EDFI MC Corporate Day:
Beyond the crossroads
This event took place on 30 September 2025 at The Merode in Brussels. Thank you to everyone who joined us, in the room and online.
The Merode, Brussels, Belgium
30 September 2025
09:00h - 19:00h (CET)
How it went
On 30 September 2025, EDFI MC brought together leaders from the European development finance institutions, multilateral development banks, the European Commission, national governments, think tanks and our portfolio companies. Their discussions took place against a difficult background for multilateral cooperation, shaped by geopolitical shifts, new defence priorities and economic uncertainty.
Building on the 2024 edition, Beyond the Crossroads asked how development finance and impact investing can stay effective as protectionism and fragmentation grow. The day was opened by Søren Peter Andreasen, then Chair of EDFI MC, and our CEO Rodrigo Madrazo, with a keynote by Koen Doens, Director-General of DG International Partnerships. Four panels followed, on resilience in times of crisis, partnerships for competitiveness and sustainable development, private sector growth in fragile markets, and the future of development finance after the FfD4 conference in Sevilla.
Speakers
Agenda
9.00 - 10.00 - Registration
10.00-10.05 - Introduction
10.05-10.20 - Welcome
10.20-10.35 - Official opening
10.35-10.55 - Keynote speech
10.55-11.00 - Intro to panel session 1
11.00-12.00 - Panel discussion - Navigating Crises: Resilience Strategies for Development Finance
Henrik Bliddal, Deputy Secretary General of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (NATO PA)
Richard Amor, Director of partnerships - EIB global
María Ángeles León, Co-founder - Global Social Impact Investments
Moderator
Roland Siller, CEO of DEG - Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH
12.00 - 13.30 - Lunch
13.30-13.40 - Intro to the panel session 2
13.40-14.30 - Panel discussion - Strengthening Partnerships for Global Competitiveness and Sustainable Development
Michael Jongeneel, CEO - FMO
Jean Van Wetter, CEO – Enabel
Ingrid Hoven, Managing Director - Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
Pablo De Ramon Laca, Chairman and CEO - Cesce
Moderator
Antoine Quero, Financial advisor - European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus (EFSD+), DG INTPA - European Commission
14.30-15.00 - Coffee break
15.00-15.10 - Intro to panel session 3
15.10-16.00 - Panel discussion - Resilience in Action: Lessons from Private Sector Growth in Fragile Markets
Adesuwa Okunbo Rhodes, Founder & Managing Partner - Aruwa Capital
Lola Masha, co-founder - Babban Gona
Kisa Giebnik, CFO - Okra Solar
Moderator
Bart Coenegrachts, Senior Investment Officer - AgriFI, EDFI Management Company
16.00-16.10 - Intro to panel session 4
16.10-17.00 - Panel discussion - Future of development finance after FfD4 - Sevilla
Jeremy Hajdenberg, Co-CEO - Investisseurs & Partenaires (I&P)
Elizabeth Kibirige Namugeny, Director for Partnerships and Blended Finance - IFC
Moderator
Søren Peter Andreasen, Chair - EDFI Management Company, Deputy CEO - Impact fund Denmark
17.00 - closing
17.00 - 19.00
About last year event
The 2024 edition of the EDFI MC Corporate Day was named “At the Crossroads” as we understood the world was at a crossroads marked by significant political and economic shifts. These changes presented both challenges and opportunities for the field of impact investing.
That event brought together a distinguished audience of leaders from the European Union, European Development Finance Institutions (EDFI), financial development and impact investing institutions, investors, and investees.
To see more information from 2024 visit this page.
Numbers
EDFI Management Company
Location:
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