Background:
SMEs are the backbone of economies worldwide and contribute significantly to job creation. Access to financial services is cited as the key barrier to most SMEs inhibiting their growth. Financial Institutions have a significant role to play, especially in the face of the $5.7 trillion MSME finance gap.
Objective:
As we have seen across multiple financial institutions, when the SME finance business is driven by the CEOs of the institutions, it gets the right focus, builds strong business momentum and delivers lasting market impact. Hence, we plan to bring together CEOs from members institutions of the SME Finance Forum to give a view from the top and hear how the SME agenda is being driven in their organization. CEOs will share how they leverage the latest trends and enablers towards market impact, creating livelihoods and ensuring SMEs succeed, create jobs and grow, while ensuring responsible and sustainable solutions are rendered to the market.
Discussion topics:
- Driving the SME agenda from within
- SME segmentation and impact on economic growth
- Leading financial services trends in SME Finance
Participants:
- Bank of Punjab – Zafar Masud – President and CEO
- SCBF - Sitara Merchant - CEO
- CFTE - Tram Anh Nguyen - Co-Founder
- Republic Bank – Richard Sammy – Group VP
- Tamwilcom - Said Jabrani – CEO
- SIDBI - Manoj Mittal - Chairman and Managing Director
- Tyme Bank – Karl Westvig – CEO
- IDB Lab - Irene Arias Hofman – CEO
Format:
This is a 90-minute virtual peer roundtable during which every group member has an opportunity to present his experience to the full roundtable for immediate comment and feedback.
Expected Outcomes:
Actionable Insights: Practical strategies and recommendations for enhancing SME finance and for creating impact and jobs.
Partnerships: Strengthened collaborations between member organizations and a CEO coalition for future change.
Agenda:
Opening Remarks and introductions:
- Welcome and introduction to the event and its objectives.
- Introduction of speakers
Round 1 – Strategic drive for SME banking excellence
How does SME banking structurally fit within overall institutional strategies?
Role of technology and new trends shaping the finance for SMEs?
Key challenges and importance of going towards the most underserved?
Round 2 - Role of developement sector in SME Finance
Capturing evidence of how SMEs create jobs and drive economic growth?
Impact of the Development Banks and risk mitigation instruments?
How to distinguish high growth SMEs and steer their growth?
Round 3 - Innovation and new market segments
What is the role of digital lenders and growth enablers?
How can we foster early-stage innovation while effectively targeting underserved populations?
How do you build entrepreneurial ecosystems?
Round 4 - Supporting the underserved and building skills
How to scale financial services for low-income segments and building resilience?
Why is skill building important for the financial sector, particularly for technology innovators?
What role can the SME Finance Forum play in bringing together those stakeholders?
Organizer:
The SME Finance Forum, Managed by IFC
The SME Finance Forum works to expand access to finance for small and medium businesses by transfer of best practices through a global membership network that includes financial institutions, technology companies, and development finance institutions.
