Visit to Sosoro Museum and Reception by NBC

Acleda Bank, Cambodia Post Bank, Credit Bureau of Cambodia, Hatha Bank, and WING Bank

H.E. Chea Chanto, Governor, NBC

The Digital Revolution is firmly in progress and while there seem to be endless opportunities that further financial inclusion and support for SMEs across all sectors and industries, there is a darker side as well, that must be acknowledged and addressed, among other things, the digital divide which leads to unintended negative consequences.

What tools are being used currently and are on the horizon, and how are they being used to expand financial access for SMEs? An exploration of big data, analytics, AI, blockchain technologies, and the future of supply chain finance.

How can digital solutions help to reduce the traditionally high risks of agri-finance? How can digital technologies help lenders to better reach remote rural areas? A discussion of the state of digitization in the agri-finance sector.

SMEs face significantly more constraints than larger firms in accessing finance, particularly in emerging markets. This session will explore how increasing access to finance for SMEs contributes to creating jobs, especially for underserved segments, including women-owned SMEs, VSEs, or climate-smart SMEs. We will hear the perspectives of financial institutions and IFC, and share the insights and lessons learnt from a recent report on financing SMEs.

Will machines replace bankers? Will digitalization result in more FIs competing for SME business, or fewer?  Join us for a lively session where these questions or other aspects of the digitalization agenda will be debated, providing attendees with insight into the pros and cons that can inform their work within their own financial institutions. 

Credit bureaus face a huge challenge in building a fully digitized process. What can they do to get ahead of demand for digital services?

How can SMEs measure and use their ESG results to unlock greater opportunities for growth and securing financing?

Led by the UK’s BII and Nigeria’s DBN, this roundtable session will bring together SME Finance Forum DFI members and regional DFIs for a candid discussion of private sector capital mobilization strategies and how this relates to closing the SME finance gap using the contrasting approaches taken by domestic and international DFIs.

Announcing the winners of the Global SME Finance Awards 2022

Summary of Day 1

What role does the government or the central bank play in ensuring an equitable, fair and transparent playing field for SMEs while advancing digitalization? An exploration of policy and regulation vis-à-vis credit guarantees, legislative reforms, credit infrastructure and more.

Digitalization offers an opportunity to accelerate the green revolution. Under the moniker, the Twin Transition, this will be an exploration of how FIs are realizing their green banking targets through the use of digital tools.

What are the opportunities and challenges in serving youth who tend to be digital natives and receptive to non-traditional financing models?

Credit bureaus face a huge challenge in building fully digitized processes. What can they do to get ahead of demand for digital services?

How can digitalization facilitate innovative and effective products and solutions so that more women entrepreneurs become better and more deeply “banked”?

Short demonstration pitches by selected Fintechs

Is the future of SME payment infrastructure more centralized in a handful of efficient nodes, or more decentralized and driven by blockchain technology? Does programmable money have the potential to radically change how SME lenders and borrowers interact with each other?

Looking at trends in digitalization and technology, SME finance practitioners and stakeholders opine on the “bets” they are making for their SME clients.

As global trade has grown in recent decades, so too has trade-related crime. Trade-based money laundering (TBML) is an increasingly significant way in which global trade is misused to launder illicit proceeds of crime. Financial institutions engaged in trade finance must be vigilant and implement TBML-specific control frameworks to protect their business from potential regulatory scrutiny and loss of correspondent bank relationships. This session will provide a trade finance practitioner-oriented primer of TBML related risks and controls based on international standards, including as defined by FATF and Wolfsberg Group.

The GSS Bonds Executive Training is an exclusive program offered only to selected banks. The program is an IFC initiative under its GB-TAP. The training is designed to provide deep insight on GSS bonds issuance and the underlying drivers in sustainable finance. The program contains some classroom-based learning materials but will also contain more dynamic learning components such as guest speakers, case studies and interactive discussions.

This highly practical training is designed specifically for emerging market banks interested in issuing GSS bonds. The training will seek to strengthen the bank staff’s foundational skills in green and sustainable finance. Topics covered will also include the investor perspective, practicalities of GSS bonds issuance, reporting to investors, and use of second opinions, among others.

Financial service providers have an important role to play in ensuring that digital financial services are delivered responsibly. Responsible practices build trust and confidence in both accessing and using digital financial services leading to greater financial inclusion particularly for underserved groups. Join us for this engaging workshop designed for senior leaders of financial institutions and fintechs who are seeking to grow and enhance their businesses through responsible finance strategies. The session covers why responsible finance matters and the business case for responsible digital finance including managing evolving digital finance risks and deepening relationships with customers. Selected case studies and tools will be presented that can help equip participants to refine their operations and better respond to customer needs in the evolving digital landscape.

The GSS Bonds Executive Training is an exclusive program offered only to selected banks. The program is an IFC initiative under its GB-TAP. The training is designed to provide deep insight on GSS bonds issuance and the underlying drivers in sustainable finance. The program contains some classroom-based learning materials but will also contain more dynamic learning components such as guest speakers, case studies and interactive discussions.

This highly practical training is designed specifically for emerging market banks interested in issuing GSS bonds. The training will seek to strengthen the bank staff’s foundational skills in green and sustainable finance. Topics covered will also include the investor perspective, practicalities of GSS bonds issuance, reporting to investors, and use of second opinions, among others.