MENU menu

Mark Cheng

Director, Ashoka

Biography

Mark is the European Director of Ashoka, the global network of the world's leading social entrepreneurs. Since 1980, Ashoka has provided stipends and support to more than 3,500 'Ashoka Fellows' in over 80 countries. Ashoka is dedicated to fostering a world where everyone can be a 'Change'maker' - in other words, where everyone has the skills, abilities and values to make a positive social contribution. To this end, Ashoka also partners directly with schools and universities, and has identified over 400 'Changemaker Schools' and 35 'Changemaker Campuses' worldwide that are leading the way in a new model of education that helps young people become fully empowered changemakers.

Mark is also the founder and CEO of Chelwood Capital, a social investment firm. For the past decade he has been a leading impact investor who has helped raise investment for many social causes ranging from micro-finance and off-grid solar energy to marine habitat conservation. He is the author of the forthcoming 'Social Investment Toolkit' - a handbook for social entrepreneurs looking to raise social investment. Mark is based in London but travels frequently between Europe and East Asia. He is a frequent writer and speaker on social innovation and finance.