The Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN), a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing the scale and effectiveness of impact investing, has appointed Amit Bouri as its chief executive officer, following a global search process.

Bouri, a co-founder of the GIIN with extensive experience working with impact investors, officially assumed the role on January 2, 2015.

Bouri will engage industry leaders and members of the GIIN community to identify issues and opportunities at the leading edge of the impact investing industry.

Together they will determine how the GIIN can help accelerate industry development and alleviate barriers to investment.

Bouri said: “Awareness about impact investing has grown dramatically since the GIIN was formed five years ago. The GIIN is in a unique position to build on this momentum and harness the talent and innovation of our community, highlight unique approaches in real investments, and provide the market intelligence and resources that will help investors create the greatest impact with their money.”

Bouri will build upon the work of colleague and former CEO Luther M. Ragin, Jr, who stepped down at the end of 2014.

Bouri’s work in impact investing began when he was a strategy consultant with the Monitor Institute (now part of Deloitte).

There he was part of the team that produced the Investing for Social & Environmental Impact report.

He also previously worked as a strategy consultant with Bain & Company, and has experience working in the nonprofit and corporate philanthropy sectors.

Since co-founding the GIIN in 2009, Bouri has served as part of the leadership team, most recently as its Managing Director.

He has helped develop many of the GIIN’s programs, including the membership programs and the ImpactBase directory, as well as led the organization’s research, communications, and business development functions.

In the five years since its inception, the GIIN has raised awareness for the emerging field of impact investing and established unparalleled credibility in the market by building a network of investors and leaders, producing essential market research, establishing industry standards, and making resources available to advance the industry.

Bouri’s appointment marks a new phase for the GIIN, in which the organization will strive to facilitate deliberate, collective action among investors and other market actors to channel more investment to address social and environmental issues.

Antony Bugg-Levine, Chair of the GIIN Board of Directors, said: “Amit has a bold vision for taking the GIIN to higher levels of leadership and influence in the coming years. In addition to concrete and creative ideas for strengthening the industry, Amit has a clear understanding of how to harness the power of our diverse community and activate our network of more than 200 GIIN members to collectively accelerate market development.”