President Clinton Announces Next Frontier in Microfinance and Insurance


We have been overwhelmed by responses from around the world to President Clinton’s launch of LeapFrog at the Clinton Global Initiative. Attended by 1200 global leaders and 1000 press, CGI has been a catalyst for impressive new talent, partnerships, investors, and support coming our way. We hope to inspire you in turn by sharing just a few examples below from leading media who have recognized this new frontier for microfinance and insurance.

$100 million commitment to deliver low-cost insurance

“Microcredit has allowed the poor to gain assets and raise household incomes, but their life savings can be wiped out in the event of a house fire or other catastrophe. Dr. Andrew Kuper, LeapFrog’s founder and president, hopes giving the same people access to insurance will encourage risk-taking to start new businesses, make lende more willing to lend and improve health-care by reducing the costs of seeking care, among other benefits. Dr. Kuper also believes it can prove to be good business.” read more

First Microinsurance PE Firm Launched at Clinton-led Event

“The firm aims to provide 25 million low-income individuals with access to microinsurance, small insurance plans managing risk to life, homes, property, health, crops and businesses. Kuper said the low-income population around the globe, which consists of four billion to five billion people, is the largest untapped market in the world. ‘We found that there is a huge demand, over one billion people, demanding microinsurance ... they can pay and they’re willing to pay for insurance products that protect them.’ ” read more

President Clinton Spotlights LeapFrog

“Just as leaders such as Muhammad Yunus and Fazle Abed showed the power of microcredit as an alternative asset class, leading to a flood of funds and firms investing in the space, so the leaders of LeapFrog and their partners have pioneered microinsurance, and are now taking the financing of this industry to the next level.” read more

Clinton Global Initiative Recognizes Two Social Investment Firms

“The Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) recognized two investment firms last week at its annual meeting in New York City. Both are receiving accolades for using capital markets to address poverty and create economic opportunities for people in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

LeapFrog is addressing a market of a billion people, less than 3% of whom currently have insurance. Without insurance, they find it difficult to recover from shocks, take business risks to increase their income, build assets and thus escape poverty permanently.” read more

CGI meeting ends with $8 billion in commitments

“Former President Bill Clinton announced at the recently concluded meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative last month that CGI members had made 250 commitments valued at $8 billion, commitments that include $100 million over ten years from LeapFrog Investments and its partners to launch a micro-insurance initiative that will enable 25 million low-income individuals to access affordable, quality insurance and financial services; $50 million over five years from Microsoft to expand its Innovative Teachers programme to more than a hundred countries; and $26 million over four years from the American University in Dubai to create scholarships for students from the Middle East to attend the Mohammed bin Rashid School for Communication.” read more

President Clinton Announces Next Frontier in Microfinance and Insurance

Launches World’s First Microinsurance Investment Firm in Session with Tony Blair, Dozens of CEOs, Heads of State

NEW YORK, NY, September 26, 2008 – Today at the finale Special Session of the Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting, Former President William Jefferson Clinton announced the launch of LeapFrog Investments. It is the world’s first investment firm to focus on the insurance needs of low-income people. It is also the largest microinsurance initiative in the world, by several multiples.

President Clinton announced that LeapFrog has committed to invest $100 Million over the next ten years to enable 25 million low income people in Africa and Asia to gain access to affordable, quality insurance and financial services.

“The estimated market size for microinsurance is a billion people. Less than 3 percent of these people now have any kind of insurance,” President Clinton said in announcing LeapFrog’s commitment. “LeapFrog will enable 25 million low income people to access affordable quality insurance and financial services. 15 million of them will be women and children.”

President Clinton added that key focus regions include India, Pakistan, South Africa, Ghana and Kenya. “We are thrilled to be recognized and supported by President Clinton at the Clinton Global Initiative, and to have the next frontier in microfinance and insurance embraced by so many world leaders,” said Dr. Andrew Kuper, Founder and President of LeapFrog Investments. “There is a vast unmet demand for insurance globally; the reality for the insurance industry is that growth will come from emerging markets especially – where most of the population is low-income. There is a tremendous opportunity to build profitable and sustainable businesses that at the same time protect low-income people and help them escape devastating poverty.”


Seth Meisel Joins Investment Committee

Seth Meisel has over a decade of experience at leading private equity and strategy firms, and is currently a Principal at Bain Capital. Over nearly 10 years at the firm, he has evaluated hundreds of opportunities on six continents and executed transactions totaling over $10 billion in enterprise value. These include roll-up, corporate carve out, and public-to-private transactions in North America, Europe, and Asia. He joins LeapFrog in his personal capacity.

Ingo Weber Joins Investment Committee

We are glad to announce that Ingo Weber is joining the LeapFrog Investment Committee. Ingo brings extensive investment expertise in both the insurance and financial services sectors to LeapFrog. In senior roles at GE Capital, Swiss Re and other leading institutions, Ingo has executed numerous M&A and Private Equity transactions on a global scale. In addition to serving on the Investment Committee, Ingo's strong business development acumen will add considerable value to LeapFrog's overall strategy and development.

Sari Miller Partners with LeapFrog and Joins Advisory Board

Sari Miller has over two decades of experience in private equity. She has served at the highest levels of insurance companies, and managed successful exits to major insurance companies. It is with great pleasure that we announce her partnership with LeapFrog Investments Ltd.
"In addition to a very impressive executive team, with diverse and relevant competences in insurance and investment, LeapFrog has assembled an outstanding group of professionals and firms, and a powerful advisory board. This ability to attract and retain talented leaders and global brands - with a distinct and compelling value proposition - is in my opinion an important indicator of future success ... I personally undertook many hours of due diligence, getting to know the financial models, executive team and market opportunity. I have also agreed to join the Advisory Board... I am glad to be part of LeapFrog." -Sari Miller

Felipe Medina Joins Advisory Board

We are pleased to announce that Felipe Medina has joined the LeapFrog Investments Advisory Board in his personal capacity. Felipe is the Regional Director for Latin America Private Wealth Management of Goldman Sachs. He began his career in Goldman Sachs in 1990 managing assets for Latin American clients and formed the largest team in the region. Currently, Felipe spends 20% of his time analyzing the social investment field in Latin America, focusing on projects that generate sustainable development in the region. He sits in the board of several organizations that operate in the region. LeapFrog looks forward to benefiting from his wisdom and expertise.