Panel Speakers - IESE Blog Community - IESE Business School

Track 2
16 IESE Business School
Panel Descriptions
The importance of Capital for fostering Development
Code: 2.a
What are the Challenges of Micro-savings?
This panel will discuss the current situation and the future challenges of the micro-savings industry. After
decades of expanding from micro-credits to a more general micro-finance industry, some people believe
that it is time for the micro-savings to step forward. Nevertheless, challenges such as high operational
costs, low population density or local regulation pose formidable barriers to this service, on the other hand
considered basic in advanced economies. Both country and company specific examples, as well as relevant
statistical data, are encouraged.
Speakers: Beatriz Armendariz - Harvard GBS (Speaker and Moderator)
Teshome Dayesso - Buusaa Gonofaa MFI
Guadalupe Mata – EBRD
Jean-Claude Rodriguez Ferrara – CAF
panel coordinators: Lars Tarrach (MBA 2011) and Adele Madonia (MBA 2012)
Code: 2.b
impact investing – The panacea for Solving global Challenges?
Monies dedicated to impact investing are forecast to increase from $50 billion today to over $500 billion
in the next decade (Monitor Institute, 2009) as people look for solutions to social and environmental problems
beyond those that can be provided by traditional philanthropy. Impact investors have captured the
minds and hearts of many given their “triple bottom line” approach of actively placing capital in businesses
whose mission solves particular social and environmental issues while earning a profit. But is this achievable?
What trade-off must an impact investor make to achieve these lofty goals? Can this industry move
from the periphery to the mainstream and what challenges must it overcome to do so?
Speakers: Luciano Balbo - Fondazione Oltre
Sandra Benbeniste - Creas
Felix Oldenburg - Ashoka
Paul Simon - Earth Capital
panel coordinator: Anna-Marie Harling (MBA 2011)