BlueOrchard demonstrating resilience with strong performance in H1 2022 – continues to drive impact investment solutions
Leading impact investment manager BlueOrchard reports strong performance and growth across its strategies, building on a strong investment pipeline and growing investor base.
Highlights:
- 246 million underserved individuals and MSMEs reached – outreach further increased
- USD 686 million invested in 115 transactions across private debt strategies in H1 alone – disbursements increased compared to H1 2021
- Launch of financial inclusion private equity strategy and win of landmark mandate from Luxembourg’s Ministry of Finance to launch a climate finance strategy
Philipp Mueller, CEO of BlueOrchard, said: “Looking at the global challenges which are ever more visible today, we need to accelerate the conscious use of capital. Over the past six months, we worked hard to bring innovative impact solutions to market, enabling investors to help solve pressing global challenges such as poverty, inequality, and the consequences of climate change. The increased outreach and the contribution of the BlueOrchard team make me very proud.”
In the first half of 2022, BlueOrchard demonstrated resilience in a challenging environment, delivered solid performance in its impact investing strategies, and increased its outreach. By launching innovative investment solutions, BlueOrchard further strengthened its investment platform for climate and financial inclusion.
After fully deploying its climate-focused private equity strategy in April 2022, BlueOrchard launched its latest private equity strategy in May 2022. The new strategy offers investors the opportunity to invest in high-quality institutions, that the firm has identified over the past 20 years in some of the fastest growing markets. In addition, BlueOrchard’s infrastructure strategy invested in a telecom and renewable energy player that addresses the growing connectivity and data traffic needs of local communities in the Philippines. In June 2022, BlueOrchard announced it won a landmark mandate from Luxembourg’s Ministry of Finance to launch an impact strategy that contributes to the transition to carbon-neutral and resilient economies and sustainable growth in emerging markets.
As of June 2022, BlueOrchard’s flagship microfinance strategy alone has invested in 169 financial institutions across 55 countries, advancing the economic and social well-being of vulnerable households, micro-entrepreneurs and MSMEs. Through its public and private markets strategies, BlueOrchard supported 246 million underserved individuals and MSMEs in emerging and frontier markets (as of March 2022).
Peter Fanconi, Chairman of BlueOrchard, said: “We have shown how resilient we are as a business and as a team in a challenging environment. I am very proud of the energy and commitment of the BlueOrchard team and would like to thank our employees, investors, and partners, especially Schroders, for their trust and loyalty.”
In June 2022, BlueOrchard became a member of 2XCollaborative, a group of the world’s leading gender impact investors. Launched by the G7 Summit 2018, the initiative aims to inspire the public and private sectors to gender-lens investments. Several funds managed by BlueOrchard have qualified under the 2X Challenge criteria in recent years. In addition, BlueOrchard’s leadership role has been underpinned by a number of recognitions and appointments, including being in the top 10 of New Private Markets’ prestigious “Impact 30” ranking, on the Impact Assets 50 list, and the firm’s Chief Impact and Blended Finance Officer and Deputy CEO, Maria Teresa Zappia, being named among Private Equity International’s (PEI) Women of Influence in Private Markets List 2022 and elected to the board of Swiss Sustainable Finance, the leading Swiss association for sustainable finance.
Outlook: In H2 2022, BlueOrchard will continue to expand its impact investment solutions across public and private markets. Furthermore, the firm will focus on responding to both the climate crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic through its private debt, private equity, bonds, and infrastructure strategies.