Thomas Walenta, CFA, CAIA, FRSA

Head of Global Strategies and Climate at Swiss Investment Fund for Emerging Markets (SIFEM)

Speaker

Thomas is Head of Global Strategies and Climate, Fund Investments at responsAbility Investments AG, a leading impact asset manager specializing in private market investments.

At responsAbility, Thomas is co-heading a team that originates, structures, negotiates, executes and manages innovative, developmental and profitable private equity fund investments across emerging market and developing economies with the intention to generate positive, measurable social and environmental impact alongside a financial return. This includes the portfolio management of the Swiss Investment Fund for Emerging Markets (SIFEM), the development finance institution of the Swiss Confederation. SIFEM is specialised in providing long-term financing to small- and medium-sized enterprises and other fast-growing companies in developing and emerging countries, which helps create and secure more and better jobs and reduce poverty while also contributing towards the integration of these countries into the global economic system.

Before joining responsAbility, Thomas worked at the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), where he helped establishing AIIB’s private equity practice. Prior to AIIB, Thomas was an advisor at Germany’s Federal Ministry of Finance, where he supported the Chief Negotiator for Germany in the founding of AIIB. Earlier in his career, Thomas worked at KfW Development Bank, where he was responsible for executing and managing debt and equity transactions in emerging market and developing economies across Asia.

Thomas earned a BBA and MSc in International Business Administration from European University Viadrina, Germany and an MBA from Catholic University of Cordoba, Argentina. He holds both the CFA charter and the CAIA charter. Furthermore, Thomas is a graduate from the High Potentials Leadership Program at Harvard Business School and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts

About responsAbility Investments AG:

responsAbility Investments AG is a leading impact asset manager specializing in private market investments across three investment themes. These themes directly contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Financial Inclusion, to finance the growth of Micro & SMEs; Climate Finance, to contribute to a net zero pathway; and Sustainable Food, to sustainably feed an ever-growing population. responsAbility also offers tailor-made and fund investment solutions to institutional investors. All responsAbility investment solutions target specific measurable impact alongside market returns. Since its inception in 2003, responsAbility has deployed over USD 16.8 billion in impact investments. With over 280 employees collaborating across 6 offices, as of 30 June 2025 the company manages USD 5.5 billion in assets across approximately 300 portfolio companies in around 70 countries. Since 2022, responsAbility has been part of M&G plc, the international savings, and investments business, and contributes to enhancing M&G’s capabilities in impact investing.

About the Swiss Investment Fund for Emerging Markets (SIFEM):

SIFEM, the Swiss Investment Fund for Emerging Markets, serves as Switzerland’s Development Finance Institution (DFI). Established in 2011 as a public limited company fully owned by the Swiss Confederation, SIFEM plays a key role in Switzerland's international cooperation strategy. SIFEM provides long-term financing to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing and emerging countries through local financial intermediaries. By doing so, SIFEM aims to reduce poverty while fostering sustainable, inclusive, and resilient economies. Its focus also extends to tackling the root causes of climate change and enhancing communities' resilience to its effects.