Andrew Kuper

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LeapFrog Founder and CEO Andrew Kuper

Andrew Kuper
AO
Born
South Africa
NationalitySouth African, Australian
Alma materHarvard University
Witwatersrand University
University of Cambridge (PhD)
Occupation(s)Entrepreneur, businessman, investor and author
Known forCEO, founder, LeapFrog Investments[1]

Andrew Kuper AO is a South African-Australian serial entrepreneur and investor in emerging markets.[2] As a pioneer of Profit with Purpose business,[3] Kuper has been credited with the birth of a virtuous new asset class.[4] He is the founder and CEO of LeapFrog Investments, a specialist investor in emerging markets, investing in financial services and healthcare.[5]

Former United States President Bill Clinton announced the launch of the company in 2008, recognising it for opening new frontiers in alternative investing.[6] LeapFrog has since attracted more than US$2 billion from global investors.[7] In 2017, Fortune ranked LeapFrog Investments as one of the top 5 Companies to Change the World, alongside Apple and Novartis.[8] Originally from South Africa, Kuper now resides in Sydney, Australia[9] and spends time in LeapFrog's offices in Europe, Africa and Asia.

Early life[edit]

Kuper was born in South Africa and brought up on a farm outside of Johannesburg. He is the son of anti-apartheid campaigners.[10] He began investing at the age of 10 and took on his first clients at age 13.[11] He attended the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg[12] followed by Harvard University where he won the Henry Fellowship. He later graduated from Cambridge University with a PhD in social science and political science supervised by Nobel laureate Amartya Sen.[2][13]

Career[edit]

Early career[edit]

In 2004, Kuper was appointed to managing director at Ashoka, an organisation that finances thousands of social entrepreneurs.[14] Among other roles, he ran the Global Academy for Social Entrepreneurship, working with Muhammad Yunus of Grameen Bank and Fazle Abed of BRAC.[15][16]

Founding LeapFrog Investments[edit]

In 2007, Kuper founded LeapFrog Investments. Using a distinctive 'profit with a purpose' approach, LeapFrog invests in companies that provide access to financial services, healthcare and climate solutions to underserved people in emerging markets.[10][2][17][18] Since its establishment, as chief executive, Kuper has helped attract over $2 billion from global investors including Temasek,[19] AIA,[20] American International Group Inc. (AIG), Swiss Re AG, AXA SA and Prudential Financial.[21][22] The companies in which the firm has invested have had an annual growth rate of more than 24% and reach 492 million people in 30 countries.

LeapFrog launched its Climate Investing Strategy in 2022,[23] marking a natural extension of the firm’s journey as a pioneer of impact investing, backing companies that deliver essential services and products that enable lower-income consumers to build better lives.

Awards[edit]

In 2018, Kuper was awarded the John S. Bickley Founders Award Gold Medal for Excellence by the International Insurance Society recognised for his pioneering work in profit with purpose investment.[24] Earlier in his career, Kuper received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award.[25] He was also named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum,[26] and received the Young Presidents' Organization's Social Engagement Network Award. Kuper has delivered keynote addresses to the Clinton Global Initiative, Geneva Association CEO Meetings, the IFC/Emerging Markets Private Equity Association (EMPEA) summits, and the EY World Entrepreneur of the Year event.[17] He is a board member of GPCA.[27]

In 2022, Kuper was appointed Officer of the Order of Australia in the 2022 Queen's Birthday Honours for "distinguished service to the impact investing industry, to global business leadership, and to financial inclusion".[28]

Kuper is the editor and lead author of one book on governance and globalisation, Global Responsibilities (Routledge, 2005) and the author of another, Democracy Beyond Borders (Oxford, 2004).[29]

Bibliography[edit]

  • Kuper, A. (2004). Democracy beyond borders: Justice and representation in global institutions. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  • Kuper, A. (2005). Global responsibilities: Who must deliver on human rights? New York: Routledge.

References[edit]

  1. ^ Anna Lyudig (25 July 2013). "Taking a leap". AfricaAM Asset Management. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  2. ^ a b c Max Mason (1 September 2012). "Raising capital, improving prospects". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  3. ^ "Andy Kuper". World Bank Live. 2 October 2018. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  4. ^ "Happy returns". The Economist. 10 September 2011. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  5. ^ Jessica Pothering (30 December 2014). "This investment firm is insuring families' rise out of poverty". Entrepreneur. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  6. ^ "President Clinton spotlights LeapFrog, first microinsurance firm". Insurance Journal. 28 September 2008. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  7. ^ Szkutak, Rebecca. "Investor LeapFrog Secures $500 Million Commitment From Temasek To Anchor Multiple Impact Funds". Forbes. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  8. ^ "How These 50 Innovative Companies Are Changing the World for Good". Fortune. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
  9. ^ Sally Rose (24 January 2016). "LeapFrog Investments snags $500m from Prudential for fintech in Africa". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  10. ^ a b Will Smale (23 January 2017). "Why Bill Clinton helped a 33-year-old build a $1bn firm". CNN. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
  11. ^ Mason, Max (31 August 2012). "Raising capital, improving prospects". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
  12. ^ Sally Rose (9 September 2014). "LeapFrog closes second fund at $432m". The Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  13. ^ "Leapfrog Investments raises second fund". Financial Mail. 24 October 2013. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  14. ^ Newton, Paula (9 February 2014). "Foundation: Ashoka: Innovators For The Public". intelligent HQ. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  15. ^ Alice Korngold (2 December 2009). "Microinsurance: The new microcredit". Fast Company. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  16. ^ Stefanie Rubin (13 November 2009). "Meet the boss: Interview with Andrew Kuper, president and founder of LeapFrog Investments Ltd". MicroCapital. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  17. ^ a b Devin Thorpe (11 July 2013). "Can Impact Investors Actually Make Money?". Forbes. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  18. ^ "US insurer Prudential Financial makes African bet". Financial Times. 21 January 2016. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  19. ^ Flood, Chris (9 March 2021). "Temasek commits $500m to impact investing specialist LeapFrog". www.ft.com. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  20. ^ Flood, Chris (6 June 2023). "Hong Kong insurer AIA invests $200mn into impact funds".
  21. ^ Renee Bonorchis (31 October 2014). "Insurers drawn by African dawn for cover, says LeapFrog". Bloomberg Business. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  22. ^ Clark, Simon (22 January 2016). "Prudential Financial to Invest $350 Million in African Insurers". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  23. ^ "LeapFrog Launches Climate Investment Strategy". LeapFrog Investments. 19 September 2022. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  24. ^ "Andrew Kuper Named the 2018 Founder's Award Recipient | International Insurance Society". www.internationalinsurance.org. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
  25. ^ Lorna Brett (16 May 2015). "Entrepreneur of the year nominees revealed". Dynamic Business. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  26. ^ Imaralu, Douglas (13 March 2013). "World Economic Forum Lists 21 Africans Amongst Young Global Leaders 2013". Ventures Africa. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  27. ^ Global Private Capital Association (1 July 2022). "Board of Directors - GPCA". GPCA. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
  28. ^ "Queen's Birthday 2022 Honours - the full list". Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment Co. 12 June 2022. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
  29. ^ Kuper, Andrew (9 September 2004). Democracy Beyond Borders: Justice and Representation in Global Institutions (1 ed.). Oxford University PressOxford. doi:10.1093/0199274908.001.0001. ISBN 978-0-19-927490-1.

External links[edit]

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