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Neil Gregory

@neilgregory.bsky.social
282 followers 70 following 41 posts

Thought Leader - Impact Investing, Mobilizing Private Capital for Development, Development Finance Institutions

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Neil Gregory @neilgregory.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
MDBs and DFIs should be more intentional about financing firms in ways which support local capital market development - here's how. impactalpha.com/tapping-loca...
impactalpha.com
Tapping local capital in developing economies — how DFIs can do more
How development finance institutions can unlock Africa's $1 trillion in local pension and insurance assets for high-impact investment.
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Neil Gregory @neilgregory.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
A weaker dollar and geopolitical trends makes EMDE investments look more attractive. odi.org/en/insights/...
odi.org
Emerging market risk premia in shifting geopolitical winds
In the latest issue of "This Week in Macroeconomics", we feature a guest contribution from Global Macroeconomist, Marcelo Carvalho, who explores how shifting geopolitical currents are fundamentally re...
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Neil Gregory @neilgregory.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
As private debt in the US looks increasingly risky, private debt in EMDEs looks less risky. Time to rebalance portfolios? odi.org/en/insights/...
odi.org
Emerging market development finance provides diversification and stability to private credit amid current volatility
This insight highlights the reasons behind how the Development Finance private debt asset class evolved.
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Neil Gregory @neilgregory.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
Ugo Panniza provides useful economic underpinnings for how to use blended finance, and explains why mobilization ratios are not a good performance metric cepr.org/voxeu/column...
cepr.org
When public money multiplies, and when it does not: A guide to the catalytic effect of blended finance
Achieving sustainable development goals needs blended finance, where public money is used to crowd in larger private capital flows. The catalytic multiplier is a central metric, which is the increase ...
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Neil Gregory @neilgregory.bsky.social · 07/04/2026
My recent paper suggests ways that IFC and other DFis can take a more proactive approach to industry and market development: My recent paper suggests ways that IFC could play a more active role in industry and market development: odi.org/en/publicati...
odi.org
What can development finance institutions learn from new growth theories?
New growth theories do not simply refine existing DFI practice - they require a rethinking of how DFIs assess markets, select investments, and deploy concessional finance.
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Neil Gregory @neilgregory.bsky.social · 07/04/2026
Charles Kenny correctly diagnoses the timidity of WBG approaches to industry development. The World Bank Group and Industrial Strategy url:https://www.cgdev.org/blog/world-bank-group-and-industrial-strategy
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Reposted by Neil Gregory
Devex @devex.com · 07/04/2026
Watch the recording of the full event 👇
devex.com
Development finance trends to watch in 2026
From private capital mobilization, pressure on MDBs and DFIs, a geographic shift in focus and local currency solutions to greater self-interest. Here's what to expect.
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Neil Gregory @neilgregory.bsky.social · 02/04/2026
Good analysis of how to make guarantees more useful in mobilizing private capital into EMDEs
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Neil Gregory @neilgregory.bsky.social · 31/03/2026
Success of blended finance should be measured by capital market development, not leverage ratios. www.devex.com/news/more-bl...
devex.com
More blended finance doesn't always mean more development outcomes
Opinion: The success of catalytic capital shouldn’t be measured by leverage ratios. It should be measured by whether markets mature enough to attract commercial capital on their own.
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Neil Gregory @neilgregory.bsky.social · 19/03/2026
DFIs should focus more on the dynamics of market change than static market competition. Drawing on insights from modern theories of economic growth, the role of DFIs changes from financing today's investible opportunities to creating tomorrow's investible opportunities. odi.org/en/publicati...
odi.org
What can development finance institutions learn from new growth theories?
New growth theories do not simply refine existing DFI practice - they require a rethinking of how DFIs assess markets, select investments, and deploy concessional finance.
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Neil Gregory @neilgregory.bsky.social · 20/02/2026
BII should leverage its balance sheet, as Sam Attridge argues url:https://www.cgdev.org/publication/biis-problem-isnt-ambition-its-capital-and-heres-how-fix-it?mkt_tok=Njg1LUtCTC03NjUAAAGgC1OMjdcF6e4Me5TTUiRhNUmrjJsENxJ4E_-h1A0NXYDtQk_SzjdLaqIQO7sW3JMQA_VzVFl-KRLLotQj_FPpcCNv4IDFnraaK0eevlndcBO7U1Uw
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Neil Gregory @neilgregory.bsky.social · 20/10/2025
Useful analysis of why US pension funds invest less than 1% of their funds in Africa. Lack of familiarity, elevated risk perceptions, and lack of high return assets deter bigger allocations. cesa.rc.iseg.ulisboa.pt/news/cesa-is...
cesa.rc.iseg.ulisboa.pt
Working Paper analyses the low level of US investment in Africa
Working Paper by Daniel Preston investigates the reasons behind the low level of investment by US pension funds in African entities
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Neil Gregory @neilgregory.bsky.social · 13/10/2025
How can DFIs mobilize private capital at scale? My new report (with Jorge Alarcon) summarizes our research for BII on tools and structures that DFIs can deploy to originate, pool, share and de-risk assets for private investors. www.bii.co.uk/en/news-insi...
bii.co.uk
How can MDBs and DFIs scale private capital mobilisation? - British International Investment
Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and delivering meaningful climate action requires trillions in investment – far beyond what public finance...
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Neil Gregory @neilgregory.bsky.social · 06/10/2025
Productive large firms are key to job creation, exports and productivity growth in EMDEs. In high income countries, large firms can access capital markets to finance their growth - DFIs need to help them do so in EMDEs too. Useful report from BII on how to do so. www.bii.co.uk/en/news-insi...
bii.co.uk
A mobilisation machine: International corporate bonds in sub-Saharan Africa - British International Investment
Foreign investment in African economies is hampered by a mismatch between what the asset managers that control the largest pools...
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Neil Gregory @neilgregory.bsky.social · 04/10/2025
Great insights from Dirk on how thinking about growth, investment , trade and DFIs has evolved , with help from ODI Global experts like Dirk odi.org/en/insights/...
odi.org
Shaping development debates: my 25-year journey at ODI Global
Dirk Willem te Velde reflects on his 25-year journey at ODI Global, highlighting shifts in development debates, economic transformation, trade, and finance. He underscores the evolving challenges and ...
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Neil Gregory @neilgregory.bsky.social · 19/09/2025
Great to see IFC mobilize $500m of private capital by warehousing and securitizing loans. An important addition to the mobilization toolkit. Hopefully this can be expanded in future tranches to include loans from other DFIs.
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Neil Gregory @neilgregory.bsky.social · 09/09/2025
Great explanation of why large, formal firms are needed to drive increased productivity, exports and job creation. www.africanistperspective.com/p/there-will...
africanistperspective.com
There will be no economic takeoff in Africa without lots of large (private sector) firms
On why African states’ jobs agenda must focus on catalyzing firm growth (and not disorganized investments in micro-entrepreneurship)
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Neil Gregory @neilgregory.bsky.social · 20/08/2025
Good observations on what comes next for development cooperation. url:https://www.cgdev.org/publication/end-development-cooperation?utm_source=weekly&utm_medium=cgd_email&utm_campaign=weekly_20250722
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Neil Gregory @neilgregory.bsky.social · 12/08/2025
Impact investors, like DFIs and MDBs, realize that we need to move from bespoke transactions to market making and scalable product development, if we are to move capital to where it is needed at the scale needed. impactalpha.com/calvert-impa...
impactalpha.com
Calvert Impact’s market-shaping strategy for the future of impact
Impact investing needs to move from doing deals to making markets; from building funds to building market shaping institutions, says Jenn Pryce of Calvert Impact.
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Neil Gregory @neilgregory.bsky.social · 26/06/2025
In today's resource constrained environment, here are five low cost, high impact actions that European governments can take now to support increased private capital flows to low and middle income countries. odi.org/en/insights/...
odi.org
Five ways European governments can support greater private capital mobilisation to low- and middle-income countries
Ahead of FFD4 Neil Gregory offers five ways European governments can support greater private capital mobilisation to low- and middle- income countries.
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Neil Gregory @neilgregory.bsky.social · 30/05/2025
Great set of articles on the future role of DFIs. www.proparco.fr/en/ressource...
proparco.fr
Private Sector & Development #43 - European development finance institutions : Strategic players in changing times
Proparco is publishing the 43rd edition of its Private Sector & Development magazine, focused on the action of European development finance institutions (DFIs). In a world dominated by economic uncert...
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Neil Gregory @neilgregory.bsky.social · 21/05/2025
Blended finance can expand the reach of private finance, but can also distort markets if overused. But tools are emerging to calibrate how much concessionality to provide. I identify four promising approaches in my latest piece for ImpactAlpha. impactalpha.com/blended-fina...
impactalpha.com
Four ways development banks are calibrating blended finance concessionality
Uncover the importance of concessionality in financing socially valuable investments while promoting private investment.
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Neil Gregory @neilgregory.bsky.social · 19/05/2025
I'll be presenting our findings, with Nerea Craviotto, on how DFIs can create platforms and ventures which scale up their impact on 6 June. Register at the link below. odi.org/en/events/df...
odi.org
DFI sponsorship of new platforms and ventures: why and how?
This seminar will explore how Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) are addressing development gaps by initiating their own commercial ventures.
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Neil Gregory @neilgregory.bsky.social · 25/04/2025
That’s a wrap on another semester of my sustainable finance and impact investing course at #SAIS. Thanks to our stellar guest speakers Sam Duncan, Mike Lubrano, Eric Rice, Diane Damskey, James Purcell, Kusi Hornberger, Vikram Widge, Sam Power, Bianca Getzel, Wasim Tahir, Michelle Lee, Joy Ding.
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Neil Gregory @neilgregory.bsky.social · 24/04/2025
Congratulations to #ODIGlobal on launching the Center for Private Finance for Development today. Looking forward to contributing to this important research agenda.
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Neil Gregory @neilgregory.bsky.social · 23/04/2025
Glad to be joining #ODIGlobal events at the Spring Meetings. Critical to keep the focus on practical steps to advance sustainable development.
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Reposted by Neil Gregory
ODI Global @odi.global · 17/04/2025
Development finance institutions can spur more socially beneficial investment by actively founding new commercial enterprises. @hanspeterlankes.bsky.social & @britishintinv.bsky.social's Leslie Maasdorp share key findings from our research in a new piece for @projectsyndicate.bsky.social.
project-syndicate.org
Development Finance Needs an Entrepreneurial Mindset | by Leslie Maasdorp & Hans Peter Lankes - Project Syndicate
Leslie Maasdorp & Hans Peter Lankes think public institutions can spur more private investment by starting their own commercial ventures.
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Neil Gregory @neilgregory.bsky.social · 09/04/2025
I agree with Charles Kenny that DFIs should leverage their balance sheets better, but not that they should be cash cows for aid programs. DFIs should use their profits to grow their business and take more risk, not pay dividends.
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Neil Gregory @neilgregory.bsky.social · 04/04/2025
Good agenda from new CEO Leslie Maasdorp for scaling up private capital mobilization at BII www.devex.com/news/a-labor...
devex.com
'A laboratory of ideas': New CEO Maasdorp on his priorities for BII
Climate finance, private sector mobilization, greater cooperation, and innovation are top objectives as Leslie Maasdorp leads the DFI through a world at a crossroads.
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Neil Gregory @neilgregory.bsky.social · 15/03/2025
DFIs can play a key role in originating, de-risking and sharing EMDE assets with private investors. impactalpha.com/climate-and-...
impactalpha.com
Climate and development challenges spur development finance institutions to unlock private capital
Another month, another climate record smashed. This time, it is the warmest January ever recorded. Even climate scientists are mystified about the extent ...
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Neil Gregory @neilgregory.bsky.social · 12/03/2025
MDB and DFI support for private sector development is limited by the availability of firms and projects to invest in. But what if DFIs took the lead in creating new ventures and platforms to develop investible projects? 12 BII and Norfund cases show the potential. odi.org/en/publicati...
odi.org
DFI sponsorship of new platforms and ventures: why and how?
By sponsoring new ventures, Development finance institutions (DFIs) can scale up their development impact and reach, particularly in difficult markets, as well as their mobilisation of private capital...
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Neil Gregory @neilgregory.bsky.social · 24/02/2025
$1 trillion pa of private finance needed to support development and climate investments in EMDEs, but private capital flows have been falling since FfD3. www.brookings.edu/articles/fou...
brookings.edu
Four priorities for success at the Sevilla Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development
Ahead of FfD4, Homi Kharas and Mahmoud Mohieldin call for shifting focus from aid volume to the broader roles of DFIs. They present four elements for rethinking development finance and ensuring confer...
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Neil Gregory @neilgregory.bsky.social · 20/02/2025
Good agenda for DFIs to scale up mobilization. Glad to be working with BII to study various mobilization approaches.
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Neil Gregory @neilgregory.bsky.social · 12/02/2025
Good analysis of where we go from here on the much derided Billions to Trillions agenda. url:https://www.cgdev.org/blog/mdb-role-billions-trillions-were-we-delusional?utm_campaign=event_mdb_dfi_market_impact&utm_medium=cgd_email&utm_source=event_email
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Reposted by Neil Gregory
Financial Times @financialtimes.com · 10/02/2025
The assault on USAID is a wake-up call for the rest of the world | Opinion www.ft.com/content/ed29f87a-91c2-49…
ft.com
The assault on USAID is a wake-up call for the rest of the world | Opinion
Even before the Trump administration’s slash and burn approach, international assistance was ripe for a rethink
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Reposted by Neil Gregory
Fran Seegull @franseegull.bsky.social · 16/01/2025
Interested in impact investing, sustainable investing, climate finance, social finance, community development finance, welcome to the conversation? Check out the group of leaders and organizations in this #impinv starter pack. #socfin #econdev #ESG go.bsky.app/P57DXzQ
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Neil Gregory @neilgregory.bsky.social · 09/12/2024
Great list of who to follow on impact investing.
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Neil Gregory @neilgregory.bsky.social · 22/01/2024
Hana Freymiller and I explain how US CDFIs and MDFIs can tap into impact capital to leverage government funding for poverty reduction and inclusion, and inclusive climate change investments - but they need to up their game on impact measurement and management. www.westpotomaccap.com/insights/dat...
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Neil Gregory @neilgregory.bsky.social · 21/12/2023
If we are to make progress, investors need to go beyond reporting on SDG alignment and assess SDG contribution - my latest piece for Impact Alpha: impactalpha.com/how-investor...
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Neil Gregory @neilgregory.bsky.social · 06/12/2023
Useful private sector perspective on what governments, MDBs and DFIs can do to expand the pipeline of bankable projects - a key bottleneck in scaling up climate and development finance. ir.citi.com/gps/5nUzEORh...
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Neil Gregory @neilgregory.bsky.social · 06/12/2023
Shareholders must recapitalize MDBs (and their concessional windows) to enable them to step up their financing of climate change investments. odi.org/en/insights/...
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Neil Gregory @neilgregory.bsky.social · 28/11/2023
Good to discuss investor contribution to the SDGs with Net Purpose and its clients today. Important to be transparent and data driven to ensure credibility and avoid rainbow washing.
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Neil Gregory @neilgregory.bsky.social · 27/11/2023
Join me on tomorrow’s Net Purpose webinar ‘How to Measure the Contribution of your Investments to the SDGs’. You can sign up through this link here: lnkd.in/eXJ338R5
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Neil Gregory @neilgregory.bsky.social · 22/11/2023
Follow me here for ideas and resources related to impact investing and mobilizing private capital for development.
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