We are proud to be part of the growing Deetken Impact team, and are excited to introduce this diverse and talented group of investment professionals. Each month, we will feature one of our colleagues so you can get to know them better!
Meet Carl Black, Chief Investment Officer of Deetken Impact Sustainable Energy. Carl is an investment professional focused on supporting MSMEs, social enterprises, and renewable energy project developers in Latin America and the Caribbean. His main responsibilities are the identification, structuring, and assessment of investment opportunities in the renewable energy sector in Central America and the Caribbean for Deetken Impact’s two renewable-energy focused funds.
After completing an Honours BA in Economics at the University of British Columbia, Carl started his career at the Bank of Canada supporting the Canadian Economic Analysis department with research focused on macroeconomic issues with household credit in Canada in the wake of the global financial crisis. He then moved to the University of Oxford where he completed a MSc. in Economics for Development, and afterwards joined the Deetken Group as an associate in the business consulting practice in 2012. Over a five year period, he was gradually promoted to the role of Principal Consultant and made important contributions to the development of the business and on a variety of consulting engagements, predominantly with the Canadian public sector, including a multi-year effort advising the BC Government with respect to the LNG-led development of the natural gas sector.
As a consultant, Carl supported the founding of Deetken Impact in 2013, and provided advisory services to several early investee companies. Later, he joined Deetken Impact full-time as an investment officer for the Deetken Impact Fund in 2016, supporting its transition into the Ilu Women Empowerment Fund in 2019. As the organization grew, Carl then transitioned to the renewable energy funds, initially as an investment officer, and today as the Chief Investment Officer. Born in Canada, Carl has lived in Latin America for five years, and is fluent in English and Spanish.
What is your favorite part of the work you do, and why?
For one, I like that it is mentally engaging and challenging. I am constantly learning. Especially in the renewable energy sector, the work is multi-disciplinary and requires significant collaboration as we consider financial, legal, technical, social & environmental, and fiscal aspects of investment opportunities. Secondly, I love that we have an international focus and that the work involves cross-cultural collaboration to work on some very important global issues.
What advice do you have for someone interested in a career in Impact Investing?
I like to think of impact investing as investing in things one cares deeply about. It’s not hard to get excited about the impact our work has, but at the end of the day it is a job in finance. Hone your technical skills. The day-to-day is not always so glamorous. Ensure you are self-motivated, with good personal leadership habits to drive the most impact you possibly can by optimizing investment performance.
Carl enjoys spending free time with his family, pictured above with his partner and two nieces on a recent visit to Canada.
What is one thing people would be surprised to learn about you?
I learned to read Koine Greek in University, spoken throughout the eastern Mediterranean region during the Hellenic and Roman empires.
What is your favourite city/country you have visited, and which is at the top of your bucket list to visit?
I honestly do not have a favorite. Since joining Deetken Impact, I’ve had the opportunity to visit many countries in Latin America as part of my work, and am grateful for all of those visits. I really enjoyed a recent personal vacation to Havana in Cuba. In Costa Rica, where I’m currently living, I find myself wandering repeatedly to the Pacific coast to visit places like the Manuel Antonio national park. I always enjoy returning to England and Scotland where I studied and where my Grandpa was born. It’s a big world and I’d love to travel more in Africa and Asia where I have less experience.
You can learn more about Carl by following him on social media!
Get to know more about the Deetken Impact Team by checking out the other features in our Meet the Team series!
