Capital for Change: RSM Alumni on Sustainable Finance & Impact Investing

Join Maas Impact Ventures and the RSM Alumni for an inspiring evening designed for RSM alumni interested in sustainable finance, impact investing, and the future of purpose-driven capital. The evening will feature a panel: Karen Maas in conversation with Don Gerritsen (Nexus Impact Partners) and Chris Würdemann (Mirova), followed by an introduction to Maas Impact Ventures and informal networking over drinks and bites.

Why attend: This is a chance to be inspired by leaders in sustainable finance, meet likeminded RSM alumni, and learn about an exciting new impact investing initiative at RSM that alumni can get involved with. Whether you work in finance, sustainability, entrepreneurship, philanthropy, or are simply curious about impact investing, this event offers a welcoming opportunity to reconnect with the RSM community and explore how capital can contribute to positive social and environmental outcomes.

Panel: Karen Maas will be joined by Don Gerritsen and Chris Würdemann for a conversation on sustainable finance, impact investing, and the role of universities in shaping a more sustainable and inclusive economy.

About Karen Maas: With over 30 years of experience as a consultant, professor, initiator, and director, Karen Maas has dedicated her career to accelerating the transition toward a sustainable and inclusive economy. She founded Impact Centre Erasmus to work with a broad range of institutions to strengthen their capacity for impact-driven strategy, measurement, and management - helping translate societal ambitions into meaningful, measurable outcomes. As Professor of Accounting and Sustainability at the Open Universiteit for over 7 years, her research explores the intersection of economics, sustainability, and the evolving role of business in society. She aims to bridge academic insight and practical change, contributing to the development of impact strategies, sustainable finance, and new economic thinking. Through her recent appointment as Kroonlid for the Sociaal-Economische Raad (SER), academic publications, books, board positions, and media contributions, she helps shape a forward-looking economy grounded in transparency, innovation, and long-term value -aligned with the principles of progress, education, and social responsibility.

About Don Gerritsen: With over 15 years of experience across business, international development, and sustainable finance, Don Gerritsen works with organisations to create long-term value and positive impact. His career has included leadership roles at Deloitte, KPMG, and the UN-supported Principles for Responsible Investment across four continents. Through Nexus Impact Partners, Don advises organisations on impact strategy, partnerships, and leadership, drawing on experience across the private sector, investment community, and international institutions. Don is also the founder of Pay It Forward, author of Guidance to Inspirational Leadership, and a non-executive board member. He holds an MBA from RSM and an MSc in Public Administration from University of the West of England.

About Chris Würdemann: Chris Würdemann is Head of Emerging Markets Energy Transition at Mirova, where she leads impact investment strategies focused on renewable energy and climate infrastructure across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, including the $500 million Mirova Gigaton Fund. Chris began her career as a banking lawyer at Clifford Chance before developing into a sustainable finance specialist, spending more than a decade at ING across sustainable finance, banking, and restructuring. She later moved into corporate finance at ZOLA Electric before joining SunFunder, which became part of Mirova in 2022. Recognized among the Top 50 Women in Sustainable Finance 2025 in the Netherlands, Chris also serves as a Non-Executive Board Member of the Beyond the Goal Foundation. She holds an LLM from the University of Amsterdam and an LLM from the University of Cape Town, and also studied at Columbia Law School.

About Maas Impact Ventures: Maas Impact Ventures is building the Netherlands’ first student-led impact investing fund, connecting academic knowledge with real-world capital deployment to support start-ups addressing today’s and tomorrow’s environmental and social sustainability challenges.