The Blended Finance Podcast

In this episode, we speak with Karanraj Chaudri, Regional Specialist at UNDP Asia-Pacific and Sustainable Finance Advisor at UNDP in India, about the evolving role of blended and innovative financing mechanisms in advancing climate and development outcomes. From private sector engagement and SDG financing to climate-smart agriculture credit and resilience-focused investments, the conversation expl...

In this episode of The Blended Finance Podcast, we speak with Manjula Singh, Executive Director, India at the Children's Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF). Drawing on over 25 years of leadership across health, education, skilling, and gender, Manjula reflects on her career journey and shares insights on outcomes-based financing in India. The conversation covers the Skill Impact Bond, CIFF'...

In this episode, we speak with Charlie Langdale, CEO of Humanity Insured, to discuss how insurance can serve as a tool for climate resilience rather than just risk transfer. From its origins at COP26 to on-the-ground projects protecting displaced communities, farming households, and urban workers across 20+ countries, Charlie walks us through the practicalities of making parametric insurance work...

This special anniversary episode of The Blended Finance Podcast features TBFC partners Aparna Dua, Nirav Khambhati, and Tushar Thakkar reflecting on two years of building The Blended Finance Company. The conversation covers highlights from the past year, insights from working across the blended finance ecosystem, lessons from early hypotheses, and the importance of execution-focused approaches. 

Join Nirav Khambhati for a masterclass in development finance with Nachiket Mor, one of India's foremost thinkers on institutional design and capital mobilization. Discover how the Gates Foundation's vaccine guarantees worked without ever being called, why the government's role in blended finance goes far beyond providing capital, and what principles drive institutions that achieve bot...

In this episode, Nirav Khambhati speaks with Pompy Sridhar, India Director at MSD for Mothers, who shares how innovative finance, quality accreditation, and public-private collaboration are transforming maternal healthcare. Tune in to hear how MSD for Mothers is tackling preventable maternal mortality and shaping sustainable health systems in India and beyond.

Join Nirav Khambhati as he sits down with Priyank Tiwari, IIX's Senior Director for Research and Government Relations, to explore how Impact Investment Exchange is leveraging blended finance to drive sustainable development across South and Southeast Asia. Discover insights on Orange Bonds, institutional partnerships, and the future of impact investing from a leader with 20+ years of experienc...

Join Nirav Khambhati as he sits down with Caroline Chernov, World YMCA’s Lead for Global Impact Investing, to explore how the organization is leveraging innovative finance models to empower youth and build thriving communities. Learn about World YMCA’s Vision 2030 and its strategy for mobilizing capital to solve pressing global challenges.

In this episode, Nirav Khambhati speaks with Neena Joshi, Senior Vice President - Asia Programs at Heifer International, about transforming rural livelihoods through innovative finance. Discover how Heifer is building inclusive agrifood systems and connecting smallholder farmers, particularly women, to sustainable financing solutions across developing Asian economies.

In this episode, Luca Torre shares how riding a scooter through Indian slums while working at a microfinance cooperative sparked the vision for GAWA Capital. From working on the world's first microfinance IPO at Credit Suisse to building Spain's premier impact investment firm, discover the journey that's transforming financial inclusion across emerging markets.

In this episode, we talk with Bjoern Struewer of Roots of Impact about the transformative power of Impact-Linked Finance. Learn how this pioneering approach is creating 'better terms for better impact' and revolutionizing how capital flows to social enterprises worldwide.

The Blended Finance Podcast - Episode 11 Special Episode: The First Year of TBFC Join Shivam Jumani as he hosts Aparna Dua, Nirav Khambhati, and Tushar Thakkar, the leadership team of The Blended Finance Company (TBFC), in this insightful episode. Discover the origins of TBFC, the highlights of the first year, and the team's vision for the future of blended finance. Gain valuable insights into...

We are pleased to bring to you the tenth episode of The Blended Finance Podcast featuring Batya Blankers, CEO, CHANCEN International. Having personally experienced barriers to higher education, Batya has made it her mission to create equitable tertiary and vocational education opportunities in Africa. Under her leadership, CHANCEN International successfully introduced income-share agreements in Rw...

We are pleased to bring to you the ninth episode of The Blended Finance Podcast featuring Dr. Mike Tetelman. He leads the education portfolio within USAID-sponsored program CATALYZE at Palladium. The program deploys blended (public-private) finance solutions to improve education and skills development, strengthens the education sector through private sector investment and technical expertise, and...

We are pleased to bring to you the eighth episode of The Blended Finance Podcast featuring Dr. Emily Gustafsson-Wright. She is a senior fellow at the Global Economy and Development Program at the Brookings Institution. She specializes in applied microeconomic and policy research within the fields of education, health and early childhood development (ECD) in low- and middle-income country contexts...

We are pleased to bring to you the seventh episode of The Blended Finance Podcast featuring Harry Davies. Harry is a Principal at Ceniarth, where he helps lead on organisation-wide strategy, impact management and pipeline origination. Ceniarth is the impact-first, single-family office of Diane Isenberg and focuses on investments that benefit underserved communities globally. Ceniarth invests in no...

The British Asian Trust (BAT) is an international development organization delivering high-quality programs in South Asia, particularly using social finance products to drive positive change across the region. Outcome-based finance (OBF) has been a popular blended finance instrument in India, and BAT has led three impact bonds using OBF in the education and skilling sectors. In this episode, we he...

In this episode, we speak with Bram Spann, Regional Lead for Asia at the Rabo Foundation. The Rabo Foundation is an impact funder focused on the agriculture and food systems sector, investing globally. India is its largest market by investment, where it has been providing trade finance, term loans, debt facilities, working capital facilities, credit guarantees, and grants, and many of these servic...

In our fourth episode, we speak to Vikram Gandhi, who wears many hats. After a long and illustrious career in investment banking at Morgan Stanley and Credit Suisse, Vikram co-founded Asha Ventures, an impact VC fund, and Asha Impact, a think tank advocating for structural change for people and the planet through policy, in India, with a focus on giving back to society. He has been a supporter of...

In this episode, we delve into a deep conversation about the evolution of blended finance over the years. We explore early structures such as the world’s first social impact bond in Peterborough , among others, and discuss concessional finance's role in uplifting individuals out of poverty through employee ownership. Dr. Hoffmire takes us through his rich experiences over the years having been...

In our second episode, we hear from Joan Larrea, who has helmed Convergence since its inception and has been instrumental in establishing it as a leading independent authority on blended finance. Convergence is dedicated to blended finance ecosystem development globally and they do this by generating blended finance data, intelligence, and deal flow to increase private sector investment in develop...

In our first episode, we speak to Kusi Hornberger who has been an advocate of blended finance for several years. Kusi has been part of the development sector since the inception of his career and has worked at the IFC, Global Partnerships, and now Dalberg. He has seen first-hand how innovative finance can play a role in mobilizing capital in sectors such as agriculture, global health, and financia...