Conversations is a series of talks and panel discussions as part of FestivalForGood 2020 on topics regarding the social enterprise sector, social impact, and doing good in Singapore. We hope to spread awareness about social enterprises and social issues in Singapore, as well as engage members of the public in meaningful discussions about how we can make Singapore a better place for all.

Conversation 3: Making Impact Investments Work: Considerations and Permutations of Sustainable Investing

With the growing acceptance of sustainable investing in the world today, join us as we take a closer look at impact investing, unravelling the permutations and types of structures in investments with social returns. What do impact investors look out for when considering to finance organisations with a social good? From the perspective from a Social Enterprise, what are the considerations and expectations from impact investors? Hear directly from impact investors as well as Social Enterprises on their take on impact investing.

Who Will Be Speaking?



Moderator: Alfie Othman - CEO, raiSE
Alfie has had a successful banking career of over twelve years. Alongside his private sector work, Alfie devoted significant time to the public sector and civil society.

Alfie is recognized as a Social Enterprise practitioner within Singapore. He initiated the formation and was the head of the first urban microcredit scheme in Singapore. The Micro Credit Business Scheme was launched in November 2011.

He is also advisor to BMT Ventura, an investment venture company that manages a micro-finance co-operative with a membership base of 2.2 million people in Indonesia. In 2014, Alfie set up an industrial catering kitchen which provides jobs to workers from marginalised sectors, such as ex-offenders, single mothers, and persons with disability. Alfie is a Fellow in Inclusive Finance and Fin Tech at Singapore University of Social Sciences.

From 2013-2014, Alfie joined a four-member pro tem committee to set up the Social Enterprise Association and was the Executive Director. The Social Enterprise Association represented one of the important intermediaries in the social enterprise sector and has a membership base of close to 450 members. In April 2015, Alfie was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of the Singapore Centre for Social Enterprise, raiSE.

Suhaimi Zainol Abidin - Director, Quantedge Foundation
Suhaimi Zainul-Abidin is the Chief Executive Officer of Quantedge Capital, a multiple award-winning fund management company based in Singapore.

He began his career as an advocate and solicitor in Allen & Gledhill LLP in 2006 and became a partner in 2010. Suhaimi joined Quantedge Capital as director and general counsel in 2013 and rose to the position of CEO in 2018.

Suhaimi currently holds the appointments of Director at Skillsfuture Singapore Agency, National Environment Agency, The Esplanade, Mendaki SENSE, Warees Investments, Quantedge Foundation and Tri-Sector Associates, and Council Member of the Charity Council. Suhaimi was awarded the Sword-of-Honour the prize for Best in Military Knowledge, while serving his national service obligations in 1999.

Sertac Yeltekin - Founder & Managing Director, Ahava Capital - Zingforce Ventures JV
Sertac Yeltekin is currently Founder and managing director of Zingforce Ventures, a global venture building, impact investing advisory and social finance strategy company. Zingforce has teamed up with Ahava Capital to serve social entrepreneurship ecosystem in Singapore. Mr. Yeltekin has 27 years of experience in banking, asset management and management consulting in Asia, Europe and the Middle East. He is the founder of Turkey's first impact investing platform.

Mint Lim - Founder, School of Concepts
Mint is the founder of social enterprise, School of Concepts (SoC). SoC is an early literacy provider that believes in equal access to quality education regardless of socioeconomic status and learning needs. As someone with learning needs herself, Mint devised her own learning strategies. Complemented by her teaching experience, Mint created a learning methodology used widely in her curriculum. This technique enables learners to develop self-motivated and self-directed learning attitudes while laying a firm foundation in literacy. Today, since opening its doors for business in Dec 2017, the curriculum has benefitted more than 6000 children and counting. A school that hires and enrols inclusively, SoC allocates 30% of its resources to marginalised families and provides training and employment opportunities for persons with disabilities. "An inspired child is one who'll turn possibilities into reality." - Mint's thoughts summarised in a sentence on children as the agent of change.

This conversation is organised as part of FestivalForGood 2020, Asia's largest celebration of Social Enterprises, and the social impact they created. More information on FestivalForGood can be found at www.festivalforgood.sg The virtual FestivalForGood is brought to you by raiSE, in partnership with DBS Foundation. South Beach Consortium is the virtual venue partner.