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Inaugural Award Information Session
BE RECOGNIZED, SHARE IMPACT IN SME FINANCE
The SME Finance Forum organizes the Global SME Finance Awards (The Awards) as a core part of its mission to create a unique platform for peer connections, knowledge dissemination, and innovations in SME Finance. The Forum’s extensive 240+ global network, crowds in financial institutions, fintech companies, development banks, policymakers, and industry experts from across the globe, fostering collaboration, knowledge sharing, and partnership building on a global scale. Hence, the Global SME Finance Awards has evolved into a pinnacle of global recognition for those making a real impact in the SME finance landscape.
Since its launch in 2018, The Awards recognize and celebrate the outstanding achievements of financial service providers in delivering exceptional products and services to scale SME finance in their respective markets. It provides an opportunity for institutions to highlight and share good practices, impact, knowledge, and be recognized amongst the global peer group of world leaders in SME finance and services.
We are rolling out a series of Information Sessions during the 2025 Awards Season to share with Financial Service Providers (FSPs) and Industry Stakeholders the role and importance of The Awards in showcasing remarkable achievements and impact in the industry. The sessions also aim to provide information on the application process, respective awards categories, and related information on the awards. Speakers include industry leaders and practitioners from the Forum’s global network, as well as past applicants and winners.
This inaugural information session will focus on the entire Awards Program, its role, importance, and value to Financial Service Providers (FSPs). Winners and applicants from prior years will also discuss their innovations, impacts, and application experience. The session will include a moderated Q&A to address specific questions from entrants.
Objectives:
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Share the role and importance of the Global SME Finance Awards in facilitating impact and spurring innovations in SME Finance
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Entrants Incentives and Benefits
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Provide information on respective Award Categories, Application Process and Judging Criteria
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Highlight What’s New in the 2025 Season
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Share experiences and highlight innovations and achievements of Past Winners/ Applicants
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Address specific questions from existing and prospective entrants.
Speakers/ Discussants:
Hosted by
Qamar Saleem, Global Head of The SME Finance Forum
Qamar Saleem leads the world’s most prominent SME Finance center for knowledge exchange, solution building, innovation, best practice transfer and public-private dialogue. Prior to this role, Qamar was heading Financial Institutions Group Advisory Services for Asia and Pacific aimed at providing integrated investment/advisory client solutions across MSME finance, Gender, Climate, Digital, Housing, Trade, and Supply Chain Finance. Qamar has been with IFC since 2012 and had also served as global technical lead for SME and Supply Chain Finance. Qamar has 30+ years of global financial services experience having worked across 80+ countries, advised more than 300 financial institutions internationally in scaling SME Finance. Prior to joining IFC, Qamar was associated with international organizations like HSBC, Standard Chartered Bank, Deutsche Bank as well as large regional banks while serving in several emerging markets and had launched numerous new business lines, including SME banking, in his banking career.
*More information about the event will be shared soon
