Djibouti is calling for service investors

The construction of China’s first overseas military base has quickly directed the world’s attention to one of the smallest countries in the Horn of Africa – Djibouti. Currently, observers are obsessed with the military base and transit port. They have, unfortunately, overlooked the economic potential of the country with geopolitical advantage and a good natural…

Bridging the Gap: Sharing knowledge and best practices to fill the two trillion-dollar trade finance gap

The ability of credit-worthy businesses to access trade financing is essential to international trade, and in turn, the growth and development of economies around the world. However, despite its importance, experts believe there will be a trade financing gap of over $2 trillion in 2022 (Kim et al., 2021). To put this number in perspective,…

Back to the Future: can the metaverse cities of tomorrow help with urban planning today?

The metaverse is deemed to be the future of society – specifically in our social interaction as well as in the sectors of gaming, finance, and entertainment. Because of this focus, the metaverse has gained a somewhat negative reputation, especially prevalent in developing economies where access, awareness and regulation are limited, as explored in my…

Social Finance: Bridging the gap between Philanthropy and Sustainable Investing

Ms. Phyllis Costanza, Head of Social Impact and CEO of the UBS Optimus Foundation was recently hosted by the student-led Social Impact Club. In conversation with Akhil Pawar and Jane Lu, Ms. Costanza discussed the foundation’s work and shared her experience in pioneering innovative financing mechanisms and impactful interventions as well as her vision for…

Partnering to Scale Sustainable Innovation

Over the past decade, corporations have moved away from traditional corporate social responsibility – a ‘nice to have’ – to corporate sustainability, now an imperative that is embedded in a corporation’s systems, practices and products. This year, the Social Impact Club launched its Corporate Sustainability and Innovation (CSI) pillar to signify the increasing push for…

The business of vaccines during a pandemic: How the Serum Institute of India’s $1.2 Billion Covid-19 wager paid off

Mr. Adar Poonawalla, CEO of Serum Institute of India (SII) – the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer –  was recently hosted by the student-led LBS India Club. Mr Poonawalla discussed with Krati Jain MBA2022 and vice president of the India Club, his ambition to accelerate vaccine equity across the globe, and his thoughts on how the…