Looking back, Akhil sees how a career spanning the capital spectrum has deepened his interest in combining different approaches to drive impact.

An early role with an Austrian family office impact fund showed him how capital could be a force for good. Later, a fellowship programme for emerging impact leaders in the United States strengthened his commitment to building financial systems that benefit people and the planet.

He then took these experiences to management consulting and industry roles in Asia and Europe, applying innovative finance and developing strategic programmes to address pressing social challenges, particularly in healthcare. 

“My journey to CIIP was a natural continuation of my interest in how different forms of capital can work together to drive lasting impact,” Akhil reflects.

Akhil with some members of the CIIP team.

Today, he brings together these strategic, analytical, and impact-focused perspectives built across global experiences to help shape the future of impact investing in Asia.

Leading the Amplifier programme is a significant part of this effort.

The 12-month global mentorship programme helps early-stage impact ventures tackling environmental and social challenges in Asia to strengthen their foundations for scale. 

Akhil drives the programme’s strategy and partnerships. This involves designing thematic focus areas with funders, overseeing venture selection and due diligence, guiding founders through critical growth stages, and building investor and offtaker pipelines to drive capital deployment and early commercial traction.

The aim is to translate high-potential ventures into investable, scalable solutions.

An Amplifier networking event last year, where Akhil shared with diverse partners about the 2025 edition of the global mentorship programme.

It is a goal that carries real weight. As one founder shared, it is not only about the startup’s growth, but also the families and team members whose livelihoods depended on its work continuing. For Akhil, this brings a clear focus: without viable and resilient ventures, impact does not last.

"What makes this work meaningful to me is seeing how the right intervention at the right moment can fundamentally change a venture’s path to scale and impact."

— Akhil Khurana, CIIP

The team’s efforts are already bearing fruit. Last year, an Amplifier venture secured a multi-million-dollar revenue deal after being coached by one of the mentors in the programme. “It is rewarding to see founders gain momentum when something we’ve helped facilitate enables them to grow faster, strengthen their impact, and reach new partners and investors,” shares Akhil.

The four mentee organisations under Amplifier’s Innovation and Circularity in the Textile Value Chain track, supported by Singapore Fashion Council (SFC) and SHEIN, were unveiled at SFC’s Be the Change Summit 2025.

Across two editions of the programme, he has seen what such progress demands: grit and clarity of purpose. At the same time, he also recognises that building impact ventures is not a level playing field. “Not everyone has the same opportunities, and we want to make the paths of those who are driven to create change easier," he says.

Another fulfilling aspect of Akhil’s work is bridging research and real-world impact. 

Last year, he led CIIP’s Transforming for Sustainability: Driving Impact and Value through Supply Chain Action report, published with support from Khazanah Nasional Berhad, on advancing supply chain sustainability across Southeast Asia’s micro, small, and medium enterprises. Those insights directly shaped the Amplifier 2025 programme tracks targeting sustainability gaps in Asia’s tourism and textile supply chains.

Last year, Akhil shared insights from CIIP’s regional research on supply chain sustainability and SME empowerment at a panel in Ho Chi Minh City, as part of the Vietnam SME/Startup ESG Investor Conference hosted by Raise Partners.

Seeing this continuity has been deeply meaningful for Akhil. In his view, much of CIIP’s work involves building the foundations for change: shaping the ideas, partnerships, and capital flows that enable others to create lasting impact for future generations.

“What matters is setting those dynamics in motion with intent and care, knowing their effects will extend well beyond us,” he reflects.

Being part of the Temasek Trust ecosystem has helped him to appreciate the importance of thinking in terms of long-term systems and sustainability, and see how various positive outcomes reinforce one another over time.

In addition, through collaborations with various ecosystem entities, Akhil also has opportunities to learn from adjacent workstreams. For example, alongside his role at CIIP, Akhil contributes to Catalytic Capital for Climate and Health (C3H), Temasek Trust’s catalytic capital vehicle, supporting portfolio management, pipeline development, and deal structuring.

Sometimes, a conversation with an Amplifier partner may open a door for a C3H portfolio company, while a C3H collaboration may bring new mentors and partners into the Amplifier network. In such ways, the Temasek Trust ecosystem thus serves as a gateway to new partnerships and opportunities.

Akhil carries this long-term mindset beyond work and into his daily life. In an increasingly digital world, he has found slow-resistance training — which requires mind-body connection and emphasises lasting strength — particularly grounding.

Akhil, who has a strong interest in the science behind fitness, was recently certified in slow resistance training.

“What I enjoy most is the tangible sense of progress it offers, and the way small adjustments add up over time,” he shares.

Akhil’s story is part of ‘People of Purpose’, a series spotlighting colleagues across the Temasek Trust ecosystem who are driving meaningful impact. Each story reflects the spirit of collective action and our shared journey toward inclusive, sustainable change.

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