Wealth & Finance Finance Awards 2015

www.wealthandfinance-intl.com 41 Impact Economy Impact Investing Firm of the Year - Switzerland A global impact investing and strategy firm, headquartered in Switzerland, Impact Economy provides strategy advisory, investment services and corresponding research to companies and professional investors, targeting the sectors of: re- newable energy, textile and garments, real assets and frontier markets (especially Bangladesh and Cuba). Dr Maximilian Martin, shared with us why the firm has succeeded so well to date, and what the future holds for them. Company: Impact Economy Name: Dr Maximilian Martin Email: [email protected] Web Address: www.impacteconomy.com Address: EPFL Innovation Park, Building C, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland It is understood that excellent customer service and top investment content are foundational to delivering a superior client experience. In our part of the industry, providing the holistic view to uncover new opportunities to create both ‘economic value added’ and social impact, as well as the execution capabilities for clients are the essential drivers of success. We serve our clients as they expose themselves to the brave new world of finance, where impact looms ever larger and new industries, prod- ucts and services pop up. Satisfied clients, whom we have helped to fully achieve their goals, are our benchmark. The financial industry is in a profound transition. Mainstream finance faces the double challenge of the digital revolution and new regulation. Against this background, “impact investing,” a newer investment style, which next to risk and return also considers social and environmental impact, is fast gaining ground, and forecast to grow to USD 1 trillion in assets by 2020. We consistently apply our 3D approach (risk, return, impact) to all investments considered, regardless of asset class. Major opportunity areas include investing in the products and services for the emerging middle class around the world or raising total resource productivity. However, we remain excited by the opportunities as much as we are about excellence, dynamism, attention to detail and reliability – and a fit with our values forms the core we do not trade off on: grasp risk, return and impact. To make high-quality investment decisions one needs to be in sync with the changing patterns of supply and demand around us, and be savvy in using technology to drive efficiency. We participate in industry-wide, agenda shaping work. For example, I was invited to author the baseline report for the G8 UK’s first ever ded- icated to impact investing in 2013, hosted by UK Prime Minister David Cameron, called “Status of the Social Impact Investing Market.” Next to real assets in some frontier markets, we are convinced that greater resource efficiency in textile and garment supply chains is one of the leading opportunities to do both good and well. If you cut the use of energy in manufacturing by 40%, chemicals by 20% and water by half, you not only save money, but you improve the environment, and remove risk from the business. Very exciting for profitability and impact. My new book “Building the Impact Economy” explains why reconciling risk, return and impact is such an amazing opportunity for the financial industry and its clients.