Mike Galgon

Mike Galgon is the Chief Executive Officer of Global Partnerships (GP), a nonprofit organization focused on impact-first investing aimed at alleviating poverty. He assumed this role in 2024, succeeding Rick Beckett, who served as CEO for 18 years. Galgon has been involved with GP for over two decades, previously serving on its board of directors, including positions as President and Chair.135

Background and Career::

• Education: Mike Galgon holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a bachelor's degree in economics from Duke University. He also served as a diving officer in the U.S. Navy and participated in the VISTA program, focusing on community service in inner-city Boston.5
• Entrepreneurial Ventures: He co-founded aQuantive, a digital marketing company that was acquired by Microsoft for $6 billion in 2007. After the acquisition, he worked as Microsoft's Chief Advertising Strategist until 2009. Later, he co-founded Pioneer Square Labs, a startup incubator and venture fund based in Seattle, which launched over thirty companies during his tenure.2345

Vision and Impact:: Galgon's leadership at Global Partnerships is characterized by a commitment to supporting entrepreneurs who are driven by purpose rather than profit alone. He emphasizes the importance of aligning financial success with social impact, aiming to empower individuals living in poverty through innovative financial solutions.24 Under his guidance, GP seeks to expand its reach and effectiveness in providing capital to underserved communities across Latin America and Africa.34

In his own words, Galgon has expressed a deep belief in the transformative power of entrepreneurship: “Entrepreneurship is really the human spirit at its best... People didn’t want a handout; they just wanted access to credit like you and I were born with”.4 His focus on impact-first investing aims to demonstrate that profitability and societal benefit can coexist harmoniously.