WASHINGTON, DC and BOSTON, MA--(Marketwire - March 8, 2011) - The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), the U.S. Government's development finance institution, has engaged investment advisor Cambridge Associates to invite input from investors, advisors, entrepreneurs and other interested parties about how best to design a call for proposals to catalyze 'impact investments' -- projects which deliver significant social and environmental impacts to emerging markets while at the same time generating profits. The call, to be issued by OPIC later this month, will be open to equity, debt and hybrid strategies in any sector that relates to social and environmental impact investing in developing countries.
In advance of the call, OPIC and Cambridge welcome input and ideas -- including perspectives on innovative structures and measurements -- from investors, advisors, entrepreneurs and other experts and interested parties. Input may be sent to OPIC and Cambridge at OPICImpact@cambridgeassociates.com.
"OPIC is enthusiastically committed to supporting the development of the impact investing sector and its participants," said Elizabeth Littlefield, OPIC President and CEO. "We are ready to do so by filling financing gaps, reducing investor's risks, enhancing returns and by developing innovative and accommodating financial structures that meet the needs of social entrepreneurs and their investors."
"We are excited to be working with OPIC on this important initiative, which is an extension of the ongoing work we are conducting on behalf of our clients to explore impact investing opportunities globally," said Scott Berney, Cambridge Associates' President and Chief Operating Officer.
ABOUT OPIC
As America's development finance institution, OPIC helps to solve critical world challenges by delivering innovative finance that enables U.S. businesses to successfully compete in emerging markets. In the process, OPIC projects create revenues, jobs and growth opportunities both at home and abroad. OPIC accomplishes its mission by providing debt financing and political risk insurance to American companies, and by supporting private equity investment funds.
Established as an agency of the U.S. Government in 1971, OPIC operates on a self-sustaining basis at no net cost to American taxpayers. OPIC services are available for new and expanding business enterprises in more than 150 countries worldwide. OPIC projects to date have generated $74 billion in U.S. exports and supported more than 275,000 American jobs.
ABOUT CAMBRIDGE ASSOCIATES
Cambridge Associates has been providing independent investment consulting and research services to institutional investors for more than 35 years. Today, the firm serves over 900 investors from seven offices in the U.S., London, Singapore, and Sydney. Cambridge Associates researches managers in developed and emerging markets across all asset classes. The firm has partnered with OPIC and other development finance institutions on a range of projects related to investments in the emerging markets since 2002. Cambridge Associates has formally established a Mission-Related Investing Group to continue supporting its clients' interest in social investing, an area the firm has been advising on for many years.
Contact Information:
Media Contacts:
Cambridge Associates:
Frank Lentini
Sommerfield Communications
(212) 255-8386
lentini@sommerfield.com
OPIC:
Timothy Harwood
Overseas Private Investment Corporation
(202) 336-8744
timothy.harwood@opic.gov