Chairman, The Big Issue

Since 1974 Nigel has created, built and scaled social enterprises and social investment. He joined The Big Issue Group (TBIG) in 1994, becoming its CEO and then Group Chair. In 2004, he and Lord Bird launched Big Issue Invest, a social merchant bank which has now invested in over 450 social enterprises across the UK. TBI and BII currently manages or advises on over £400m of social and environmental funds ranging from innovative early-stage venture funds, lending, regulated investment funds and public market funds. In 2013, TBIG co-founded the first of the public market impact funds including the pioneering Columbia Threadneedle UK Social Bond Fund investing in corporate bonds creating a more inclusive, sustainable and balanced UK and latterly with abrdn, the Multi-Asset Climate Solutions Fund which seeks to invest in companies deriving over 40% of their income from climate solutions. Nigel co-founded The Big Exchange with a mission to ‘democratise’ capital. It is an accessible, understandable, and transparent investment platform for ordinary people in the UK, providing access to social and environmental independently impact rated funds. It is the largest impact-only online platform with 63 rated funds from 17 asset managers that manage over £60bn of investor’s money. Prior to joining The Big Issue, Nigel founded three printing and publishing social enterprises and is a Social Enterprise UK ‘Champion of Champions.