TLDR: From Global Finance To Impact Innovation

Key Points:

• Robert Brown, previously a leading economist and Wall Street investor, has joined the Sorenson Impact Institute as a Senior Fellow.
• Brown believes that impact measurement is a public good and that there should be a dedication to developing metrics.
• He advocates for an integrated approach to impact investing and thinks that Wall Street has become more astute and educated about impact and ESG.
• Brown believes that trust is important for building things together and that investors generally struggle to evaluate issues of sustainability.

Robert Brown, a former leading economist and Wall Street investor, has joined the Sorenson Impact Institute as a Senior Fellow. With more than 30 years of experience in global finance and research, Brown is now focused on pushing impact investing into the mainstream. In a recent interview, Brown shared his views on impact investing, including his thoughts on ESG, impact measurement, and the relationship between Wall Street and the impact community. He emphasized the importance of quality data and metrics in impact investing, and the need to capture as many perspectives as possible in their development. Brown believes that Wall Street has become more astute and educated about impact and ESG, and that there are misconceptions in the public about ESG and impact investing. He also feels that the field of impact investing should be taught more extensively in business schools.

Brown’s work at the Sorenson Impact Institute will focus on integrating impact investing into broader business and investment practices, as well as developing the next generation of impact professionals. He will conduct high-quality research and mentor students as they enter the field. Brown is optimistic about the future of impact investing and believes that the Sorenson Impact Institute and the University of Utah David Eccles School of Business are the perfect places to pursue this work.