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Andrew Kuper

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Andrew Kuper
Born
South Africa
NationalitySouth African
Alma materHarvard University
Witwatersrand University
University of Cambridge (PhD)
Occupation(s)Entrepreneur, businessman, investor and author
Known forCEO, founder, LeapFrog Investments[1]

Andrew Kuper is a South African serial entrepreneur and investor in emerging markets.[2] He is the founder and CEO of LeapFrog Investments, a specialist investor in emerging markets, investing in financial services and healthcare.[3] Former United States President Bill Clinton announced the launch of the company at the 2008 Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting, recognising it for opening new frontiers in alternative investing.[4] In 2017, Fortune ranked LeapFrog Investments as one of the top 5 Companies to Change the World, alongside Apple and Novartis.[5] He resides in Sydney, Australia.[6]

Career

Kuper was born in South Africa and brought up on a farm outside of Johannesburg. He is the son of anti-apartheid campaigners.[7] He began investing at the age of 10 and took on his first clients at age 13.[8] He attended the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg.[9] He later graduated from Cambridge University with a PhD in social science and political science supervised by Nobel laureate Amartya Sen.[2][10]

In 2004, Kuper was appointed to managing director at Ashoka, an organisation that finances thousands of social entrepreneurs.[11] Among other roles, he ran the Global Academy for Social Entrepreneurship, working with Muhammad Yunus of Grameen Bank and Fazle Abed of BRAC.[12][13]

In 2007, Kuper founded LeapFrog Investments. Using a distinctive 'profit with a purpose' approach, LeapFrog invests in companies that provide access to financial services and healthcare to underserved people in emerging markets.[7][2][14][15] Since its establishment, as chief executive, Kuper has helped attract over $1 billion from global investors including American International Group Inc. (AIG), Swiss Re AG, AXA SA and Prudential Financial.[16][17] The companies in which the firm has invested have had an annual growth rate of more than 40% and reach 130 million people in 149 countries.[18]

In 2018, Kuper was awarded the John S. Bickley Founders Award Gold Medal for Excellence by the International Insurance Society recognised for his pioneering work in profit with purpose investment.[19]

Earlier in his career, Kuper received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award.[20] He was also named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum,[21] and received the Young Presidents' Organization's Social Engagement Network Award. Kuper has delivered keynote addresses to the Clinton Global Initiative, Geneva Association CEO Meetings, the IFC/Emerging Markets Private Equity Association (EMPEA) summits, and the EY World Entrepreneur of the Year event.[14] He is a board member of EMPEA.[22]

Kuper is the editor of one book on governance and globalisation, Global Responsibilities (Routledge, 2005) and the author of another, Democracy Beyond Borders (Oxford, 2004).

Bibliography

  • Kuper, A. (2004). Democracy beyond borders: Justice and representation in global institutions. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  • Kuper, A. (2005). Global responsibilities: Who must deliver on human rights? New York: Routledge.

References

  1. ^ Anna Lyudig (25 July 2013). "Taking a leap". AfricaAM Asset Management. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  2. ^ a b c Max Mason (1 September 2012). "Raising capital, improving prospects". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  3. ^ Jessica Pothering (30 December 2014). "This investment firm is insuring families' rise out of poverty". Entrepreneur. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  4. ^ "President Clinton spotlights LeapFrog, first microinsurance firm". Insurance Journal. 28 September 2008. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  5. ^ "How These 50 Innovative Companies Are Changing the World for Good". Fortune. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
  6. ^ Sally Rose (24 January 2016). "LeapFrog Investments snags $500m from Prudential for fintech in Africa". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  7. ^ a b Will Smale (23 January 2017). "Why Bill Clinton helped a 33-year-old build a $1bn firm". CNN. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
  8. ^ Mason, Max (31 August 2012). "Raising capital, improving prospects". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
  9. ^ Sally Rose (9 September 2014). "LeapFrog closes second fund at $432m". The Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  10. ^ "Leapfrog Investments raises second fund". Financial Mail. 24 October 2013. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  11. ^ Newton, Paula (9 February 2014). "Foundation: Ashoka: Innovators For The Public". intelligent HQ. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  12. ^ Alice Korngold (2 December 2009). "Microinsurance: The new microcredit". Fast Company. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  13. ^ Stefanie Rubin (13 November 2009). "Meet the boss: Interview with Andrew Kuper, president and founder of LeapFrog Investments Ltd". MicroCapital. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  14. ^ a b Devin Thorpe (11 July 2013). "Can Impact Investors Actually Make Money?". Forbes. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  15. ^ "US insurer Prudential Financial makes African bet". Financial Times. 21 January 2016. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  16. ^ Renee Bonorchis (31 October 2014). "Insurers drawn by African dawn for cover, says LeapFrog". Bloomberg Business. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  17. ^ Clark, Simon (22 January 2016). "Prudential Financial to Invest $350 Million in African Insurers". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  18. ^ Review, Asia Insurance. "An emerging markets story- Reaching the next 1bn by 2030". Asia Insurance Review. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
  19. ^ "Andrew Kuper Named the 2018 Founder's Award Recipient | International Insurance Society". www.internationalinsurance.org. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
  20. ^ Lorna Brett (16 May 2015). "Entrepreneur of the year nominees revealed". Dynamic Business. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  21. ^ Imaralu, Douglas (13 March 2013). "World Economic Forum Lists 21 Africans Amongst Young Global Leaders 2013". Ventures Africa. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  22. ^ "Board of Directors - EMPEA". EMPEA. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
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