Walking into the dining hall from the bar, I was greeted by a vibrant atmosphere, a full house awaiting Sir Graham Wrigley’s talk. The title, "Doing Good Without Losing Money – The Role of Private Investment in International Development," caught my eye as I skimmed the term card, leaving me wondering, how?
This was my first time attending the Tuesday Talks (previously known as Dining with Dinosaurs), and I wasn’t sure what to expect, or whether I’d be able to follow along—especially without an economics background.
However, I quickly realised there was nothing to worry about. Sir Graham Wrigley provided a clear introduction to British International Investment (BII), explaining the rebranding from its former name, CDC, and sharing insights into investment returns and impactful case studies. What stood out to me was how these investments create impacts that extend beyond the economic sphere. The audience was engaged, with the Q&A sessions fully utilised.
In the next section, we took on the role of investors, discussing the potential of a proposed investment. We assessed it using BII’s investment framework, which includes 1) impact, 2) financial return, 3) additionality, and 4) reputational risk, to determine how keen our “investment committee” was to proceed to the next stage. Making a decision was challenging, as we had to weigh up the pros and cons. Students and researchers (up to seven, if I counted correctly—more than intended because of the strong interest in participating) from various tables were selected to present their group's thoughts, with some even giving the project a score as high as 10 (very keen). Sir Graham Wrigley then revealed the actual investment decision and discussed the project's impacts.
Reflecting on the event format, I thought: Why isn’t this more widely adopted? It offers students and researchers a platform to think critically, engage in meaningful discussion, and express their ideas—while enjoying dinner. It’s a 4-in-1 experience: you’re fed, exposed to a lecture, given the chance to socialise with those around you, and provided a platform to discuss the topic academically. The timing of each part is well balanced. This was my first time attending, but it certainly won’t be my last.
