About a hundred delegates from ADFIAP members, partner organizations and invited guests convened in Tehran, Iran from April 28 to May 1, 2008 for the 31st ADFIAP Annual Meetings with the theme “Innovative Development Finance: DFIs’ Response to the Needs of the Times”. The success of the Meetings was due to efficient and well-planned organization of the event by the host institution, the Bank of Industry and Mine, under the leadership of its Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board, Dr. Mehdi Razavi, with the able support of the officers and staff of the Bank.
The Meetings was graced by Dr. Ghazavi, Vice President in Central Bank of Islamic Republic of Iran, who delivered the inaugural address. Dr. Razavi formally opened the event and gave the welcome remarks while Ambassador Jesus P. Tambunting, ADFIAP Chairman and Chairman and CEO of the Planters Development Bank delivered the opening remarks.
This year’s conference theme revolved around four (4) sessions with various relevant topics that was discussed and dissected by practitioners in the field of development finance. Each session became a platform for the delegates to exchange fresh ideas and best practices in the areas of innovative banking strategies, financial services and technologies, as well as governance, risk management, and human resource management, among others.
Among the speakers who shared fresh ideas and new insights during the conference included: Mr. Gali Iskaliyev of the Development Bank of Kazakstan (DBK); Mr. Takejiro Sueyoshi of the United Nations Environment Finance Initiative (UNEP FI); Mr. Shankarnarayan Rao of the Export-Import Bank of India; Mr. Masamitsu Kawasumi of the Development Bank of Japan (DBJ); Ma. Theresa Quirino of the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP); Mr. Rakesh Rewari of the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI); Ambassador Jesus P. Tambunting of the Planters Development Bank (PDB); Ms. Martini Osman of Agro Bank Malaysia, Mr. Nadeem Rafi Khan of the House Building Finance Corporation (HBFC) Pakistan; and Mr. Ali Yaseri Iran’s former Representative to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Other highlights of the Annual Meetings were: the Board of Directors Meeting; the General Assembly Meeting, where the Tehran Consensus was drafted; the Delegate-Meets-Delegate Networking Session, the ADFIAP Awards Night and the fellowship program, where the delegates were flown to the historic City of Esfahan for a day tour.
The 32nd ADFIAP Annual Meetings will be held in Muscat, Oman to be hosted by the Oman Development Bank (ODB). The exact dates will be announced in due time.