01.11.2011 | SYMBIOTICS and REGMIFA Sponsor event in Nairobi, Kenya

Symbiotics together with REGMIFA, the Regional MSME Investment Fund for Sub-Saharan Africa SA, SICAV-SIF, sponsored the Hanson Wade event: Investment & Innovation  in Microfinance in Africa which took place in Nairobi on October  17th to  19th. It was a true success with an attendance of over 150 microfinance investors including strong informative speeches and panel discussions inviting the audience to debate the African market issues.

Among the highlights, the Chairman of the Board of REGMIFA, Mr. Wolfgang Kroh, led a panel discussing the role of domestic Public-Private Partnerships and Mr. Ruurd Brouwer, from FMO, spoke about issues surrounding the rising difficulty in conjugating Commercial and Social investments. Some members of the Symbiotics staff also had the opportunity to share with the conference public about the direct influence of strong governance and TA facility on insuring solid funding. Vincent Dufresne, Director of Symbiotics Asset Management, commented on the conference: "Being here in Nairobi, with one of our main partners, has given us the chance to make special synergies with a good number of peers and allowed them to find out more deeply about the REGMIFA fund and its success as well as what we have accomplished as their service providers."

In parallel to the conference, 40 REGMIFA stakeholders attended the conference as well as a board meeting and special dinner to celebrate the fund's and its TA Facility's first year of operations and its accomplishment of reaching over USD 30 million.

About REGMIFA:

Launched in May 2010, The Regional MSME Investment Fund for Sub-Saharan Africa SA, SICAV -SIF , is an investment fund which fosters economic development and prosperity in Sub-Saharan Africa through the provision of demand-oriented financing to qualified and, to the extent necessary, technically supported Partner Lending Institutions (PLI) serving micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).

For more information:

Claire Dorey
Communication Officer
+ 41 (0)22 338 15 40
claire.dorey@symbioticsgroup.com