Uploaded May 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Over 400 million women entrepreneurs around the world have the potential to grow their businesses, add US$ 5-6 trillion to the global economy and create millions of jobs. They constitute one of the world’s largest emerging markets. Yet, a significant portion of them continue to struggle to access finance. This has resulted in a global financing gap of US$ 1.7 trillion. What is needed to re-orient financial systems at scale in order to close this gap? What are the key elements required to achieve such a transformation and what actions can we take today?
The panel will bring together international leaders in the field, other global thinkers, investors, private-sector partners and policy-makers to explore this question. They will pinpoint the most effective policy reforms and look at how digital solutions can catalyse gender-smart finance. They will further discuss how international partners, including the EBRD, can work together to transform financial systems globally.
Speakers:
Gillian Tett, Member of the Editorial Board and Columnist , Financial Times
HE Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat, Governor of Egypt at the EBRD, Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, Egypt
Irena Radovic, Governor of the Central Bank of Montenegro
Barbara Rambousek, Director, Gender and Economic Inclusion, EBRD
Valerie Labi, CEO and Co-Founder, Wahu Moblility LTD
Andranik Grigoryan, Chief Executive Officer, Converse Bank CJSC
Odile Renaud-Basso, EBRD President
Over 400 million women entrepreneurs around the world have the potential to grow their businesses, add US$ 5-6 trillion to the global economy and create millions of jobs. They constitute one of the world’s largest emerging markets. Yet, a significant portion of them continue to struggle to access finance. This has resulted in a global financing gap of US$ 1.7 trillion. What is needed to re-orient financial systems at scale in order to close this gap? What are the key elements required to achieve such a transformation and what actions can we take today?
The panel will bring together international leaders in the field, other global thinkers, investors, private-sector partners and policy-makers to explore this question. They will pinpoint the most effective policy reforms and look at how digital solutions can catalyse gender-smart finance. They will further discuss how international partners, including the EBRD, can work together to transform financial systems globally.
Speakers:
Gillian Tett, Member of the Editorial Board and Columnist , Financial Times
HE Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat, Governor of Egypt at the EBRD, Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, Egypt
Irena Radovic, Governor of the Central Bank of Montenegro
Barbara Rambousek, Director, Gender and Economic Inclusion, EBRD
Valerie Labi, CEO and Co-Founder, Wahu Moblility LTD
Andranik Grigoryan, Chief Executive Officer, Converse Bank CJSC
Odile Renaud-Basso, EBRD President
