Program speakers

Erica Barbosa-Vargas

Global Head of Innovation & Sustainable Finance, SecondMuse Capital

Erica is Global Head of Innovation & Sustainable Finance at SecondMuse Capital, the financial and investment arm of SecondMuse, a global innovation agency dedicated to building inclusive economies around the world. As part of SecondMuse Capital’s leadership team, Erica oversees ESG integration and impact across all investment strategies and the development of blended finance mechanisms to support large asset owners and investors in mobilising capital to advance the SDGs and connect with new economies around the world.

Erica joined SecondMuse Capital after 10 years as Director of Solutions Finance at The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation, where led strategies for financial innovation and integration of the Foundation’s financial assets to support social and economic system’s transformation. Erica spearheaded the Foundation’s impact investing practice, where she oversaw the management of a multi-asset impact investing portfolio ($130M AUM), including blended finance approaches; and ESG integration within the Foundation’s endowment ($700M AUM). She also led a portfolio of national market-building initiatives. Erica joined the Foundation with 13 years of global professional experience in the private sector and international development, primarily in Latin America, Canada and the UK. She sits on Advisory Boards of various investment funds in Canada, of organisations working in social innovation globally, and is adviser for international development projects. She co-founded Educating the Streets-Building Society, an award-winning program for capabilities development of youth and working children in Bolivia.

She completed undergraduate studies in behavioural psychology and neuroscience, holds an MPA in Public and Economic Policy from the London School of Economics & Political Science. She specialises in innovation and systems dynamics for inclusive economic development.