Former PM joins global impact investing organisation

Julia Gillard
JULIA GILLARD
LeapFrog Investments - Member, Global Leadership Council
APPOINTMENT
LEAPFROG INVESTMENTS
Date: November 2019
Position: Member, Global Leadership Council

Former PM Julia Gillard has been named a member of the council for LeapFrog Investments to provide strategic insights and global networks to support the organisation's goal to reach 1 billion people with essential services like healthcare and financial tools by 2030.

The organisation says that members of the Global Leadership Council are named because of their particular strengths in innovation, such as using technology to serve customers or constituents. All have championed long-term thinking and sustainable impact in government, business, and financial markets.

LeapFrog currently reaches 188 million people and have recently created a $743 million impact investing fund, presenting the organisation with the strategic opportunity to expand this impact while generating strong investor returns. The council will help guide where the investments are made.

Gillard is joined on the council by Simon Israel, chairman of Singtel and former president of global investment company Temasek, which is headquartered in Singapore. Additionally, Jamie Augusto Zobel de Ayala was appointed to the council. He is the chairman and CEO of Ayala corporate, a conglomerate in the Philippines that has positions in banking, telecommunications, water, power, and real estate among others.

LeapFrog founded and CEO, Dr Andrew Kuper, said, "Today we welcome three of the most substantive and connected cross-sector leaders in the world, who deeply share our Profit with Purpose vision and methodology."

Kuper said the appointees' experience in financial services, healthcare, telco, and government in Asia mean they have insights and networks that will be "invaluable as LeapFrog continues to grow dozens of purpose-driven companies that are reshaping industries, countries and millions of lives."

Since its launch in 2008, LeapFrog companies have grown on average at 35 per cent a year. Several have been acquired by organisations including Prudential PLC, Allianz, Standard Chartered, and Fidelity.