Digitalization transforms businesses, reduces costs, automates processes, and brings down the reliance on manpower. In the financial industry sector, it helps reduce the high risk traditionally associated with financing small businesses, through technologies such as real-time data collection and machine learning.
In partnership with the National Bank of Cambodia, the SME Finance Forum is hosting the 9th Global SME Finance Forum. This year’s event will focus on the power of digital transformation in promoting inclusive, sustainable, and responsible finance for MSMEs, the backbone of the world’s economies.
Taking place on September 19-21 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, the three-day conference will explore how digitalization can promote and accelerate green finance, enhance supply-chain efficiencies, improve data security, automate processes, while also lead to a greater financial inclusion.
Join us on site to connect with an international network of SME finance experts and practitioners to share and learn from each other’s experience in SME financing in the aftermath of the Covid-19 crisis.
Registration Open
Lunch
SME Finance Forum Member’s Meeting
Opening Cocktail Reception and Cultural Presentation
Visit to Sosoro Museum and Reception by NBC
Study Tours
Acleda Bank, Cambodia Post Bank, Credit Bureau of Cambodia, Hatha Bank, and WING Bank
Registration Open
Welcome Remarks
Opening Remarks
H.E. Chea Chanto, Governor, NBC
Opening Keynote: Finance for an Equitable Recovery
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.
Plenary Panel: Transforming Supply Chain Finance through Digitalization
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.
Networking Break
Plenary Panel: Agricultural Digitalization
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.
Plenary Panel: Banking on SMEs: Driving Growth, Creating Jobs
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.
Lunch + Informal Networking
Debate: Process of Digitalization – In-house or Outsourcing?
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.
TechPitch Showcase
Networking Lounge
Break
Breakout Session 2: Credit Bureaus Leveraging Digitalization
Credit bureaus face a huge challenge in building a fully digitized process. What can they do to get ahead of demand for digital services?
Breakout Session 2: Digitalization for ESG Impact Measurement in SME Finance
How can SMEs measure and use their ESG results to unlock greater opportunities for growth and securing financing?
Breakout Session 3: DFIs RoundTable
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.
Awards Ceremony
Announcing the winners of the Global SME Finance Awards 2022
Dinner
Registration
Welcome and Recap
Summary of Day 1
Keynote Address: Toward a Digital Economy: a view from Cambodia
Plenary: Government Response: balancing acts
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.
Plenary: Achieving and Sustaining Green Finance
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.
Breakout Session 1: Digital Native Entrepreneurs
What are the opportunities and challenges in serving youth who tend to be digital natives and receptive to non-traditional financing models?
Breakout Session 3: Credit Bureaus Leveraging Digitalization
Credit bureaus face a huge challenge in building fully digitized processes. What can they do to get ahead of demand for digital services?
Breakout Session 2: Leveraging Digital Innovations for Women Entrepreneurs
How can digitalization facilitate innovative and effective products and solutions so that more women entrepreneurs become better and more deeply “banked”?
Lunch
TechPitch Showcase
Short demonstration pitches by selected Fintechs
Networking Lounge
Break
Plenary Panel: Digital Currencies, Distributed Ledgers and the Future of SME Financing
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?
Fireside Chat: The Way Forward in a World on the Move
Looking at trends in digitalization and technology, SME finance practitioners and stakeholders opine on the “bets” they are making for their SME clients.
Closing Remarks
Closing Reception
Registration
Corporate Governance Training: Countering Trade-Based Money Laundering: A Primer
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.
GB-TAP Training: Green, Social and Sustainability Bonds Executive Training
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.
Responsible Finance Training: Responsible Finance and Technology
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.
GB-TAP Training: Green, Social and Sustainability Bonds Executive Training
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.
Keynote Address: Toward a Digital Economy: a view from Cambodia
Closing Remarks
Plenary Panel: Digital Currencies, Distributed Ledgers and the Future of SME Financing
Break
TechPitch Showcase
Breakout Session 1: Digital Native Entrepreneurs
Breakout Session 3: DFIs RoundTable
Break
Networking Lounge
GB-TAP Training: Green, Social and Sustainability Bonds Executive Training
Registration
Responsible Finance Training: Responsible Finance and Technology
Corporate Governance Training: Countering Trade-Based Money Laundering: A Primer
GB-TAP Training: Green, Social and Sustainability Bonds Executive Training
Closing Reception
Fireside Chat: The Way Forward in a World on the Move
Networking Lounge
Plenary: Achieving and Sustaining Green Finance
Lunch
Breakout Session 2: Leveraging Digital Innovations for Women Entrepreneurs
Breakout Session 3: Credit Bureaus Leveraging Digitalization
Plenary: Government Response: balancing acts
Welcome and Recap
Registration
Dinner
Awards Ceremony
Breakout Session 2: Digitalization for ESG Impact Measurement in SME Finance
Breakout Session 2: Credit Bureaus Leveraging Digitalization
TechPitch Showcase
Debate: Process of Digitalization – In-house or Outsourcing?
Lunch + Informal Networking
Plenary Panel: Banking on SMEs: Driving Growth, Creating Jobs
Plenary Panel: Agricultural Digitalization
Networking Break
Plenary Panel: Transforming Supply Chain Finance through Digitalization
Opening Keynote: Finance for an Equitable Recovery
Opening Remarks
Welcome Remarks
Registration Open
Opening Cocktail Reception and Cultural Presentation
Study Tours
Lunch
SME Finance Forum Member’s Meeting
Registration Open

Acleda Bank

Cambodia Post Bank

Credit Bureau of Cambodia

Hattha Bank

WING Bank
You can book your accommodations through this link to benefit from the discount we negotiated with Hyatt where the conference will take place:
https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/group-booking/PNHRP/G-IFC1
HYATT REGENCY PHNOM PENH
#55 Street 178 Sangkat Chey Chumnas,
Khan Doun Penh, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
For most visitors to Cambodia, visa is obtainable upon arrival at Phnom Penh International Airport. At land crossing from Thailand, Vietnam and Laos, visa can be obtained at International Check Point border.
Tourists also can get their visas prior to their arrival through a Cambodian Embassy or Consulate overseas or through online E-Visa before travelling.
Some nationalities are required to get visa in advance at Royal Embassy of Kingdom of Cambodia in their country: Afghanistan, Algeria, Arab Saudi, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Nigeria.
If you need help with visa letter, we would be happy to assist. Please reach out to the team through email at smefinanceforum@ifc.org