GEF is a private equity fund manager focused on seeking superior long-term financial returns by investing in and managing businesses that advance resource and energy efficiency and safety and security. For over 30 years, the firm has been investing in businesses in both emerging and developed economies where changing energy, environmental, and natural resource constraints or needs have resulted in business and financial opportunities.
GEF was founded by Jeff Leonard and John Earhart in 1990 on the principle that well-deployed capital can bring significant improvements to the environment and quality of life throughout the world. Over the decades, our highest priority investment themes have centered on providing growth capital for technology enabled and value-chain oriented businesses in key growth markets and geographies, and the sustainable management of forest and other natural resources. As a long-term, private market investor, GEF has sought to constantly identify a select set of big, long-term trends relating to environment, energy, natural resource degradation or safety and security threats that we believe will create rising demand for the technologies, products and services of the companies we target for investment. Our goals for investment liquidity are structured around the expectation that the companies in which we invest will be early leaders in emerging sectors of economic activity, and that the markets into which they sell will be rapidly growing and consolidating as the companies mature and come of age.
With the sad and untimely passing of Jeff Leonard in October 2018, GEF is more committed than ever to continue the vision and mission of environmental improvement and sustainable economic development that he created back in 1990. Jeff has inspired us with his vision, mobilized us with his energy, excited us with his enthusiasm, and we are forever grateful.