The “SME Finance Virtual Marketplace” is an online match-making platform that promotes partnership and collaboration between members of the SME Finance Forum, especially financial institutions, fintech companies and development finance institutions/ investors. The virtual Marketplace is powered by GlobalLinker, an AI powered ‘Digital Ecosystem’ offering SMEs a range of services to build digital presence including e-commerce. 

March Marketplace Session

This monthly marketplace session, scheduled on Wednesday, March 1st from 8 am to 9 am EDT, will feature Leading DFIs who will present their MSMEs New Funding Opportunities.

Following the presentations, participants can reach out directly to the presenters to make inquiries or explore partnership opportunities! 

Companies Pitching

• Afrexim Bank

Pan-African multilateral finance institution established in 1993 promotes intra-and extra-African trade using credit (project financing), risk bearing (guarantees & credit insurance) and trade advisory services.

• DFC

The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) is America’s development finance institution. DFC has a mandate to partner with the private sector to finance solutions for the world’s most critical development challenges.

• FMO

FMO is the Dutch entrepreneurial development bank. They invest in over 85 countries, supporting jobs and income generation and improving people’s lives in those parts of the world where this makes the biggest difference. 

• IDB Invest

IDB Invest, a member of the IDB Group, is a multilateral development bank committed to promoting the economic development of its member countries in Latin America and the Caribbean through the private sector. 

• IFC

IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, advances economic development and improves the lives of people by encouraging the growth of the private sector in developing countries.

Presenters

Ms. Rashanda Johnson leads client development in the Office of Development Credit at the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC). Her responsibilities include counseling U.S. companies seeking financing from the DFC, evaluating new project proposals and loan applications, and developing new business opportunities. Additionally, Ms. Johnson supports business development coordination between DFC departments, as well as interagency business development coordination.
Before joining DFC, Ms. Johnson served at U.S. Commercial Service and USAID. Her primary responsibilities were assisting in outreach to the U.S. business and trade communities and facilitating new business opportunities.
Ms. Johnson holds an MPA with an emphasis on Policy and Management from Bowie State University and a Bachelor's degree in International Business from Wright State University. She also is an alumna of Semester At Sea, a multi-country study abroad program which emphasizes global comparative study.

Gabriela is an Investment Officer at IDB Invest in the Financial Institutions Division. She leads the origination and structuring of financing operations for the financial sector and capital markets in Ecuador and other countries of the Andean region. Gabriela has more than 15 years of experience in multilateral banking and has led several projects in the financial, capital markets and corporate sectors in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Before working for IDB Invest, Gabriela was the Private Sector Investment Officer of IDB in Washington, DC, where she led projects with financial institutions and corporate companies that sought to meet the needs of the base of the socio-economic pyramid in Latin America and the Caribbean. Prior to this, she was a financial consultant in the IDB's Fiduciary and Procurement Department in Ecuador, where she oversaw financial monitoring of public sector credit operations. Before joining the IDB, he worked in the Internal Control Department of ABN-Amro Bank, branch in Ecuador. Gabriela has an MBA in Finance from Johns Hopkins University and a postgraduate degree of Leadership Development Program for Minority Managers from Johns Hopkins University's. She is also a Business Administration Engineer and a Public Certified Accountant (CPA), both degrees obtained from the Catholic University of Ecuador.
 

Esther is part of the Public Investment Management and Blended Finance team at FMO and is responsible for FMO’s financial inclusion fund -MASSIF. FMO manages the MASSIF fund on behalf of the Dutch government. MASSIF reaches out to end-beneficiaries through financing local financial intermediaries and institutions that can contribute to their development. With the fund, we can invest early on, taking high risks and by doing so, catalyze new investors into the financial inclusion space, which includes FMO. Esther has over 7 years of experience in the financial sector having worked in various roles in leading financial institutions in Kenya.

Galina Klimenko holds the position of a global Financial Inclusion lead and is based in Washington, DC.  Before joining the Financial Inclusion team, she had served as the regional business lead for IFC’s Financial Institutions Group in various regions in Europe and Asia.  She has led numerous project teams in Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Eastern Europe.  Ms. Klimenko has been with IFC since 2009.  Before that, her record includes working at Credit Agricole Indosuez and PricewaterhouseCoopers in Chicago, as well as the IMF (International Monetary Fund) Moscow office.  Galina holds an MBA from DePaul University and a BA in Economics from MGIMO.

Ody Akhanoba is the Head of Afreximbank’s SME Development Unit. In his current role, he is responsible for the delivery of the Bank’s SME Development Programme, which seeks to proliferate both financial and non-financial interventions to SMEs across the continent. Before joining the SME team, he led the development of various strategic initiatives (including the SME, Creatives, Sports and Diaspora programmes) as an officer in the Strategy and Innovation Department.
Prior to joining Afreximbank in January 2017, Ody held various Corporate Finance / Corporate Strategy roles in Investment Banking over a 12 year period. He was most recently a Vice President within Deutsche Bank’s Strategy Group in London. Ody holds an MBA from London Business School and a BA in Finance from Durham University, U.K.