Impact Unlocked

Dawn Chan, the CEO of the Centre for Impact Investing and Practices, and managing director of Investments at Temasek Trust Capital, shares insights on the evolution of impact investing in Asia and how the organisation is empowering the next generation of changemakers \

- Nafeesa Saini

What does a luxury dress have to do with solving the world’s sustainable development challenges? More than you might think. Last October, designer Mara Hoffman unveiled “The Dress that Changes Everything”. Crafted entirely from Circ Lyocell—a silk-like fabric made from 50 per cent recycled textile waste—the dress marked the debut of this innovative material in the luxury sector, showcasing the potential of impact-driven startups such as Circ, the US-based company behind the technology.

However, many such ventures face a critical challenge: securing sufficient funding to navigate the “valley of death”—a funding gap between early-stage and growth capital that often stifles their growth. The Amplifier programme, a collaboration between Temasek Trust’s ecosystem entities Centre for Impact Investing and Practices (CIIP) and Philanthropy Asia Alliance, is designed to bridge the chasm.

“The success of the Amplifier is underpinned by partnerships,” says Dawn Chan, the chief executive officer of CIIP. Having started her career at Vertex Holdings, a venture capital fund, and spent nearly two decades at Temasek International, where she helmed the Consumer unit, Chan has a deep understanding of the investment landscape and a proven track record of identifying high-potential opportunities Since 2022, she has steered the strategic direction and growth of CIIP, while managing the investment portfolio for Temasek Trust Capital. CIIP aims to play a larger role in building a robust impact network. It works on a three-pronged approach: equipping impact investors and companies with knowledge and tools; fostering informed decision-making and facilitating collaboration among stakeholders from the impact ecosystem; and driving resources towards impact outcomes.