CDC Group, the UK’s impact investor and development finance institution, has today announced the appointment of Alexandra Maddy as its new Head of Business Integrity. In this role Alexandra will be responsible for enhancing investees’ business integrity systems and helping them manage corporate governance.
Strong business integrity and corporate governance standards are critical in CDC’s core markets of Africa and Asia. Both markets can present challenging and high-risk investment opportunities that can be associated with complex business integrity and governance issues. CDC supports its investee partners to adopt globally recognised standards to ensure they can successfully operate on a national and international stage. Alexandra will also enhance CDC’s own globally renowned business integrity systems.
Alexandra comes to CDC with over 15 years’ experience in risk consulting. She brings to the firm, her experience as Director, Risk Consulting and Head of Corporate Intelligence at KPMG in the UK, during which she was responsible for providing strategic intelligence on pre-deal due diligence, market entry assessments and reviews of risk management frameworks for a wide range of clients. Prior to that, Alexandra held senior roles at Control Risks, where she led the firm’s sub-Saharan Africa practice for corporate investigations.
Alexandra will lead a growing team of over 17 business integrity professionals to manage CDC’s Business Integrity (BI) risk assessment process. Her team collaborate with the Investment and Impact teams throughout the lifecycle of an investment, from strategic planning to portfolio management, and will report directly to Colin Buckley. CDC preserves and enhances its impact by working closely with its investee companies to protect them from business integrity issues and to strengthen their corporate governance structures. This helps develop a strong risk culture alongside knowledge building and awareness of business integrity risk management.
Welcoming Alexandra, CDC’s Chief Executive Nick O’Donohoe said:
“We are delighted to welcome Alexandra at such an extraordinary time in CDC’s history. Our Business Integrity team is not only central to our investment process, but critical to our ability to invest in some of the world’s most complex and challenging places, including in fragile and conflict affected states where foreign investment is scarce. Alexandra’s extensive experience in working across emerging markets will be valuable in helping CDC deliver significant impact to its investees and maintaining its strong reputation as a leading impact investor.”
Alexandra Maddy added:
“I am looking forward to working closely with CDC’s investment teams and our investees across varied and often challenging markets. I am excited to take on a unique opportunity to further strengthen CDC’s rigorous approach to business integrity, risk management and due diligence. I am keen to lead the team in producing great quality business intelligence that informs decision-making and supports CDC’s ability to invest for impact and solve the biggest global development challenges.”
Alexandra holds an MA in Geography from the University of Cambridge and an MA in International Studies and Diplomacy from SOAS. Earlier in her career she worked as an investment analyst at private equity firm Pantheon Ventures
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Media Contact: Clare Murray / M. +44 (0) 7887 993 356
About CDC
- CDC Group is the UK’s first impact investor with over 70 years of experience of successfully supporting the sustainable, long-term growth of businesses in South Asia and Africa.
- CDC is a leading player in the fight against climate change and a UK champion of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals – the global blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for us all.
- The company has investments in over 1,200 businesses in emerging economies and a total portfolio value of £5.8bn. This year CDC will invest over $1.5bn in companies in Africa and Asia with a focus on fighting climate change, empowering women and creating new jobs and opportunities for millions of people.
- CDC is funded by the UK government and all proceeds from its investments are reinvested to improve the lives of millions of people in Africa and South Asia.
- CDC’s expertise makes it the perfect partner for private investors looking to devote capital to making a measurable environmental and social impact in countries most in need of investment.
