The European Investment Bank (EIB) will co-host the 2023 Annual Members Meeting of 2X Global in Luxembourg City on Thursday 28 and Friday 29 September 2023.
Nearly 250 representatives of development finance institutions, pension funds, family offices, foundations, philanthropy and donor agencies, investment banks and other industry stakeholders will gather in Luxembourg's capital for this meeting.
This will be the first Annual Members Meeting held under the banner of 2X Global since it was formed from the merger of 2X Collaborative and GenderSmart in January 2023. The previous meeting was held under the auspices of 2X Collaborative. 2X Global is a global membership and field-building organisation that helps investors, capital providers and intermediaries unlock gender-smart capital at scale.
2X Global is a global membership and field-building organisation for investors, capital providers, and intermediaries working in public and private markets, across both developed and emerging economies.
EIB Vice-President Thomas Östros said: "Because we thought it was essential to advance gender lens investment with a sound common standard, the European Investment Bank was the first multilateral development bank to formally adopt the 2X criteria. The remarkable expansion of 2X Global demonstrates the importance of gender finance to a wide range of financial actors and the power of our collective influence. I am pleased to see that the EIB is hosting the 2X Global 2023 Annual Members Meeting, which I am sure will be very productive."
This year's meeting, centred around the theme of "Stepping Up Systemic Shifts" will be a forum for solution-oriented dialogues intended to surface actions and policies that can transform the finance system and make it more gender-smart and inclusive.
2X Global CEO Jessica Espinoza said the increased numbers reflected the burgeoning interest in and energy around the field of gender lens investing.
"More and more, investors are seeing the opportunities in gender finance and there's a growing recognition of just how necessary it is. We can't achieve greater prosperity and economic and social mobility if we don't truly unlock the financial potential of half the planet," she said. "The equity dividend is huge and benefits us all, which is why in 2023 we've seen our membership increase to nearly 150 as more investors and investment service providers join our mission to scale up gender finance."
A highlight of the first day of the meeting will be the keynote interview "Engendering the Evolution of Sustainable Finance", which will examine efforts underway to mainstream gender in finance in government, development finance and private market spaces. The high-level conversation will be opened by Luxembourg's Minister of Finance, Yuriko Backes, and will feature EIB Secretary General Barbara Balke, Kuramo Capital CEO Wale Adeosun and Head of Investments at the Visa Foundation, Najada Kumbuli.
Other sessions will present insights from experts in the field and explore gender lens investing standards, digital and financial inclusion initiatives, gender data and gender bonds, alongside thematic conversations on the care economy, diversity and climate.
The 2X Global Annual Members Meeting is a member exclusive event, with participation by registration only.
