Programme

Investing for Inclusive Growth:
Opportunities, Risks and Rewards

Join the SAII mailing list: email salma@ggsa.co.za

Download the full programme (PDF)

Day 1 | Monday, 7 May 2012

07:30  Registration, tea, coffee, light breakfast
08:30  Welcome – Bridgit Evans & Raymond Ndlovu
08:45  Opening Plenary Session: Setting the scene 

There have been many key developments in the impact investing sector across the globe over the past 24 months. How does this affect Africa, South Africa, the transformation agenda and growth of our developing economy? This session will give both global and local insights from some of the world’s experts.
Jenny Everett (ANDE), Margot Brandenburg (Rockefeller), Jan Schwier (IFC), Terry Wyer (USAID)

10:45 Networking break
11:15  Morning panel:

  • Protecting Investments Through Incubation: Does incubation increase SMME success rates and can it be a profitable exercise? There is much documentation around the high failure rate of SMMEs and the low levels of entrepreneurship in South Africa. Could increased levels of mentorship/incubation alter this picture and does it justify the costs involved? The panel is ideally placed to give practical answers to these questions and insight as to what incubation should entail. Allon Raiz (Raizcorp) James Mwangi (Dalberg) Pascal Froelicher (Impact Amplifier) 

12:30  Learnings from morning panels – Moderators
13:00  Networking lunch
14:00  Afternoon workshops:

  • The Changing Nature of Business Schools. From Madness to Mainstream.Why business schools are interested in Social Enterprise and Impact Investment and what role they are playing in helping to shape the business leaders of tomorrow. Prof Owen Skae (Rhodes Business School), Anthony Prangley (GIBS), Dr Francois Bonnici (UCT GSB)
  • Leveraging Pension Funds for Economic Growth: Regulation 28 for pension funds and the opportunities in unlisted investment. This recent change has placed increased pressure on pension funds to invest in both the unlisted space as well as meet environmental, social and governance criteria through these investments. What does this mean for the more than R2 Trillion pension fund management community and how does this present new opportunities for investors. Wanjiru Karima (POA) Rosemary Hunter (Bowman Gilfillan) Angelique Kalam (Futuregrowth)

15:00 Mid-afternoon break
14:00 Afternoon workshops (continued):

  • Getting Capital to Flow: Debt or equity and finding structures that work. This panel of experts will share their experience in structuring impact investments giving insight as to what works best, how to tailor strategies for different kinds of investments and important lessons learnt. Carron Howard (Cadiz), Mark van Wyk (Mergence), Tamsin Jones (Private Consultant)
  • Measurement Trends and Challenges: Social/Environmental/Financial due diligence – the changing nature of credit committees. Impact investment requires a new kind of analyst – one that recognises good business models, understands finance, yet is also able to critically ascertain and measure the social and/or environmental impact. The individuals on this panel are a combination of practitioners and academic trailblazers from both the global and local environment who will share insights and challenges around measurement. Olivia Muiru (GIIRS) Elena Mancebo (GreaterCapital), CJ Fonzi (Dalberg)

17:00 Learnings from the day – Bridgit Evans, CEO, GreaterCapital
17:15  Networking cocktail function.

Day 2 | Tuesday, 8 May 2012

08:00  Welcome and opening remarks on SAII network development - Bridgit Evans, CEO, GreaterCapital

08:15  Aligning with Government Job Creation Strategies. 

Working with Government to deliver high impact solutions. Many of government’s job creation strategies will rely on the corporate sector and intermediaries for delivery. Where are the opportunities for partnerships and how can the impact investment community play a role? Andrew Donaldson (Deputy Director General, National Treasury) Najwah Edries (Head: Jobs Fund, National Treasury)

09:30  Morning workshops:

  • Economic Growth and SMMEs: It is well recognised that SMMEs can contribute substantially to economic growth.What is the most effective approach to growing this sector? Is it backing the winners or making funding available to multiple small businesses? How should they be funded? What are the benefits and pitfalls of addressing this growth area with loans vs grants funding? The contrasting viewpoints on the panel will make for robust debate. Paul Zille (Genesis Analytics)  Nazeem Martin (Business Partners)
  • Enterprise Development and Loan Funding for Job Creation: FSC and the new charter. Providing loan finance for entrepreneurs using enterprise development funds. The banks have found innovative ways of investing in entrepreneurs using loan finance made available through the B-BBEE enterprise development funds. During this session, they will share their experience of the investment environment, key learning and challenges presented. Heather Lowe (First National Bank), Sisa Ntshona (ABSA), Clive Pintusewitz (Standard Bank)

10:45  Networking break
11:15   Risk vs Return

Does there have to be a trade off? Impact investment is often associated with high risk, soft loans, the recycling of capital as opposed to capital growth and the necessary sacrifice of financial returns in order to further the social or environmental agenda.  Is this necessarily the case? This important session will allow investors and experts to share experience, either shattering the myth, or reinforcing caution. Heather Jackson (Cadiz), Stephanie Giamporcaro (GSB), Gary Herbert (Leapfrog Investments)

12:30  Networking Lunch
13:30  Afternoon panel:

Impact investments case studies: health, education, social housing, infrastructure, agriculture and entrepreneurship

  • Education Crises and Opportunities. There are many innovations in education that have arisen to meet the challenge presented in our education system. Prof Stephan Schirmer will draw attention to some of these possibilities as well as give insight into the possibilities presented by affordable private schooling.
  • Social Housing Infrastructure: success through loan finance. There is no shortage of innovation in the South African social housing environment. Where are the opportunities for investments and what are some of the critical factors for success? Paul Jackson will share the remarkable story of TUHF and speak to the opportunities for investment in social housing infrastructure.
  • Access to basic health care. Far too many people in South Africa and Africa die of treatable diseases such as Diarrhoea, TB, Malaria, HIV and others. Oliver Withers will share SARPAM’s experience in looking into the investment potential in SADC for funding entrepreneurs to bring these medicines to those that cannot access clinics and hospitals.
  • Finance for Small Scale and Emerging Farmers. There is no shortage of arable land in South Africa, however there are considerable challenges in turning small scale farms into viable business ventures. Siphamandla from Mvuno Capital has extensive understanding in both the opportunities available and the identified challenges in agriculture in South Africa and will share these with delegates.
  • Financial Management for Entrepreneurs. Many small business struggle with cash flow and financial management yet it is the greatest contributor to success or failure. Meet Darlene Menzies from SMMeasy, who saw this as an opportunity to develop an easy tool to assist small businesses.

Oliver Withers (SARPAM), Paul Jackson (TUHF), Siphamandla Ndawonde (Mvuno Capital), Prof Stefan Schirmer (CDE) Darlene Menzies (SMMEasy)

15:30  Plenary Session

One of South Africa’s great leaders will share some of their own insights as to where the opportunities are for the corporate and investment community to ensure inclusive economic growth and job creation.

16:30  Key learnings and where to from here? Bridgit Evans