Why attend

While significant progress has been made in driving the growth of green finance, little of this has touched SMEs. This is despite the fact that SMEs, just as they contribute substantially to jobs creation and economies, also cumulatively account for significant amounts of environmental and social problems.  

This year’s Global SME Finance Forum focused not only on the importance of greening SME finance and its role in promoting a more resilient and sustainable growth of the SMEs post-COVID-19 but also addressed some of the key issues and challenges especially on greenwashing, data benchmarking, and verification and misalignment between supply and demand.

Learn about industry trends
Meet industry leaders
Make partnerships & business deals
Agenda

GREENING SME Finance

Toward a more sustainable and resilient future

The conference took place from October 18th to 21st, and convened global thought leaders, climate finance advocates, leading experts, and practitioners in the field of SME finance to share their visions, insights, and experiences in promoting green finance for SMEs. 

 

 

Schedule

All times are expressed in EDT time zone

Filter by

October 21

Welcome & Keynote: Facilitating Green and Inclusive Solutions through Technology

Online

Welcome

MC - Georja Calvin-Smith, Writer, TV Journalist

Opening Keynote: Facilitating Green and Inclusive Solutions through Technology

Speaker:

Vint Cerf, Vice President and Chief Internet Evangelist, Google

Tamara Singh, Board Member, People-Centered Internet

Justin Rice, Vice President of Ecosystem, Stellar Development Foundation

  • Keynote
October 21

Panel: The Role of Green Bonds in Serving SMEs and Unlocking Value for FIs

Online

This session will focus on providing a fundamental understanding of what green bonds are, how they are a good instrument to mitigate climate change and how they can be used to bridge the gap in financing for SMEs for green projects and to spur innovation in the sector.

 

Moderator: Kaikham Onedamdy, Operations Officer, Climate Finance, International Finance Corporation (IFC)

Speakers:

Francisco Avendano, Operations Officer, International Finance Corporation (IFC)

Claire Hobbs, Chief Treasurer, Bank Windhoek

Dirk Dijksma, Head of Innovation Investments, Symbiotics

Hari Rajagopal, Vice President, Capital Markets and Strategic Initiatives, Samunnati

  • Sustainable & Green Finance
  • Plenary
October 21

Panel: DFIs Championing the Greening of SMEs

Online

DFIs play an important role in providing knowledge, expertise, and funding to accelerate green finance portfolio growth.  This panel will elaborate on what have been the successes and challenges and what more can be done to support green finance.

 

Moderator: Matthew Gamser, CEO, SME Financer Forum

Speakers:

Gema Sacristan, CIO, IDB Invest

Elina Kamenitzer, Head of the Climate Office, European Investment Bank (EIB)

Vivek Pathak, Director and Global Head of Climate Business, International Finance Company (IFC)

Jean Claude Iliboneye, Head of Business, Development Bank of Rwanda (BRD)

  • Sustainable & Green Finance
  • Plenary
October 21

Global SME Finance 2021 Awards Ceremony & Closing Keynote

Online

Global SME Finance 2021 Awards Ceremony 

Winners of the 2021 Global SME Finance Awards will be announced.

MC: Jessica Schnabel, Global Head, Banking on Women, International Finance Corporation (IFC)

 

Keynote

Green Economy: A great business and investment opportunity to build a better and more equitable world

Speaker:

Juan Verde, Policy Expert, Corporate Strategist and Advocate for the Green Economy

 

Closing Remarks

Paulo de Bolle, Senior Director, International Finance Corporation (IFC)

  • Awards
October 19

Keynote & Leader Dialogues: Views from the Middle East

Online

Welcome

MC - Georja Calvin-Smith, Writer, TV Journalist

Opening Keynote

Speaker:

Clare Shine, Director and CEO, Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL)

Leader Dialogue I: Views from the Middle East

Host:

Matthew Gamser, CEO, SME Finance Forum

Speaker:

H.E. Dr. Muhammad Sulaiman Al Jasser, President, Islamic Development Bank (IsDB)

Leader Dialogue II: Views from the Middle East

Host:

Momina Aijazuddin, Global Head Microfinance, International Finance Corporation (IFC)

Speaker:

Shamshad Akhtar, Chairperson, Karandaaz Board and Chairperson, Pakistan Stock Exchange

  • Fireside Chat
October 19

Panel: Building Climate Resilient SMEs

Online

Climate change introduces dramatic short-, medium-, and long-term physical risks. These risks are particularly significant for SMEs and is a systemic risk to the financial sector. This panel will highlight the unique opportunity to invest in, and scale, climate adaptive businesses and practices. 

 

Moderator: Vladimir Stenek, Senior Climate Change Specialist, International Finance Corporation (IFC)

Speakers:

Ayodele Olojede, Group Head, Emerging Business, Access Bank

Karel Nierop, Fund Manager, Triodos Investment Management

Simon Schwall, Co-founder & CEO, Oko

  • Sustainable & Green Finance
  • Plenary
October 19

Special Remarks & Leader Dialogue: Views from Africa

Online

Fireside chat with senior private sector leader

Sérgio Pimenta, Regional Vice President, Africa, International Finance Corporation (IFC)

Host:

Georja Calvin-Smith, Writer, TV Journalist

Speaker:

Benedict Okey Oramah, President and Chairman, African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank)

  • Fireside Chat
October 19

Concurrent Panel 1: Financing Green Agriculture and Agribusinesses

Online

Concurrent Panel 1: Financing Green Agriculture and Agribusinesses

This session will explore models for financing green agricultural investments in emerging markets, with a particular focus on the role of digital technologies in promoting green finance flows. 

 

Moderator: Bettina Prato, Senior Coordinator, Smallholder and Agri-SME Finance and Investment Network (SAFIN), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)

Speakers:

George Mburu, Head of Agriculture Credit, Equity Bank

Rahul Gupta, CEO, Avanti Finance

Christine Negra, Principal, Versant Vision

  • Rural & Agriculture Finance
  • Concurrent Session
October 19

Concurrent Panel 2: The Value of Small Business Climate Action: A Collaborative Approach

Online

In this session, we will bring together one small business in conversation with a global payment technology company, one sustainability consultancy and one pioneer initiative to address comprehensive support of SMEs in the transition to net zero. Join us to discuss the business and financial incentives motivating SMEs to take climate action, and how together we can support small businesses pushing for near-term change and long-term business viability.

 

Moderator: Lydia Elliot, Supply Chains Manager - We Mean Business Coalition Secretariat, SME Climate Hub

Speakers:

Liliane Ndananeze, Co-Founder and CEO, WidEnergy Africa Ltd

Giulio Berruti, Director, Climate, Business for Social Responsibility (BSR)

Doug Sabo, Chief Sustainability Officer, Visa

  • Payments
  • Concurrent Session
October 19

Closing Day 2

Online
October 20

Opening Remarks & Leader Dialogue: Views from Europe

Online

Welcome

MC - Georja Calvin-Smith, Writer, TV Journalist

Opening Remarks

Speaker:

Martin Holtmann, Manager, Financial Institutions Group, International Finance Corporation (IFC)

Leader Dialogue: Views from Europe

Host:

Wiebke Schloemer, Regional Director for Europe, International Finance Corporation (IFC)

Speaker:

Rodion Morozov, Deputy Chairman of the Management Board, UKRGASBANK

 

  • Fireside Chat
October 20

Concurrent Panel 1: Transition to a Circular Economy - Rewiring Supply Chain Finance

Online

Integrating Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) into supply chain finance provides an opportunity to scale-up and promote circular business models, and this panel will feature sustainable practices both upstream and down the supply chain that can improve business longevity and growth opportunities.

 

Moderator: Shona Tatchell, CEO and Founder, Halotrade

Speakers:

Derrick Loi, General Manager, International Business, Intelligent Technology, Ant Financial

Stuart Lendrum, Head of packaging quality and food safety, Iceland Company

Ashish Gadnis, Co-Founder & CEO, BanQu

  • Supply & Value Chain Finance
  • Concurrent Session
October 20

Concurrent Panel 2: Promoting SME Finance for Renewable Energy

Online

This panel will provide insights into how to foster access to finance for SMEs operating in the renewable energy sectors in Rwanda and Mozambique. A special focus will be put on how the work with the demand side (SMEs) is linked to the work with the supply side (financiers).

 

Moderator: Sebastian von Wolf, Head of Finance Advisory, GET.invest GIZ

Speakers:

Jeannetta Craigwell-Graham, Finance Catalyst Advisor, GET.invest

Tony Francis Ntore, CEO, Rwanda Bankers Association

Ancha Omar, Head of Business Development, Banco Nacional de Investimento (BNI)

  • Sustainable & Green Finance
  • Concurrent Session
October 20

Leader Dialogue: Views from Latin America

Online
October 20

Concurrent Panel 1: Unlocking Green and Inclusive Investment through Financial Approaches

Online

Panelists will discuss new and emerging products and financial approaches that can drive and support growth and liquidity in green and sustainable markets to mobilize financing for sustainable development.

 

Moderator: Marisela Alvarenga, Chief Financial Intermediaries Division, IDB Invest

Speakers:

Miriam Koreen, Senior Counsellor on SME, OECD

Annabel Ross, Senior Program Manager, Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership

Manuel Davila Lazarus, Executive VP, Banco Atlántida

  • Sustainable & Green Finance
  • Concurrent Session
October 20

Concurrent Panel 2: Green Credit Guarantees

Online

A long-standing hurdle for SMEs has been the lack of appropriate forms of finance, with the severity of financing constraints varying across countries and sectors. These financing constraints and barriers to private capital have an even more decisive impact on innovative low-carbon SMEs who have developed solutions to mitigate GHG emissions as well as SMEs looking to deploy solutions to reduce their operations’ carbon intensity. This panel will explore the role of credit guarantee institutions in promoting green finance for SMEs and addressing this particular finance gap.

 

Moderator: Bill Briggs, Former Acting Associate Administrator, US Small Business Administration

Speakers:

Simon Cureton, CEO, Funding Options

Nagla Bahr, Managing Director, Credit Guarantee Corporation (CGC), Egypt

Syed Abdul Momen, Deputy Managing Director & Head of SME Banking, BRAC Bank

  • Risk Management
  • Sustainable & Green Finance
  • Concurrent Session
October 20

Closing Day 3

Online
October 18

Welcome and Keynotes: Green Finance and SMEs – The Same Path to Resilience and Sustainability

Online

Welcome

MC - Georja Calvin-Smith, Writer, TV Journalist

Matthew Gamser, CEO, SME Finance Forum

 

Opening Remarks

Makhtar Diop, Managing Director and EVP, International Finance Corporation (IFC)

 

Keynote

Vivek Pathak, Director and Global Head of Climate Business, International Finance Company (IFC)

 

Keynote: Green Finance and SMEs – The same path to resilience and sustainability

Speaker:

Dr. Barbara Buchner, Global Managing Director, Climate Policy Initiative

The finance gaps and finance barriers for SMEs share much with green finance. In this keynote, Dr. Barbara Buchner, Global Managing Director of Climate Policy Initiative, will provide an overview of where the world stands on overall global climate finance and why there aren’t more green finance activities. She will also outline where the policy and finance communities can focus their collaborative efforts to scale SME finance that is sustainable and resilient and share concrete opportunities to support and scale green SME efforts.

  • Opening Remarks
October 18

Panel: SMEs in a low carbon world

Online

What role can SME Financiers play in limiting global warming and its impact? This panel will explore the opportunities and challenges for financiers in financing the critical SME sector while supporting greater mitigation activities and practices.

  • Sustainable & Green Finance
  • Plenary
October 18

Panel: Locating Green Value in SME Lending & Closing

Online

In this session, participants will discuss ways in which FI’s could assess SME environmental sustainability without burdening their SME clients with unreasonable bureaucratic demands. They will then explore how this could help to de-risk portfolios in a world of rapidly changing environmental legislation, rising “green” sentiment among shareholders, and increasing real environmental risk.

 

Moderator:

Louise Gardiner, Africa Coordinator, Sustainable Banking Network, International Finance Corporation (IFC)

Speakers:

Esra Kivrak, SME Banking Consultant

Gabby Tomas, Chief Risk Officer and Risk Management Group Head, Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC)

Mariuz Calvet Roquero, Director of Sustainability and Responsible Investment, Grupo Financiero Banorte

 

Closing

  • Sustainable & Green Finance
  • Plenary
October 18

Welcome Remarks & Leader Dialogue I: Views from Asia

Online

Evening Session

Welcome Remarks

Matthew Gamser, CEO, SME Financer Forum

Alfonso Garcia Mora, Vice President for Asia and Pacific, International Finance Corporation (IFC)

 

Leader Dialogue I: Views from Asia

Host:

Matthew Gamser, CEO, SME Finance Forum

Speaker:

Eugene Acevedo, CEO, Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC)

  • Fireside Chat
October 18

Leader Dialogue II: Views from Asia

Online
October 18

Panel: Green Tech Solutions

Online

This session will present tools and solutions that support SMEs to respond to climate change threats and opportunities while simultaneously addressing the survival of SMEs.

 

Moderator:

Arnaud Ventura, Managing Partner, Gojo & Company, Inc.

Speakers:

Jugnu Pati, Investment Specialist, ADB Ventures

Deyi WU, Head of AI Asset Management Business, WeBank

Lincoln Yin, Founder and CEO, RootAnt Group

  • Digital Transformation
  • Concurrent Session
October 18

Leader Dialogue III: Views from Asia & Closing

Online

Host:

Hector Gomez Ang, Regional Director- South Asia, International Finance Corporation (IFC)

Speaker:

Jamal Uddin, CEO, IDLC Finance Limited

 

Closing

  • Fireside Chat

Leader Dialogue II: Views from Asia

Online

Global SME Finance 2021 Awards Ceremony & Closing Keynote

Online

Panel: DFIs Championing the Greening of SMEs

Online

Panel: The Role of Green Bonds in Serving SMEs and Unlocking Value for FIs

Online

Welcome & Keynote: Facilitating Green and Inclusive Solutions through Technology

Online

Closing Day 3

Online

Concurrent Panel 1: Unlocking Green and Inclusive Investment through Financial Approaches

Online

Concurrent Panel 2: Green Credit Guarantees

Online

Concurrent Panel 2: The Value of Small Business Climate Action: A Collaborative Approach

Online

Leader Dialogue: Views from Latin America

Online

Concurrent Panel 1: Transition to a Circular Economy - Rewiring Supply Chain Finance

Online

Opening Remarks & Leader Dialogue: Views from Europe

Online

Concurrent Panel 2: Promoting SME Finance for Renewable Energy

Online

Closing Day 2

Online

Special Remarks & Leader Dialogue: Views from Africa

Online

Concurrent Panel 1: Financing Green Agriculture and Agribusinesses

Online

Panel: Building Climate Resilient SMEs

Online

Keynote & Leader Dialogues: Views from the Middle East

Online

Panel: Green Tech Solutions

Online

Leader Dialogue III: Views from Asia & Closing

Online

Welcome Remarks & Leader Dialogue I: Views from Asia

Online

Panel: Locating Green Value in SME Lending & Closing

Online

Panel: SMEs in a low carbon world

Online

Welcome and Keynotes: Green Finance and SMEs – The Same Path to Resilience and Sustainability

Online
Speakers
Sponsors
Gold
Bronze
Testimonials

"Congratulations on the perfect organization, both in terms of contents and for the efficient technology used for online delivery, with a virtual conference environment so realistic. A very deserved success..." 

Giuseppe Argirò, Intesa Sanpaolo

"Thank you for a very insightful and interesting conference! My team and I attended different sessions and it was very interesting..." 

Ali Gokhan Cengiz, SME Banking Assistant General Manager at TEB

"Excellent organization and quality event - very user-friendly platform, always on time, with the usual diversity of players from across the globe. Congrats to you and your team!" 

Paulina Gonzalez Pardo, Senior Investment Officer, PROPARCO

"This forum is an excellent platform to know the unknown and make new friends all over the world. It helps to share our knowledge and new ideas so that it helps to do better in the organization and develop our personal skills..."
 

Dulal Chandra Pattak
Executive Officer & RM-MSME 

Prime Bank Limited 
 

"Congratulations on the great success of the SMEFF 2021 event! Although in virtual format, the event has well achieved its objective – networking and exchange of insights from leadership and market practitioners."


 

Mina Zhang
Senior Advisor, International and Institutional Relations, World Savings and Retail Banking Institute /European Savings and Retail Banking Group

Marketing Partners
Strategic Partners
Institutions Attending SMEFF21