Capital Musings

Today we are speaking with Rob Tashima, Chief Growth Officer of Village Capital, where he discusses its unique model of giving entrepreneurs have more say in the process of allocating capital. 

In this episode, we speak with Chris Walker, Social Innovations Director at Mercy Corps, who describes how starting a donor-funded venture capital fund has given the nonprofit sector more options to achieve its goals. He shares his wide experience in government, private sector and the non-profit sectors to grow the impact investment space.

Laura Sennett, Policy Specialist at UNCDF, speaks with Esther Pan Sloane about international development finance, blended finance, concessional finance and additionality. She describes her time working in Africa, the benefits of being close to the action, and explains how learning other languages changed her life.

The argument persists that markets are inherently efficient and consistently rational. If investments in women-led businesses and into funds managed by women generate better results, why is there little progress in directing more capital to them? What can investors, advisors, and asset owners do to increase the flow of finance to female entrepreneurs and fund managers?

Guests:

• Anna Karin Eneström, Permanent Representative of Sweden to the UN

• Preeti Sinha, Executive Secretary, UNCDF

• Sonia Gardner, Goodwill Ambassador, UNCDF and President, Managing Partner and Co-Founder of the Avenue Capital Group

• Sandy Urie, Chairman Emeritus of Cambridge Associates

• Malin Malmstrom, Luleå University of Technology, LTU, Department of Business Administration, Technology and Social Sciences (ETS), Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Moderator: Esther Pan Sloane, Head of Partnerships, Policy and Communications, UNCDF

The term "digital economy" will soon become a redundancy, because economies will be largely, if not entirely, digital. But how can we ensure that digital economies are also inclusive and resilient? Three practices leaders in UNCDF's Policy Accelerator Team--Ahmed Dermish, Olivia Kelly-Lonkeu and Amani Itatiro--discuss the importance and complexity behind supporting policy ecosystems that ensure digital economies are inclusive versus exclusive, particularly in the world's least developed countries.

Esther Pan Sloane is speaking with Eva Yazhari, CEO of the Beyond Capital fund, co-host of the Beyond Capital podcast, founder of the Conscious Investor magazine, and author of the book The Good Your Money Can Do. In this episode, we talk about the biggest obstacles to investors considering investing in the least developed countries. We also review the concept of conscious leadership and stakeholder capitalism, and whether a hundred percent impact portfolio approach is feasible or desirable.

Saadia Madsbjerg, former Managing Director of The Rockefeller Foundation and co-author with Judith Rodin, former president The Rockefeller Foundation president, of Making Money Moral: How a New Wave of Visionaries is Linking Purpose and Profit speaks about how The Rockefeller Foundation helped start the impact investing industry and her views on the rapid growth and future of the field. 

The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) and the UN Capital Development Fund recently a released a critical joint publication that provides guidance to local and national governments on how to manage assets relating to public infrastructure investments. Ahead of this year's Finance for Development Forum (FfD), we invited four contributors of the handbook to the podcast to discuss the publication and to explain why infrastructure asset management is essential to SDG achievement.

Sabine Mensah, UNCDF regional digital lead for West Africa, explains how digitization benefits entrepreneurs, consumers, governments and small businesses across the region. 

Ambassador Perks Ligoya, Permanent Representative of Malawi to the United Nations and leader of the LDC Group, explains why foreign direct investment, official development assistance, innovative financing mechanisms and productive capacity are critical for helping the world’s Least Developed Countries achieve their SDG ambitions.