British International Investment (formerly CDC Group)
British International Investment is the UK’s development finance institution and impact investor focused on solving development challenges. Their investments in green infrastructure, technology and other sectors, help create more sustainable and inclusive economies in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean, enabling people to build better lives for themselves and their communities.
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OVERVIEW
British International Investment (BII) is the UK’s development finance institution and impact investor that is focused on solving global development challenges by investing capital to support private sector growth and innovation. They invest between £1.5 and £2 billion every year in green infrastructure, technology and other sectors that are most in need of capital. The goal of investing is to create more sustainable, inclusive and efficient economies in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean. BII currently partners with over 1,000 businesses in emerging economies, helping them grow their impact. Currently, BII is one of the world’s largest impact investors in Africa.
BII was established in 1948 as the Colonial Development Corporation (CDC Group). They renamed as British International Investment in 2022 to signify the increased breadth of the organisation, highlighting their role as part of UK’s offer to help developing and emerging countries meet their financing needs for infrastructure and enterprise.
With total assets of £7.5 billion, BII is central to the UK Government’s international financing offer to emerging economies. BII has a mission to build partnerships with businesses that operate in developing and emerging economies. Since 2014, BII has operated two investment portfolios; catalyst and growth.
From a sustainability standpoint, BII is a key partner to emerging economies that are vulnerable to the climate crisis. BII has pledged at least 30% of total new commitment to be in the area of climate finance over the next five years.
British International Investment measures success of companies they invest in via two main ways. Firstly they look at the potential positive economic, environment or social impact that the business can make. Secondly, they look at how commercially sustainable and successful a business can be. This method correlates to their belief that in order for long-term impact, a business must be financially sustainable.
MISSION STATEMENT
To help solve the biggest global development challenges by investing patient, flexible capital to support private sector growth and innovation.
FUNDING SOURCES
Revenue is received from private sector investors seeking to make impact investments. British International Investment also make a modest financial return on investments which can be recycled into new investments. In a steady state they are self-financing, and receive capital from the UK Government to increase activities.
ORGANISATION TYPE
YEAR ESTABLISHED
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KEY PEOPLE
RECENTLY PUBLISHED BY BRITISH INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENT (FORMERLY CDC GROUP)
Private equity and value creation: A fund manager's guide to gender-smart investing
OVERVIEW REFERENCES
- https://www.bii.co.uk/en/
- https://www.bii.co.uk/en/our-impact/
- https://www.bii.co.uk/en/about/
- https://www.bii.co.uk/en/about/our-company/
- https://www.bii.co.uk/en/about/our-company/how-we-operate/
- https://www.bii.co.uk/en/about/our-company/how-we-operate/how-we-make-investment-decisions/
- https://www.bii.co.uk/en/about/our-company-2/our-corporate-governance/