In this second episode of the podcast, I spoke with Lara Viada, who is the investment director at Creas, a pioneering impact investment firm in Spain. Lara's educational background is in finance, economics and in international relations. Prior to joining creas in 2018, she has worked in impacts roles from Panama with the UNDP, to Washington with the U.S. Development Finance Corporation, among many others. In the interview, we talked about her journey from broad to narrow impact themes, what it means to raise the bar as an impact fund, and where the nicest place is to go for a walk in Madrid.
The EVPA Impact Funds Initiative podcast is a series of interviews with Europe’s leading investors for impact. In every episode we look at the personal journeys of fund managers, who were the first to blend the creation of impact with the practice of making return-oriented investments. While being full of practical knowledge about the challenges and opportunities of raising funds and managing capital, their stories also convey the excitement of setting sail for new horizons. The podcast was developed in a partnership with European Venture Philanthropy Association (EVPA).