Blended Finance: Scaling Impact and Returns - A Fireside Chat with Joan Larrea, CEO, Convergence + Expert Panel

How do we mobilize the billions and billions of dollars in private capital needed to improve lives, spur innovation, and address climate change, yet offer institutional investors competitive returns? Why are investment dollars sitting on the sidelines despite attractive fund structures and compelling risk/return profiles?  Join us for a fireside chat with Joan Larrea, CEO, Convergence, and Moya Connelly, Fund Manager Sustainable Investments, DWS to discuss the power of blended finance to build funds. The program will highlight the benefits of blended finance as a catalyst to attract private investors and achieve impact and returns at scale.

Their discussion will be followed by an expert panel whose private funds have utilized blended finance. This event will be of great interest to those working in institutional finance and impact investing as well as those seeking to learn about projects that blend financial and social or environmental returns. 

• Joan Larrea, CEO, Convergence. Convergence is the global network for blended finance that generates blended finance data, intelligence, and deal flow to increase private sector investment in developing countries. Joan Larrea brings to Convergence 20 years of experience in emerging markets investing. Prior to joining Convergence, she led the U.S. Overseas Private Investment Corporation's efforts to partner with philanthropic and private investors to increase capital flows to OPIC's target markets.

• Moya Connelly, Fund Manager Sustainable Investments, DWS. Moya Connelly is responsible for overseeing energy debt investments for DWS's Sustainable Investments NY group. Since joining DWS in 2013, she also has been responsible for overseeing microfinance and other alternative financial service relationships in Latin America. Earlier, Ms. Connelly was one of the founders of MicroVest, a microfinance investment management firm. She has served as the CFO of a capital management company, as an investment  officer, and a member of the Board of various microfinance organizations.

• Chintan Panchal is a Founding Partner at RPCK, Rastegar Panchal, a global boutique law firm, and head of the firm’s New York office. RPCK has developed a dedicated impact investing practice, advising both mission-aligned investors and social enterprises. The firm works with clients to execute capital investments in both emerging and developed markets that generate social and environmental impact alongside market rate, risk-adjusted financial returns. As a corporate advisor, entrepreneur, and sustainability professional, Chintan counsels private equity, foundation, family office and growth company clients on corporate merger & acquisition, finance, and dispute resolution matters. Chintan is a 2019 finalist for the annual The Grunin Center for Law and Social Entrepreneurship Prize for “Blended Finance Structure for a Multi-Strategy Investment Fund."

• Caroline Vance, Portfolio Manager, Sustainable Investments, DWS. Caroline Vance joined the Sustainable Investments group at DWS/Deutsche Bank in 2008, where she has originated and managed microfinance and social enterprise investments, primarily in Asia. She is responsible for managing the group’s social enterprise debt fund, which has a portfolio loans to financial services, energy, and health companies that serve low income communities in the developing world. Caroline began her career in investment banking, and she has served on the board of various impact-oriented organizations.

• Ed Marcum is the founder and Managing Director of Working Capital, an early stage investment fund focused on improving labor conditions in the supply chains of multinational corporations. Prior to Working Capital, Ed was a founding member of the private foundation Humanity United where,over a decade, he played a leadership role in the establishment and direction of the foundation’s work across both the peace building and anti-human trafficking program areas. Ed also contributed to the creation of the Freedom Fund and serves as a founding board member. 

• Urs Dieterich is a Land Use Fund Manager at South Pole where he is currently designing a landscape impact fund that blends corporate, philanthropic, and public grants with return-seeking capital. He aims to mainstream investment in sustainable landscapes and biodiversity conservation by building on his background in private equity and infrastructure finance, forestry and ecology, as well as public policy. Given the vast potential in leveraging private capital for conservation he is eager to identify and develop innovative financing solutions that allow private investors to yield risk-adjusted returns while achieving measurable conservation and climate outcomes. 

• Thomas Belazis is an Associate Principal, Innovative Finance at The Rockefeller Foundation.Thomas brings extensive experience in impact-driven private equity and venture capital both in the US and emerging markets. As an Investment Principal, he is responsible for supporting the Foundation’s Innovative Finance portfolio by sourcing, executing and managing investments that address critical social and environmental challenges at scale.

Agenda:

3:00-3:15pm Registration

3:15-3:45pm Fireside Chat with Joan Larrea, CEO, Convergence

3:45-4:00pm Refreshment Break

4:00-5:00pm Expert panel: Blended Finance: Lessons Learned & Case Studies  

5:00-5:30pm Networking Reception 

Location: Deutsche Bank, 60 Wall Street, 47th Floor

Thank you to Deutsche Bank for hosting. Upon arrival, visit the security desk on the main floor; there will be an escort to guide attendees to the presentation.