Andrew Muirhead the current CEO of Inspiring Scotland will be joining AVPN as executive vice chairman with effect from January 2014. Andrew will bring his leadership experience from the financial services sector, corporate foundation sector as well as founder CEO of a leading European venture philanthropy organisation. AVPN expects to announce its new CEO shortly.
Wednesday Aug 28th 2013, Singapore:AVPN today announced that Andrew Muirhead the CEO of Inspiring Scotland will be joining as executive vice chairman with effect from January 2013. Andrew will bring his leadership experience from the financial services sector, corporate foundation sector as well as founder CEO of a leading European venture philanthropy organisation.Doug Miller, founder chairman of AVPN said: “I have known Andrew for six years and seen the success he has achieved as CEO of Inspiring Scotland and as a board director of the European Venture Philanthropy Association. His experience in initiating and implementing a successful VP fund will translate directly into AVPN efforts to establish and grow the industry throughout Asia. His experience with EVPA will help broaden both AVPN’s network and contribute to the growth of its value adding services”.Andrew said: “I have enjoyed the challenge of setting up and growing Inspiring Scotland and know that I am leaving a strong, stable and talented team in place. There is a tremendous opportunity for building a vibrant venture philanthropy and social investment community across Asia. I look forward to sharing much of what we have learnt at Inspiring Scotland and at the EVPA to lead AVPN’s expansion from its regional base in Singapore”.This is the first of two senior management hires that AVPN is making. AVPN expects to announce soon the hire of a new CEO as it builds resources to move from successful start-up to expansion phase. Andrew, the new CEO, Kevin Teo and Stacey Choe will execute AVPN’s ambitious next stage growth plans. This includes establishing a regional Knowledge Centre in Singapore and developing local operations progressively in India and Greater China. AVPN continues to roll out more membership services as it promotes and develops the venture philanthropy social investment sector across Asia.Andrew is vice chairman designate of AVPN and his appointment is subject to AVPN’s full board nominations process and applicable Singapore legal and regulatory requirements. Simon Chadwick, AVPN’s CEO from start-up, will remain an AVPN non-executive director and contribute to the further development of AVPN’s mission.About AVPN The Asian Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPN) is developing a vibrant venture philanthropy and social investment community across the Asia Pacific region. Building on the success of the European Venture Philanthropy Association, AVPN now has more than 130 members from 21 countries.AVPN undertakes field building activities in Asia and provides a range of networking and learning services to support its members and followers as they deploy financial and human capital to create meaningful social impact.We envision an Asian philanthropic landscape that responds effectively to the resource needs of high-potential social purpose organisations (SPOs); a landscape where businesses, grant-makers, government funders and universities collaborate to help SPOs deliver maximum social value.AVPN has created and continues to grow a diverse network of organisations practicing and supporting venture philanthropy in Asia. This network supports its members through peer learning and promotes venture philanthropy to the wider community, including private equity managers, family offices and other wealth / asset managers, grant-making foundations, professional services firms, impact investors, universities, corporations and government-related entities.For more information including upcoming events and a list of members visit www.avpn.asia For more information contact: Douglas Miller, Chairman [email protected] Simon Chadwick, CEO [email protected] Kevin Teo, COO [email protected] About Andrew MuirheadFollowing an initial career in Banking Andrew has been involved in the UK Philanthropic sector since 1993. He went on to lead Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland as Chief Executive until 2008, when he became Founding Chief Executive of Inspiring Scotland.Andrew has led the development of a wide range of innovative programmes to support Scottish charities to scale and to help tackle key social challenges both in the UK and in developing countries in Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe and South America. His pioneering work was recognised in the 2008 Beacon Prize awards.It was his passion for the Not-for-Profit Sector and the effective use of money and other resources that led him to travel for much of 2006 and consider various models from throughout the world which sought to achieve high impact social change. This learning led him to found Inspiring Scotland; which was launched in January 2009 to develop innovative responses to major social challenges through the provision of money and skills. It enjoys wide support from Government, Business, Charitable Trusts and Private Individuals including a number of Scotland’s leading entrepreneurs.A fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers in Scotland, Andrew’s non-executive career has spanned Broadcasting, University Sector and Community Development. Andrew is a Board Member of the European Venture Philanthropy Association, is on the Advisory Board for The Centre for Charitable Giving and Philanthropy, he also serves as a Member of a Ministerial Task Force on Health Inequalities.About Inspiring ScotlandInspiring Scotland is the only venture philanthropy organisation to have been developed from the voluntary sector and to have successfully created a model for Government, private individuals and trust and foundations to invest in an outcome focused and strategic way.Inspiring Scotland raises money from a range of investors, including the Scottish Government, charitable trusts and foundations, the corporate sector and leading business people and Individuals all keen to gain tangible results from their charitable donations.In less than five years Inspiring Scotland has supported over 90 charities across six funds and invested over US$60million. This investment combined with hundreds of hours of pro bono support from private sector supporter has helped over 10,000 young people secure a place in education, training or employment, support 14,000 of Scotland most vulnerable young people and families and created 20,000 free play hours within disadvantaged communities.In 2012 an independent Evaluation explored Inspiring Scotland’s venture philanthropy model and found it creates more robust and sustainable charities and provides a vehicle for donors to gain extended impact to their investment. www.inspiringscotland.org.uk
