From Loan Recipient to Investment Director

“It was back in 2016 or 2017 when I first met several members of the board of directors – including Michael – who had come to Cambodia for a visit. I told them about the key challenges and issues faced by similar projects and social enterprises in Cambodia.”

Christophe explained to the board that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Cambodia do not have easy access to finance. That is because banks need collateral and other relevant track records before disbursing any loans. At the same time, private equity funds and VCs were also not the best vehicles to address the issues.

“Fast forward a couple of years, I was asked by Leap201 to source companies that need impact capital. My role is to do the necessary due diligence for loan approval and help these companies and projects developed further and scale up,” says Christophe who has now become Leap201’’s eyes and ears on the ground in Myanmar, Cambodia and Indonesia.

“GrowingThe fact that I grew up in Africa gave me a sensitivity to development issues relating to water, energy and agriculture,” said Christophe. Today, he trains his focus in the areas of agriculture, water and energy, and financial inclusion for prospective loan amounts ranging from US$50,000 to US$500,000. Some of the partner companies he has worked or currently working with include: ATEC, Agros, Chamroeun, CROWDE and Boost Capital.

“At Leap201, we support companies that have measurable social impact. ” he adds. For example, Agros, our impact loan recipient aims to develop, enable and empower the farming community.

With a background in international business and a Master’s in geopolitics from the University of Paris, Christophe has spent most of his working life in the less developed parts of the world.