The Wheeler Institute for Business and Development hosted a research exchange session bringing together colleagues from the Gates Foundation, LBS Faculty, LBS PhD students, and research collaborators. The session aimed to foster dialogue on institutional priorities, ongoing research, with a particular focus on the Foundations’ Women Economic Empowerment (WEE) division, specifically its work in South…
If you were asked where people borrow from for their daily consumption needs, credit cards from mega-banks seem the obvious answer. However, across the developing world where brick-and-mortar banks are often inaccessible, individuals resort to local alternatives: ‘Kiranas’ or small grocery stores. No credit scores. No collateral. No paperwork. Just a shopkeeper’s quick judgment call,…
At a recent Summit Series event, hosted by the Institute of Entrepreneurship and Private Capital in collaboration with the Wheeler Institute for Business and Development, Sir Ronald Cohen, widely regarded as the “father of Impact Investing” and author of IMPACT: Reshaping Capitalism to Drive Real Change, discussed the transformation underway in global capital markets and…
On Friday 20th March 2026 at 13.00 GMT the Wheeler Institute hosted a virtual seminar organised by the Private Sector Development Research Network. “Between Trust and Trade: on Informal Credit Networks in India” was led by Alp Sungu, Assistant Professor in the Operations, Information & Decisions Department at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and…
Artificial intelligence is reshaping labour markets worldwide. For African economies, where more than 20 million young people will enter the workforce each year between now and 2050, the stakes are especially high. The Wheeler Institute for Business and Development, DFS Lab, and the LBS Data Science and AI Initiative recently held a panel discussion that…
The Wheeler Institute and London Business School (LBS) are pleased to announce a major milestone in the evolution of Dharmalife (DL) Labs. The Indian School of Business (ISB) has formally joined DL Labs through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Dharmalife and the Wheeler Institute to establish DL Labs at ISB’s Hyderabad…
Across Europe and Central Asia (ECA), productivity has been running below its potential for over a decade, failing to power consistent economic growth in the region. Despite decades of market transition, reforms, and integration into global value chains, the region’s productivity trajectory flattened after the 2008 global financial crisis. How can ECA economies ignite productivity…
Artificial intelligence is transforming industries, reshaping value creation, and redefining the future of work. With Sub-Saharan Africa set to add 20 million working-age adults to its labour force every year by 2050, the stakes could not be higher. How can African economies leverage AI to unlock job opportunities, drive innovation, and enable sustainable economic development?…
In the face of rapid technological advancements, the Wheeler Institute was delighted to partner with FINCA and host a roundtable focused on the transformative potential of responsible AI in driving social impact. The gathering brought together an impressive group of participants, including academics, business practitioners, and industry experts, to explore the societal implications and ethical…
Over the past quarter-century, how have Emerging Markets and Developing Economies (EMDEs) fared, and what are their prospects for catching up with developed economies over the next 25 years? Sergei Guriev, Dean of London Business School, introduced Ayhan Kose, Deputy Chief Economist at the World Bank Group, who discussed the January 2025 edition of the…
