Washington D.C., April 5 2022 – The Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide through knowledge exchange and innovation.
“When we started in 2012, we were in an exploratory phase for the first few years. Since 2016, we’ve been implementing our mission to build a global membership to support better SME financing, and since then, we’ve established a network with over 240 active member institutions, which operate in over 190 countries sharing the common purpose of helping under-served enterprises.
We are delighted to welcome The Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) to further grow our mission.” said Matthew Gamser, CEO of the SME Finance Forum.
The Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) is the main financing agent for development in Brazil. Since its foundation, in 1952, the BNDES has played a fundamental role in stimulating the expansion of infrastructure, industry and agriculture and in the country. Over the course of the Bank’s history, its operations have evolved in accordance with the Brazilian socio-economic challenges, and now they include support for SMEs, technological innovation, sustainable socio-environmental development and the modernization of public administration.
"Fostering entrepreneurship has been at the core of our strategy as a development bank. By joining the SME Finance Forum, we hope to benefit from peer exchange visits and to enhance our interaction with other financial institutions, which is something that we are pursuing for a more open, innovative and diversified Bank’’ said Gustavo Montezano, President of BNDES.
About SME Finance Forum
The SME Finance Forum was established by the G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI) in 2012 as a knowledge center for data, research, and best practice in promoting SME finance. As an implementing partner for the GPFI, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) was tasked with managing the initiative. The Forum operates a global membership network of +240 members that brings together financial institutions, technology companies, and development finance institutions to share knowledge, spur innovation, and promote the growth of SMEs.
To see all SME Finance Forum members, please visit: https://www.smefinanceforum.org/members/member-list
About The Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES)
Founded in 1952 and currently linked to the Ministry of Economy, BNDES is the main instrument of the Federal Government to promote long-term investments in the Brazilian economy. Its actions focus on the socio-environmental and economic impact in Brazil. BNDES offers special conditions for micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, as well as social investment lines, directed at education and health, family agriculture, sanitation and urban transport. In crisis situations, the Bank acts in an anti-cyclical manner and assists in the formulation of solutions for the resumption of economic growth.
Learn more at:
Website: https://www.bndes.gov.br/SiteBNDES/bndes/bndes_en
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bndes/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bndes
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bndes.imprensa
