Co-founder and CEO Dr Astrid Bonfield steps down as CEO

A letter from our CEO 

Dear friends, 

After nearly three years I am stepping down as Chief Executive of the Vision Catalyst Fund. It has been an absolute privilege to be a  Co-Founder of an organisation with a mission to do it differently and take on the task of trying to help plug the financing gap in our sector using high-risk philanthropy combined with innovative financial solutions. I felt and still feel that if we are going to meet the $25 billion dollar gap to provide eye care for all there will need to be a step change, both in the way we raise the funds and how we spend them. 

The Vision Catalyst Fund has achieved so much in my time as CEO. Starting an organisation at the start of an unprecedented global pandemic was a somewhat challenging experience, but I am proud of the resilience and commitment shown by the Trustee Board and my team to ride those stormy seas and build the foundations of an organisation that can now fly. I am proud of the landmark commitment of 200 million lenses and glasses from EssilorLuxottica, as well as the recently launched P1 Capital Vision Accelerator and our development of the Social Impact Guarantee in Vietnam which will showcase how new money can be generated to make a difference in eye health.  

It is not goodbye. I will be staying on as a Trustee of the VCF and will be supporting the team to deliver on this next stage of our work. Dr Andrew Cooper who is our Director of Programmes will be Interim CEO as we assess what is needed for the next phase of the organisation. 

Finally, I would like to thank all those who have supported us in this inception phase. From the Board of Trustees, our partners and those who have invested in us to date, I thank you all for your commitment and vision. I especially want to thank my fellow Co-Founder Dr Andrew Bastawrous whose continued passion to make a difference in this sector is inspirational. 

With best wishes,

Dr Astrid Bonfield