Standard Chartered Bank

Chair's Opening Remarks

Vibhuti Sharma,, Global Head, Development Organisations, Standard Chartered Bank

Evaluating The Contribution And Future Role Of Multilaterals & Development Financial Institutions (DFIs) In The Development Of The Microfinance Sector In Asia

Join panellists to find out how multilaterals view the growing microfinance market in Asia. Explore the remit and investment plans of leading development finance institutions – how does it fit in with other investment priorities, and what type of funding is available. Understand their plans for initiating or growing funds, and learn about their expectations of market and institutional governance structures.

Moderator:

Jamie Bedson, Asia Regional Representative, The Foundation for Development Cooperation (Singapore)

Lead Coordinator, The Banking with the Poor Network Secretariat

Panelists

Jurgen Rigterink, Chief Investment Officer and Member of the Management Board of FMO, FMO

Haje Schütte, Vice President, Division Chief for Financial and Private Sector Development, Asia, KfW Development Bank

Noritaka Akamatsu, Senior Advisor of the Officer of Regional Economic Integration, Asian Development Bank

Margarete Biallas, Program Manager , IFC Advisory Services, Mekong Region

Morning Coffee Break & Opportunity To Network

Regional Focus South Asia: Exploring Investment opportunities and Regulatory Framework

The South Asian subcontinent comprising of India, Bangladesh and Pakistan is paradox. It is home to some of the largest and most efficient Microfinance Institutions in terms of outreach and impact and yet the region has the one of the highest concentrations of people below the poverty line and the financially excluded. The demand and the challenges to meet it are huge. The session aims to explore potential opportunities and challenges of making successful investments in South Asia.

Moderator

Rajitha Vinnakota
Investment Analyst Asia
Symbiotics Singapore Pte. Ltd.

Panellists

Vineet Rai, Director, Aavishkaar Goodwell

A.K.M Aminur Rashid, Director (Operations), ASA

Khalid Kabeer, CFO, Kashf Foundation

Anurag Aggrawal, Senior Vice President, Intellicap

Md. Enamul Haque, COO, ASA International

Networking Lunch

Evaluating Optimal Exit Strategies for Investments in Asian Microfinance

Liquidity and exit options are critical if microfinance is to become an attractive investment asset class. We speak to existing investors in Microfinance and understand their investment philosophies and risk return models as well and explore exit strategies for investments in Microfinance.

Moderator

Haje Schütte, Vice President, Division Chief for Financial and Private Sector Development, Asia KfW Development Bank

Panelists

Hiti Singh, Investment Manager, Alternatives, CDC Group

Jurgen Rigterink, CIO, FMO

Viswanatha Prasad, Managing Director, Bellwether Microfinance Fund

Examining The Challenge of PR: Does Microfinance Have an Image Problem?

Microfinance 'bubbles' in India, increasing calls for impact studies, the Compartamos 'schism' - does all this add up to a public relations for microfinance? If so, what might it mean for investment opportunities? A panel of communications directors from some of the world's largest microfinance organizations examine whether the industry has responded appropriately to media scrutiny and criticism, and what actions are under way to work together to build awareness and help the sector reach scale.

Moderator

Bruce J. MacDonald, Senior Vice President, Communications, ACCION International

Panellists

Jennifer Meehan
CEO for the Asia Region
Grameen Foundation

Vineet Rai, Director, Aavishkaar Goodwell

Manju Mary George, Vice President, Intellicap

Sarita Gupta, Vice President – Development & Marketing, Women’s World Banking

Afternoon Coffee & Opportunity to Network

Identifying The Robust Investment Policies and Risk Management Measures Required to Construct a Microfinance Portfolio

As the microfinance industry matures, increasing pressure is placed on MFIs by investors to manage complex risk with more sophisticated tools and reporting. Learn from industry leaders about the expectations of investors: What are the governance structures, loans polices and risk mitigation strategies that they expect to see? What types of risk management tools and techniques are emerging in Asia?

Panellists

Ron Dadina, Managing Director & Chief Credit Officer, Minlam Asset Management

Scott Budde, Managing Director, TIAA-CREF

Jürgen Hammer, Chief Investment Officer, Grameen Crédit Agricole Microfinance Foundation

Alain Levy, Head of Microfinance for Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America, BNP Paribas

Chandula Abeywickrema, Chairman BWTP & Deputy General Manager – Marketing & Retail Banking, Hatton National Bank Ltd

Industry Debate: Exploring How To Increase Participation in the Sector by Asian Investors

At the end of 2008 it was estimated that total funds invested in Microfinance amounted to USD6.5Bn. Reviewing the breakdown of different investors shows that Asian investors are conspicuous by their absence, however. This seems even more out of place considering that Asia is the largest Microfinance market in the world and Asian MFIs are some the strongest and the most efficient in terms of outreach and impact. With Microfinance being one of the few asset classes that have yielded positive returns during the crises, the question is what is keeping the Asian investor away? This session explores the possible reasons but more importantly debates what can be done to raise the interest with the Asian institutional and privateinvestor.

Moderator

Ranjan Ghosh, Managing Director and Regional Head South and SE Asia, Financial Institutions, Standard Chartered Bank

Ron Becquava, MD, PlaNet Finance

Vineet Rai, Partner & Fund Manager, Avishkaar Goodwell and Aavishkar Asia

Peter Johnson, Partner, Developing World Markets

Jean-Pierre Klumpp, CEO, BlueOrchard Finance S.A.

Chair's Closing Remarks

Close Of Conference