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 This conference was held from November 17 - 18, 2021

Agenda

Over the course of two rich, immersive and deeply interactive days, a world-class roster of speakers addressed the critical issues behind the growth of ESG-linked and climate financing across the Caribbean.

Wednesday

November 17
Times in ET
9:30-9:45

Doors Open & ESG Community Meet & Greet

9:45-9:55

Conference Orientation

  • Matthew Perks

    New Energy Events
    CEO

  • Karen Yip Chuck

    Republic Bank Limited
    General Manager

  • Nancy Foran

    ESG Partners Inc.
    President & Founder Moderator

9:55-10:10

Welcome Remarks

  • Nigel Baptiste

    Republic Financial Holdings Limited
    President and Chief Executive Officer Moderator

10:10-10:30

Keynote Interview: Why Does ESG & Climate Finance Matter for the Caribbean?

  • Hon. G. Wayne Panton, JP, MP

    Cayman Islands
    Premier

10:30-11:30

Caribbean Stock Exchange Roundtable: Drivers of ESG for the Region

Stock exchanges sit at the epicenter of the Caribbean financing ecosystem. They are uniquely placed to drive the market towards good ESG. Gathering the CEOs of three major regional exchanges, this panel will explore the extent to which exchanges view themselves as drivers of sustainable finance in the Caribbean, initiatives already underway, the challenges to adoption among their member companies, and the potential for regional collaboration to accelerate the transition.

  • Marlon Yarde

    Barbados Stock Exchange Inc. & Barbados Central Securities Depository Inc.
    Managing Director

  • Dr. Marlene J. Street-Forrest CD, JP,

    Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE)
    Managing Director

  • Eva Mitchell

    The Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange Limited
    Chief Executive Officer

  • Richard Sammy

    Republic Financial Holdings Limited
    General Manager, Corporate & Investment Banking Moderator

11:30-11:45

Coffee Break & Flash Networking

11:45-12:45

The Caribbean Banking Sector as a Driver of ESG Financing

Regional banks are increasingly espousing their commitment to sustainable lending. But what  does this look like in practice? How will funds be allocated? And will they be able to make the  case for ESG to their client base? 

  • Are regional banks ready to move forward with ESG-linked lending?
  • How will metrics and data be deployed?
  • How can regulation and central bank supervision support ESG lending?
  • Outside the clean energy space, do we have any early ESG-lending success stories? 
  • What role can and should banks play in driving private sector buy-in?
  • How can banks support social and gender equity among their clients?

  • Gillian Charles-Gollop

    CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank
    Executive Director, Corporate Investment Banking and Advisory

  • Jared Siddle

    Clarien Bank Limited
    Head of Risk Management

  • Stephen Grell

    Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited
    Managing Director

  • Johan Lopez

    UNEP-FI
    Regional Network Coordinator for Latin America and the Caribbean Moderator

12:45-1:15

Taking the Pulse

Live Polling Session

Join us for a live polling session as we gauge the key trends, drivers, and challenges to the roll-out of an ESG and climate-centric financing ecosystem across the Caribbean. A panel of experts will be on stage to discuss the implications.

  • Matthew Perks

    New Energy Events
    CEO

  • Ray Klien

    Republic Bank
    Group Head, Investment Banking

  • Nancy Foran

    ESG Partners Inc.
    President & Founder

1:15-2:15

Corporate Leaders: ESG & the Private Sector

Robust ESG increases top-line growth, reduces costs, optimizes investment and capital  expenditures, minimizes regulatory and legal interventions, and increases employee  productivity. The case is strong, but so is the lift. Gathering a cross section of regional corporate  leaders, this panel will explore what initiatives are already underway, and what needs to be done to mainstream ESG across the Caribbean.  

  • For the region’s leading corporates, how important is the social license to operate in the  Caribbean? 
  • What support from governments and regulators would facilitate strong ESG? 
  • What does the private sector need from regional lenders? 
  • What programs and practices have leading corporates already put in place, and with  what lessons learned?

  • Anthony Ali

    Goddard Enterprises Limited
    CEO

  • John Hadad

    HADCO Group
    Group co-Chief Executive Officer

  • Ian Chinapoo

    Massy Group of Companies
    Group Chief Financial Officer & Director

  • Philip Julien

    Kenesjay Green Limited, NewGen Energy Limited
    Founder & Chairman

  • Maria Daniel

    EY
    Partner, Strategy and Transactions Moderator

2:15-2:45

Williams Caribbean Capital Green Bond Program

Corporate Spotlight

Williams Industries ground-breaking green bond program, launched in 2018, has financed the expansion of its solar energy business. This case study session will explore its green bond roadmap.

  • Why did they choose a green bond program?
  • How challenging was it to certify the issuance with the Climate Bond Initiative?
  • What was the role of Sustainalytics?
  • How laborious are reporting requirements?
  • How did they cultivate an investor base and what was the response like in terms of demand?

  • David Staples

    Williams Industries Inc
    Executive Director

  • Barry O’Brien

    Williams Caribbean Capital
    Co-Founder and Managing Director

2:45-3:30

Financing the Future of the Tourism Industry

Sector Spotlight

Many hospitality sector assets are at risk of being stranded in the long-term due to the impact of climate change. How does the sector pay for the resilient infrastructure needed to secure the physical assets? How do we finance the risk? Ultimately, how does the industry act now to secure the industry for tomorrow?

  • What can we learn from regional groundbreakers e.g. Bucuti & Chukka Caribbean?
  • How can resorts market ESG to generate a return?
  • What financing is currently available to the hospitality sector, from what sources and what terms?

  • John Byles

    Chukka Caribbean Adventures
    Executive Deputy Chairman

  • Ewald Biemans

    Bucuti Beach Resort
    Owner

  • Jake Kheel

    Grupo Puntacana Foundation
    Vice President

  • Naomi DeAllie

    Republic Bank (Grenada) Limited
    Managing Director Moderator

3:30-4:15

Policy and Market-Based Mechanisms for Climate Finance in the Caribbean

Co-Hosted By The World Bank | Climate Support Facility

 

There is widespread concern about the availability and speed of international climate finance that countries have been able to access to accelerate climate action. This panel discussion aims to discuss the previous experience in the region on alternative approaches to climate finance through fiscal policy (e.g. carbon pricing, fuel taxes), the role of market mechanisms (carbon trading), and other instruments to promote sustainable development and green, resilient recovery. This will include a dialogue on additional advantages/benefits of these approaches beyond supporting pathways towards a low carbon and resilient future. The session will shed light on what needs to be done both at the regional and country level to develop and implement such approaches.

 Key topics for discussion:

  • Caribbean experience with climate finance mechanisms (mitigation, adaptation finance)
  • Options for carbon pricing approaches and benefits beyond climate 
  • Monetizing the energy transition through climate finance
  • Resources available to develop and implement these approaches

  • Crispin d’Auvergne

    OECS Commission
    Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management Coordinator

  • Kieran St Omer

    ECCB
    Lead for ECCU Regional RE Infrastructure Financing Facility

  • Lance Peters

    Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
    Deputy Director, Energy unit, Ministry of Urban Development and Energy

  • Venkata Ramana Putti

    The World Bank
    Program Manager, Partnership for Market Implementation

  • Neha Mukhi

    World Bank
    Senior Energy and Climate Change Specialist Moderator

4:15

Day One Wrap & Closing Remarks

  • Nancy Foran

    ESG Partners Inc.
    President & Founder

Thursday

November 18
8:55-9:00

Welcome Remarks

  • Nancy Foran

    ESG Partners Inc.
    President & Founder

9:00-9:30

Takeaways from COP26 and Implications for the Caribbean

Co-hosted by EY

  • Key commitments made at COP26
  • Specific implications for the Caribbean
  • Next steps: how can we inspire entrepreneurs, local gender & sustainable funds to build the net zero financing ecosystem?

 

  • Maria Daniel

    EY
    Partner, Strategy and Transactions

  • Gavin Rennie

    EY
    Partner, Interim Global Energy & Resources Industry Leader

9:30-10:00

Jamaica’s US $185m Cat Bond

Sovereign Spotlight

In 2021, Jamaica issued a ground-breaking catastrophe bond that will provide the island nation with protection of up to US$185 million against losses from named storms for three Atlantic  tropical cyclone seasons ending in December 2023.

Structured in partnership with The World Bank and other international donors, Jamaica is the  first government in the Caribbean, and the first of any small island state, to independently  sponsor a cat bond.  

  • What are the critical features of the bond? 
  • What was the profile of investors who bought the deal? 
  • Is the bond replicable and scalable across the region? 
  • How does the cat bond impact investor and rating agency views on Jamaica’s sovereign  risk? 
  • Does this reflect the future of the intersection of climate finance, climate risk, and risk  management?

  • Hon. Nigel Clarke, DPhil., MP

    Government of Jamaica
    Minister of Finance and the Public Service

  • Lilia Burunciuc

    World Bank
    Country Director for Caribbean Countries

  • Matthew Perks

    New Energy Events
    CEO Moderator

10:00-10:45

Blended Finance & ESG

Blended finance – the use of catalytic capital from public or philanthropic sources to increase  private sector investment in sustainable development – has been the talk of the town in recent  years. But even though concessional finance is abundantly available across the Caribbean,  blended finance is yet to take off at scale. What’s holding it back? 

  • Do the DFIs in the Caribbean regard themselves as a provider of catalytic capital? Is that  widely understood among the corporate community? 
  • What funding and technical assistance is available? 
  • Is there sufficient dialogue between commercial lenders, DFIs, and corporates? 
  • Where can we point to blended finance success stories, and what were the success  criteria?

  • Matthieu Pegon

    IDB Invest
    Head of Blended Finance

  • Magali Lamyin

    Deetken Impact
    Managing Director

  • Thomas Bishop

    Green Climate Fund
    Climate Investment Officer

  • James Seward

    World Bank Treasury
    Senior Financial Officer

  • Dr. Justin Ram

    Justin Ram Advisory
    CEO Moderator

10:45-11:30

Scaling Up Caribbean Financings to Tap International Markets

  • What is the case for tapping international markets versus a regional approach to borrowing?
  • Is it feasible to aggregate regional financings – green bonds, for example – to enable regional borrowers to access international markets?
  • Where can we point to international success stories which translate into the Caribbean paradigm?
  • As a sovereign level, what options – blue bonds and debt-for-climate swaps, for example – are available to Caribbean countries?
  • What sort of appetite do international investors have for regional corporate and sovereign credits?

  • Karen Fang

    Bank of America
    Managing Director, Global Head of Sustainable Finance

  • Marcela Ponce

    IFC
    Climate Finance Lead for LAC

  • Joaquin Jugo

    Citigroup
    Co-Head Sovereign Solutions, Global Public Sector

  • Ben Moody

    Pan American Finance
    President & CEO and Partner Moderator

11:30-12:00

Coffee Break & Flash Networking

12:00-12:45

Through the Lens of the Impact Investor: Translating Values into Value

Co-Hosted By MPC Caribbean Clean Energy

 

Drawing on the expertise and experience of equity investors active in the Caribbean, this  workshop-style session will shine a light on the potential for good ESG to translate into equity  investment.  

  • Can we correlate the value of a business to good ESG? How? 
  • What sources of impact equity capital are available to Caribbean companies?
  • What are typical reporting requirements and where are investors most keen to see  impact? 
  • How do social and gender programs translate into value? 
  • What does a pre- to post- investment journey with an impact investor look like?

  • Hülya Sögüt

    Portland Private Equity
    Environmental, Social and Governance Expert

  • Gözde Kurusoy

    MPC Capital
    Director of Banking and Finance

  • Bert van der Vaart

    SEAF
    co-founder and co-CEO

  • Federico Fische
    Federico Fische

    Private Financing Advisory Network
    Regional Coordinator Latin America and Caribbean Moderator

12:45-1:15

Can we Launch a Caribbean Fund For Clean Energy & Climate Technology?

Bring your views and experience to the table as we explore the launch of a dedicated fund focused on Caribbean clean energy and climate technology. We’ll use this session to assess – with the audience – the need, the viability and next steps. The intended output? A new fund which will promote regional entrepreneurship and Caribbean leadership in this space. 

  • Doug Hewson

    Portland Private Equity
    Managing Partner

  • Racquel Moses

    Caribbean Climate Smart Accelerator
    CEO

  • Kieran St Omer

    ECCB
    Lead for ECCU Regional RE Infrastructure Financing Facility

  • Ray Klien

    Republic Bank
    Group Head, Investment Banking Moderator

1:15-1:45

Perspective: Making the Global Case for ESG in the Context of the Caribbean

Does the long-term return outweigh the requirements and the potential lift to  transform company operations?

This presentation and audience Q&A will surface perceived hurdles to the adoption of ESG and explore solutions, economic viability, and  the potential to transform company relationships with investors.  

  • Bruce Usher

    The Tamer Center for Social Enterprise, Columbia Business School
    Professor of Practice

  • Ray Klien

    Republic Bank
    Group Head, Investment Banking Moderator

1:45-2:30

A Vision for a Net Zero Financing Ecosystem in the Caribbean

Panel Discussion

A multidisciplinary panel of experts and regional leaders gather at the close of the inaugural Caribbean ESG & Climate Financing Summit to explore the big picture, and specifically the financial and institutional infrastructure we need to see to make it to net zero.

The panel will also weigh the social and institutional behaviors which need to change along the way. Can we credibly frame this not just as necessity, but as opportunity, too? What is the timeline, where are the inflection points, and where do we need carrots – and where sticks – to effect change?

Drawing on polling and feedback from the audience, ultimately we will endeavor to create conference-wide consensus on next steps and on what success will look like.

  • Dr. Vernon Paltoo

    National Energy Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago
    President

  • Gema Sacristan

    IDB Invest
    Chief Investment Officer

  • Agnieszka Gajewska

    PwC
    Global Government and Public Sector Leader, CEE ESG Leader

  • Timothy Antoine

    Eastern Caribbean Central Bank
    Governor

  • Maria Sosa Taborda

    UNEP Finance Initiative
    Latin America and Caribbean Network Coordinator, Economy Division Moderator

2:30-2:45

The Wrap & Conference Close

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