Meet our board members

Madeleine Clarke is Founding Director of Genio, an Irish NGO that brings government and private/philanthropic funders together, in order to develop better ways to support disadvantaged people to live full lives in their communities.

Patrice Schneider started his publishing career as a journalist reporting from conflicts in Central Asia in the 1980s.

Following a 20 years career in publishing (Time Warner Group, Lagardère Active) and working for the World Economic Forum, he now works for the Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF) which invests in independent media around the world providing the news, information and debate that people need to build free, thriving societies.

Leslie Johnston joined C&A Foundation as its first Executive Director in August 2013 and brings over 20 years of management experience across multiple sectors, including smallholder agribusiness, entrepreneurship and corporate philanthropy. At C&A Foundation, Leslie led the development of the foundation’s first global vision, mission, and strategy, anchored on making fashion a force for good.  She oversees team of over 50 people across 10 countries, working to improve lives and livelihoods across the foundation’s five signature programmes.

In 1992, Steven started his own company specialized in Supply Chain and Operations Strategy. As business entrepreneur, he grew the company internationally before selling it in 2008.

In 2011, he joined Ashoka Global in Washington as strategic advisor, focussing on how social entrepreneurs and corporations can work together successfully.

Karen Wilson is the Founder of GV Partners, a research and consulting firm focused on entrepreneurship, innovation and finance. Among other organizations, Karen has been working with the OECD since 2009 on topics related to entrepreneurship, finance and innovation. For the past several years, she has been leading the OECD work on social impact investment. She has been engaged in the venture philanthropy and social investment community for over a decade through involvement with EVPA and other organisations.

Xavier Thauron has a 25 years experience in private equity after five years as SME banker, first in charge of growth capital in the PE structure of the French Banque Populaire Group where he was sponsor of the European Business and Innovation Network (EBN), then Head of Risks at Natixis Private Equity with a large diversified and international portfolio in Europe, Brazil, India and China.

Jane is International Director of Social Finance UK. Social Finance is a not for profit organisation that partners with government, social sector organisations and the financial community to find better ways of tackling social problems.

Dr. Filipe Santos is Professor and Chair in Social Entrepreneurship at Católica-Lisbon School of Business & Economics and Visiting Professor at INSEAD.

Luís Jerónimo works as Deputy Director at the Gulbenkian Integration and Social Cohesion Programme of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. He manages a portfolio of projects on social innovation and impact investing, including the first social impact bonds issued in Portugal and invested by the Foundation.