Richard Hawkes is the Chief Executive of the British Asian Trust, a dynamic and entrepreneurial organisation that has more than tripled in size in 18 months and blends philanthropy, innovative finance and social impact investing to deliver impact at scale across South Asia. 

Richard was formally Chief Executive of Scope (one of the largest not-for-profit organisations in the UK), International Director of VSO and Chief Executive of Sense International.  He has worked for the UN and been Chair of a number of sector bodies, including the umbrella body for UK international NGOs and the UK voluntary sector body on social care.  He is currently Chair of Motivation, an international disability NGO, and on the Advisory Board of Charity Bank.

Richard has a vast experience of innovative finance. As CEO of Scope he was responsible for launching the first social investment bond in the UK, a £20m bond that was listed on the Luxembourg Stock Market.  Scope was the only UK charity involved in the G8 summit on social investment, as well as being listed on the Social Stock Exchange.  The British Asian Trust is at the cutting edge of development finance, where traditional philanthropy meets innovative finance solutions and is currently developing a number of innovative products for South Asia, including a $10m Development Impact Bond for education in India.