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Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) face ongoing challenges. In response, governments have developed schemes to help remedy market deficiencies where private sector sources are unable or unwilling to operate, by creating public development banks. The Montreal Group is the first global forum exclusively dedicated to public banks that share a common mandate of supporting MSMEs.

The Montreal Group is an international forum created to foster peer group exchanges, identify best practices and innovative solutions on key topic issues, and develop thought leadership material contributing to the global MSME ecosystem. The Montreal Group provides a global collaborative environment where members can share and exchange best-in-class knowledge and information on important MSME-related topics with the ultimate goal of helping them make a vital contribution to the development of their countries and to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. 

The founding meeting was held in September 2012 in Montreal, Canada, in the head office of BDC. For the subsequent years: 2013 Mexico (NAFIN); 2014 Brazil (BNDES); 2015 France (Bpifrance); 2016 India (SIDBI); 2017 Finland (Finnvera); 2018 Canada (BDC); 2019 China (CDB), 2020 (virtual) and 2021 (virtual).
In pictures on the right, Executives of the founding members during the launch in 2012.

 Our mission

Our mission is to bring MSME Development Banks together as thought leaders to foster the evolution of their respective practices to the benefit of MSMEs from around the world.

 

How we do it

To encourage collaboration among our organizations, The Montreal Group

  • Acts as a sounding board and fostering peer group exchanges, networking and cooperation amongst members.
  • Operates a forum linking subject matter experts.
  • Maintains an online repository of best practices, knowledge and innovative solutions for key issues faced by MSME-focused public banks to improve their offering to entrepreneurs.
  • Develops thought leadership material to strengthen the global MSME ecosystem and effectively support MSMEs in their journey to sustainability.

 

Our Board of Directors

The Board of Directors (BoD) is comprised of one representative per member bank. They are appointed every year during the Annual Meeting and act as the main liaison contact between the member institution and the Secretariat.

NameOrganizationThe Montreal Group

Mr. Jean-Pierre Di Bartoloméo

President

Sowalfin (Belgium)

Co-Chair of the Board

Ms. Isabelle Bébéar

Director of International and European Affairs

Bpifrance

Co-Chair of the Board 

Mr. Abdulaziz Al Zaid

Advisor to CEO

Saudi Industrial Development Fund (SIDF)

Vice-chair

Mr. Jérôme Nycz

Executive Vice President, BDC Capital

Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC)

Treasurer

Mr. Juuso Heinilä

Executive Vice President, SME Financing

Finnvera, Finland

 Director

Mr. Ivan Cornejo

Director, International Financial Institutions

Nacional Financiera (NAFIN), Mexico

Director

Mr. XIE Zhijun

General Manager, Planning & Administration Department

China Development Bank (CDB), China

Director

Mr. Gabriel Ervilha 

Head of Investors Relations

Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social (BNDES), Brazil

Director

Mr. Hicham Zanati Serghini

Director General

Tamwilcom, Morocco

Director

Mr. Tony Okpanachi 

Managing Director / CEO

Development Bank of Nigeria Plc (DBN)

Director 

Mr. Sudatta Mandal

Deputy Managing Director (DMD)

Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI)

Director 

 

The Secretariat

 

NameThe Montreal GroupOther role

Ms. Sandra Péloquin

Secretary-General

Director, International Relations

Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC)

Ms. Mabel González

Head of Operations and Sustainability

Senior Advisor, International Relations

Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC)

Ms. Paola Pineda

Assistant Operations