The investment officer: 'Jesus inspires me to serve people, not just financial objectives'

My name is Simon Chisholm and I’m chief investment officer at Resonance Limited, a social impact fund manager that invests in UK social enterprises. Resonance runs a number of funds designed to generate both positive social impact and financial returns for our investors. The largest of these are our homelessness property funds, which provide a route out of temporary accommodation for individuals and families trapped in that situation — ultimately helping them rebuild their lives. As chief investment officer, I am responsible for designing and delivering these funds, supporting expert colleagues at each stage of the process.

I’ve spent around 30 years in the investment world. After studying economics, I began my career in corporate finance, working for 16 years in London and Hong Kong. In 2008, I became involved with a homelessness charity, which introduced me to social enterprise. I was inspired by the idea that investment could be used as a tool to create meaningful social change, which ultimately led me to join Resonance.

Over the past decade, our homelessness property funds have grown significantly. They now attract investment from institutional investors such as pension funds and local authorities. This enables us to acquire properties in cities across the UK and work with homelessness charities and housing associations to address the growing accommodation crisis.

My Christian faith profoundly shapes the way I approach my work. It reminds me that life and work are not about me, but about what God has done through Jesus Christ. He shows me what integrity, compassion and humility really mean. This perspective frees me to approach my role with gratitude and a desire to serve others. I am motivated to ensure that investment serves people, not just financial objectives. I hope the behaviours I practise in my work – loving God and loving my neighbour – contribute, together with my colleagues, to the culture of our organisation.

The greatest joy of my work is people. I am inspired daily by our dedicated and talented team, the brilliant social entrepreneurs we support, and the individuals and families they serve. Their courage and resilience continually remind me why this work matters. The challenge remains the scale and complexity of homelessness – it is daunting, and there is no simple solution.

I’d love prayer for energy to support our team as we prepare to launch the next homelessness property fund later this year. And for wisdom in the decisions that my colleagues and I make, so that we can continue to make a meaningful difference.