Accelerating Market-Driven Partnerships Appoints Robert Foster as Executive Director

WASHINGTON, April 15, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Accelerating Market-Driven Partnerships (AMP) – an independent nonprofit that harnesses the power of markets to create economic value while driving positive social and environmental outcomes – today announced it has appointed Robert Foster as Executive Director. The former investment banker, foundation executive, and entrepreneur has more than 10 years' experience in the field of impact investing and developing private sector-led social programs in emerging economies. 

"AMP presents an innovative new approach to sourcing sustainable solutions to critical diplomacy and development challenges," says Thomas Debass, the Acting Special Representative for the U.S. Department of State's Global Partnership Initiative. "I'm pleased that Robert has agreed to join AMP as its Executive Director and to help realize the potential of this initiative."

Mr. Foster has nearly a decade of experience successfully leading and consulting to impact initiatives in Asia, Latin America and the United States. Mr. Foster's experience includes working with Harrington Investments social purpose investment vehicles and implementing market-based poverty reduction initiatives in Latin America with TechnoServe.

"It's a privilege to have been chosen as the Executive Director of such a pioneering organization," says Robert Foster. "I am eager to work with AMP's friends and partners to build a community focused on harnessing the power of public-private partnerships to drive social and environmental progress."

AMP was launched on April 26, 2012 at the U.S. Department of State's Global Impact Economy Forum in Washington, DC in partnership with the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the World Bank Group, the Law Offices of Arent Fox and Machado Associates, Grupo ABC, HP, the Rockefeller Foundation, and Mercy Corps.

AMP unites world-class leaders from diverse organizations to build solutions to shared global challenges and create value for business, society, and the planet.

The initiative provides a carefully designed innovation framework for partners to both identify shared commercial challenges and co-invest to solve them.  AMP's first area of focus is on supporting sustainable urban housing efforts in Brazil.

Approximately 87 percent of all Brazilians live in an urban environment. AMP's objective is to broaden and build a network of public-private partnerships to advance environmentally, culturally and economically sustainable cities — promoting the equity, safety and well-being of residents; minimizing the use of vital resources creating inclusive housing and vibrant communities; and developing resilient infrastructure systems to support robust growth.

Mr. Foster will provide an overview of AMP's efforts in Brazil during a webinar on Tuesday, April 16^th at 2pm EDT.  The webinar will include presentations by Melissa Bradley, Bryna Lipper, Associate Director for the Office of International and Philanthropic Innovation at U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Robert Haynie, Senior Advisor for the Global Partnership Initiative at U.S. Department of State.

Please visit www.ampglobal.org for more information. 

To join the webinar on Tuesday, April 16^th at 2pm EDT, please RSVP to [email protected].

This initiative is powered by Tides.  For more than 36 years, great ideas have thrived at Tides. We provide sophisticated financial and management services – and inspiration – to donors and doers so they can focus on achieving their vision of a just world. 

SOURCE Accelerating Market-Driven Partnerships (AMP)