Georgia Levenson Keohane

Georgia Levenson Keohane is recognized for her expertise at the intersection of capital markets, philanthropy, and public policy, with more than two decades of cross-sector leadership addressing social and economic challenges. Keohane serves as chief executive of the Soros Economic Development Fund, the impact investing arm of Open Society Foundations. The fund manages over $400 million in investments globally, supporting private sector projects that align with Open Society's program priorities. Its mission investing approach offers risk-tolerant capital, including loans, equity, guarantees, and grants, prioritizing social and environmental impact over financial returns and seeking to attract additional investors to mission-focused initiatives.

Keohane's career spans the private, nonprofit, and public sectors. As a former McKinsey consultant, she has advised CEOs, boards, and investors on strategy, operations, ESG, sustainable and impact investing, and inclusive growth. She previously served as executive director of the Pershing Square Foundation and as president of the Navab Capital Partners Foundation, leading responsible investment practices. Earlier roles include fellowships at the Roosevelt Institute and New America, where she also served as director. Her early work at McKinsey included helping to establish The September 11th Fund, which supported the rebuilding of small businesses in New York City through public-private partnerships.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Keohane launched and oversaw the Emergency Cash Assistance Program for New York City, a public-private partnership that raised and distributed over $17 million to more than 30,000 low-income residents. This initiative reflects her commitment to blended capital solutions for urgent social needs, a theme present in her writing and public speaking.

Keohane is the author of "Capital and the Common Good: How Innovative Finance is Tackling the World's Most Urgent Problems" and "Social Entrepreneurship for the 21st Century: Innovation Across the Nonprofit, Private and Public Sectors." Her work has appeared in New York Times, Foreign Affairs, Time, and Harvard Business Review. She also hosts "Capital for Good," a podcast with Columbia Business School, featuring interviews with leaders such as Nobel Laureate Maria Ressa.

Keohane serves on several corporate and nonprofit boards and holds a BA from Yale University, an MBA from Harvard Business School, and an MSc from London School of Economics, where she was a Fulbright Scholar. She is a senior fellow at New America. Keohane's academic background and practical experience in impact investing, sustainable finance, and public-private partnerships position her as a knowledgeable voice on the evolving role of business in addressing global inequality.