New impact investment strategies are addressing the climate emergency and our societies’ structural inequities. How will they access the institutional capital needed to effect change at scale? This session will bring together investment entrepreneurs who seek to transform how litigation finance, carbon offsets and private equity are put to work toward the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. We will also discuss how investor coalitions can drive change across a wide range of issues and industries and help reorient capital markets and public policy toward positive impact.
This session was curated in partnership with Capricorn Investment Group.
Mindy Lubber is the CEO and President of the sustainability nonprofit organization Ceres. She has been at the helm since 2003, and under her leadership, the organization and its powerful networks have grown significantly in size and influence.
As a well-known global thought leader, Lubber has inspired capital market leaders to consider all material financial risks and opportunities—including those related to climate change, water scarcity and nature loss—in decision-making.
She has also received numerous awards and recognitions for her leadership including the ’Champions of the Earth award, the UN's highest environmental honor; the Barron’s Magazine’s annual list of the 100 most influential women in U.S. finance every year since 2020; the Climate Visionary Award from the Earth Day Network; the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship from the Skoll Foundation; and the Nonprofit Times 2022 Power & Influence Top 50.
Henry is director of advocacy at Capricorn Investment Group, a firm that invests in iconic technology companies including Tesla, SpaceX, Planet, QuantumScape Joby Aviation and Saildrone. Capricorn was born from the desire to demonstrate the huge investment potential that resides in breakthrough commercial solutions to the world’s most pressing problems, and as such is one of the original impact investors. At Capricorn, Henry helps catalyze capital towards the solutions to the climate change crisis.
Prior to Capricorn, Henry was a strategy consultant with the Boston Consulting Group in Paris, Casablanca and Dubai and with Oliver Wyman in New York. His last year as a consultant was spent with the World Economic Forum where he was in charge of the infrastructure finance initiative, a project aimed at rapidly scaling up essential infrastructure, including renewable energy, in emerging countries. Henry is a former captain in the French Marine Infantry, serving within NATO forces in Afghanistan in 2007. He is a graduate of Ecole Normale Superieure (rue d’Ulm), of Ecole Superieur de Commerce de Paris and of the Saint-Cyr Special Military School (ROTC).
Damien Dwin is an American businessman and investor who currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Lafayette Square. He founded Lafayette in November of 2020 as a model investment platform that deploys services-backed capital to local communities, independent businesses, and diverse investors. Lafayette Square is built for inclusion—here to change the financing paradigm and investing in an American economy worth believing in.
Lafayette Square provides a wide range of financial products that create positive impact alongside financial returns.
Previously, Damien served as Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Brightwood Capital Advisors from its founding in 2010 to October 2020.
Damien began his career as a trader with Goldman Sachs, New York & London, there earning the Michael P. Mortara Award for Innovation. He then further developed his investment expertise working for Credit Suisse, where he was the Co-Founder and Head of the North American Special Opportunities business until 2010. At Credit Suisse, Damien also served on the Vice President Selection Committee and led the Fixed Income Division Credit Training Program.
He is an active thought leader on mass incarceration, economic inclusion, racial justice and representation, and the use of purpose and profit for good. He has written for Entrepreneur and Inc.com.
A committed philanthropist, Damien currently serves as Chair of the Board of Trustees for Vera Institute of Justice. He also serves on the non-profit boards of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Studio Museum in Harlem, National Trust for Historic Preservation, Woodberry Forest School, and Boys’ Club of New York.
Damien received a B.S./B.A. from Georgetown University where he later served two terms on the Board of Regents.
