400: Leading the Social Impact Revolution with Sir Ronald Cohen

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How is social impact investing fueling the transformation of capitalism today?

Sir Ronald Cohen

From refugee to venture capitalist to social impact pioneer, Sir Ronald Cohen has dedicated his life to reshaping capitalism to drive real change. Listen as he shares his experiences and what he sees as the solutions building a better world where everyone has the opportunity to thrive and prosper.

Sir Ronald Cohen is Chairman of the Global Steering Group for Impact Investment and The Portland Trust. He is a co-founder director of Social Finance UK, USA, and Israel, and co-founder Chair of Bridges Fund Management and Big Society Capital.

For nearly two decades, Sir Ronald’s pioneering initiatives in driving impact investment have catalyzed a number of global efforts, each focused on driving private capital to serve social and environmental good.

He chaired the Social Impact Investment Taskforce established under the UK’s presidency of the G8 (2013-2015), the Social Investment Task Force (2000-2010) and the Commission on Unclaimed Assets (2005-2007). In 2012 he received the Rockefeller Foundation’s Innovation Award for innovation in social finance.

He co-founded and was Executive Chairman of Apax Partners Worldwide LLP (1972-2005). He was a founder director and Chairman of the British Venture Capital Association and a founder director of the European Venture Capital Association.

He is the author of Impact: Reshaping Capitalism To Drive Real Change published in 2020, which became a Wall Street Journal Bestseller. His previous book ‘The Second Bounce of the Ball,’ published in 2007, was described by the Financial Times as “one of the best books written on entrepreneurship in recent years.״

Sir Ronald lives in Tel Aviv, London, and New York with his wife of more than thirty years. Full Bio

What We Discuss With Sir Ronald Cohen in This Episode

Reshaping capitalism to drive social change
The unintended consequences of capitalism
How to measure the true social impact of business
The scales are tilting in favor of businesses who do good
3 major forces helping us improve the world
How capital is being directed to social impact initiatives through bonds
Moving beyond doing no harm to doing good and doing well
Tips for attracting impact investors to your startup idea
Examples of specialist impact fund companies
Why you don’t need to sacrifice market returns for impact
How soon we’re going to look at the impact of a company the same way we do profit
Which countries are leading the way

Podcast Highlights

1:40 – From Refugee to Venture Capitalist

4:41 – Reshaping capitalism to drive social change

7:18 – Measuring social impact

11:30 – 3 major forces helping us improve the world

14:50 – Social impact bonds

19:15 – From doing no harm to doing good and doing well

22:16 – Managing profit and impact

25:15 – Attracting impact investors to your startup idea

31:01 – Impact questions that expand your business model and market

34:40 – The future is now

36::30 – Which countries are leading the way

Episode Resources

Book: Impact: Reshaping Capitalism To Drive Real Change (all proceeds go to charity)

Connect With Sir Ronald Cohen

Website: https://sirronaldcohen.org
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sirronniecohen
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theimpactrevolution
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Impact-Revolution-108505564380162
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sir-ronald-cohen-437a481b3

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How is social impact investing fueling the transformation of capitalism today?