Jewish Aussie entrepreneur’s audience with power pair
Andy Kuper was one of just 20 global CEOs and chairs who were invited to join King Charles and President Biden to discuss their shared passion – protecting our environment.
Jewish communal figure Andy Kuper was recently honoured with an invitation to meet King Charles and President Joe Biden at Windsor Castle, where he announced a $750 million investment plan to combat climate change.
The Sydney-based South African-Australian serial entrepreneur, who is the founder and CEO of LeapFrog Investments, was one of just 20 global CEOs and chairs who were invited to join King Charles and President Biden to discuss their shared passion – protecting our environment.
“As the founder and CEO of LeapFrog Investments, I was one of those invitees,” Kuper told The AJN.
“Not because I represent one of the largest asset managers on earth, like several leaders present – far from it! But because the companies that LeapFrog has backed and built have now reached 450 million people with healthcare, financial services or climate solutions. That is over five per cent of the world’s population.
“So we have a distinctive perspective to share on how to raise and invest capital, and how to back businesses, that enable people to adopt new tools and technologies that change their lives, along with their communities and environment.”
US Special Envoy on Climate John Kerry and UK Secretary of State Energy Security and Net Zero Grant Shapps took the opportunity to convene a Climate Finance Mobilisation Forum around the meeting with the leaders present, who together oversee trillions of dollars, and who have been at the forefront of finding and investing in solutions to climate change.
“We then reported back to the King and the President together, as well as meeting with each of them individually, to chart a path forward,” Kuper said.
“Our discussion focused on developing countries. Today they account for 25 per cent of carbon emissions but could account for as much as 83 per cent of emissions by 2050.
“Hundreds of billions of dollars are being invested to de-carbonise wealthy countries, but unless we can encourage similar investment in emerging markets, the world will warm by over 2 degrees [Celsius]. That’s because 80 per cent of the world’s people live in developing countries, and they have every right to continue to rise into the middle class, as consumers and producers. How do we enable people and businesses in countries like India, Indonesia, Vietnam and Nigeria to leapfrog to a cleaner and greener future?
“At Windsor Castle, LeapFrog announced our plan to invest $750 million ($US500 million) in companies that provide climate solutions in emerging markets. We expect to reach and enable 50 million low-income people in Asia and Africa with this capital and the expertise we have assembled. Hopefully this will help illuminate the path for others to a better way to invest – as individuals, institutions and societies.”
Kuper described King Charles as warmer than he expected a monarch to be, “not at all distant, and strikingly well-informed about my work”, and said Biden has a “wonderful sense of humour”.
“As you can imagine, President Biden has that charismatic ability to make you feel like the centre of attention,” Kuper said.
“After he heard about our investment announcement, he picked up my jacket lapels to search in my pockets for all the money we are mobilising for this cause, much to the amusement of those watching. One thing I never expected was to be frisked by the leader of the free world!”
Windsor Castle is the oldest inhabited castle in Europe, dating back to the 1100s, and Kuper said the pomp and ceremony was as extensive as you might imagine, “with marvellously synchronised drills by the Welsh Guards in their red and black uniforms, and a big band proudly playing both national anthems for the two leaders”.
“I’m not sure the lunch nosh was as good as at the Cremorne shule kiddush or the sausage sizzle at Emanuel School, but maybe I’m biased!” Kuper said.
“On the other hand, after the main events, we were able to view photographs and letters from two centuries of visits by presidents to the monarch, including a photo I loved of Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Phillip, John F Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy all glowing with youth and conviction.”
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