In this week’s episode, we continue our special two-part conversation with Roy Swan, head of the Ford Foundation’s Mission Investments team, where he oversees approximately $1.35 billion in impact investments dedicated to advancing social justice and addressing inequality. If you missed Part 1, we encourage you to go back and hear Swan reflect on the personal and professional journey that shaped his approach to leadership, purpose, investing, and positive-sum capitalism.
In Part Two, Swan joins NHC President and CEO David Dworkin to look ahead at the future of capitalism and philanthropy, and the role financial institutions, investors, and philanthropic organizations can play in building a more inclusive economy. They discuss the opportunities and challenges presented by artificial intelligence, what it takes to achieve meaningful systems change, and how racial equity can be more deeply embedded in investment and economic decision-making.
Drawing on Swan’s decades of experience across finance, community development, and impact investing, the conversation also returns to themes from his new book, “Positive Sum: How Zero-Sum Thinking Broke Capitalism—and How We Can Fix It.” Swan explores what a positive-sum approach to capitalism can look like in practice and how rethinking the way we deploy capital and design financial systems can expand opportunity, strengthen communities, and create greater shared prosperity.
