Enabling Impact

Strategist - Connector - Mentor

Change happens when leaders step in make sure it happens and respond to opportunities to create impact and to demonstrate what’s possible.

Rosemary is a pioneering leader who steps into these opportunities.  She is a go to leader and strategist for deep subject matter expertise in systems change, social innovation and impact investment.

Rosemary is a trusted coach and strategist to senior leaders who want to make a difference and know business as usual will not deliver the change we need to see in the world, enabling them to make sense of global trends and opportunities and chart a course forward.  She connects leaders with people, organisations, ideas and resources across sectors, disciplines and geographies with uncommon capacity to cut through to what is relevant and useful to create significant value.

Our Approach

We are values driven and have the highest standards of integrity and professional excellence.  Impact is at the centre of everything we do. Our number one decision making criteria for accepting an engagement is whether it is an opportunity to maximise the impact we can make and the leadership we can bring for the best possible outcome.

Our approach is commercial and brings genuine heart, locally relevant and brings the best of global understanding to bear, pragmatic about what can be done and ambitious about what is possible, responsive and proactive, context appropriate and challenges the status quo.

We navigate ambiguity and complexity to create pathways for others to follow and make it easier for the leaders we work with to explore new ways of doing things. We are principled and clear about what we can and cannot do and what we will and will not do.

We are professional and fun, collaborative and disciplined, know our value and value the contributions of others.

Timeline for Impact

Equity Partner Arthur Robinson & Hedderwicks (now Allens Linklaters)

In 1999 Rosemary was invited to become an equity partner of what was then Arthur Robinson & Hedderwicks, Australia’s leading professional services firm.  From 2000 – 2002 she was ranked by Chamber’s Global among the world’s leading lawyers

Australian Institute of Company Directors

In 2002 Rosemary was among the first cohorts to undertake the Australian Institute of Company Directors Course and she has nearly 2 decades of experience as a Director and Chair

Prospectus Guide: Inviting Investment in Social Enterprise

Led development of prospectus guide for inviting investment in social enterprise – supported by the RE Ross Trust, this was one of the first initiatives to put the spotlight on investing in purpose driven organisations to enable them to grow their impact. The Trust still supports this initiative with small…Read More

Victorian Government, Premier’s Department leading National Reform

Recruited to Victorian Premier’s Department to lead ambitious productivity oriented suite of national reforms in social and economic policy and federal financial relations across Australian jurisdictions, including leading on engagement through the Council of Australian Governments agenda.

National Reform Agenda

Brought in by The Victorian Premier’s Department to lead major national social and economic policy reform agenda focused on productivity across all Australian jurisdictions. Strategy across complex agenda spanning financial arrangements between Commonwealth and States and policy areas from health and education to consumer affairs and deregulation which delivered billions…Read More

Australian Gov Social Innovation Strategist

Invited to join Australian Government Senior Executive Service as the first Social Innovation Strategist to drive initiatives in social innovation, enterprise and investment across a Government agenda of productivity and inclusion. Oversaw ground-breaking initiatives translating economic policy tools to social policy.

NSW Government Social Impact Expert Advisory Group

Appointed to NSW Government Social Investment Expert Advisory Group chaired by Professor Peter Shergold AC, to advise NSW Treasury and the cross-departmental steering group on social investment policy. Informed whole of government strategy 2015 including establishment of the Office of Social Impact Investment.

Children’s Ground – networked incubation in Government

From late 2010 to 2012 led the incubation of Children’s Ground, a transformation approach to working in and with communities to create change over a generation.  A 2013 report by former McKinsey & Co partner Liana Downey, showcased the methodology as a new model of networked incubation in Government.  Children’s…Read More

Senate Enquiry: Investing for Good

Led foundational submission from Government Departments to Senate Economics References Committee on impact investing

Social Enterprise Development & Investment Funds

Led design and implementation of the Social Enterprise Development & Investment Funds, utilising government grant funding as cornerstone capital for new investment funds to help social enterprises expand their reach and impact. Resulted in three new investment funds entering the Australian market, which had a catalytic effect in the early…Read More

G8 Social Impact Investment Taskforce

Invited to join the Social Impact Investment Taskforce established by then UK Prime Minister David Cameron during his presidency of the G8 and Chaired by Sir Ronald Cohen. Australia was the only country outside the G7 invited to participate and Rosemary led a sector based effort to enable Australia to…Read More

Australian Advisory Board on Impact Investing

At the first meeting of the G8 Social Impact Investment Taskforce at the White House conference centre in late 2013, participating countries agreed to establish sector led national advisory boards to inform the global effort and lead an action-oriented agenda in their own countries. Rosemary founded the Australian Advisory Board…Read More

Impact-Australia

Led first broad-based public consultation and engagement and Australian field scan to set out a clear definition of impact investing, why it matters, what was happening globally and in Australia and what could and should happen in and from Australia.  Undertaken as a Departmental initiative, this field scan laid the…Read More

Australian Advisory Board on Impact Investing

Impact Strategist has supported and informed the work of the Australian Advisory Board on Impact Investing, founding the body in 2013 as part of the G8 Taskforce effort.  Rosemary Addis’ services were provided as Executive Chair of the AAB and Impact Investing Australia until July 2019.  During that time, Rosemary…Read More

Invisible Heart of Markets

As an active member of the G8 Taskforce, Rosemary contributed to its landmark report Impact Investing: The Invisible Heart of Markets and the 4 working group reports that accompanied it.

Delivering on Impact

As Chair of the Australian Advisory Board on Impact Investing, Rosemary led on development of the strategy to catalyse impact investing in and from Australia, Delivering on Impact which set a delivery focused framework for leadership, action and policy.

Impact Investing Australia

To ensure that the market-building work of the G8 Taskforce and Australian Advisory Board on Impact Investing could be delivered as a public good in Australia, Impact Investing Australia was established to provide the operating platform and drive strategy and implementation.

Expert Review Committee World Economic Forum

Rosemary was invited to be join a three member expert review committee for the World Economic Forum Margins to the Mainstream initiative From Ideas to Practice, Pilots to strategy

Expert Reviewer, OECD Impact Investing: Building the Evidence Base

Rosemary was a member of the expert group informing and was asked to review OECD research for its second impact investment initiative, Impact Investing: Building the Evidence Base, published January 2015

National Australia Bank

Foundational advice for National Australia Bank to anchor its strategy in impact investing. View case study

Impact Investing Australia

Impact Strategist has supported and informed the work of Impact Investing Australia, founding the organisation in 2014 to provide operations, strategy and implementation capability for the Australian Advisory Board on Impact Investing.  Rosemary Addis’ services were provided as Executive Chair of the AAB and Impact Investing Australia until July 2019. …Read More

Invisible Heart of Markets

As an active member of the G8 Taskforce, Rosemary contributed to its landmark report Impact Investing: The Invisible Heart of Markets and the 4 working group reports that accompanied it.  

Blueprint to Market

Chaired working group of leaders to design and document blueprint for Impact Capital Australia, a game-changer, specifically designed to accelerate development and achieve scale for impact investing in Australia.  Its mandate is mobilising more capital and transforming the way Australia deals with social and environmental challenges.

Growth Grants

Agreement with National Australia Bank to capitalise grant funding for investment readiness funding for purpose driven enterprises and design of the fund to roll out March 2015.  Since then, NAB’s contributions of $1.75m enabled an impressive range of enterprises to secure advice and raise capital including Hire Up, Maths Pathway,…Read More

Global Steering Group for Impact Investment

Founding Executive Board member of the Global Steering Group for Impact Investment, which took the baton for catalysing and scaling global markets for impact from the G8 Taskforce in August 2015

Australian Financial Review Women of Influence

Acknowledged as one of Australia’s 100 Women of Influence for contributions to innovation in the Australian Financial Review Women of Influence

Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade

Foundational advice for the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade to anchor its understanding of impact investing , its application as a policy tool and options for action. View case study

Breaking the Deadlock

Collaboration with Social Finance UK for the FIA Foundation to bring a social innovation and investment lens to solutions to death and serious injury through road trauma.  It is a companion report with Investing to Save Lives which demonstrates the investment case. View case study

Social Finance – Role of Governments & Policy

Requested by Professor Alex Nicholls of the Skoll Centre at Said Business School, Oxford, to write chapter on role of Government and policy for first text on social finance

Leaders’ Delegation to Canberra

Coordinated and led delegation of 30+ senior leaders for 3 days of meetings with Ministers, parliamentarians and senior officials in Canberra.

Benchmarking Impact

Co-authored report of first benchmarking of Australian impact investment activity and performance, Benchmarking Impact with the aim of establishing market-based data to understand impact activity and set early baselines to measure growth and development.  The methodology and branding has been transferred to the Responsible Investment Association of Australasia to carry…Read More

Impact Investing Investor Survey

Oversaw first Australian investor survey of interest and activity in impact investment led by Working Group Chair Fabienne Michaux and Impact Investing Australia CEO Dan Madhavan inb collaboration with RIAA and Melbourne Business School.

Practical Guide to Understanding Social Costs

Oversaw delivery of initiative Chaired by Louise Sylvan AM and carried out by Deloitte Access Economics to deliver a practical guide to understanding social costs that could inform applied understanding of social costs and the costs of delivering better outcomes.

Impact Capital Australia

Founding Chair of company to lead implementation of game-changing wholesale impact institution.  Fellow Directors are Sally McCutchan, CEO of Impact Investing Australia, and Simon Longstaff AO, CEO of The Ethics Centre. Ambassadors for ICA include: Carol Schwartz AO, Carolyn Hewson AO, Greg Hutchinson AM, Jillian Segal AO, The Hon. John…Read More

Investing to Save Lives

Collaboration with Social Finance UK for the FIA Foundation to demonstrate the investment case for investment in prevention of road trauma.  It is a companion report with Breaking the Deadlock View case study

Major institutional Investor

A major Australian institutional investor anchor its understanding of impact investing, its application for institutions and options for action.

Australian Field Scan

In 2017, the Australian Advisory Board went to practitioners and stakeholders of the field in Australia to seek views on what had changed since 2014 and what was needed next.  Led by Rosemary Addis in collaboration with Regina Hill and the Impact Investing Australia team and funded by Lord Mayor’s…Read More

Women in Super Annual Roadshow

Invited to keynote for the Women in Super Annual Roadshow which toured all Australian capital cities, joining an alumni of keynote speakers for this flagship event in the finance calendar, including Liz Broderick AO and Rosie Batty AO

Finalist Women in Finance Thought Leader of the Year

Rosemary was a finalist for Thought leader of the Year In the inaugural Women in Finance Awards in recognition of her contribution to finance through pioneering thinking in impact investment.

Impact Investing Australia Market Builder of the Year

Impact Investing Australia recognised as market builder of the year in the inaugural Australian impact investing awards. View case study

Australian Advisory Board Blueprint, Scaling Impact

The Australian Advisory Board on Impact Investing blueprint for collective action, Scaling Impact, was launched in late 2018 following a market engagement and strategy development process which Rosemary led in collaboration with Fabienne Michaux, then head of the AAB Strategy Working Group.

Growth Grants

In 2018, the Growth Grants fund was recapitalised with Impact Investing Australia being awarded administration of $7m in Australian Government sector readiness funding which will run through to 2021.

GSG Working Group Policy

Providing expert advice and review and Australian insights to

GSG Working Group, The Impact Principle

Rosemary led a global working group across 10 countries for the GSG on the seminal issue of widening participation and deepening practice to drive impact investment at scale, covering a vision for an impact economy, field definition, theory of change together with roadmaps for concrete action.

GSG Trustee

Rosemary was elected by member national advisory boards across 18 member countries and the EU as a Trustee of the Global Steering Group for Impact Investment chaired by Sir Ronald Cohen with a growing membership of 23 countries and the EU.  In 2019 she was asked to Chair a Board…Read More

Expert Reviewer, OECD The Impact Imperative

Rosemary was a member of the expert group informing and was asked to review OECD research for its second impact investment initiative, The Impact Imperative, published January 2019

Impact Investing Australia Market Builder of the Year

Impact Investing Australia, founded by Rosemary Addis was named Australian Impact Investing Market Builder of the Year at the inaugural Australian Impact Investing Awards for its work developing impact markets in and from Australia.

SDG Impact

Rosemary was invited to become a Senior Adviser to the SDG Impact team at the United Nations Development Programme to anchor engagement of its Steering Group, facilitate development and consultation on SDG Impact Practice Standards and provide a sounding board to the team leadership.

SDG Impact Practice Standards

High level strategy and advice to SDG Impact team at the United Nations Development Programme to anchor engagement of its Steering Group, facilitate development and consultation on SDG Impact Practice Standards and provide a sounding board to the team leadership View case study

Leap of Reason Ambassador

Rosemary was invited to join the global community of Leap of Reason Ambassadors: thought leaders, leader practitioners, progressive funders, policy makers, and instigators working to make high performance the norm to enable meaningful progress in addressing society’s most challenging problems. leapambassadors.org

Member Order of Australia

Rosemary was awarded membership of the Order of Australia on Australia Day 2020 for significant services to social innovation, impact investment and the law

Sustainable Finance Initiative Asia Advisory Panel

Rosemary was invited to join the Advisory Panel of the Sustainable Finance Initiative Asia, a community of investors across Asia who believe in capital that matters sustainablefinance.hk

Non-Executive Director Indigenous Business Australia

In September 2020 Rosemary Addis AM was invited by the then Minister for Indigenous Affairs to take up an appointment to the Board of Indigenous Business Australia.

Director, Indigenous Business Australia

Appointed by the Minister for Indigenous Australians as a Director of Indigenous Business Australia, an Australian Government Statutory Corporation with a vision for a nation in which Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are economically independent and an integral part of the economy.

Ambassador, Global Steering Group for Impact Investment

After finishing her term as an elected Trustee of the GSG, Rosemary was appointed by the GSG Board as Global Ambassador with a focus on impact governance – brining impact to the tables where decisions are made

Chair, Advisory Board, Climate Ready Initiative

Invited by Griffith University to Chair an Advisory Board for the Climate Ready Initiative, a partnership-based social impact initiative focused on preparing society for its transition toward a net-zero emissions and climate-resilient future.

Chair Sweef Capital Board of Advisors

Having been actively engaged in the spin out of Sweef Capital Management Pte Ltd, a women led investment firm based in Singapore, Rosemary took up the role of Chair of the Board of Advisors and actively guides the firm’s strategy and  partnerships.  She is also a member of the Investment…Read More

Enterprise Professor University of Melbourne

Rosemary Addis AM was appointed as Enterprise Professor in Impact, Sustainability & Innovation in the Faculty of Business & Economics at the University of Melbourne

Sorenson Global Impact Leader

Rosemary Addis AM was invited to join the inaugural group of Global Impact Leaders of the Sorenson Impact Center, a diverse and inclusive network of impact practitioners and thought leaders working toward positive social and environmental impact around the world, formed to recognize, elevate and amplify the contributions of those…Read More