Several prominent Swiss families are among the backers of Systemiq, a think-tank founded by McKinsey's former sustainability partner.
Systemiq raised an undisclosed amount of capital including from Lombard Odier and Roche heir André Hoffmann, the London-based start-up said in a statement on Thursday. It also counts ex-Unilever CEO Paul Polman and the Goldbecks, a German family which grew wealthy in the construction industry, among its investors.
The think-tank was founded five years ago by Jeremy Oppenheim and Martin Stuchtey – both men are former McKinsey partners, and Oppenheim set up the consulting giant's sustainability advisory team. Systemiq said the duo will hand over to Taraneh Azad and Guido Schmidt-Traub following the capital transaction.
The firm will use the funds to build a network of affiliated initiatives aimed at pursuing a net-positive business approach and attracting growth capital. Systemiq will still provide advice, create and management coalitions, and venture capital investments in technologies. Lombard Odier said in a separate statement that it is the first bank to acquire a stake in Systemiq.
