ADFIAP CEO FORUM

Message from the Chairman

On behalf of the Association of Development Financing Institutions in Asia and the Pacific (ADFIAP), I wish to thank our host, the Rural Development Bank (RDB) and its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, H.E. Son Koun Thor, for organizing this year's CEO Forum VII in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Now on its seventh year, this international conference for chief executives of ADFIAP member-institutions has gained prominence and relevance as an effective platform for best practice and ideas exchange, relationship-building and business cooperation.

The sweeping global financial and economic crisis and the responses of many governments to put their economies back to recovery have validated that development finance is a reliable and viable instrument for sustainable economic growth not only in crises but also in normal times.

Among other economic sectors that are being assisted by development finance institutions (DFIs) during the crisis is the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector as it constitutes up to more than 75% of businesses in most countries. SMEs are important contributors to national production, export revenue, and domestic employment.

The challenge however for DFIs is to pursue their SME development mandates by adopting new and innovative financing mechanisms as well as by adhering to globally accepted standards for risk mitigation and governance.

It is with this perspective that I consider the theme of this year's CEO Forum, "Sustainable SMEs through Value Chain Financing", appropriate and relevant. By knowing the linkages and relationships that exist within a value chain, SMEs can improve efficiencies, expand market, and access financing. The value chain financing that develops from these relationships can result in mutual benefits to the SMEs and DFIs.

I thus invite all ADFIAP members, partners and other stakeholders to join us in Siem Reap to meet, share and nurture our common purpose of seeking ways and means on how best we can all carry out our sustainable development mission in these trying times and beyond.

I look forward to meeting you all!

Message from the chairman of ADFIAP

Mr. Nihal Fonseka
General Manager and CEO, DFCC Bank, Sri Lanka
Chairman, ADFIAP

 

WELCOME MESSAGE FROM THE HOST

H.E. SON KOUN THOR CHAIRMAN AND CEO, RURAL DEVELOPMENT BANK OF CAMBODIA

Distinguished Delegates, Friends, Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the 7th International CEO Forum for Chief Executives of Development Finance Institutions – Theme: "Sustainable SMEs through Value Chain Financing".

We are delighted and honored by your presence and participation in this event. For a bit of history, the International CEO Forum is an annual collaborative effort between ADFIAP and the Association of Development Finance Institutions of Malaysia or ADFIM that started in 2004. The first three CEO Forums were conducted in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. In 2007, the event was held in Bangkok, Thailand and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2008, respectively., Last year’s CEO Forum was held in Makati, Philippines. This is the first time that the CEO Forum is held in Cambodia, Siem Reap town where the famous ruins of Angkor Wat (the world heritage) is the gateway to the Angkor region and is Cambodia’s main destination for tourism.

The rotation of the venue of the CEO Forum is a reflection of the regional character of ADFIAP. Based on some indications we have received, the next forum may be held outside Southeast Asia but wherever it may be held, the CEO Forum has proven to be an effective platform for the exchange of ideas, knowledge and best practices among ADFIAP members on the matter of development finance. For this year’s forum, we have chosen the theme of “Sustainable SMEs through Value Chain Financing”.

This forum is jointly organized by ADFIAP and Rural Development Bank of Cambodia to enable and promote international exchange of information, experiences and best practices on financing SMEs among banking and finance professionals and institutions and to further improve the development and growth of the SME sector.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Rural Development Bank of Cambodia, I am much honored to welcome you to the International CEO Forum VII and to Siem Reap Province, Cambodia, the Kingdom of Wonder.

I know that a great many of your countries are also acting to lead and benefit from Sustainable SMEs through Value Chain Financing and I look forward to sharing experiences with all of you.

Thank you for your kind attention.

Message from the host institution

H.E. Son Koun Thor
Chairman and CEO
Rural Development Bank