NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Tuesday, May 7, 2019

Blackstone today announced the launch of a new impact investing platform that will be part of the firm’s Strategic Partners group. The platform will seek to deliver positive financial impact while addressing four specific investment themes— Health & Wellbeing, Financial Access, Sustainable Communities and Green Technologies.

Tanya Barnes, former Managing Director in Goldman Sachs’ Merchant Banking Division, has joined Blackstone as a Managing Director to lead this initiative. The platform will make investments in mission-oriented businesses and managers, unlocking new opportunities for investors.

It will leverage Strategic Partners’ scale and expertise across private equity, real estate and infrastructure by partnering with external impact managers focused on developed markets, as well as other investing businesses within Blackstone. The initiative will build on Blackstone’s previous investments in impact themes, and on Strategic Partners’ vast sourcing capabilities and partnerships with investment managers.

Jon Gray, Blackstone President & COO, said: “As a firm, we seek to deliver value for our investors while also having a positive impact on the communities in which we operate. The impact platform is an exciting growth area and a natural extension of our business. We look forward to meeting the growing demand for impact investments.”

Verdun Perry, Global Head of Strategic Partners, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Tanya Barnes to our team and to announce the launch of this initiative. Our impact platform has a powerful value proposition and significant growth potential. We believe it will greatly expand our ability to generate positive, measurable social and environmental impact, while making the companies we invest in more valuable.”

Tanya Barnes added: “I am excited to join Blackstone and the Strategic Partners business. I look forward to leveraging the firm’s expertise and scale to expand the role of private capital to create solutions that address the world’s most pressing social and environmental challenges.”

In her previous role, Ms. Barnes focused on private equity investments and helped build and run a co-investment business. She was responsible for all stages of investing, including developing thematic investment targets in financial services and consumer retail companies. Ms. Barnes also ran her own firm where she was an active advisor, investor and board member to investment firms and operating businesses.

Photo courtesy of miuenski miuenski.