Development Finance Symposium

The Development Finance Symposium - organized by Wasim Tahir (CID Fellow), Nick O'Donohoe (M-RCBG Senior Fellow), and Shawn Cole (HBS Professor) - will convene development finance institutions, development banks, and ecosystem actors for a day of dialogue and engagement with Harvard students, fellows, and faculty.

As aid budgets tighten and investment-led approaches become central to the development agenda, the Symposium will explore how development finance is being redefined – moving beyond the traditional North-to-South paradigm toward a more multipolar system that includes South-to-South flows, the growing role of regional development banks, and innovations in deploying public capital to mobilize private investment.

Sixteen Participating Organizations:

1. International Finance Corporation
2. Black Sea Trade and Development Bank
3. Africa Finance Corporation
4. British International Investment
5. The Currency Exchange Fund
6. Center for Development Finance Studies
7. Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa
8. FONPLATA Development Bank
9. FSD Africa
10. IDB Invest
11. UN Capital Development Fund
12. CrossBoundary Group
13. US DFC
14. EBRD
15. Citigroup
16. Ashmore Group

Program

10:00 – 15:00 | Development Finance Forum

Panels and presentations on the future of development finance with opening remarks from Fatema Sumar, Executive Director of Harvard CID, and a keynote from Nick O’Donohoe, Senior Fellow at M-RCBG and former CEO of British International Investment. The session will explore the tensions between climate and development finance, lessons learned from reconstruction financing post-conflict and post-disaster, innovations in the mobilization of private capital, and more (note - there will be a lunch break from 12-1pm).

15:30 – 17:30 | Career Expo

Meet representatives from leading development finance institutions and advisory firms to discuss career paths, opportunities and internships, in a drop-in / drop-out session.

18:00 – Onwards | Networking Reception

Please indicate upon registration if you are planning on attending the Development Finance Forum, Career Expo, or Both.