• Over 120 decision makers from around the world representing global institutions, academia as well as the public and private sector attended the two day event in Pontresina, Switzerland
  • Impact investment opportunities with stable financial returns in developing countries are expected to increase
  • Participants demand for the public and private sector to work in alignment to achieve the SDGs
  • New initiatives disclosed

In light of rising inequalities and urgent need to catalyse investments to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and tackle the consequences of climate change in developing countries, BlueOrchard initiated the BlueOrchard Impact Summit. Key industry experts and thought leaders such as the renowned Peruvian economist Hernando de Soto, Tadashi Maeda, the Governor and Representative Director of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, Burkhard Varnholt, CIO Switzerland at Credit Suisse and Boris Collardi, member of the board of Partners of Pictet Group, gave keynote speeches, addressing concrete ways to “Close the Gap”. The exclusive event provided a platform for a constructive, open and in particular solution driven dialogue amongst the leaders of the public and private sector. During two days of intense conversations, sessions and panel discussions participants and 13 distinguished speakers, including Partners Group’s Urs Wietlisbach, Stephanie Miller from IFC (World Bank Group) and Monika Beck from DEG (KfW Group), discussed the topics of inequality, climate change and the role of public and private actors, sharing their expertise, experience and strategies.

In his welcome remarks Peter A. Fanconi, BlueOrchard’s Chairman said: “There is no greater return on investment, than protecting our planet and creating a more equitable world for present and future generations. BlueOrchard is proud to contribute its nearly 20 years of experience in microfinance and impact investing in order to find solutions to the most urgent challenges of our time.”

“The Summit sent a powerful signal that public and private actors are united in the pursuit of delivering on the SDGs. We made great progress with identifying suitable and innovative instruments to catalyse private investments to close the SDGs investment gap in developing countries”, said Patrick Scheurle, CEO of BlueOrchard.

Participants agreed that it is the responsibility of both the public and private sector to invest to tackle pressing global challenges such as poverty, inequality and climate change. Discussions showed that in developing countries substantial investment opportunities exist in the areas of climate finance and impact investing. The Summit furthermore demonstrated that impact investing has become a mainstream investment strategy and that the private sector is fully aware of the increasing demand for impact investment solutions. To meet the demand, it is expected that the number and quality of products and investment solutions for a broader spectrum of investors will increase rapidly. The Summit’s participants unanimously agreed that partnerships amongst the major players are key to creating new as well as more investment opportunities. The complexity of investing in developing countries in particular requires a closer cooperation.

The Summit made an important contribution to accelerating the achievement of the SDGs in developing countries and to close the alarming annual investment gap of USD 2.5 trillion in the key sustainable development sectors. For more information on the Summit, please visit: https://www.blueorchard-summit.com/

 

About BlueOrchard Finance Ltd

BlueOrchard is a leading global impact investment manager. The firm is dedicated to fostering inclusive and climate-smart growth, while providing attractive returns for investors. BlueOrchard was founded in 2001, by initiative of the UN, as the world’s first commercial manager of microfinance debt investments. Today, BlueOrchard provides investors around the world with premium investment solutions, including credit, private equity, and sustainable infrastructure. Being an expert in innovative blended finance mandates, the firm is a trusted partner of leading global development finance institutions. With a major global presence and offices on four continents, BlueOrchard has invested to date more than USD 5bn across 80 emerging and frontier markets, enabling tangible social and environmental impact. BlueOrchard is a licensed Swiss asset manager of collective investment schemes authorized by FINMA. Its Luxembourg entity, BlueOrchard Asset Management S.A., is a licensed UCITS management company as well as a licensed alternative investment fund manager (AIFM) authorized by CSSF. For additional information, please visit: www.blueorchard.com.

 

For further information, please contact:
Tahmina Theis
+41 22 596 47 69
tahmina.theis@blueorchard.com
www.blueorchard.com