 2035?

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 following global trends but actively shaping them.In this episode, Dr. Ma Jun, M.H., Chairman and President of Hong Kong Green Finance Association (HKGFA) and Chairman of the Capacity-building Alliance of Sustainable Investment (CASI), provides a systems perspective of what can shape Asia’s impact investing landscape. Particularly, he draws on his decades of leadership in sustainable finance for application in the impact investing context.He draws from his experiences across the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, Deutsche Bank, and later, as Chief Economist of the People's Bank of China (PBC). He contributed through his work developing China’s green finance guidelines, and later assumed international roles in developing G20 transitional finance frameworks.From his sharing, it is clear that a strong market infrastructure is key to the acceleration of sustainable development.Listeners will gain insights into:How sustainable finance in Asia has evolved from early experimentation to a more advanced and structured ecosystem, and how the same can and ought to happen for impact investing.Why clear taxonomies and disclosure standards are essential to avoid impact-washing and enable credible impact investing.How incentives and stronger coordination - from governments, philanthropists, and financial institutions - can crowd in private capital and build impact-investing frameworks.Whether you're an investor, policymaker, corporate leader, or ecosystem builder, this episode offers a practical and structured overview of what it will take to develop Asia’s next-generation impact investing ecosystem.

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 following global trends but actively shaping them.In this episode, Vikas Arora, Chief of Impact Investing and Blended Finance at AVPN, unpacks the forces transforming Asia’s impact landscape through his opening speech at this year’s AVPN Global Conference. Drawing on his decades of leadership in global finance and his work supporting AVPN’s 700+ members, Vikas explains how key shifts in the Asian ecosystem are accelerating sustainable development across the region.Listeners will gain insights into:How Asia is moving from niche experimentation to global leadership in impact investingWhat innovative models - from transition bonds to green sukuk to pay-for-success instruments - teach us about scaling capital for impactHow AVPN is enabling capital owners, family offices, governments, and philanthropists to collaborate more effectivelyWhether you’re an investor, policymaker, corporate leader, or ecosystem builder, this episode offers a practical overview for engaging with Asia’s rapidly growing impact ecosystem.

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 World, a platform launched by the team behind Elevar Equity, to understand how they are scaling businesses that serve EHs through insights, custom solutions, and aligned capital strategies. We explore the rise of EHs from the bottom of the pyramid, the need for specialist companies that can serve them with intent and precision, and the evolving investment models that support long-term value creation in these communities.

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 Initiative at Rianta Capital Zurich, will unpack the challenges of due diligence in impact investing and explore innovative solutions, including technology-driven platforms, which aim to make due diligence more efficient, collaborative, and cost-effective.

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 episode, Radha Kulkarni, Lead of Innovative Financing at UNICEF and Francisco Biber, Child Rights Specialist at UNICEF, shares insights into the development and impact of the Child-Lens Investing Framework. We will explore how innovative finance can address the financing gap for children's needs across 190 countries and the potential for private sector engagement in this mission.

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 Khera of ACT shares insights on how catalytic capital empowers high-impact initiatives, the strategies used for deploying this capital effectively, and how ACT’s approach differs from traditional investments.

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 invaluable insights into what it takes to create sustainable, impactful ventures. Tune in to learn how social enterprises navigate challenges, attract the right funding, and stay true to their mission while delivering measurable impact.

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 Orange Movement, IIX aims to mobilize significant capital to support 100 million women and girls by 2030, driving climate action and fostering resilience across the Global South. Natasha will share insights on how gender equality can shape a climate-resilient future and the essential role of impact investing in achieving this vision.

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, which was piloted with 37 leading sustainable and impact funds this summer—is enhancing accountability through fund-level impact ratings.

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 insights on Earth VC’s approach to navigating the challenges and opportunities within this dynamic market, highlighting Vietnam’s role in driving sustainable solutions and investment returns in the region.

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 environmental and economic impact.

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 Transition in Asia Pacific report by AVPN and BCG, highlighting the importance of prioritizing workers, communities, and SMEs in the transition. Join us as we explore the strategies, funding mechanisms, and collaborative approaches needed to drive equitable, people-first solutions for Asia’s energy future.Links:Download the People-Centric Energy Transition in Asia Pacific report by AVPN and BCG here: https://web-assets.bcg.com/db/0a/d33c984640fc9c72b6a2a4ef1bbb/bcg-avpn-final-publication-people-centric-energy-transition-in-apac-vupload-1.pdf

West Asia presents a rich tapestry of opportunities for impact investors, driven byits 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 the potential for transformative social and environmental impact.To learn more about AVPN, visit: https://avpn.asia/To connect with the AVPN Impact Investing team, please contact: [email protected]

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  Impact Investing Musings, Bradley Kopsick, Myanmar/Cambodia Country Director, Insitor, explores the dynamic potential of impact investing in frontier markets across Asia, along with our host Teymoor Nabili.To learn more about AVPN, visit: https://avpn.asia/To connect with the AVPN Impact Investing team, please contact: [email protected]

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 along with our host Teymoor Nabili.To learn more about AVPN, visit: https://avpn.asia/To connect with the AVPN Impact Investing team, please contact: [email protected]

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 industry progress in standard-setting, establishing benchmarks and much more along with our host Teymoor Nabili.To learn more about AVPN, visit: https://avpn.asia/To connect with the AVPN Impact Investing team, please contact: [email protected]

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 Asia with Mr. Wai Chiew Chik, CEO of Heritas Capital Management along with our Podcast host Teymoor Nabili, a veteran journalist.To learn more about AVPN, visit: https://avpn.asia/To connect with the AVPN Impact Investing team, please contact: [email protected]