The focus of this RSBP Professional Knowledge Exchange (PKE) meeting was on strategies for diversifying a leasing company’s product offering and discussed strategic and operational considerations that leasing companies should assess in planning their diversification strategies.

Essentially, in addition to a classic bank loan, leasing is considered as a key tool to finance MSMEs, most notably for the acquisition of fixed assets such as transportation. Within today’s context of the modernisation of MSME’s equipment and the acquisition of energy efficient equipment, leasing is positioned to play an increasingly important role for MSMEs across Central Asia.  These needs go beyond simple financing of cars for companies.

The meeting was led by Mr James Gorham, CFA, an international leasing expert with more than 15 years work experience in leasing companies in CIS countries.

Video recording is available in Russian language.

Climate change creates both risks and opportunities for the financial sector. Institutions are exposed to physical risks (increasing severity and frequency of weather-related events) through their portfolios, as well as transition risks (arising from the global effort to achieve a low carbon economy) both directly and indirect. To remain competitive and meet external stakeholder requirements, financial institutions must not only understand these risks and opportunities, but actively demonstrate management and embedding into decision-making.

At this PKE meeting an introductory overview to the topic of Climate Risk was discussed, including,

• What is climate risk and why is it material to the financial sector?
• Understanding climate risk: physical and transition risk channels
• Key considerations for FIs when beginning to embed climate risk

The recording of the speaker's presentation is available for viewing. Additional material is avialable on the RSBP platform for further research - RSBP publication on Climate change and financial risks and an online course on EBRD's Environmental and Social Policy (excerpts for financial institutions).

RSBP for Central Asia held Professional Knowledge Exchange (PKE) meeting of experts for financial institutions in Central Asia on the subject of developing leasing products for micro, small and medium businesses. The meeting was led by a guest speaker - James Gorham, CFA. Key part of the meeting was dedicated to exploring stages of developing a leasing business in financial institutions and overcoming challenges in growing leasing portfolios.

Presentation made by the speaker is available for download (in PDF format).

We have conducted a second series of PKE workshops in Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, dedicated to the topic “Effective selection and retention of employees in a changing World.” The workshop was moderated by Mr. John Yancura, an RSBP expert, who spoke on the international experience in effective staff selection and building successful teams. Examples included different financial institutions from the world over.

The first PKE meetings took place in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan and were dedicated to Value Chain Finance. The event included an introductory presentation by an international expert in the field, Mr. John Yancura, who also moderated the events. The presentation includes key aspects, value chain finance schemes as well as opportunities and risks in financing value chains.

Presentation is prepared in PDF format and available for downloading by PKE meeting participants..