In this episode of the IMPACT = podcast, we talk to Kieron Boyle, Chief Executive of the Impact Investing Institute - an independent, non-profit organisation with a vision of transforming capital markets for a sustainable future, where impact investing is an effective tool for deploying capital.
Kieron joined the Institute following seven years as Chief Executive of Guy’s & St Thomas’ Foundation, one of the world’s oldest foundations, and itself a pioneer in incorporating impact investment into the investment strategy of its £1 billion endowment. At Guy’s & St Thomas’, Kieron has led some of the UK’s most innovative and impactful alliances to reduce health inequalities.
He was an early leader in impact investing, having joined Guy’s & St Thomas’ from the Cabinet Office, where he was Director of Impact Investment and the key architect, starting in 2012, of the UK Government’s strategy to make the UK a global hub for impact investing. That catalytic work included the creation of Big Society Capital, the world’s first wholesale social investor, and putting impact investing on the agenda of the G8 during the UK’s presidency, in particular through the creation of the Social Impact Investment Taskforce.
In this wideranging conversation, Kieron reflects on the evolution of impact investing over the last two decades and the UK's place in the global industry. He also share his thoughts on the pushback on ESG and the role of impact investing in creating the conditions for growth.