17th ANNUAL GLOBAL MICROFINANCE FORUM
Virtual Event
Summary
DEVELOPING THE MICROFINANCE INDUSTRY IN THE NEW REALITY
The current economic environment has significantly affected the microfinance sector: MFIs’ operations, portfolio, and liquidity, as well as ways of cooperation and information exchange with the other microfinance stakeholders. Many financial markets see the changing value of the local currencies, prices for goods and services, and costs of hedging, and decreasing opportunities of attracting the new investments. Microfinance sector players struggle with debt repayments, meanwhile moratoriums and restructurings become a widespread measure introduced to support the sector development. In addition, a slowdown in the real economy makes the clients of MFIs even more vulnerable, hence it requires the respective transformation of existing systems, policies and approaches.
The 17th Annual Global Microfinance Forum by Uniglobal will cover a range of topics that make this forum appealing to MFIs, investors and other industry players from all over the world. It will bring on board a solid network of professionals and senior level experts who will share their experiences and views on the current sector challenges and opportunities, as well as expectations and predictions about future trends in microfinance. During multiple sessions the participants will discuss how MFIs adapt to and run in the new reality, current complications for microclients, specificity of moratoriums on debt repayments, rising importance of digital transformation and many other important topics.
22rd – 23nd APRIL 2021
- OPENING DISCUSSION: Looking back & looking forward
- Opportunities and improvements revealed during lockdown
- PANEL DISCUSSION: Helping financial structures survive amid pandemic
- PANEL DISCUSSION: How do MFIs see the new reality?
- Managing currency risks in debt extension and restructuring
- PANEL DISCUSSION: What does it mean to be a microclient today? Pandemic and its complications for MF customers
- Moratoriums on debt repayments: is it a one-size-fits-all remedy?
- Microfinance for migrants. Remittances reduction. Travel and other restrictions
- OPENING DISCUSSION: Digital transformation becoming important as never before
- Developments in Digital lending. Best practices
- Crucial importance of housing microfinance: A reminder by Covid-19
- Supporting agribusiness in the time of uncertainty
- PANEL DISCUSSION: Going ahead in Green Finance
- What risks fall under the umbrella of microinsurance?
- Leadership and corporate governance in MFIs
- MFI’s responsibility towards its end clients and employees
Speakers
Huib-Jan de Ruijter
Director of Financial Institutions
FMO – the Dutch entrepreneurial Development Bank, The Netherlands
Ashwin Mahabaleswara
Director, Head of Asia Private Debt | Portfolio Manager, Private Equity
DWM Asset Management, USA
Jessica Schicks
Senior Investment Officer, Financial Institutions
Belgian Investment Company for Developing Countries – BIO, Belgium
Jarri Jung
Director of Financial Institutions
Triple Jump, The Netherlands
Theo Brouwers
Director Impact Investing
ACTIAM, The Netherlands
Els Boerhof
Co-owner and Managing Partner
Goodwell Investments, The Netherlands
Cristina Dumitrescu
Senior Investment Manager – Inclusive Finance
European Investment Fund, Luxembourg
Markus Aschendorf
Head of Division / Equity Investments and Funds / Europe / Asia / MENA
KfW Bankengruppe, Germany
Jorge Rubio
Head of Global Inclusive Finance
Citi, UK
Florian Ott
Social Banking Development Manager
Erste Group Bank AG, Austria
Authorized Officer
Erste Social Finance Holding, Austria
Francis Malige
Managing Director
EBRD, UK
Matthew Brown
Global Microfinance Specialist
International Finance Corporation, USA
Stephanie García Van Gool
Director of Impact Assessment
BBVA Microfinance Foundation, Spain
Alain Levy
Head of Microfinance and Social Entrepreneurship for Asia & Americas
BNP Paribas, France
Philippe Guichandut
Head of Inclusive Finance Development
Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation, France
Jurgen Hammer
Managing Director
SPTF Europe, Luxembourg
Bruno Cassola
Manager, Public Affairs & Sustainability
ICCREA BANCA, Italy
Bernard Acquaye
Regional Manager Africa
Quipu and QWare, Ghana, Accra
Toms Jurjevs
Founder & CEO
Sun Finance, Latvia
Teresa Burelli
International Partnerships Lead
BBVA Microfinance Foundation, Spain
Cameron Goldie-Scot
CEO
Musoni System, The Netherlands
Mzondiwe Mwanza
CEO
LendingScape Limited, Zambia
Jeroen Harteveld
Portfolio Manager
FMO – the Dutch entrepreneurial Development Bank, The Netherlands
Tatiana Babii
Regional Manager ECCA
Triple Jump, Georgia
Jane M. Manucdoc
Executive Director
Alalay sa Kaunlaran Microfinance Social Development, Philippines
Robert Canwat Opobo
Chief Manager Microfinance. Retail & Microfinance
Centenary Rural Development Bank, Uganda
Tatia Jajanashvili
CFO
MFI Micro Business Capital, Georgia
Kelvin Mayonga
Acting Chief Credit Officer
Entrepreneurs Financial Centre, Zambia
Sponsors
Testimonials
“Benefited from all the sessions. Good exposure particularly on the new developments in microfinance”
― Manager, Central Bank of Malaysia, Malaysia
“It was my pleasure. Congratulations for a very professionally run event and very informative. I would be happy to participate again”
― General Manager, Alterfin, Belgium
“It was a great and very fruitful event for us where we had the opportunity to network and expose our brand.
We are looking forward to attend the next edition! We would like to warmly thank you for the support and the great organization”
― Frankfurt School of Finance & Management, Germany
“I am pleased to have added value to the conference. There were interesting presentations, conversations and I had the opportunity to make some promising contacts. Thank you for organizing the conference and giving Swisscontact the opportunity to be part of it”.
― Regional Director – Central, East and Southern Africa Program, Swisscontact, Kenya
“It has been a pleasure and I really hope to keep this nice cooperation in the future”.
― Founder & Chairman, Mikro Kapital, Luxembourg
“The overall experience is amazing”
― CEO, Bosak Microfinance Bank Limited, Nigeria
“Thank you so much! I could not have asked for a more cooperative team than yours. I hope we continue our association in the future! It was a pleasure to speak to your audience”.
― Head of Business Development & External Relations, Community Support Concern, Pakistan
“Very helpful for MFI practices (meeting and learning from other MFIs and investors is helpful and very worthy)”
― HR & Admin Director, Alalay sa Kaunlaran (ASKI), Inc., Philippines
“Very good. The organizers are great! I liked the way the conference was managed. Different stakeholders and active participation of both speakers and audience”
― Head of Impact Assessment, BBVA Microfinance Foundation, Spain
“Very interactive and interesting”
― Manager, Doverie Finance, Bulgaria
Testimonials
- MFIS
- INVESTORS
- NGOS
- MIVS
- BANKS
- FINTECH COMPANIES
- PRIVATE EQUITY FIRMS
- CREDIT GUARANTEE FUNDS
- SOFTWARE COMPANIES
- SOLUTION PROVIDERS
- CONSULTANCY COMPANIES
JOB TITLES:
- Managing Director / Director
- CEO, CFO
- VP, Head of Business Development
- Fund Manager
- Head of Microfinance
- Investment Officer / Manager / Specialist
- Head of Social Responsibility Programs
- Head Social Enterprises and Microfinance
- Head / Director of Financial Institutions
- Head of Microbanking – Microinsurance programs
- Head / Manager of Impact Finance / Impact Assessment
- Microfinance Technology Provider
- Head of Investments
- Director / Manager of Emerging Markets etc.