Insights
Pioneers Post: Investor in Focus: Why Blue Haven Initiative's views "irritate everyone"
In an in-depth interview, Blue Haven's Liesel Pritzker Simmons reflects on why impact investors need to move beyond portfolio construction and wade into the “muddy” world of politics. She highlights examples of how Blue Haven supports policy change, including fair-lending protections for small businesses and encouraging other investors to engage with policymakers, “talking to somebody, making a case, writing a paper.” Liesel’s encouraged to see creativity and coalition building despite uncertainty. But, she notes, systemic change isn’t possible without tax reform—a more progressive, global taxing system, an argument that isn’t always embraced among wealthy investors: “There’s no way anyone’s going to get to where we want to go on any impact front without addressing this.” In writing an editor’s note about the interview, the publication’s Julie Pybus suggests it’s time for more impact investors to use their voices as well as their wealth.
Impact Alpha: Blue Haven's Liesel Pritzker Simmons on family office impact investing in perilous times (Q&A)
In a conversation with Impact Alpha’s David Bank, Blue Haven Initiative co-founder Liesel Pritzker Simmons highlights persistent barriers to scaling impact investing: risk perceptions, gaps in measurement, and short-term thinking. She stresses that capital alone is not enough to drive systemic change. “For a very long time, businesses have not had to pay for the messes they make,” she says, emphasizing the need for policy engagement alongside investment to achieve meaningful impact.
Impact Alpha: These Investors are Raising Their Lobbying Game to Enhance Their Social Impact
Blue Haven Initiative deploys a range of tools to educate policymakers, measure public sentiment and advocate for specific policy solutions. In this piece, Blue Haven’s Liesel Pritzker Simmons discusses the family office’s approach to policy-enhanced impact investing.
Case Study: Responsible Business Lending Coalition
A diverse group of non-profit and for-profit lenders, investors, and small business advocates have come together as the Responsible Business Lending Coalition (RBLC) to advocate for more responsible lending practices.
Policy-Enhanced Impact Investing: A New Take on Maximizing Societal Impact
In the ever-evolving world of impact investing, we're constantly seeking innovative ways to amplify our positive influence on society and the environment. Today, I'm thrilled to share an exciting new approach we're developing at Blue Haven in partnership with LAVA Strategies: Policy-Enhanced Impact Investing.
The Financial Times: How To Get More Impact Into Investing
An increasing number of investors are developing impact investing strategies, targeting enterprises or funds with the purpose of making a positive impact. Leading impact investors, including Blue Haven’s Liesel Pritzker Simmons, discuss what’s needed to build the field.
Why We Invested: ResilienceVC
Led by cofounders and managing partners Tahira Dosani and Vikas Raj, ResilienceVC invests in startups that make financial tools relevant and affordable for U.S. consumers and business owners, especially those overlooked by traditional financial companies.
The Financial Times: The Wealthy Working to Shore Up the US's Democratic Systems
For Liesel Pritzker Simmons, supporting democracy underpins the broader mission of the Blue Haven Initiative, the impact-focused family office she co-founded with her husband Ian Simmons. “Any impact we want to have will be undermined if we don’t live in a functioning democracy,” she says.
Fast Company: Are Biden's climate actions enough to win young voters? It's complicated
The president needs young voters to win reelection, but with many angry at his stance on Gaza and cynical about politics in general, his climate wins may not be enough to get their support.
Forbes: Companies' Loyalty To Foreign Investors Can Undermine U.S. Elections And The Economy
We are in the middle of another contentious election season, with the presidential election heating up and control of Congress on the line. But while the media focuses on the horse race and polling numbers, one of the most overlooked issues is the amount of foreign-influenced cash pouring into U.S. elections.
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