Liesel Pritzker Simmons

Humanising Investment with Liesel Pritzker Simmons

Welcome to The Conduit’s podcast series on Humanising Investment. Inspired by Gillian Tett’s book, Anthrovision, this series will focus on inspiring the next generation of investors to recognise the value of responsible investing.

Hosted by Asha Lad, each episode will be talking to a leading responsible investor in the institutional responsible investing space, getting to grips with each of their stories, understanding what led towards a career in the space and how they feel we can begin to humanize the finance industry.

In this episode Asha is joined by Liesel Pritzker Simmons.

Liesel and her husband Ian co-founded Blue Haven Initiative, a single family office managing a diversified global investment portfolio. Blue Haven Initiative is considered the largest impact-focused family office in the U.S and is likely among the largest investment funds in the world dedicated solely to impact investing.

Liesel oversees an impact investing portfolio structured to generate competitive financial returns and effect positive social and environmental change. The portfolio spans asset classes, from public equities and fixed income holdings to private equity, direct investments and philanthropic programs.

Liesel also works closely with organizations that support and advance the field of impact investing. She was a co-founder of The ImPact, a network of families committed to the conscientious stewardship of wealth. She also serves on the board of Toniic, which provides tools for investors to evaluate impact investments, and on the board and the investment committee of ImpactAssets. Liesel is also co-founder of IDP Foundation, focused on achieving universal primary education.

Latest Episodes

Conduit Conversations with Paul Polman

Paul's guest in this episode is Paul Polman. Paul is a business leader, campaigner and co-author of “Net Positive: how courageous companies thrive by giving more than they take”, a Financial Times Business Book of the Year. Paul works to accelerate action by business to tackle climate change and inequality. As CEO of Unilever for a decade, he demonstrated that business can profit through purpose, delivering shareholder returns of 290% while the company consistently ranked 1st in the world for sustainability. Today he works across a range of organisations to deliver the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which he helped develop.

Humanising Investment with Liesel Pritzker Simmons

Welcome to The Conduit’s podcast series on Humanising Investment. Inspired by Gillian Tett’s book, Anthrovision, this series will focus on inspiring the next generation of investors to recognise the value of responsible investing.

Service Please, by The Conduit & Design Hotels: Veronica Reed, Co-Founder Carlota Hotel

,
Welcome to The Conduit’s podcast series, Service Please. This series will be focusing on ethical and sustainable hospitality, engaging with a diverse range of industry experts and a variety of individuals across different sectors, disciplines, roles and levels. From supply chains to sourcing, waste management to wellbeing and welfare – what problems need tackling and what does the future of hospitality look like? As part of our series The Conduit has teamed up with the brilliant Design Hotels on a series spotlighting some amazing individuals who have created incredible, responsible places to stay around the world. For 30 years Design Hotels has been at the forefront of a movement in travel, by curating a global collection of independent, design-driven hotels that function as social hubs and spaces for purposeful experiences, connection and curiosity. In this episode we are joined by Veronica Reed, the co-founder and architect behind Carlota hotel in the UNESCO-protected old town of Quito, Ecuador. Set inside the house where Veronica’s partner was born, Carlota became Ecuador’s first certified B Corporation hotel in October 2019.