We were excited to run this invitation-only roundtable event in conjunction with the Shell Foundation and Prosper Africa to showcase innovative emerging market (EM) investment opportunities relevant to UK pension funds.

The roundtable was of interest to any pension fund aiming to make real-world impact alongside a competitive risk-adjusted financial return.

Objectives

Our experience of UK asset owners (AOs) to date has been those investors with a dual objective of impact alongside risk-adjusted financial returns have focused on developed markets. This event extended the focus to EMs with concrete examples of capital deployed and provided an opportunity to:

• Discuss the challenges AOs face in assessing EM asset classes, and brainstorm the capacity building and evidence needed to overcome those difficulties.
• Hear from Shell Foundation, a registered charity, and Prosper Africa about:
• Their experiences in emerging market private capital mobilisation working with US pension funds and how this could be applied for UK AOs.
• Creating and scaling business solutions that empower underserved populations to earn a living wage through access to clean energy products and services.
• Hear from Pensions for Purpose about the challenges UK AOs have encountered when looking at EM asset classes, and the capacity building and evidence building needed to overcome that challenge with a focus on solutions.
• Deep dive into innovative emerging market funds and financial products at scale at a risk return profile relevant for UK pension funds.
• Meet with peers and senior figures from the UK AO community to further the dialogue on emerging market impact opportunities to drive real-world impact, and a just and inclusive transition.

• 10.30 -11:00 - Arrival and networking
• 11:00 -12.30 - Roundtable presentations and debate
• 12.30 -13.00 - Drinks and canapes

Sponsor:

Shell Foundation is a UK-registered charity focused on empowering emerging market populations by working as an ‘Impact LP’ – backing SDG-aligned investment strategies and leveraging its capital to de-risk institutional investor participation and co-create blended finance facilities. To amplify its work and funding leverage, Shell Foundation holds partnerships with the UK government's FCDO and British International Investment (BII), Nuveen/TIAA and the US Development Finance Corporation.

In association with:

Prosper Africa is a Presidential-level national security initiative aimed at strengthening the strategic and economic partnership between the US and Africa by catalysing transformative two-way trade and investment flows.


Pensions for Purpose

Pensions for Purpose exists as a bridge between asset managers, pension funds and their professional advisers, to encourage the flow of capital towards impact investment. Our aim is to empower pension funds to seek positive impact opportunities and mitigate negative impact risks. For membership information, please email our Membership Manager.