MEET OUR TEAM
Get to know the leadership team behind Flat World Partners. Since starting out in 2015, we’ve built a reputation based on providing exceptional customer service for everyone. Behind every FWP successful venture, there’s our talented group who are highly committed to that success and bringing impact to the forefront of driving returns.
The team boasts decades of experience in impact investing coupled with top tier pedigree with backgrounds from Cantor Fitzgerald, The Heron Foundation, Accenture, Cornerstone, Morgan Stanley, SS&C GlobeOp, CAPROCK, and more, where they are able to leverage their understanding of the nuances of the financial market and prowess in impact, hedge funds, direct deals, venture and private equity, climate tech, SPVs, advisory consulting, and data analysis.
ANNA-MARIE WASCHER
FOUNDER & CEO
Anna-Marie founded Flat World Partners in 2015 after working at Accenture and Cantor Fitzgerald where she saw an unmet need for impact advisory services in the financial market. Anna also set out to develop a comprehensive impact reporting and analytics platform, YvesBlue, a sister company of FWP. She has worked as a member of investment teams for several family offices and investment firms in the US and Europe with over ten years’ experience evaluating investment opportunities in venture and hedge funds. She is a venture partner to Aera, a venture fund investing in high growth early stage ventures defined by both purpose and profit, and an advisor for NYU Summer Launchpad for graduating student entrepreneurs and an advisor to TechStars Food to Fork Incubator.
Anna-Marie started her career with Accenture as a financial consultant in their London investment banking practice as well as supported Accenture’s socially responsible business arm. In 2009 Anna-Marie left Accenture to co-found Malaika For Life, a non-profit based in Tanzania focused on women’s development and malaria.
KATE STARR
CO-FOUNDER & CIO
Kate drives the investment philosophy, product development, and portfolio management for the firm. Previously, she led the capital deployment team at the Heron Foundation that invests Heron’s approximately $300 million portfolio for impact. Kate started her career as an economics and equities analyst at First Asset Management and moved into research on microfinance in Tanzania. She is a CFA and member of CFANY’s Sustainability Committee. Kate serves on the investment committee of Impact Assets and advises Humanity United’s Worker Innovation Fund. Kate graduated from Indiana University with Honors degrees in English and Italian, and earned a Master’s degree in International Relations and Economics from Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies
SAMANTHA MCDONALD
CFO
Samantha most recently served as VP Finance for Grayscale Investments and the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of SPDR Gold (GLD) and SPDR Long Dollar Gold Trust (GLDW). GLD is the largest ETF to invest directly in physical gold with $34 billion in assets under management. Before her tenure with SPDR Gold, she worked at Roubini Global Economics, a global financial firm that provides economic analysis to portfolio managers, chief investment officers, analysts, and bankers. McDonald was responsible for the planning, operating performance and leadership of the financial accounting and administrative functions. Prior to this, she held multiple financial and operational positions, including as the CFO of an education technology company. Samantha holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Auburn University and received her Master’s in Accounting from the University of South Alabama. She is a Certified Public Accountant.
BETH HADDOCK
COMPLIANCE ADVISOR
Beth Haddock has over 25 years experience leading the design and successful implementation of modern governance programs. With a focus on accelerating safe and sustainable growth, she fosters a culture of risk ownership, partnership and creative problem solving re-positioning governance and compliance as powerful business drivers at notable companies including Brown Brothers Harriman, Guggenheim Investments, AXA Advisors, and other billion-dollar corporations. She is an active board member and advisor, sharing her expertise and guidance on cutting-edge topics related to compliance, ESG, blockchain, and technology. Notably, Beth also chairs the New York City Bar's Web3 subcommittee and authored "Triple Bottom-line Compliance: How to Deliver Protection, Productivity, and Impact."
JENNIFER LEONARD
MANAGING DIRECTOR, INVESTMENTS
Jennifer is Managing Director of Investments at Flat World Partners. Her prior experience includes Chief Investment Officer of Syntrinsic Investment Counsel, as well as an extensive history in impact and sustainable investing roles at Cornerstone Capital Group and The CAPROCK Group. She started her career in equity research and has worked at both Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch, and was previously the CFO of SKS Microfinance. She is the Board Treasurer of Medha, an Indian non-profit focused on skills training and job placement for Indian youth. Jennifer has an MBA in Finance from the Wharton School, an MA in International Studies from the Lauder Institute at the University of Pennsylvania, and a BA in Economics from Boston University. She is a CFA charter holder.
JOHN SCANIO
MANAGING DIRECTOR, INVESTMENTS
John manages the direct venture investing portfolio and program for Flat World Partners. He brings decades of investment experience spanning high-risk credit, early stage and mid-market private equity, public equity fund management, and start-up operating experience. Prior to joining the team, John co-founded a Global Clean Equities (ESG) long only fund for a multi-billion AUM alternative manager. Subsequently, he founded a Climate Tech long short hedge fund with an impact mission. As a former CFO and Head of Business Development for a high-growth fintech start-up he offers support to founders scaling their businesses. Following MBA school, John was Vice President at a merchant bank with a private equity fund where he invested in private family-owned businesses on behalf of family office investors. He started his career in high-risk, international credit handling complex workout situations. John has an MBA from Southern Methodist University with a concentration in Investments and a BBA in Finance from The University of Texas at Austin. He is a Level 3 CMT candidate
LILLIAN MACCARTNEY
VICE PRESIDENT
Lillian MacCartney is Vice President at FWP and has a collective 7 years in the financial services industry, where she has worked on and lead business development teams, client relationships, and project management and holds experience at blue chip firms as well as start ups. Getting her financial services start at SS&C GlobeOp she has since worked with FWP co-founders Kate and Anna-Marie for years helping to build up the FWP proprietary Impact SaaS public markets solution, YvesBlue, while also working directly with the investment research team and FWP partners to build external relationships, assist in education and alignment, and drive thought leadership. Lillian MacCartney graduated Barnard College of Columbia University with a bachelors in English Literature and dual minor in Financial Economics and Mandarin.
ISAAC ESKIND
IMPACT ASSOCIATE
Isaac Eskind is Impact Investment Analyst at FWP and has worked diligently with the investment research team for the past couple years. He holds a focused interest in sustainability, but works across all of FWP's impact themes. Hailing from Nashville, Tennessee, he holds a bachelors in Finance and Environmental studies from UW-Madison and resides in NYC.
NANCY KANG YAO
IMPACT ANALYST
Nancy Kang Yao, a Chemical Engineering graduate student at the University of California, Berkeley, joins the FWP team as impact analyst. She holds a prior degree in the same field from Johns Hopkins University. Her academic journey has been enriched by extensive research in solar cell technology. She has previously contributed to a climate tech startup, gaining valuable industry experience. Last summer, she worked on the venture capital team at StepStone Group.
At present, Flat World Partners LLC, Flat World Partners Advisors LLC and Flat World Partners Funds LLC, (“Flat World Partners”) are not registered as a securities broker-dealer or an investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority or any state securities regulatory authority. Flat World Partners is also currently exempt from registration as an investment adviser at the state level.