Finnfund blog
Finnfund blog consists of articles by our experts and guest stars on various themes around development finance, developing countries and sustainable investing aiming to find solutions to global challenges.
Digital banking transformation is no longer an attractive option for banks but crucial for survival
Financial inclusion aims individuals and businesses to have access to useful and affordable financial products and services that meet their needs. As World Bank highlights, a transaction account is a first step towards broader financial inclusion. Once people have bank accounts, they are more likely to use other financial services, such as credit and insurance. […]
Read moreSeptember 29, 2021
Electric mobility is a question of health and it needs investments to develop
Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of moderating a panel discussion where investors gathered to discuss the risk profile of investing in charge points. Having worked with investments in developing countries for the past 20 years, it was refreshing to discuss with investors whose focus is elsewhere than the emerging markets. We discovered a […]
Read moreSeptember 14, 2021
CFO’s insight into H1: Keeping up the good work
The holiday season is over, nevertheless, I feel inspired when looking back over the past six months: 17 new investment decisions and 12 new investment agreements, a new statement on climate and energy, and a new global commitment to raise a further USD15 billion for gender-smart investments. And so forth. Despite the challenges caused by […]
Read moreSeptember 1, 2021
Capturing adaptation opportunities
By Anne Arvola and Juho Uusihakala, Finnfund; Mikko Halonen, Gaia Consulting Oy; and Linda Rosengren, Natural Resources Institute Finland The article has originally been published in The catalytic effects of DFI investment – gender equality, climate action and the harmonisation of impact standards by ODI. Abstract The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) definition of climate adaptation highlights […]
Read moreAugust 13, 2021
Discovering outcomes in gender-lens investing
By Juho Uusihakala, Finnfund; Ilona Mooney, Work Ahead; and Nilah Mitchell, 60 Decibels The article has originally been published in The catalytic effects of DFI investment – gender equality, climate action and the harmonisation of impact standards by ODI. Abstract Gender-lens investing has quickly become a priority for many development finance institutions (DFIs). The 2X […]
Read moreThoughts left by 2020, part 1: Global thinking becomes more relevant after the pandemic
The year 2020 not only marked our lives forever, but it also made us think about our current living habits and how sustainable is our life on this planet. More than a year ago, back in February 2020, I was not aware that my last “in person” monitoring mission for 2020 was taking place at that precise moment. I was leaving […]
Read moreMay 6, 2021
The great digital divide – investing in access, inclusivity, and equality
The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to a new wave of technological enthusiasm. Businesses and policymakers are imagining the post-COVID world where physical location, thanks to digital connectivity, loses importance. Surely, if this is the case, then we could solve some of the most complex issues of our time? A teacher in Finland could educate […]
Read moreApril 15, 2021
Digitalisation, healthcare and climate risk are key topics in inclusive insurance
Last year, Finnfund made its first investment in the insurance sector by providing a USD 7.5 million loan to Softlogic Life Insurance PLC in Sri Lanka. I remember participating the onsite Due Diligence the last week of February 2020 very well, as it turned out to be my last business trip for a while. The […]
Read moreApril 9, 2021
Managing environmental and social risks is a key part of impact investing
There is a lot of buzz about sustainable finance, responsible investment, sustainable investment, ESG investing, impact investing and environmental and social impacts of investments. All this is diverse terminology aimed at communicating the positive changes and developments an investment can have. Depending on the perspective, slightly different things are meant by the different terms. As […]
Read moreFebruary 25, 2021