• MATTHEW MAGENHEIM

    Matt joined the Investments Office in February 2018.  He was previously a Co-Founder and Partner of Development Capital Partners, an investment manager focused on Africa and other frontier markets.  Prior to Development Capital, Matt was based in Johannesburg where he concentrated on sub-Saharan Africa for Allan Gray, a South African asset manager with over $40 billion in assets under management.  Previously, Matt worked on private equity investments in Southeast and Central Asia for Leopard Capital and Projects International.  He also worked in the Investment Banking Division of Morgan Stanley.

    In addition to his financial experience, Matt has held management positions at the William J. Clinton Foundation’s HIV/AIDS Initiative and Climate Initiative’s Energy Efficiency Building Retrofit Program.  Matt received his M.B.A. with honors and distinction from Columbia Business School and his A.B. summa cum laude from Bowdoin College.  He is a recipient of the Royal Government of Cambodia's Sahametrei Medal and served as Chairman of the Board of Friends Without a Border, a nonprofit organization that has built two pediatric hospitals in South East Asia.

What do you love about Wesleyan?

As a graduate of a fellow NESCAC college, I have a deep appreciation for the liberal arts education.  At a time when data and information are changing faster than ever before, it seems that knowing how to think and articulate a viewpoint have never been more important than knowing just a technical answer. 

There is a strong sense of community at Wesleyan.  From lunchtime basketball games with faculty and staff to speaker series and impromptu lunches, I am continuously reminded and motivated by the mission of the University and the thousands of individuals that contribute to it.   I am inspired by the students that intern with us each summer and those that reach out to discuss their interests in investing and career aspirations.  It is wonderful to be on campus and surrounded by such intellectual curiosity and to play a small role in supporting its cultivation and development.

What inspires you/ what do you care about?

I have been fortunate to have spent most of my career prior to joining the Investments Office, investing and working in the developing world.  I have witnessed the impact of affordable and reliable electricity on a remote village, a new export market on the lives of rural herdsmen and a bottle of nevirapine solution on an HIV-exposed newborn.

These experiences have inspired me to find ways to combine my financial and entrepreneurial background with my philanthropic interests to promote the “common good.”   Although the most personal rewards come from direct interaction and mentorship, the greatest impacts can often be made by contributing to an institution and its mission.  I am motivated in my current position by the role that the Investment Office plays in supporting Wesleyan’s financial aid budget and program development and knowing that this relationship will catalyze today’s students as well as future students to impact the world for good.

What do you do for fun?

Most of my free time these days is spent building, exploring, reading and dancing with my three-year old daughter who seems to be brimming with the Wesleyan intellectual curiosity!  I am looking for my next nonprofit project as I have recently stepped down as Chairman of the Board of Friends Without a Border (www.fwab.org).

While my hook shot has atrophied over the past few years, I still enjoy playing pick-up basketball (and softball).  I am an avid Podcast listener and try to do the crossword puzzle most days.  Lastly, I enjoy international travel, especially in Asia and Africa.