Social Investment Working Group

Anwar Ali

Anwar Ali, an esteemed OBE recipient and a visionary in social entrepreneurship, stands at the helm of Upturn Enterprise Limited as its Co-Founder and dynamic CEO. His two decades of leadership have been pivotal in steering teams towards impactful contributions to individuals, communities and the business sector. With a rich tapestry of academic achievements and professional credentials, Anwar’s operational prowess is underscored by his profound abilities in stakeholder engagement, senior management and project oversight. His 20-year tenure is marked by the successful orchestration of diverse teams, adept management of publicly funded initiatives and the creation of business programmes with a social conscience, catalysing transformative effects throughout the Northwest and further afield. Driven by a passion to address societal issues and a commitment to effectuate positive change, Anwar’s work is characterised by his support for community development and his strategic delivery of socially conscious commercial offerings to businesses, stakeholders and advocates. In recognition of his significant contributions to the field of social enterprise, Anwar was honoured with an OBE in 2021. A proud member of Oldham business community , Anwar played a crucial role in advocating for the town’s designation as a SEUK ‘Social Enterprise Place’. He continues to serve as a beacon for social entrepreneurship in Oldham, embracing the role of Oldham Social Enterprise Ambassador with fervour.

Cindy Carpenter

Cindy is a Director of The Bread & Butter Project, Australia’s first social enterprise artisan bakery, investing 100% of profits to provide training and employment pathways for refugees and asylum seekers. She also leads the advisory groups supporting three other refugee-focused social enterprises; CommUnity Construction, FoodLab and Aunty’s Ginger Tonic and co-founded the Work-Integrated-Social-Enterprise Hub within Social Enterprise Australia. She is also co-founder and Chair of the Global Refugee Academy (an NGO that trains and supports refugees to access complementary pathways such as skilled visas), is a Board Director for Community Refugee Sponsorship Australia and a member of the Governance Group for the Settlement Council of Australia’s ‘Road to Belonging’ national strategy.

Wan Dazriq

Dazriq is a proven C-Suite executive and board member with extensive experience in innovation strategy, impact venture-building and growing startups across multiple industries with a focus on social impact. Dazriq is one of the foremost experts on social entrepreneurship in the region, having led the first-ever social enterprise accelerator in Malaysia under the Malaysian Global Innovation and Creativity Centre (MaGIC) and co-founded several startups at the intersection of tech and social impact that continue to be active today. Additionally, he co-developed the Malaysian Social Enterprise Blueprint and led dozens of regional social impact programs with the ASEAN Centre of Entrepreneurship (ACE). With a strong background in management and tech consulting, Dazriq has led change management and large-scale transformation projects across multiple Fortune 100 companies and government-linked companies in Malaysia. Dazriq also served on the advisory board of the Asian Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPN), is an Acumen Foundation Fellow and is an active startup mentor as well as had led the growth of an ethical equity crowdfunding entity that is licensed under the Security Commission of Malaysia that advocates for impact and ethical investments.He currently pursue initiatives in corporate sustainability strategic efforts and engagements with a tech consulting firm.

Gerry Higgins

Gerry is the founder and Managing Director of SEWF where he works to develop a global impact economy. Gerry has a BA in Education and a MSc in Business Studies and was awarded an Honorary Fellowship of Social Enterprise UK in 2017. Gerry is Irish but has lived in Scotland for over three decades and leads the SEWF team to strengthen and grow the social enterprise movement through convening, influencing and capacity building.

Leading SEWF has come about after decades, working in, establishing and supporting social enterprises in the UK and Ireland and this brings an understanding of the challenges of sustainability and leadership in values-led businesses.

Eoghan Mackie

Trained as a corporate lawyer, managed the growth and delivery of the Challenges Group over the last 25 years. Focus is on the creation and performance of impact enterprises. Operated in 78 countries. Services range from market assessment and business model innovation through management consultancy, corporate administration, to accredited learning and investment.

Chelsey MacNeil

Chelsey MacNeil, a recognized expert in social impact and community economic development, leads The Purposeful Group in Canada, a prominent consultancy specializing in social enterprise, community development and sustainability. With a career marked by pivotal contributions—establishing initiatives like rural entrepreneurship programs and catalyzing large-scale policy changes in income support and social finance—her impact is significant. Chelsey also supports future economic leaders as a faculty member at Memorial University’s MBA Program. Nationally lauded for advancing social procurement and supporting underrepresented groups in economic development, her dedication to empowering communities solidifies her as a leading influencer in reshaping social impact and community-driven economic development.

Nicola Nation

Nicola has a strong sense of social justice and combines her corporate and legal expertise to use business as a model for good. She is passionate about combining business models and positive impact to deliver social and environmental change. With more than 15 years’ experience in public and private sector consulting, including roles at MBIE, Kiwibank and Deloitte, Nicola now uses her expertise to accelerate the success of social enterprises. Nicola is a strong advocate for social procurement, impact investment and capacity building for impact-led and purpose-driven businesses and organisations. She has held senior procurement roles in Aotearoa New Zealand and internationally, most recently at the World Bank. Having been with The Ākina Foundation since 2018, Nicola started as Tumu Whakarae in October 2021 and is proud to lead a talented and passionate Ākina team on a journey to create positive change in people’s lives and for our planet. Nicola holds a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Commerce and Administration from Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington. The Ākina Foundation is a social enterprise which aims to transform the economy by working alongside government, businesses, iwi and community-led organisations to put positive social and environmental impact at the heart of our economy.