Simon Harford Email & Phone Number

Simon is an accomplished investor and business leader with 30 years of experience at the intersection of investment, business building and global development across both emerging and developed markets.His most recent role was to create and build GEAPP, a unique and high-profile global organisation in climate finance, deploying philanthropic capital to accelerate the use of renewable energy in emerging markets. Launched in late 2021 by Rockefeller Foundation, IKEA Foundation and Bezos Earth Fund who pledged $1.5 billion seed capital, Simon was hired as the inaugural CEO to transform their bold idea rapidly into a high-performing global entity. Within two years, the team had created a robust and respected organisation achieving positive early impact results, and investing GEAPP capital in innovative blended finance structures.Simon has also spent some 18 years with Actis, the $25 billion global emerging market growth investor with numerous accolades for its impact investing practices. Simon led Actis's work in West Africa, was their Operating Partner then Co-Head for Africa, and subsequently still serves as Senior Adviser.In his earlier career Simon founded three successful new airlines in the UK, Germany and Nigeria, held senior management roles with British Airways, and started his career in investment banking (SG Warburg) and strategy consulting (Boston Consulting Group).Simon has also served as Investment Committee Chair for pioneering venture-capital firm Novastar Ventures, and in numerous non-executive roles including for The Larry Ellison Foundation, South Africa’s National Empowerment Fund, and the Graduate School of Business at the University of Cape Town.

Listed skills include Impact Investing, Private Equity, Africa, Financial Services, and 4 others.