Nadia Nikolova accepts leadership role at responsAbility in July
New CEO Appointed at Zurich-Based Impact Investor responsAbility
Nadia Nikolova has been appointed as the new CEO of responsAbility, a leading impact investor based in Zurich, effective from September 1, 2025. Nikolova joins responsAbility from Allianz Global Investors, where she spent over a decade leading private markets investments, particularly in infrastructure debt, credit, and real assets.
At Allianz, Nikolova established the sustainable and impact credit investment team, successfully scaling its blended finance strategy and raising over €4.5 billion across two flagship funds, including an impact private credit strategy focused on small-cap impact companies in Europe.
responsAbility focuses on three major investment themes: financial inclusion, climate finance, and sustainable food. Under Nikolova’s leadership, the firm plans to further grow its sustainable finance and private credit strategies, building on her proven track record in impact investing and blended finance. She succeeds Rochus Mommartz, who led responsAbility for over 20 years, doubling its assets under management to approximately €5.6 billion and positioning it as a global leader in emerging market impact investing.
responsAbility was acquired by M&G in 2022, and Nikolova will report to Emmanuel Deblanc, CIO of M&G’s private markets business and chair of responsAbility’s board.
Elsewhere, Swati Mehta has been appointed as a director at LeapFrog, a firm that sees India as a "key engine for innovation and opportunity" in emerging markets across healthcare, financial services, and climate solutions. Mehta brings close to two decades of experience in healthcare investment banking. She has worked at o3 Capital, IDFC Group, Equirus Capital, UBS Securities, and others. LeapFrog has grown its India-based team to ten-strong with Mehta's appointment, and she will work closely with fellow director Michael Jelinske and the wider team to support the expansion of LeapFrog's healthcare strategy.
Joe Keen Poon has been appointed as the executive chairman of Indonesian and Swiss-based agritech firm KOLTIVA. Poon has over 30 years' of experience working in global organizations such as Microsoft and Deloitte. KOLTIVA works with over 1.9 million agriculture producers across 65 countries.
[1] responsAbility Investments AG Appoints Nadia Nikolova as CEO [2] Allianz Global Investors Appoints Nadia Nikolova as Global Head of Private Markets [3] Allianz Global Investors Announces the Launch of its Sustainable and Impact Credit Investment Team
[4] Nikolova to Lead Zurich-Based Impact Investor responsAbility's Expansion into Financial Inclusion, Climate Finance, and Sustainable Food
[5] Nadia Nikolova's track record in blended finance and private credit strategies, along with her expertise in infrastructure debt and real assets, will be instrumental in responsAbility's energy transition efforts.
[6] Personal-finance decisions, lifestyle shifts, and the role of technology in education-and-self-development may intersect with Nikolova's strategies, as responsAbility's ventures can impact businesses and individuals aiming for sustainable living and responsible investing.
[7] Swati Mehta, with her extensive background in healthcare investment banking, will collaborate with LeapFrog's team to drive innovation and opportunity in financial services and healthcare, particularly in emerging markets.
[8] Joe Keen Poon's extensive experience in global organizations will guide KOLTIVA's expansion, enabling it to support over 1.9 million agriculture producers worldwide, contributing to a more sustainable and scalable food industry.
[9] Both Nadia Nikolova and Swati Mehta's appointments reinforce the growing emphasis on impact investing, financial inclusion, and sustainable development in private equity funding, aligning with global efforts to transition to a more inclusive, sustainable, and impact-focused economy.
