Goodwell Investments announces that it will expand it’s scope of activities within the impact investment sector. The firm has developed microfinance investment companies for India and West Africa with a total committed capital of around $ 70 million which it manages in joint ventures with local teams. Goodwell’s portfolio companies have provided over $ 1.2 billion in small loans to morethan 6 million families. Building on the firm's successful roll-out over the last five years Goodwell is expanding its investment and advisory activities within the microfinance field and other impact investment sectors, such as SME finance, water and sanitation, health care and renewable energy. Goodwell is a partner-owned firm and has welcomed two new partners, Bob Assenberg and Bernadette Blom who will add significant strength to Goodwell's expansion. 

Bernadette Blom (42) is the co-founder of Corporate Connect, a financial advisory firm with a focus on emerging markets and alternative products. Bernadette continues the advisory activities of Corporate Connect within Goodwell. In the last 9 years, Corporate Connect has advised various investors and social investment funds on strategic issues, deal structuring and fundraising. Client projects included setting up the TCX Fund for FMO and the Medical Credit Fund for PharmAccess. Prior to Corporate Connect Bernadette worked at Accenture (Amsterdam) as senior strategy consultant for financial services and Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi investment banking (London). Bernadette started her career at ABN AMRO Bank’s investment banking global clients division (Amsterdam).

Bob Assenberg (43) worked at Triodos Bank where he managed a microfinance fund and a number of equity funds for renewable energy, both in Europe and developing countries. Bob served on aninvestment committee and boards in the microfinance sector in India. Prior to Triodos Bank, Bob gained operational management experience in microfinance and SME-banking as General Manager at ProCredit Bank in Bosnia and Herzegovina.Prior to that Bob worked with FMO, focusing on investments in Asia. At the start of his career he worked eight years for multinational companies in the Netherlands and UK in the area of corporate finance, M&A and treasury management.

Wim van der Beek, founding partner of Goodwell comments: "We are very pleased to welcome Bob and Bernadette as partner in our firm.  Both have impressive track records in the fields of impact investment and developmentfinance. They share our passion for professional and innovative finance solutions that have demonstrable impact and good returns. 2010 has been a good year for Goodwell, with significant growth in our funds and scope of activities. By effectively doubling our partner team we can capture the significant growth opportunities in our field while maintaining our high quality of work. Bob and Bernadette will both contribute to the further expansion of our microfinance activities. In addition, Bob will broaden thescope of our impact investing activities especially in the fields of renewable energy and SME finance and Bernadette will expand Goodwell's advisory activities, where we see an increasing interest from likeminded parties that want to tap into our impact investment expertise and experience.”