Best Emergingmarkets Podcasts (2025)

1
Financing Cities: How IFC Unlocks Capital for Growth 11:46

3d ago11:46

11:46

Cities house over half the world’s population and drive more than 80% of global GDP—but many struggle to finance the infrastructure needed for sustainable growth. In this episode of IFC Audio Stories, we explore how IFC helps cities unlock capital through subnational financing. From identifying bankable projects to deploying loans, IFC experts shar…

1
Sewing Success: Investing in Women for a Stronger Economy 9:19

6d ago9:19

9:19

In this episode of IFC Audio Stories, we’re in Nairobi, Kenya, where a bold private sector partnership is driving inclusive growth. Royal Apparel EPZ Ltd., backed by IFC, is expanding to create thousands of jobs while promoting sustainable manufacturing. We explore how private sector investment is transforming lives and strengthening Kenya’s garmen…

1
My First Job: Loubna Ghaleb 7:46

24d ago7:46

7:46

In this episode of IFC Audio Stories, Loubna Ghaleb, Board Member for Strategy and Development at Tanger Med Group and the 2025 winner of the MIGA Gender Leadership Award, shares her journey in the infrastructure and logistics sector. She discusses breaking barriers as a woman in a male-dominated industry, key moments in her leadership path, and he…

1
My First Job: Mary Porter Peschka 13:05

1M ago13:05

13:05

In honor of Women’s Month, IFC Audio Stories presents “My First Job” - conversations with senior women leaders about how their careers got started and the lessons they learned along the way. We kick off the series with Mary Porter Peschka, IFC’s Regional Director for Eastern Africa.By IFC

1
Investing in Power Markets: A Roadmap to Universal Energy Access 12:11

3M ago12:11

12:11

Approximately 685 million people worldwide still lack access to sustainable, reliable, and affordable energy, highlighting the critical urgency of achieving Sustainable Development Goal 7 by 2030 in alignment with the broader Sustainable Development Goals. In conjunction with insights from the Power Markets Report, this audio story features World B…

1
Mission 300: Powering Progress in Africa 10:49

3M ago10:49

10:49

In this episode of IFC Audio Stories, we explore Mission 300, an ambitious initiative to connect 300 million people in Africa to clean, affordable, and reliable electricity by 2030. Led by the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank Group, this effort highlights the critical role of private sector innovation and investment in expand acces…

1
Turning on the Tap in Fiji, Thanks to a Sovereign Green Bond 10:16

6M ago10:16

10:16

Listen to the powerful story of resilience and transformation in Vatani village, Fiji, where access to clean water, made possible by an innovative sovereign green bond, has redefined daily life. Join us as we delve into the journey of some of Fiji’s citizens who have benefited from this groundbreaking initiative. Discover how the first sovereign gr…

1
Empowering Change: Bridging Gender Equality and Economic Growth 9:50

6M ago9:50

9:50

Join us for IFC Audio Stories as we explore the World Bank Group's new Gender Strategy and its role in accelerating equality. In this episode, industry leaders Matthias Berninger from Bayer and Asahi Pompey from the Goldman Sachs Foundation discuss innovative solutions for enhancing gender equality in entrepreneurship and employment. Discover how i…

1
Voices from Mongolia: Goat herders and cashmere entrepreneurs on green loans’ impact 8:44

7M ago8:44

8:44

Green finance is helping Mongolian cashmere companies become energy-efficient while preserving traditions among the nomadic herders who supply cashmere. In this audio story, Khan Bank CEO Munkhtuya Rentsenbat, cashmere manufacturer Tumen Suljee CEO Namkhaijamts Erdenebat, and a cashmere goat herder explain how green bonds and green loans are shapin…

1
Mobilizing Investment for the Developing World's Sustainable Cooling Needs 11:53

7M ago11:53

11:53

On July 25th, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres released a call to action on extreme heat. With soaring temperatures killing half a million people each year, there is an increasing need to finance sustainable investment in cooling. Today, we sit down with Camillo Mondragon-Velez, lead author of IFC and UNEP's collaborative report,: “Cooler Fina…

1
Empowering Renewable Energy Women Leaders from the Field to the Boardroom 18:51

10M ago18:51

18:51

IFC chats with Chanda Kapande Nxumalo, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Harmattan Renewables, a South African renewable energy company that is a leading provider of technical, commercial and environmental advisory services. The Renewable Energy sector in Africa is poised for rapid growth in the next 10 to 15 years. Chanda encourages women to rai…

1
From Energy Scarcity to Entrepreneurial Success for 10,000 Women 17:15

10M ago17:15

17:15

IFC chats with Olasimbo (“Simbo”) Sojinrin, Chief Operating Officer of Solar Sister, a leading provider of portable solar home systems in Kenya, Nigeria, and Tanzania that is working at the intersection of gender equality, climate justice, and energy access. Working with over 10,000 women entrepreneurs in Africa, Solar Sister has distributed clean …

1
Voices of Innovation: The 2024 World Bank Youth Summit 10:43

10M ago10:43

10:43

On this episode of IFC Audio Stories we explore the 11th edition of the World Bank Group Youth Summit, where thousands of young innovators converged to address global development challenges. This year's theme, "Powering Progress: Youth Leading the Digital Transformation," spotlighted digital access and inclusion, AI, and sustainable tech. Hear from…

1
Leveraging Digital Tech for African Business Growth 14:47

11M ago14:47

14:47

In the latest episode of IFC Audio Stories, we delve into the research behind the International Finance Corporation's book, "Digital Opportunities in African Businesses." The episode features insights from IFC principal economist Marcio Cruz on the underutilization of digital tools by African firms and economist Mark Dutz on digital tech usage amon…

1
Powering Africa: The Private Sector's Role in Africa’s Energy Transformation 13:30

1y ago13:30

13:30

At the 2024 Spring Meetings, World Bank Group President Ajay Banga announced an ambitious commitment to bring energy access to 300 million people in Africa by 2030, in partnership with the African Development Bank. But what will it take to achieve this, and how will the International Finance Corporation and the private sector contribute to this goa…

1
Designing for Women: Tailoring Financial Solutions to Close the Gender Gap 11:25

1y ago11:25

11:25

In this episode of IFC Audio Stories we discuss women's economic empowerment with Jessica Schnabel, the Global Head of Banking on Women at IFC. Designing for women is a game-changing approach, says Jessica, as she shares insights on gender-focused financial instruments, services and initiatives that are reshaping the landscape of women's economic i…

1
Private Sector Strategies for Water Sustainability 7:37

1y ago7:37

7:37

This World Water Day, IFC Audio Stories dives into the crucial topic of water. Host Lindy Mtongana is joined by IFC's Lalrin Sailo and George Butler to explore IFC's work in supporting emerging markets in meeting their sustainable development goals for water and sanitation. Learn about the role of the private sector in water management and the impo…

1
Her Fintech Edge: Closing the Gender Gap in Financial Services 9:52

1y ago9:52

9:52

In this episode of IFC Audio Stories, host Lindy Mtongana is in conversation with the leads of a new report launched by IFC: Her Fintech Edge - Market Insights for Inclusive Growth. Anushe Khan and Jorge Godoy discuss the role of digital financial services in advancing women's financial inclusion and highlight the opportunities for fintech firms to…

1
Growing environmental awareness in EM and other trends to watch 21:37

1+ y ago21:37

21:37

Emerging Market are changing fast, but while some topics and challenges might be shared with the developed world, the solutions are often starkly different. In this podcast Mike Ivatt discusses with Tassos Stassopoulos the growing importance of environmental awareness in Emerging Markets, and why EMs might be better placed to find the answers to en…

1
Private Sector Solutions at the Global Refugee Forum 9:59

1+ y ago9:59

9:59

In this episode of IFC Audio Stories, host Lindy Mtongana explores the growing global displacement crisis with Michel Botzung, Head of the IFC-UNHCR Joint Initiative. With over 114 million forcibly displaced people globally, Michel discusses the upcoming 2023 Global Refugee Forum and the pivotal role of the private sector in addressing this crisis.…

1
Road to COP28: IFC's Agenda at COP28 5:37

1+ y ago5:37

5:37

In the concluding episode of the Road to Cop28 Series on IFC Audio Stories, Jamie Fergusson IFC’s Global Director for Climate Business, provides an insightful preview of the upcoming summit. He outlines IFC’s agenda and commitment to achieving low-carbon resilient growth in emerging markets.By IFC

1
Road to COP28: IFC's Wisdom on Water 7:21

1+ y ago7:21

7:21

In this episode, Lindy Mtongana sits down with Rogerio Pilotto, a Senior Investment Officer in IFC’s Global Water team to discuss the crucial role of water in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Rogerio emphasizes how private sector investment in commercially viable water projects can help secure access to clean water and sanitation for al…

1
Road to COP28: Finance for a Changing Climate 7:27

1+ y ago7:27

7:27

With COP28 just weeks away, Lindy Mtongana sits down with IFC’s Global Head of Climate Finance, William Beloe to discuss the intersection between climate and finance, and how IFC’s partnerships with financial institutions are crucial to climate action.By IFC

1
Road to Cop28: IFC’s Green Hydrogen Vision 6:33

1+ y ago6:33

6:33

IFC is embarking on the Road to COP28 with a mission to accelerate the transition to low-carbon, resilient markets. In this episode of IFC Audio Stories, Lindy Mtongana is joined by IFC’s Chief Investment Officer for Global Energy, Ignacio De Calonje to discuss the importance of green hydrogen and how IFC is de-risking the sector and attracting inv…

1
Empowering Africa’s Creative Artisans through E-Commerce 9:02

1+ y ago9:02

9:02

As the world increasingly embraces e-commerce, IFC is partnering with an African startup to ensure the continent’s creative artisans don't get left behind. In its first foray into Africa’s creative sector IFC has invested $3.4 million in ANKA - an all-in-one e-commerce solution for African businesses aiming to export globally. In this episode of IF…

1
In Conversation with Ricardo Tafur and Peter Lolem 8:54

2y ago8:54

8:54

This episode of IFC Audio Stories delves into the importance of private sector solutions to the refugee crisis. IFC Senior Operations Officer Ricardo Tafur discusses a new partnership with UNHCR that aims to empower refugees and host communities through access to finance and entrepreneurship. Peter Lolem, an IFC Liaison Officer, shares the success …

1
Insights from the Africa CEO Forum 2023 10:32

2y ago10:32

10:32

This year's Africa CEO Forum saw 2,200 participants gathering in Abidjan, Cote D'Ivoire for the largest private sector assembly in Africa. Co-hosted by IFC and Jeune Afrique, the event placed a strong emphasis on scaling up African businesses and fostering the growth of the next generation of African champions. This episode of IFC Audio Stories del…

1
Spotlighting gender at the Spring Meetings 14:56

2y ago14:56

14:56

In this episode of IFC Audio Stories we take a look back at the Spring Meetings, with highlights from an IFC-led event on women's leadership and economic empowerment. Listen as industry leaders, including Melinda French Gates and IFC Managing Director Makhtar Diop, share their insights on the urgent need to prioritize gender in this new era of deve…

1
Gita Ghate: India's consumers are changing 10:34

2+ y ago10:34

10:34

India’s consumer patterns are shifting faster than ever, accelerated by a changing post-Covid mindset. To ensure these trends and cultural behaviours are fully understood, our team is heading back to India in December 2022 for an ethnographic research study. In this podcast Tassos Stassopoulos and Gita Ghate, Managing Director of ethnographic resea…

1
She Powers Africa – Ep. 03: Being a Champion for African Girls to Explore STEM Careers 15:51

2+ y ago15:51

15:51

In the third episode of She Powers Africa, IFC chats with Carol Koech, the Country President for Schneider East Africa. Koech shares her career journey and why she’s a champion for African girls to explore STEM careers.By IFC

1
Why ethnography is more important than ever 11:51

2+ y ago11:51

11:51

Ethnography helps to identify upcoming consumer trends, but also requires a lot of preparation to select the countries for research and frequency of visits. In this latest podcast Tassos discusses why desk top research tells you very little about the consumer is thinking, how his research has changed over the years and why immersion studies are as …

1
She Powers Africa - Ep 02: Olaedo Osoka, Leading as an African Woman in the Renewable Energy Sector 17:20

2+ y ago17:20

17:20

In the second episode of She Powers Africa, IFC chats with Olaedo Osoka, CEO of Daystar Power in West Africa. Osoka shares her experience as one of the youngest female CEOs in Africa’s renewable energy space and the importance of building a pipeline of future women leaders.

1
Inflation, PIX & pets: Brazil’s changing consumer habits 15:25

3y ago15:25

15:25

Which new habits will remain post COVID, how are consumers reacting to rising inflation and why have the pets come in from the cold? Tassos Stassopoulos shares the insights from his recent immersion trip to Brazil and discusses the wide-reaching impact of the digital banking revolution sweeping Latin America’s largest economy.…

1
She Powers Africa - Ep 01: Jennifer Boca, Head of ESG at Lekela Power, on Africa’s renewable energy sector 20:37

3y ago20:37

20:37

In She Powers Africa, IFC chats with Jennifer Boca, Head of ESG at Lekela Power, on stepping forward into Africa’s renewable energy sector.

1
S2 E8: The Case for Diversity with Soula Proxenos 20:15

3+ y ago20:15

20:15

In the final episode of Season 2 of Creating Markets, we talk to professional board member Soula Proxenos about what it means to lead both from inside and outside of a company. We learn where she found her fighting spirit and why it is important to have not only women, but a diversity of people represented and listened to at the highest level of an…

1
S2 E7: Creating Digital Safe Spaces for Women featuring Sairee Chahal 26:11

3+ y ago26:11

26:11

In this episode of Creating Markets, IFC speaks with Sairee Chahal, the CEO and founder of Sheroes, a women’s only social network. Born out of a legacy of women-only spaces in India, with the Sheroes platform, Sairee’s goal is to create peer-to-peer networking across a range of topics from financial literacy to health and wellbeing. She tackles the…

1
S2, E6: Funding “hidden gems” in Africa featuring AECF’s Victoria Sabula 21:15

3+ y ago21:15

21:15

As the CEO of the African Economic Challenge Fund, Victoria Sabula looks for innovative companies to fund. In this episode, IFC speaks with Sabula about what it means to support local businesses across Africa, what investment can do for a community and how to get more African businesses “investor ready.” AECF Africa IFC’s SME Finance The Kakuma Kal…

1
Future Keepers - Ep 03: Governance and keeping an open door with Jay Bartlett 16:42

3+ y ago16:42

16:42

For the final episode of this Pacific mini-series, IFC talks to Hatanga Managing Director Jay Bartlett about why it’s important to demonstrate high standards of governance, and, as the boss, keep an open door. For more information about IFC’s work, please see: IFC’s work on Gender in East Asia and the Pacific…

1
S2, E5: Connecting Brands to Buyers in Latin America - featuring Santiago Sosa 17:09

3+ y ago17:09

17:09

In this episode of Creating Markets, IFC speaks with Santiago Sosa, co-founder of the online commerce platform Nuvemshop about what it takes to start an online business and how to scale it. We also speak about the opportunities for growth and investment in Latin America and how to support small business owners so they can thrive. Santiago Sosa’s pl…

1
Future Keepers - Ep 02: Leadership and the Pacific’s strong women with Dame Meg Taylor 9:18

3+ y ago9:18

9:18

In the second episode of this Pacific mini-series, IFC talks to Dame Meg Taylor, former Secretary-General of the Pacific Islands Forum about what it means for women to be in leadership positions.By IFC

1
S2, E4: How Creative Financing can Connect Africa featuring Andile Ngcaba 20:45

3+ y ago20:45

20:45

In this episode of Creating Markets, IFC speaks with Andile Ngcaba, the chairman of Convergence Partners, a private equity fund that specializes in information and communications technology (ICT). He talks about impact investing and the rewards that have come from decades on the ground building digital infrastructure across the African continent. H…

1
Future Keepers Ep 01- Resilience and risk with Nikita Patel 10:28

3+ y ago10:28

10:28

For the first part of this Pacific mini-series, IFC talks to Vinod Patel & Company Chief Financial Officer Nikita Patel to discuss what organizational resilience looks like now. For more information about IFC’s work, please see: IFC’s work on Gender in East Asia and the Pacific Tell us what you think! How has your organization been resilient during…

1
S2, E3: A bank for women in India featuring Chetna Sinha 20:58

3+ y ago20:58

20:58

In this episode, IFC speaks to Chetna Sinha, founder of Mann Deshi Mahila Cooperative Bank, a bank in India aimed at rural women. Chetna speaks to us about what financial literacy means for women, why it’s important to have access to a bank account, and what financial institutions can do to empower women in India. Chetna Sinha’s bank for women in I…

1
S2, E2: Decentralizing Health Care in Ghana - Featuring Redbird’s Patrick Beattie 22:47

3+ y ago22:47

22:47

In this episode, IFC speaks with Patrick Beattie, the co-founder, and CEO of health tech company Redbird. We talk to Patrick about what drew him to work in West Africa, what it means to decentralize the health-care system, and how to help patients manage chronic disease by putting them in the driver's seat. For more information about this episode v…

1
S2, E1: Designing Green Buildings for Better Livelihoods 23:06

3+ y ago23:06

23:06

IFC talks to Sarah El Battouty, the founder of one of Egypt’s leading environmental design and auditing companies, ECOnsult. In this episode, she talks about charting her own path away from her family’s expectations, and making green buildings affordable, accessible, and respected in Egypt. For more information about this episode, see: Sarah El Bat…

1
India’s COVID-19 crisis: ‘There is no normal’ 17:07

4y ago17:07

17:07

Bad news is the only news that Manuela de Souza, an IFC communications officer in Goa, India, hears these days. Since a highly transmissible second wave of COVID-19 infections began coursing through India, causing a record number of deaths, de Souza has watched the virus wreak havoc across the country—including her home state of Goa. In an audio st…

1
Episode 08: How one Indian investor found self-confidence on the Internet - Featuring Shuvi Shrivastava 16:43

4y ago16:43

16:43

IFC talks to Shuvi Shrivastava, Vice President at Lightspeed India, where she invests in startups in the fintech and consumer tech sector. In this episode, she talks about how she landed on a Forbes 30 Under 30 list and highlights the struggle with self-confidence, both in herself and other entrepreneurs and investors in India, where opportunities …

1
Episode 07: The logistical challenges of rolling out a COVID-19 vaccine in Africa - Featuring Mohammed Akoojee of Imperial Logistics 13:13

4y ago13:13

13:13

For the second part of this two-part series on logistics, IFC talks to Imperial Logistics CEO Mohammed Akoojee again to discuss how African nations are planning for the distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine. Akoojee dives into some of the considerations and essential factors that go into one of the biggest vaccination campaigns the continent has ever …

1
Episode 06: How Africa’s logistics sector is integrating tech solutions - Featuring Imperial Logistics’ Mohammed Akoojee 14:13

4y ago14:13

14:13

IFC talks to the CEO of Imperial Logistics, Mohammed Akoojee, about the challenges of the logistics sector in Africa and why investment in tech solutions is so vital for the evolution of the industry. Akoojee also dives into the potential of the new African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and his advice to investors who are thinking about inv…

1
Episode 05: More than a Role Model for Other Female Founders in Africa 18:12

4+ y ago18:12

18:12

IFC talks to Christelle Kwizera about the challenges and rewards of starting Water Access Rwanda in her twenties and the power of skilled storytelling for the success of a start-up. Kwizera also dives into why she’s made it her mission to deconstruct misconceptions about Africa as a market. For more info on Kwizera and IFC’s programs, see: Water Ac…

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