Responsible Capital has arrived

Patrick Odier Senior Managing Partner

The World Economic Forum wrapped up last Friday. The annual gathering is always a source of reflection, stimulation and inspiration and this year was certainly an opportunity to Create a Shared Future in a Fractured World. With over 400 sessions on the official programme, it would be impossible to provide you with a comprehensive recap of everything that happened.

The weekend has permitted me to reflect on an insightful week, and to recap what this year’s Annual Meeting meant for our Firm, and for the financial industry at large.

I had the great pleasure of hosting a session with The Global Fund and other guests where we had an energetic, interactive group. Peter Maurer President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reminded us that, “We need a new narrative to solve humanitarian funding. Innovation is challenging. It requires leadership. But there is no alternative” It is not only about humanitarian funding. John Simon, Vice Chair of the Global Fund, is certainly proud of the achievements of the Global Fund since 2002.
 

For my part, I am a firm believer that capital markets with their different instruments across asset classes not only provide the discipline to allow for a vastly more efficient use of resources. They also enable breakthrough innovation. The future, I think, is bright.

I would like leave you with some of my thoughts on the final event I attended at Davos.

The Global Fund and Bill Gates hosted the Goalkeepers reception, a night to celebrate the efforts and engagement to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. As you are all well aware, we at Lombard Odier have recently launched a partnership with the Global Fund to develop new financial instruments, which will support the objectives of the Global Fund, while providing a positive financial return to our clients.

The evening up at Schatzalp, and the exchange with philanthropists, investors and like-minded people, drove home the tremendous energy and enthusiasm behind the movement toward responsible capital. They are asking how finance can help sort out many of humanity’s longstanding challenges. The sense of opportunity offered by such instruments for our world of finance is tremendous.
 

At Lombard Odier, we have the rigour, long-term commitment and no-nonsense approach to what works that helps ground the work of these full-time changemakers.

I look forward to working with each one of you towards this objective and our shared future.