2ND ANNUAL ASIA PACIFIC MICROFINANCE FORUM
SINGAPORE
Summary
Scale-Up Your Impact | How MFIs Can Navigate & Thrive in the Age of Fintech Revolution
Some of the biggest challenges MFIs struggle to overcome today are high operating costs, scalability and low earnings. And it is widely believed today that the provision of financial technology (fintech) innovations is expected to help MFIs reduce their costs, increase operational efficiency and remain competitive in the rapidly changing financial landscape. Additionally, new players like fintech-based lenders and mobile network operators are entering the microfinance industry and targeting the unbanked and the financially excluded segments. How successfully MFIs respond to this dynamic and competitive environment will also determine which actors will survive (remain more relevant) within the financial inclusion industry in the near future.
What’s more, investment in the fintech industry has globally raced ahead to the levels unseen before. In 2018, global investment in fintech companies hit a record high 111.8 billion USD. Fintech investments in Asia increased from $12 billion* in 2017 to $22.7 billion in 2018, dominated by Ant Financial’s record-setting deal ($14 billion). Even though the investments slowed significantly in the second half of the year, it is highly expected that fintech investments will remain strong in Asia and play a crucial role in shaping the dynamics of the financial inclusion industry.**
The 2nd Annual Asia Pacific Microfinance Forum will shed light on how the pioneering microfinance sector players (MFIs, social impact investors, banks, international finance organizations, among many others) evaluate the potential uses, critical success factors as well as implementation challenges of the recent fintech developments in the financial inclusion sector. It will be an invaluable opportunity for sector players to meet their potential/existing business partners and help shape the future of microfinancing in the Asia Pacific region.
*All figures are in US dollars
** KPMG, Global Fintech Investments, 2018
Day 1 | 22 October 2019
KEYNOTES – from the pioneering investors, banks and funders:
- Macroeconomic outlook on the APAC microfinance sector in 2019
- Growth strategies to attract funding from the impact investors
- Learning how to develop a new sustainable approach to microfinance in the Fintech era
- Developing innovative blended capital structures for microfinance investments
- Leveraging new product channels for microfinance customers
- Tailored product design and effective pricing strategies for MFIs
- Digitizing internal audit to drive top-line growth
INTERVIEWS – with the impact investors:
- Why do some MFIs receive the investment they need, and some others don’t?
- How to support scalable MFI business models to attract more funding
- What will be the priority sectors and countries for impact investors in 2020?
ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS – on helping MFIs become more resilient:
- Developing applicable and innovative business models for MFIs
- Improving the efficiency of MFIs decision-making processes
- Which internal challenges stop MFIs reaching their potential
Day 2 | 23 October 2019
KEYNOTES – from the most innovative Fintech companies and MFIs:
- What it takes for MFIs to go digital
- The challenges for MFIs and Fintech companies to actively engage and build partnerships – and the consequences of not engaging
- What can MFIs learn from banks and Fintechs – or vice versa?
- What will be the significance of soft-skills as microfinance moves into the digital age
- Is there a risk for some MFIs to become irrelevant?
- What are the competitive advantages of MFIs? How can MFIs strengthen them and keep their competitive edge?
INTERACTIVE LUNCH – to share experiences and build business networks
- The discussion topics are chosen by the participants
- Great opportunity for in-depth discussions
- Peer-to-peer learning and knowledge sharing
COUNTRY SPECIFIC CASES – to learn from the hands-on experiences of MFIs operating the Asia Pacific region
- Cooperation between banks and MFIs for lending in solar home systems
- Crowdfunding MSMEs
- Rural & agricultural finance
Videos
PHOTOS
from previous event
Speakers
Swapnil Kant Neeraj
Principal Investment Officer – Microfinance Lead
IFC (International Finance Corporation), Singapore
Natt Phimnipharh Setthawong
Investment Manager, Financial Institutions Asia
Norfund, Thailand
Amit Kumar Rathi
Managing Director
Unitus Capital, India
Pierrick Balmain
Head of APAC Business Development
BlueOrchard Investments, Singapore
Bernhard Eikenberg
Fund Manager
Bamboo Capital Partners, Luxembourg
Estelle Darie-Rousseaux
Executive Director
Amret – ADVANS GROUP, Cambodia
Stephanie Bilo
Chief Client and Investment Solution Officer
responsAbility Investments, Switzerland
Pranav Kumar
Associate Director
Leapfrog Investments, Singapore
Daphne Ng
CEO
JEDTrade, Singapore
Anshukant Taneja
Principal Investment Specialist – Microfinance Program
Asian Development Bank, Philippines
Debbie Watkins
Managing Director – APMEA
Fern Software, Singapore
Abhishek Agrawal
SVP & Chief Regional Officer
Accion, India
Nyi Nyein Aye
CEO
ThitsaWorks, Myanmar
Cameron Goldie-Scot
CEO
Musoni, The Netherlands
Sertac Yeltekin
Chief Operating Officer
Insitor Partners VC, Singapore
Santhosh Nellayappan
Senior VP & Product Head
Sumeru Solutions, India
Rahul Jessel Mittra
Managing Director & CEO
Margdarshak, India
Vineet Chattree
Director
Svatantra Microfinance, India
H.P. Singh
Chairman & Managing Director
Satin Creditcare Network Ltd., India
Freek Kortekaas
Regional Manager – Asia Pacific
Triple Jump, Thailand
Maxim Chernuschenko
Founder & CEO
Cashwagon, Singapore
Borce Dimovski
Managing Partner
ASPEKT – Business Analyses and Global Solutions, Macedonia
Michal Matul
Senior Advisor at AXA Emerging Customers
AXA Group, France
George Harrap
Founder & CEO
Bitspark Ltd., Hong Kong
Stefan Martiniak
CEO
First MicroFinance Company, Kyrgyzstan
Farmina Hossain
Additional Director Program, Head of Microfinance Operation
Buro Bangladesh
Gagandeep Sehgal
Chief Operating Officer
Margdarshak, India
Andrew McCusker
Head of Education Finance
Opportunity International, UK
Gonzalo Gonzales
CEO
DAWN Microfinance, Myanmar
Sothany Chun
CEO
First Finance, Cambodia
Sponsors/Partners
WHY SHOULD MICROFINANCE SECTOR PLAYERS ATTEND THIS FORUM?
- Learn how to overcome your operational challenges and grow your business to achieve deeper social & economic impact in the industry
- Meet the like-minded experts, global innovators and market-leading companies shaping the future of microfinance industry
- Unlock unparalleled opportunities for your business
- Connect with the decision makers, investors, and senior-level executives
- Gain the key insights into how to adapt to the most dynamic microfinancing environment
- Help shape future trends in the financial inclusion industry
WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT US
“Extremely professional arrangements and organization. Really appreciated the experience.”
— Amret Microfinance Institute, Chief Financial Officer, Cambodia
“It is a very good chance for meeting with creditors, MFIs, and technological solution suppliers.”
— Sathapana Limited, Chief Operating Officer, Myanmar
“Great conference and thanks for having me.”
— Senior Investment Specialist, Asian Development Bank, Philippines
“Topics are very relevant and interesting.”
— Project Development Officer, Agricultural Credit Policy Council, Philippines
“Apart from the fact that it’s a well-organized and professional organization, what I enjoyed is the people that attend this event from a broad background of microfinance practitioners, providers of technology and other services to the industry.”
— Founding and Managing Partner, Goodwell Investments, the Netherlands
“I met many investors from different countries. It was a great experience because I had a chance to develop contact with them.”
— CEO, Vijaya Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Ltd., Nepal
“The themes are always very well chosen so it is forward-looking. It is always something new to learn for us besides getting to know new players.”
— Senior Fund Manager, C-QUADRAT Asset Management GmbH, Austria
Where and When?
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