“Impact investing enables us to create a sustainable, united future — there are no returns from a dead planet or divided society. It’s our responsibility to go beyond box-ticking and leave a better world for future generations. ”
— Eliza Foo
Impact investing in emerging markets has been viewed as a high-risk proposition fraught with challenges. But my guest today sees these challenges as opportunities for innovation, identifying and investing in solutions that address critical social and environmental needs while building a resilient portfolio with competitive returns.
Eliza Foo is a leader in sustainability and impact investing at Temasek, one of the world’s most respected global investment firms, with a portfolio value of USD $288 billion. Temasek operates across public and private markets, investing from its own balance sheet, which allows for great flexibility in pursuing opportunities across asset classes, geographies, and sectors.
Eliza’s journey to becoming a leader in impact investing is inspiring and unique. From a young age, she excelled in academics, earning scholarships that took her to the Australian National University. She graduated as a valedictorian with a Bachelor of Commerce and later pursued a Master’s in Applied Finance at the University of Melbourne.
Eliza has built an extraordinary career in finance, starting with prestigious roles at Goldman Sachs and Merrill Lynch. She later transitioned to impact investing – a field she has helped shape over the past decade.
Eliza leads the Impact Investing team at Temasek, which plays a key role in achieving Temasek’s mission of creating lasting value for this and future generations. Under her guidance, Temasek has spearheaded innovative investments in emerging markets, working to close gaps in financial inclusion, healthcare, agriculture, and climate.
Her vision for impact investing combines financial rigor with measurable societal and environmental outcomes. You’ll hear about her team’s focus on linking impact metrics to financial KPIs to ensure growth and positive benefits are intrinsically connected.
We also touch on Temasek’s partnerships with organizations like LeapFrog Investments and ABC Impact, which enable them to amplify their reach and scalability in creating innovative solutions across the globe.
Let’s dive in!
Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform. You can watch the interview on YouTube here.
What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.
SCROLL BELOW FOR LINKS AND SHOW NOTES…
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
- Connect with Eliza: LinkedIn
- Temasek website
SHOW NOTES:
[00:00] Introduction
[02:55] Eliza foo’s background and early career path
[25:09] Temasek’s sustainability strategy
[38:41] Impact investing at Temasek
[53:51] Challenges and opportunities in emerging markets
[58:35] Temasek’s strategic partnerships
[01:11:38] Temasek’s exit strategy
[01:14:52] Rapid fire questions
MORE ELIZA FOO QUOTES FROM THE INTERVIEW:
“We aim to deploy intentional capital to address the world’s key challenges, transforming lives and amplifying impact. By working with experienced impact GPs and impactful companies, we seek to achieve scale with market returns and measurable positive benefits. ”
— Eliza Foo
“When I meet the people who have benefited from Temasek’s impact investments, I am always inspired and humbled by their resilience and entrepreneurship. Their greatest hope is a brighter future for their children and grandchildren. ”
— Eliza Foo
