Luis Alberto Moreno, president of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Group, announced today the launch of IDB Invest at the Council of the Americas (COA) Symposium in Miami.
The decision to rebrand the IIC follows the IDB Group’s expanding private sector focus and its goal to reposition as the solutions bank for Latin America and the Caribbean.
“If you have a bold idea, talk to us. If you want to push into underserved markets, give us a call. And if you are the kind of company that takes big risks in areas like energy, transportation or agribusiness, then we are the partner you want at your side,” highlighted Moreno during his keynote speech at the COA Symposium, delivered to a room filled with more than 400 CEOs and international executives.
IDB Invest is growing its portfolio by increasing its focus on the infrastructure and corporate sectors, including energy, transport, water & sanitation, social infrastructure, agribusiness, manufacturing, telecommunications and sustainable tourism, while continuing to tend to its financial market clients. It has bold expansion goals for its business in Central America and the Caribbean, with a special focus on the traditionally-underserved small and island nations.
IDB Invest is also expanding its local presence to strengthen its client service and ensure quality portfolio management. It is opening hubs in Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, Colombia and Argentina, and aims to place personnel in all 26 of its borrowing member countries in the Latin America and Caribbean region.
“Our transformation is driven by a quest to increase our sector reach, expand our product and service offering, focus on clients and earn their trust in return,” stated James P. Scriven, CEO of IDB Invest, describing his view on the new brand and its strategic priorities.
To cater to specific client needs and an expanding portfolio, IDBInvest is willing to increase its local currency financing in Mexican pesos, Brazilian reals and Paraguayan guaranies, potentially adding Colombian and Dominican pesos in 2018. IDB Invest has the ability to mobilize mezzanine/subordinated debt across sectors, and it expects equity investments to play a larger role in the institution’s 2018 growth. Its B-Bond structure and credit enhancement products allow it to attract institutional investors for infrastructure projects by securitizing project debt and placing issuances in private markets, increasing participation in this key industry sector.
