LeapFrog appoints former McKinsey Global Managing Partner as Chairman
LeapFrog Investments announced the appointment of Dominic Barton as non-executive Chairman of its Management Board, effective 1 April. Barton was formerly Global Managing Partner of McKinsey & Company and was most recently Canada’s Ambassador to China. He accepts this appointment at an inflection point for the impact investing industry as firms attract global leaders and top-tier institutional capital.
LeapFrog is the world’s largest dedicated equity impact investor. The firm has raised $2 billion to invest in purpose-driven businesses and its companies now reach 272 million people in 35 countries.
Barton said, “I am very excited to join LeapFrog and help scale this ground-breaking platform. Having previously sat on LeapFrog’s Global Leadership Council, I believe in the mission and look forward to supporting founder Dr. Andy Kuper and the team as they take LeapFrog to the next level.
“There are nearly four billion emerging consumers, and by 2025 their spending power will surpass $30 trillion. At the same time, we are seeing a groundswell of institutional investors seeking to do well by doing good. These factors, combined with LeapFrog’s phenomenal expertise investing in companies built on the latest technologies including healthtech, fintech, insurtech and genomic medicine, position LeapFrog for exponential impact.”
“Dominic is widely recognised as one of the most respected and connected executives in the world, and is the ideal person to mentor and support LeapFrog’s leadership during this expansion phase,” said LeapFrog CEO, Dr Andy Kuper. “His experience in emerging markets over many decades, from his birth in Uganda to his leadership of McKinsey across Asia and globally, has uniquely prepared him to govern and guide our next leaps. His expertise in responsible investing and standard-setting will help ensure we continue to innovate and lead the industry with authenticity. No one builds trust and partnerships, from the grassroots to the treetops, like Dom – and that is the foundation of sustainable success and distinctive impact.”
Barton’s appointment caps a period of rapid capacity building at LeapFrog, following a $500 million strategic partnership with Temasek announced in 2021, the largest ever single commitment to a dedicated impact investor. Since then, the firm has bolstered its leadership team with senior appointments from across the private equity and impact industries, including alumni of CVC Capital, Cinven, the IFC-World Bank and Bain & Company.
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