This event is now complete. Watch the recording above.

Co-hosted by:

Devex    KPMG   



About the event

Infrastructure and technology, or InfraTech, not only improves the efficiency and sustainability of infrastructure – it can also create new investment opportunities in high-impact projects and improve economic efficiency to ultimately reduce public spending. And in a world currently impacted by COVID-19, InfraTech can also provide valuable tools for governments to respond to this dual public health and economic crisis.

Managing the pandemic recovery and efforts to “build back better” will require unrivalled partnership and investment. The success of this endeavor will depend on our ability to make InfraTech and private capital work for the Sustainable Development Goals. The G20 has already highlighted the importance of infrastructure as a driver of economic prosperity and for strong, sustainable, and inclusive growth and development. However, many low- and middle-income countries still face a persistent infrastructure gap.

On the occasion of the 75th session of the U.N. General Assembly, Devex and KPMG hosted a virtual event to explore the potential of InfraTech in advancing the SDGs. The event explores the potential role of InfraTech in improving the COVID-19 public health and economic response by boosting investments in innovative last-mile connectivity solutions, increasing automation and electrification, as well as fostering new business models that mitigate the pandemic’s negative economic and social impacts.

Watch the event recording above. 
Can't make it?
Register anyway and we'll send you a recorded version of the session

The Speakers

Moderator

Raj Kumar

President & Editor-in-Chief
Devex
Raj Kumar is the Founding President and Editor-in-Chief at Devex, the media platform for the global development community. He is a media leader and former humanitarian council chair for the World Economic Forum and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. His work has led him to more than 50 countries, where he has had the honor to meet many of the aid workers and development professionals who make up the Devex community. He is the author of the book "The Business of Changing the World," a go-to primer on the ideas, people, and technology disrupting the aid industry.

Squidward Tentacles

Cashier
Krusty Krab
I then began: “Consider, Poet, thou that guidest me, if strong my virtue be, or e’er thou trust me to the arduous course. Thou sayest that the sire of Silvio entered, when still corruptible, the immortal world, and that while in his body he was there. Hence, that to him the Opponent of all ill was courteous, considering the great result that was to come from him, both who, and what, seems not unfitting to a thoughtful man; for he of fostering Rome and of her sway in the Empyrean Heaven was chosen as sire;

Sandra Jennifer "Sandy" Cheeks

Squirrel
From the Surface
And both of these, if one would tell the truth, were foreordained unto the holy place, where greatest Peter’s follower hath his seat. While on this quest, for which thou giv’st him praise, he heard the things which of his victory the causes were, and of the Papal Robe. The Chosen Vessel went there afterward, to bring thence confirmation in the faith, through which one enters on salvation’s path. But why should I go there, or who concedes it? I ’m not Aeneas, nor yet Paul am I; me worthy of this, nor I nor others deem. If, therefore, I consent to come, I fear lest foolish be my coming; thou art wise, and canst much better judge than I can talk.”

Susan Goeransson

Director, Head of Infrastructure Europe, Sustainable Infrastructure Group
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
Susan Goeransson is the Director for the Infrastructure Europe team in the Sustainable Infrastructure Group at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. In this capacity, she is responsible for delivering EBRD’s municipal and transport projects in Central Europe, the Baltics, Western Balkans, and Ukraine.
Prior to this position, Ms Goeransson was head of EBRD’s Municipal and Environmental Infrastructure team, which financed both public and private sector investments in the water and wastewater, district energy, solid waste, facilities management and urban transport sectors. 
Ms Goeransson joined EBRD in 1993 and has worked in a variety of sectors, including infrastructure, agribusiness and general industry. Prior to joining EBRD, Ms Goeransson previously worked at the Overseas Private Investment Corporation and the Securities and Exchange Commission. She has a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and is a Chartered Financial Analyst. She has a joint Bachelor’s Degree in Urban Studies and History from Northwestern University.

Sandra Jennifer "Sandy" Cheeks

Squirrel
From the Surface
And both of these, if one would tell the truth, were foreordained unto the holy place, where greatest Peter’s follower hath his seat. While on this quest, for which thou giv’st him praise, he heard the things which of his victory the causes were, and of the Papal Robe. The Chosen Vessel went there afterward, to bring thence confirmation in the faith, through which one enters on salvation’s path. But why should I go there, or who concedes it? I ’m not Aeneas, nor yet Paul am I; me worthy of this, nor I nor others deem. If, therefore, I consent to come, I fear lest foolish be my coming; thou art wise, and canst much better judge than I can talk.”

Office Cat

Mouse Catcher
Quarantine land
And both of these, if one would tell the truth, were foreordained unto the holy place, where greatest Peter’s follower hath his seat. While on this quest, for which thou giv’st him praise, he heard the things which of his victory the causes were, and of the Papal Robe. The Chosen Vessel went there afterward, to bring thence confirmation in the faith, through which one enters on salvation’s path. But why should I go there, or who concedes it? I ’m not Aeneas, nor yet Paul am I; me worthy of this, nor I nor others deem. If, therefore, I consent to come, I fear lest foolish be my coming; thou art wise, and canst much better judge than I can talk.”

Morgan J. Landy

Senior Director, Global Infrastructure and Natural Resources
International Finance Corporation
Morgan Landy is Senior Director of Global Infrastructure at the International Finance Corporation (IFC). IFC is a member of the World Bank Group and the largest global development institution focused exclusively on the private sector. As a member of IFC’s management team, Mr. Landy leads IFC investment operations and advisory services in energy, transportation, telecommunication, media and technology, mining, and municipal and environmental infrastructure, and oversees a $14.6 billion debt and equity portfolio.
During his career at IFC, Mr. Landy worked in Washington D.C., Ho Chi Minh City, and Istanbul. He previously served as Regional Infrastructure Manager for Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa, and was the Global Head of Power and Renewable Energy. Prior to his current role, he worked as Director of IFC’s Environment, Social and Governance team and led efforts to incorporate industry-leading IFC Performance Standards in its operations, ensuring that prudent environmental, social, and governmental-risk management considerations became a vital component of its global activities. Before joining IFC, Mr. Landy worked with the investment banking team at Credit Suisse First Boston in New York. He holds a B.A. from Amherst College and an M.A. from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies.

Office Cat

Mouse Catcher
Quarantine land
And both of these, if one would tell the truth, were foreordained unto the holy place, where greatest Peter’s follower hath his seat. While on this quest, for which thou giv’st him praise, he heard the things which of his victory the causes were, and of the Papal Robe. The Chosen Vessel went there afterward, to bring thence confirmation in the faith, through which one enters on salvation’s path. But why should I go there, or who concedes it? I ’m not Aeneas, nor yet Paul am I; me worthy of this, nor I nor others deem. If, therefore, I consent to come, I fear lest foolish be my coming; thou art wise, and canst much better judge than I can talk.”

Office Cat

Mouse Catcher
Quarantine land
And both of these, if one would tell the truth, were foreordained unto the holy place, where greatest Peter’s follower hath his seat. While on this quest, for which thou giv’st him praise, he heard the things which of his victory the causes were, and of the Papal Robe. The Chosen Vessel went there afterward, to bring thence confirmation in the faith, through which one enters on salvation’s path. But why should I go there, or who concedes it? I ’m not Aeneas, nor yet Paul am I; me worthy of this, nor I nor others deem. If, therefore, I consent to come, I fear lest foolish be my coming; thou art wise, and canst much better judge than I can talk.”

Opuiyo Oforiokuma

Senior Director, Strategy and Investor Relations
Africa50
An infrastructure specialist with over 30 years of international and local experience gained from doing business in the UK, Europe, the Americas, Asia, Australia, and Africa, Opuiyo’s range of experience includes business strategy, general/operations management, fund management, capital raising, investor relations, press/media relations, project development, project structuring/negotiation, project financing, project implementation, change management, business process reengineering, M&A, financial accounting and management, and financial reporting. Prior to joining Africa50, and over a 7-year period, Opuiyo managed the pioneering ARM-Harith Infrastructure Fund whose core focus is on investing equity in West African transport, energy, and utilities projects. The Fund has investments in power generation projects in Nigeria and Ghana that are scheduled to deliver 650MW of electricity when complete. This includes the pioneering Azura-Edo IPP in Nigeria, which is now in full operation.

Richard Threlfall

Global Head of Infrastructure
KPMG
Richard is Global Head of Infrastructure at KPMG. He has over 20 years’ experience in infrastructure policy, governance, strategy and financing, advising both public and private sector clients in the UK and overseas. Richard began his career as a civil servant at the UK Department for Transport where he held positions in the road, rail and aviation directorates. Between 1996 and 1998 he was Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Transport and the Deputy Prime Minister. He subsequently moved to the Infrastructure Advisory team at Citigroup before joining KPMG, where he led the UK Infrastructure, Building and Construction sector until 2018. He has a particular interest in supporting the impending mobility revolution, promoting dialogue between the public and private sectors globally to maximise the social and economic benefits of autonomous vehicles, electric vehicles and mobility as a service.

Valerie Dabady

Manager, Resource Mobilization and Partnerships Department
African Development Bank
Valerie Dabady is an experienced international development professional. A transactional and policy lawyer by training, currently she is currently Manager in the Resource Mobilization and Partnerships Department of the African Development Bank (AfDB) where she focuses on raising non-core resources with new and emerging donors such as India and China, and philanthropic foundations. She is also responsible for the management of the institutional relationship with the European Union. From 1998-2009, she was principal legal counsel at the African Development Bank where she worked on award winning deals in Africa in the power, equity and transportation sectors. From 2009-2012, as an Advisor to the AfDB Vice-President responsible for country and regional planning, she worked on AfDB’s re-engagement with Zimbabwe and the adoption of the organization’s decentralization roadmap.

Office Cat

Mouse Catcher
Quarantine land
And both of these, if one would tell the truth, were foreordained unto the holy place, where greatest Peter’s follower hath his seat. While on this quest, for which thou giv’st him praise, he heard the things which of his victory the causes were, and of the Papal Robe. The Chosen Vessel went there afterward, to bring thence confirmation in the faith, through which one enters on salvation’s path. But why should I go there, or who concedes it? I ’m not Aeneas, nor yet Paul am I; me worthy of this, nor I nor others deem. If, therefore, I consent to come, I fear lest foolish be my coming; thou art wise, and canst much better judge than I can talk.”
Share your thought leadership with our community. Partner with Devex LIVE on an event.
Start the conversation