The impact investing ecosystem continues to expand and mature, and European impact investors develop ever more sophisticated ways to maximise impact and optimise returns. Impact Investor keeps you informed and inspired in 2024 with 2 must-attend events,.The Impact Investor Forum 2024 took place in Londoin in May, the Impact Investor Annual Conference is scheduled for November.  

Our annual day-long conference for European impact investors, is held in the outskirts of ‘Impact City’ The Hague in The Netherlands. 

Building on the momentum of our past two events, the Impact Investor Conference returns to The Hague on 13 November 2024. This year we will tackle the critical issues surrounding the fast-approaching 2030 deadline for the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the widening funding gaps to achieve them. 

Amidst geopolitical disruptions, the conference will emphasise the need for investors to maintain and even intensify their focus on impact investing. We will look beyond the gloom and doom and bring real-world impact stories to life, showing the collaborative partnerships between investors and investees. 

The discussions will cover impact investing strategies across geographies and asset classes, with a particular focus on climate action and biodiversity, and investments targeting social impact in different sectors including health and education. 

Through keynote speeches, presentations and panel discussions led by leading voices in impact investing, attendees will explore innovative strategies, collaborative efforts, and practical steps to advance the SDGs. 

The event is aimed at asset owners – including institutional investors, family offices and foundations – and impact ecosystem builders. It will balance educational content, practical insights, and networking opportunities, ensuring attendees leave with valuable knowledge and connections. 

Demonstrate your thought leadership and contribute your expertise to the Impact Investor community. The programme consists of a mix of sponsored and non-sponsored sessions in the form of presentations and panels.

For more information about the format and focus of the different sessions, take a look at last year’s agenda. 

Preliminary programme subject to change.

11:00 - 11:05 Welcome 
11:05 - 11:30 Keynote  
11.30 - 12.00 Panel discussion: The natural capital conundrum 
                      Investors increasingly want to engage with the world of biodiversity and natural capital, but it is a challenging area to navigate.
                      Asset owners and investment managers discuss the highs and lows of investing to support nature. 
12:00 - 12:20 On stage interview: Partnering to protect and restore biodiversity 
12:20 - 12:40 Presentation: Accelerating climate action across asset classes TBC (Sponsored) 
12:40 - 13:30 Lunch 
13:30 - 14.00 Keynote 
14:00 - 14:30 Panel discussion: Leveraging impact for health innovation and equity 
                      Impact investors are changing the landscape when it comes to innovations in health, but there is still so much to be done to
                      ensure the latest innovations in healthcare are more accessible to all. We look at how impact investors are allocating to
                      healthcare, and some of the investee companies that are making a difference on the ground. 
14:30 - 14:50 Presentation: Tackling the housing crisis TBC (S) 
14:50 - 15:10 Presentation: Financial inclusion in emerging markets TBC (S) 
15:10 - 15:40 Break 
15:40 - 16:10 Building Bridges: Cross-border collaboration  
                      This session will explore collaboration between GSG national partners across different continents, as they seek to build a
                      robust global impact investing ecosystem. What can countries with very different impact investing markets learn from each other?  
16:10 - 16:30 Presentation: Investing locally - Driving sustainable impact and inclusive growth through place-based investing (S) 
                      Place-based investing is becoming an increasingly important theme in the world of impact investing. This session will look at
                      some of the important trends and developments across Europe, some of the key initiatives that are taking place, and some of
                      the challenges and opportunities for investors. 
16:30 - 16:50 Presentation: Impact measurement TBC (S) 
16:50 - 17:20 Good news panel: This final panel focuses on some of the many positive impact investing stories out there, bringing together
                      investees and investors to show real-world impact is possible.
17:20 - 18:20 Closing and networking drinks     

The concept of a just transition revolves around the principle that the shift to a more sustainable economy needs to be fair, inclusive and equitable, and doesn’t leave large groups of the world’s population behind.

Pension funds and other institutional investors have a crucial role to play in ensuring their investment strategies, across asset classes and geographies, contribute positively to a just transition. Impact Investor’s event will explore some of the challenges, opportunities, and best practices for pension funds and other institutional investors as they consider their roles in the just transition.

A focused afternoon seminar for institutional investors such as pension funds on ‘generating impact across asset classes’, with discussion and updates on the latest developments in institutional impact investing. 

Demonstrate your thought leadership and contribute your expertise to the Impact Investor community. The programme consists of a mix of sponsored and non-sponsored sessions in the form of presentations and panels.

Preliminary programme subject to change

14:00 Welcome and Networking
Paula Garrido - Co-editor, Impact Investor

14:35 Keynote: Placing Social Equity at the Heart of the Just Transition
The presentation will discuss the key elements of the Just Transition Criteria, established last year, to help fund managers develop financial products that adhere to the principles of a just transition. It will go beyond aspects related to climate action to focus on the importance of placing social equity and community voice at the heart of the just transition.
Kieron Boyle - Chief Executive Officer, Impact Investing Institute

15:00 Sponsored Keynote: The Power of Pension Funds and Insurers to Fund the Transition
Bertrand Rocher - Co-Head of Fixed Income, Mirova
Lucie Vannoye - Credit Analyst, Mirova

15:20 Keynote: The Just Transition in Practice
The presentation will discuss some of the challenges and considerations for pension funds as they adopt a just transition approach. The Chief Executive Officer of CFA UK will talk about what that approach might look like in practice and highlight some of the broader work of the organisation in the impact investing space.
Will Goodhart - Chief Executive, CFA Society of the UK

15:45 Sponsored keynote: Investment Duties, Impact and Just Transition: Recent Developments
Jonathan Gilmour - Partner and Head of Derivatives & Structured Products, Travers Smith LLP
Andy Lewis - Partner, Travers Smith LLP

16:05 Pension Fund Panel
Representatives of pension funds discuss their views on impact investing and the transition from investing in emerging markets to those closer to home.
Marc Barnett - Head of Investment, Cushon
Sally Bridgeland - Deputy Chair, Brunel Pensions Partnership
Adam Gillett - Senior Investment Manager, Climate Lead, Railpen
Moderated by Maha Khan Phillips - Co-Editor, Impact Investor

Go to the event website: www.impact-investor.com/forum2024