September 14, 2021
5.00-6.00 pm (Swiss time)
LATCAM is delighted to invite you to a webinar focusing on “IFC in Latin America: Economic Outlook and Opportunities for the Private Sector”. IFC is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. We are honored to welcome as our distinguished guests Georgina Baker, IFC’s Vice-President for Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe and Central Asia; Beatrice Maser, IFC’s Special Representative for Western Europe; and Martin Spicer, IFC’s Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean.
The discussion will assess Latin America’s economic perspectives, outline some of the sectors and projects in which IFC invests jointly with the private sector (e.g. infrastructure, healthcare, agribusiness etc.); emphasize IFC’s contribution toward achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals; and highlight opportunities that could arise through a collaboration between IFC and Swiss companies.
The webinar will be moderated by Philippe G. Nell, Honorary Ambassador of LATCAM and former Deputy Assistant State Secretary for Bilateral Economic Relations at the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, Switzerland.
Our Guests
Georgina Baker is IFC’s Vice President for Latin America and the Caribbean, and Europe and Central Asia. In this role, she’s responsible for a committed IFC portfolio of nearly $30 billion.
Previously, Ms. Baker served IFC in two capacities: as Director of Syndications and as Deputy Treasurer, based in London, where she headed Treasury Operations for Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.
As Director of Syndications, Ms. Baker was responsible for IFC’s syndicated lending program—the oldest and largest among multilateral development banks, with a portfolio totaling more than $15 billion. It includes the Managed Co-lending Portfolio Program (MCPP), an innovative platform launched in 2016 that successfully allocated $3 billion in under 18 months.
Prior to that, Ms. Baker managed IFC’s suite of trade and supply-chain finance products, starting with IFC’s flagship trade program, the Global Trade Finance Program. In her 25 years at IFC, Ms. Baker has held positions in several areas—including manufacturing in Eastern Europe and financial-sector investments in South Asia, Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East and North Africa.
Before joining IFC, Ms. Baker worked in the United Kingdom and Indonesia as a mechanical engineer. She holds an MBA from the London Business School.
Beatrice Maser joined the Western Europe Department on July 1, 2021 to develop new business opportunities and manage relations with European shareholders and partners to ensure implementation of IFC’s global business strategy.
In her previous role, as Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Beatrice drove the organization’s long-term strategy to create markets, offer new solutions for the private sector and crowd in more private investment to help MENA countries grow, provide jobs, and increase shared prosperity. A Swiss national, Beatrice has 30 years of international private and public sector experience, with a focus on economic development and cooperation, trade and investment, the financial sector, and multilateral organizations.
Prior to joining IFC, she was the Swiss Ambassador to Vietnam, promoting bilateral relations and supervising Switzerland’s economic development program in the country. Previously, Beatrice led the economic development and cooperation division at Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Economic Affairs. She also has extensive banking experience, having worked at the EBRD in London and at the Swiss Bank Corporation in New York.
Beatrice holds a Master’s Degree in Architecture from the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich and an Executive MBA in Business Engineering from the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland.
Martin Spicer is currently the regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean, where he oversees IFC’s investment and advisory program for the region. IFC’s commitments in Latin America and the Caribbean in fiscal year 2020 reached USD 7.1 bn, enabling investments to foster sustainable growth, create jobs and fight the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Martin has over 25 years of experience with IFC. He served as IFC’s director for Blended Finance and he previously managed teams responsible for investments in IFC’s manufacturing, agribusiness and services business in Latin America and the Caribbean, telecommunications, media and technology business in Asia, Europe, Middle East and North Africa, and for infrastructure and natural resources in Europe. He also served as a credit officer and has lived and worked in Bangkok, Thailand, and Istanbul, Turkey, with IFC.
He received his MBA with a major in finance from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and his MA from the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University. Prior to graduate school, he was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Gabon. He received a Bachelor of Science from Stanford University.
Our Moderator
Philippe G. Nell is University Lecturer on trade, investment and integration policy as well as negotiating techniques, and Honorary Ambassador of LATCAM. Until October 2019, he was Deputy Assistant Secretary for Bilateral Economic Affairs and Head of the Americas Unit at the Swiss Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research. He held the diplomatic title of Minister. Previously, he dealt with WTO matters (1999-2004) in charge i.a. of investment and China’s accession to the WTO; Rules of origin, Customs matters and Government Procurement (1992-1999), and the European Area Agreement Negotiations (1988-1992).
Mr. Nell holds a Ph. D from the Graduate School of International Studies of the University of Denver and Masters from the Universities of Fribourg, Carleton (Ottawa) and Denver. He is Privat Docent at the University of Fribourg where he dispenses courses. He has published numerous articles on trade and integration policy as well as a book on Swiss-EU negotiations for the European Economic Area.
He has published numerous articles on trade and integration policy. In September 2020, he released a book “Strategy with China: Swiss Cooperation or U.S. Confrontation. The Swiss Successful Path with a Free Trade Agreement” available at the Foundation Jean Monnet for Europe in Lausanne.
Special welcome remarks
Ramon Esteve is a business leader with more than 30 years of experience in the agricultural commodity sector. He has held various Senior Management positions throughout his career within the ECOM group and continues being involved in all aspects of the business.
A member of the Board of ECOM AgroIndustrial, he is also President of the Swiss-Latin American Chamber of Commerce as well as President of the Executive Board of the Swiss Trading and Shipping Association.
Mr. Esteve holds a License in Law from the University of Lausanne.
Slide presentations that were shown during the webinar:
- IFC overview and contacts: LINK
- IFC macroeconomic outlook and opportunities for the private sector: LINK
Webinar recording: LINK
