The Abraaj Group, an investor operating in global growth markets, has appointed former diplomat Kito de Boer as Managing Partner.

De Boer has over 30 years’ experience across diverse geographies and sectors.

De Boer will oversee Abraaj’s Impact Investing business and will spearhead the Group’s global efforts to deploy private capital as a means of tackling some of the world’s most pressing challenges.

“I am delighted to be joining Abraaj. To be relevant as a leader in the next era of Impact Investing is to be material. The challenge of funding the UN Sustainable Development Goals is one of scale. Meeting this funding challenge will demand an investment platform with the combination of scope to penetrate those geographies and sectors most in need of capital, performance credibility based on track record, and a values system that will nurture partnerships across the ecosystem of sectors – public, private, philanthropic and development,” said de Boer.

“Not only is Abraaj preeminent – no other Firm has the relevant scope, credibility and values – but more importantly, it has the vision and will to demonstrate that high performing capitalism can and must do good in addition to doing well,” he added.

In 2014, de Boer was appointed by US Secretary of State John Kerry to become Head of Mission of the Office of the Quartet based in Jerusalem with a specific focus on the economic track of the Middle East Peace Process. 

He assumed overall leadership when former Prime Minister Tony Blair stepped aside as Quartet Representative.

Prior to this diplomatic posting, de Boer spent 29 years with McKinsey & Co. based in London, New Delhi and Dubai. 

He was one of the initial team of Partners that created the India Practice in 1993 and went on to found and lead the Middle East Practice in 1999 and the Global Government Practice in 2009. 

De Boer was Head of the Public and Social Sector Practice for EMEA from 2009 onwards.

According to the Business and Sustainable Development Commission, the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) present at least $12trn of investable opportunities and could create 380 million new jobs by 2030. 

Abraaj’s Impact Investing line of business is aligned to the SDGs and is currently focused on accessible healthcare and clean energy in growth markets.

Arif Naqvi, Founder and Group CEO of The Abraaj Group, said: “For us, investing with impact is core to the markets in which we operate. There is a real opportunity for businesses to positively address and deliver on the SDGs. Throughout his distinguished career, Kito has demonstrated both a commitment to these aspirations and a professional excellence that matches our own. I am confident his experience will help guide our goals to expand and grow this increasingly important line of business.”