The Microfinance Centre regional microfinance resource center and network
The European Union is offering this webinar to microfinance institutions (MFI) interested in exploring the impact of the pandemic on MSME oriented finance in Europe and what can be done to support FIs to transition into a post pandemic world.
What are the webinars about?
The first webinar will discuss the challenges that the practitioners are facing one year after the break-out of the pandemic as well as what permanent changes are noticed or to be expected.
The second and third webinar will involve technology providers and funders offering various types of support to financial institutions. The series will commence in March.
Detailed description of the series:
Webinar no 1 | KEEP CALM, ADAPT AND CARRY ON
Date: Wednesday, 3 March 2021 at 11:00 (CET)
Language: English
March 2021, approximately 1 year after Europe became the active center of the COVID-19 pandemic, Europa is now exploring ways to end the various lockdown measures and get back to normal. But, can we even imagine the damage COVID-19 has caused to our businesses, can we now focus on rebuilding our portfolios and client base, are we heading back to normal or is there a new normal?
This webinar seeks to unearth the current issues faced by Financial Institutions. Are institutional risks merely shifting or are they better managed. Will FIs gradually shift back to business as usual or has the way we run our institutions changed…perhaps for the good? Will we serve the same clients with the same products or do our clients require something else?
These questions and many more will be discussed with a practitioners panel with an active involvement from all webinar participants.
Webinar no 2 | DIGITALIZE OR DIE
Date: Wednesday, 10 March 2021 at 11:00 (CET)
Language: English
For many years now there has been a need for traditional financial institutions to face the challenge presented by digital technology, the pandemic has clearly accelerated this process. It is imperative for FIs take digital transformation seriously. This webinar will see a variety of software/ IT companies offering digital CBSs and digitization services. This round-table will allow the panelist share their experiences throughout the crisis and how the FIs using their systems fared. The panelist will also have the opportunity to briefly pitch their digital solutions and breakout rooms will be provided to allow for a more detailed Q&A.
Webinar no 3 | A FUNDER IN NEED IS A FRIEND INDEED
Date: Wednesday, 17 March 2021 at 11:00 (CET)
Language: English
The last webinar of the series will host a variety of Europe’s most prominent providers of finance and technical assistance for MSME sector. They will inform us on their experience dealing with their investees, what are the lessons learned and how can they help FI find their bearings in a post-Covid situation.
Panelists:
Marianne Sulzer – Technical Assistance Management, Finance in Motion, Advisor of the European Fund for Southeast Europe (EFSE)
Vincent Lehner – Head of Markets Division – Symbiotics SA
Cristina Dimitrescu & Samuel Clause – European Investment Fund
Michaël Blockx – Private Equity Investment Committee – Fund Development – INCOFIN
Our expert:
DAVID KRUIJFF
David has over 20 years experience in the MSME sector working for several of the industries most respected players like ProCredit, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and OXFAM. David held several Board positions on regulated MSME banks in Africa and Balkans. Currently David is Chairman of Musoni Holding, a fintech investment holding, and represents them on the Board of Musoni Kenya. Further, David is member of the Credit Committee of an Agricultural Supply Chain Fund (Agrif), and he is a research associate at the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance, at the University of Cambridge Judge Business School.
Attendance for all webinars in the series is free of charge. The session targets primarily microfinance institutions (MFIs), including greenfield MFIs, banks, NGOs, regulators or other institutions and individuals working in the microfinance sector in Europe. European microfinance providers, either selected as EaSI Technical Assistance beneficiaries or interested to apply for the programme can contact easi.ta@fs.de to receive more information about this event, as well as to request the participation in or organisation of similar events.
