Looking to the Horizon With Goldman Sachs Alternatives' Greg Shell

Looking to the Horizon With Goldman Sachs Alternatives' Greg Shell

Author: Tamer Institute for Social Enterprise and Climate Change May 15, 2025 Duration: 29:40

In this episode of Capital for Good we speak with Greg Shell, a seasoned investor, civic leader, and partner at Goldman Sachs Alternatives, where he leads the firm's inclusive growth strategy.

Over the course of the conversation, we discuss how Shell's three decades and expertise in investing, and his commitments to creating opportunity and greater economic and social mobility, for many years pursued through board leadership and community and nonprofit engagement, have come together in impact investing, first at Bain Capital, and now at Goldman Sachs Alternatives. 

Shell explains that he believes deeply in the power of capitalism — the power of the profit model to drive innovation, opportunities for ownership and wealth building, economic growth — and that the current system is failing to deliver broad based economic and social mobility. He notes that stagnant wages, growing income and wealth inequality, and deep and real economic insecurity, are all profound challenges, but ones that must and can be addressed. 

"Our economy would be bigger and faster growing if more people could participate and contribute fully," Shell says. This is also the thesis of the private equity strategy he leads at Goldman Sachs Alternatives that invests into affordable and high-quality health care, education and workforce development, and financial inclusion. In each vertical, Shell's team identifies companies that focus on remedying exclusion as social and economic challenge and market opportunity, where need drives demand, innovation expands access, and both lead to social impact and strong business fundamentals. We walk through two portfolio examples in education (online literacy intervention) and health care (autism services). 

Despite the turbulence of the current environment, Shell is optimistic. "Human capital is the first, best and greatest asset we have," he says. "Investing in human capital is always the right decision, and if we do it the right way" can deliver extraordinary returns, on every dimension.

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Mentioned in this Episode


Hosted by the Tamer Institute for Social Enterprise and Climate Change, Capital for Good is a conversation about the practical tools and shifting mindsets needed to finance a better world. This isn't about abstract ideals; it's a grounded look at how capital-from impact investing and philanthropic dollars to corporate and public funds-can be actively directed to solve our most pressing problems. Each episode features candid discussions with leaders who are on the front lines, reimagining the roles of business, nonprofit, and government in an era defined by intersecting crises. You’ll hear how they are building new models that address systemic inequality and the urgent threat of climate change, not as separate issues, but as interconnected challenges requiring innovative financial and managerial strategies. Tune in for a thoughtful, actionable dialogue that moves beyond theory to explore what works, what doesn’t, and how the flow of money can be harnessed for genuine, lasting progress. This podcast digs into the real-world decisions shaping a future where investment and social good are fundamentally aligned.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 49

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