Builders Vision Names Matt Knott CEO
Investors and partners of the $20 billion-plus platform should expect Knott to run day-to-day operations as founder Lukas Walton moves to Executive Chairman.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in People
Builders Vision, a Chicago-based sustainability-focused investment and philanthropy platform, appointed Matt Knott as Chief Executive Officer and Lisa Forbes as Chief Strategy Officer. Knott succeeds founder Lukas Walton, who remains on as Executive Chairman, and the appointments affect leadership at a firm with more than $20 billion in assets under management.
Why it matters
The leadership change places a long-time operating executive in the top job at a firm that allocates capital through grants, direct investments, and fund investments, which shapes how sustainability-focused investors and their vendors plan partnerships. Knott and Forbes had each been serving in interim roles for months, so the appointments formalize a leadership structure that was already taking shape.
Builders Vision manages more than $20 billion in assets across grants, direct investments, and fund investments in public and private markets. Matt Knott joined the firm in 2019 as President and Chief Operating Officer and served as interim CEO for the past year before this permanent appointment.
The players
Builders Vision
A Chicago-based sustainability-focused investment and philanthropy platform managing more than $20 billion in assets through grants, direct investments, and fund investments.
Matt Knott
Former President of Feeding America who joined Builders Vision in 2019 and now leads the firm as CEO.
Lukas Walton
Founder of Builders Vision who has served as its CEO since the firm was established in 2018 and will remain as Executive Chairman.
Lisa Forbes
Builders Vision's General Counsel and former General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer at Sheffield Asset Management, now appointed Chief Strategy Officer.
The details
Builders Vision allocates capital through three channels: grants, direct investments, and fund investments in both public and private markets. Its stated focus areas are sustainable food and agriculture, healthy oceans, and clean energy. Knott previously served as President of Feeding America, and Forbes brings legal and compliance experience from Uptake and Sheffield Asset Management, with Forbes having served as General Counsel at Builders Vision.
Timeline
Builders Vision was founded in 2018 by Lukas Walton.
Matt Knott joined Builders Vision in 2019 as President and Chief Operating Officer.
Knott served as interim CEO for the past year; Forbes served as interim Chief Strategy Officer for the past several months.
The appointments were announced on November 6, 2026.
Market Landscape
Builders Vision's founder-led structure, established in 2018, is now shifting to a professional CEO with Walton retaining a Chairman role. The move reflects a pattern common among founder-backed investment platforms that separate strategic ownership from day-to-day management as they scale.
Chicago-area sustainability investors and their service providers should expect a continuity-focused leadership structure, with Knott running operations and Walton overseeing as Executive Chairman. Firms evaluating partnerships with Builders Vision should confirm how the new CEO and Chief Strategy Officer will approach their specific mandates.
The takeaway
Leadership transitions at large capital allocators often signal shifts in deal priorities, so operators in sustainability-focused investing should watch for changes in grant and fund activity over the coming quarters. Track Builders Vision's public announcements for any update to its focus areas of food and agriculture, oceans, and clean energy.
Further reading
For more on executive moves across the sector, explore our People coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by ESG Today.
