Bjoern Struewer – Co-Chair of the Board of Directors

Bjoern is Founder and CEO at Roots of Impact, a specialized advisory firm dedicated to making finance work for positive impact on people and planet. He has more than 20 years of experience in the finance sector, including 12 years at Credit Suisse, most recently as a Managing Director. After leaving the banking industry he started working closely with public funders and impact investors across the globe to scale high-performing enterprises and innovations with strong potential for impact.

With his team at Roots of Impact he developed pioneering solutions such as Social Impact Incentives (SIINC) and Impact-Linked Finance as well as the Social Finance Academy. He leads the Initiative for Blended Finance at University of Zurich and is Senior Collaborator at the Center for Sustainable Finance and Private Wealth. He is co-founder of the Financing Agency for Social Entrepreneurship (FASE) and member of various investment committees and advisory boards.

Bjoern is a strong advocate for unleashing the potential of business and finance for positive impact recognizing that every business and every investment has an impact.

Patrick Elmer – Co-Chair of the Board of Directors

Patrick is Founder and CEO at iGravity and works at the intersection of finance and economic development, focusing on innovative solutions that connect households at the Base of the Pyramid with private sector and financial markets. He founded iGravity in March 2017 to support disruptive ideas, entrepreneurs, visionaries, and institutions in their impact investment [ad]ventures. Previously he worked as Head of Business Development at BlueOrchard, leading the sales strategy across multiple markets and developing new partnerships and structures. He was also Head of Philanthropy Services and Responsible Investments at Credit Suisse, advising clients on investment solutions and leading the bank’s efforts in creating novel partnerships and products in areas like microfinance, education, agriculture and conservation finance.

Before that, Patrick worked for many years in Mozambique, Tanzania and Madagascar, first managing the private sector development portfolio of SECO (Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs) and later establishing and managing microfinance banks on behalf of public and private investors.

Aarti Mahajan – Chief Operating Officer

Aarti Mahajan is an experienced program manager and operations lead with over 10 years of expertise in energy, agriculture, and technology sectors. Starting her career in India’s consumer goods industry, she later expanded her focus to developing markets in Africa, driving impactful growth for start-ups and social enterprises. Aarti has held management roles in agri and clean energy enterprises, overseeing multi-country projects, optimizing processes, and fostering team collaboration.

Passionate about technology-driven solutions for social impact, she excels in high-paced environments, adeptly managing cross-functional teams and delivering on strategic objectives. When she’s not fine-tuning operations, you’ll find her savoring a long walk or whipping up something delicious in the kitchen.