Allianz Global Investors has announced the creation of a dedicated private markets impact unit.

The Private Markets Impact unit combines existing equity and debt investing with a newly created impact measurement and management capability and will be led by Matt Christensen, Global Head of Sustainable and Impact Investing at AllianzGI.

The Private Equity Impact Investing team invests in real assets and private companies which contribute to solve global environmental and/or social issues. It comprises the Allianz Impact Investment Fund, the AfricaGrow initiative, and the Emerging Market Climate Action strategy.

The Development Finance & Private Debt Impact Investing team invests in de-risked sustainable loans in emerging and frontier markets. It comprises the Managed Co-Lending Portfolio Program and the MCPP One Planet portfolio of emerging-market loans.

In addition, AllianzGI announced the creation of an Impact Measurement & Management team, led by Diane Mak, and the launch of an impact framework to facilitate the due diligence and selection of investments that contribute to material and positive impact.

Matt Christensen, Global Head of Sustainable and Impact Investing at AllianzGI says: “Impact investing is fast-growing out of its niche. Investors want to see a positive change for the planet while generating a return, and impact investing offers a solution to these twin goals. The future growth trajectory of impact investing depends on asset managers demonstrating how the impact can be measured and reported. Our new Impact Measurement & Management approach enables us to measure impact in private equity and debt investments, and will allow us to develop our offering further according to the best standards.”