An Audacious Mission Accepted: Reflecting on 2X Global’s Inaugural Board of Directors
Two years ago, 12 individuals accepted the challenge to steer a new organisation with an audacious mission- to transform global systems of finance for good.
Their goal was to unlock gender-smart capital at scale, channeling investment and resources to the half of the world’s population - women - who have traditionally been underfunded, under-resourced and underrepresented when it comes to accessing finance.
Now, as the inaugural board of 2X Global approaches the end of their tenure, we are reflecting on the ways in which their dedication, vision, and leadership have shaped us as an organisation, putting us on a strong footing to accomplish our outsize goal.
Our board has been pivotal in our process of institution building, helping us to navigate as we have grown to a remote, yet tight-knit organisation of 20 staff members based in a dozen countries spread across the globe. Their guidance has helped us develop an equitable, value-driven people practice which underpins our structure and supports our talented team.
Through their guidance, networking and tireless advocacy, our inaugural board has also helped spark our growth as a membership network. We have grown to 150 members and 10 strategic partners currently that have joined our collective mission to shift markets and mindsets, build capacity and advance standards in gender lens investing. Our members have deployed billions of dollars in gender-smart capital, most notably under the 2X Challenge.
One of their most noteworthy achievements was one which our directors worked on from the very start - creating a governance framework.
Recognising the importance of transparency, accountability, and ethical conduct, our first directors worked tirelessly to develop policies and procedures that would set the foundation for 2X Global’s operations.
Through their expertise and commitment, they created a strong governance structure, aligned with international best practice. This has in turn, instilled trust and confidence in 2X Global from members and partners and paved the way for sustainable growth and impact.
Beyond these accomplishments, perhaps the most profound and lasting legacy of our inaugural board has been the culture of 2X Global which they helped to cultivate.
Each in their own ways have been champions for our work - nudging or urging us towards being more collaborative, more innovative and more ambitious about how we can change the world through making finance more inclusive.
As we make the transition from our Inaugural Board to our Governing Board, we look forward to continuing this journey with several of these directors and are appreciative that this transition has been made seamless and possible by this pioneering first group. We are reminded of what can be accomplished when passionate individuals come together with a shared vision and mission.
We are grateful for the guidance and wisdom of:
Sukhvir Basran (Chair)
Jen Braswell (Founding Director)
Jessica Espinoza (Executive Director)
The late Suzanne Biegel
Andia Chakava
Kshama Fernandes
Borja Garcia Fernandez
Sonia Jordan-Kirwan
Henriette Kolb
Najada Kumbuli
Anne-Marie Levesque
Alec Paxton
