24: Trevor Neilson - Building a Company to Drive Capital into Solutions to Address Global Challenges

Trevor Neilson is co-founder and CEO of i(x) investments, an entrepreneurial, multi-strategy impact investing holding company, a platform addressing areas of human need.

Prior to launching i(x) investments, Trevor served as President of G2 Investment Group where he helped lead the firm’s initiatives in energy, real estate and security.

Before his work with G2, he was co-founder of Global Philanthropy Group, an advisory firm that was sold to Todd Wagner and Charity Network in 2017.

Prior to his leadership of the GBC, Trevor worked closely with Bill & Melinda Gates, both in their family office and as Director of Special Projects and as a founding member of the team that created and launched the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation where he served as the Director of Public Affairs.

Please learn more about Trevor Neilson using the links provided at the end of the notes.

Show Notes:

• What is Impact Investing?
• Creating a multi-strategy impact investing  company to create return for investors and help solve human needs.
• The opportunity and challenge of founding i(x) investments. 
• The i(x) investments model, the current areas of human need and the opportunities the company focuses on. 
• We need to get to action! We need personal commitments. We are running out of time!
• We have 415 parts per million of co2 in our atmosphere. The highest level of co2 that has been in our atmosphere in at least 800,000 years.
• The money being made on fossil fuels between JP Morgan, Wells Fargo, Citigroup - funding US$2 Tn in new projects in the last 2 years - and Mitsubishi funding new coal plants.
• We need elected leaders to address climate emergency in an aggressive way.
• We don't need more deep thoughts about how to measure impact. 
• We need trillions of dollars of capital going into investments that address the biggest problems we have.
• Family offices control Trillions of dollars that we can point in this new directioN to have profound impact for the world.
• As consumers and investors we need to make the right choice to be part of the solution.
• We need to recognise that individuals decide that this is their problem and not someone else’s problem.
• We should be supporting activists such as Greta Thunberg, student strikes and Extinction Rebellion.
• Co-founder Howard W. Buffett and the impact rate of return methodology.
• Bill Gates on realising that he should be giving sooner rather than build a company and then be a philanthropist at the end of his life.
• What makes an admirable leader and how we create real impact in this world.

Time Stamp:
[01:40] Introduction: about Trevor Neilson 
[04:19] What is impact investing?

[06:07] About i(x) investments and their focus 
[10:00] Carbon capture, addressing fossil fuel and the financial system 

[14:06] The i(x) Investments’ model & Berkshire Hathaway‘ model 
[17:42] About the platform(s) to invest in

[20:05] The theory and getting the leading families on board 
[23:10]  The biggest challenges, coming up with the idea and assembling the right team while offering the right incentives

[26:40] Changing the message to speak to wealthy families

[30:15] Measuring impact, Howard W. Buffett, the impact rate of return methodology and actions

[34:42] The actions we can take to make a difference
[38:48] We need personal commitments. No government is seriously addressing the climate emergency

[40:41] About Trevor and what took him to creating “i(x) Investments”
[43:00] Science | Capital = Energy | Making money 
[44:56] Working with Bill Gates and some lessons 
[46:25] Leadership = Real World Change: going to Davos vs. Using power as a leader to address the problems we face
[47:38] Bringing people and teams together 

Useful links:
IX Investments
Trevor Neilson summary Bio
Trevor Neilson on LinkedIn
Trevor Neilson on Wikipedia

Christine Harada 

Pär Lindstrom

Howard W. Buffett on Wikipedia
Social Value Investing: A Management Framework for Effective Partnerships
New York Times Bestseller 40 Chances: Finding Hope in a Hungry World
Steve Oyer

News about the launch of i(x) Investments on the NY Times: “Buffett’s Grandson Seeks Own Investment Route: Social Change”
Berkshire Hathaway

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Inside Bill’s Brain Documentary on Netflix
Jeff Bezos announcement and amazon’s climate pledge

Extinction Rebellion

Greta Thunberg
Global Philanthropy Group

Connect with JP Dallmann on Linkedin, Twitter, or Instagram.
Contact us to help you transition into Sustainable & Impact Investing - ILA & Partners

How to incorporate SDGs into your business - Fast Forward 2030

Find talent and careers with impact - Realchangers

Impact Leaders is produced by Podcast Publishing