Karl founded iSumio, which creates software for organisations to calculate their effect on people and planet, such as carbon footprint and labour conditions. Executive Director of EngagedX, which specialises in providing consultancy, thought leadership, advocacy and policy work. Karl works internationally across private, public, and social sectors. Experienced entrepreneur, leader, and executive. Lectures part-time at the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management.
Previous engagements include a 12 month assignment as Head of Research and Knowledge for the UNDP SDG Impact Finance initiative (UNSIF), where he led research to improve the analytical framework for social impact investing; member of Groupe d’Experts de la Commission sur l’Entrepreneuriat Social (GECES) of the European Commission to advise on its Social Business Initiative; part of the OECD expert group on social impact investing. Currently Senior Fellow of the Finance Innovation Lab; and Adviser to several organisations.
Karl has been invited by civil society organisations, academia, governments and the media across Europe, Asia and USA to speak on social impact investing. He has guest lectured at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge; advised HM Treasury on EU social investment regulations; was invited to submit evidence for alternative finance to the UK’s Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standards; been asked by the UK Cabinet Office to represent the UK on social investment at EU level; was invited by US Secretary of State to be a plenary panellist at the Global Impact Economy Forum in 2012.
Selected publications:
– 2021 – Pain Spots and Opportunities Regarding Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Data.
– 2011 – Making Good in Social Impact Investment: Opportunities in an Emerging Asset Class.
Holds an MBA specialising in entrepreneurship and project management, writing his dissertation on data interoperability standards and collaboration principles in the building design industry. He started his career as an architect and project manager for multidisciplinary design teams, and development leader for public and private sector construction projects. Was the founding Chair of Friends of the Crystal Palace Subway, a community-led initiative to reopen a historic community asset to the public, and hosted HRH the Duke of Gloucester visiting in 2013.
Karl H Richter 