Chris Chen Joins Arnold Ventures as Executive Vice President of Mission-Aligned Investments

HOUSTON, TX (June 30, 2025) — Investment capital expert Chris Chen has joined Arnold Ventures as executive vice president of mission-aligned investments. In this newly created position, Chen will expand the organization’s strategic investment portfolio in alignment with the mission of maximizing opportunity and minimizing injustice.

Arnold Ventures has structured previous investments using the mission-aligned model – particularly through loan guarantees and recoverable grants in the areas of infrastructure, health care, and education. The arrival of Chen represents an intensified focus on applying this funding philosophy across a broader range of issue areas. 

“Arnold Ventures’ mission-aligned portfolio will place capital in areas where traditional investors are unwilling to go,” said Kelli Rhee, president and CEO of Arnold Ventures. ​“Chris’s expertise will help us explore new areas of potential need with a funding philosophy that is tied to societal impact.” 

Chen brings to Arnold Ventures more than a decade of experience evaluating, structuring, and managing private equity and venture capital investments. Previously, he was a partner at the Gates Foundation’s Strategic Investment Fund. Prior to that, Chris served as vice president on Bain Capital’s private equity investment team. 

“My goal is to identify bold and creative investment opportunities that address some of our nation’s most critical system failures,” said Chen. ​“That broad lens, along with Arnold Ventures’ well-earned reputation for developing solutions through data, are two of the key reasons why I am pleased to join the organization.” 

Working from Arnold Ventures’ office in New York City, Chen will work closely with Rhee and the organization’s founders and co-chairs, Laura and John Arnold, to develop and implement a comprehensive mission-aligned investment strategy.