Roland Pearson

Roland Pearson leads Habitat for Humanity’s Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter (TCIS), as it expands access to sustainable, livable, enjoyable habitats for low-income households and communities around the world. Roland brings a deep passion to this work, having served as a volunteer member of the Investment Committee for Habitat’s MicroBuild Fund prior to heading up TCIS.

Roland is an internationally recognized senior executive known for motivating teams and building institutions that deliver commercial value and sustained social and economic impact, especially in new and emerging markets. Over the past 30 years, he has raised, structured, or managed close to US$2 billion in debt and equity for small business, microfinance, affordable housing, infrastructure, and rural development initiatives. Integrated disciplines of expertise include clean and renewable energy, information technology and data analytics and applications, access to services for women, and business model innovation. Roland also has pioneered markets, negotiated viable partnerships, and influenced public policy by leveraging an extensive network spanning the U.S., Europe, Africa, and Asia across multiple industries.

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Most recently, Roland was the director and portfolio lead driving strategy, business development and business execution of the finance and investment portfolio at Palladium, a global impact firm. Previously, Roland started, grew, and successfully divested from two companies while living and working in South Africa, Kenya, and Zimbabwe over a nearly 20-year period. He earned a bachelor’s degree with honors in international relations from Brown University and a master’s degree with honors in international finance, business, economics and law from the Fletcher School at Tufts University.