Impact Investment Funds For Frontier Markets In Southeast Asia

Until now, most socially responsible and impact investments have centred on developed markets, with growth potential and investment opportunities in the frontier economies of countries such as Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam being mostly overlooked. While some individuals and organizations have begun to develop responsible investment opportunities with these countries in mind, large new sources of capital for development could still emerge. This book explores the greater potential for global investment in Southeast Asia, and the ways in which socially responsible investment styles can be used in their developing economies. It demonstrates how the benefits of investment could create a robust platform for separate stakeholders, including governments, non-governmental organizations, development banks, the financial sector, and small and medium sized enterprises. The author explores how shaping collaborative sustainable investment policies could speed up inclusive development, address the needs of those at the bottom of the pyramid, and ensure sustainable future growth.

Until now, most socially responsible and impact investments have centred on developed markets, with growth potential and investment opportunities in the frontier economies of countries such as Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam being mostly overlooked. While some individuals and organizations have begun to develop responsible investment opportunities with these countries in mind, large new sources of capital for development could still emerge. This book explores the greater potential for global investment in Southeast Asia, and the ways in which socially responsible investment styles can be used in their developing economies. It demonstrates how the benefits of investment could create a robust platform for separate stakeholders, including governments, non-governmental organizations, development banks, the financial sector, and small and medium sized enterprises. The author explores how shaping collaborative sustainable investment policies could speed up inclusive development, address the needs of those at the bottom of the pyramid, and ensure sustainable future growth.

We use a dynamic small open economy model to explore the macroeconomic impact of alternative public investment scaling-up scenarios, analyzing how improving the efficiency of capital spending and of tax revenue collection affect growth and debt sustainability for three fast-growing Southeast Asian economies: Cambodia, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam. We show that a gradual public investment profile is more favorable than front-loading capital spending because we assume governments are able to gradually learn how to invest more efficiently, accelerating public capital accumulation and therefore growth. We discuss the pros and cons of alternative financing options and identify the financing mix that generates the best macroeconomic outcome. Sometimes overlooked, improving the efficiency of revenue collection over time may ease the burden of fiscal adjustment, achieving higher GDP growth with substantially lower debt-to-GDP ratios, and will help policymakers efficiently meet the challenge of addressing large infrastructure gaps while maintaining debt sustainability.

This report provides insights to investors keen to invest in the region, financial intermediaries that advise social enterprises (SEs) on capital raising, and developers of platforms seeking to connect SEs in the region with impact investors. Impact Investment Exchange Asia (IIX), an SE based in Singapore, is applying the final outputs of this research as it finalizes the operating features of Asia's first social stock exchange, which it is creating. The outputs of the research will also aid policy makers and institutional actors to better understand and foster an environment for sustainable development through impact investing.

The only comprehensive guide to reaping big returns investing in the hottest new growth markets This book makes a compelling case that, just as today's well-rounded portfolio includes emerging market funds, tomorrow's well-rounded portfolio will include frontier market funds. More importantly, it alerts you to the vast opportunities and potential pitfalls of investing in frontier markets while providing expert advice and guidance on how to research and invest in the most promising frontier growth markets. Widely considered to be the next emerging markets, frontier markets, such as those of certain sub-Saharan African, Eastern European, Asian, and Central and South American countries, are showing strong signs of reaching economic critical mass. If you are an investor on the lookout for authoritative, actionable information on the next big investment opportunity, this book is for you. Provides sector-by-sector analyses that let you assess opportunities and risks in each frontier market Provides strategies and tools for determining the most efficient methods for executing, monitoring, and exiting investments Guides you through the wide diversity within frontier markets, showing how to differentiate countries on the basis of economic development and wealth distribution and other factors

"This book was written as an introductory research guide to small enterprise impact investing, with the objective of defining this new investment theme and mapping its universe. It offers information for investors and other people who are interested in this space and helps to provide further transparency and understanding of this topic."--Publisher's description from website.

Routledge Handbook of Social and Sustainable Finance brings together an international cast of leading authorities to map out and display the disparate voices, traditions and professional communities engaged in social finance activity. With a clear societal or environmental mission, foundations, individual and group investors, as well as public bodies around the world have become increasingly eager to finance and support innovative forms of doing business. Together, founders and established businesses alike are embracing new sustainable business models with a distinct stakeholder approach to tackle social or environmental problems in what they see as a failed economic system in crisis. As a result, the topic of social and sustainable finance is at the forefront of financial economic thought. This Handbook is divided up into three parts. The first, "The Landscape of Social and Sustainable Finance and Investments", comprises of chapters from a multitude of perspectives in an effort to grasp the entirety of the landscape. The second, "Challenges, Suggestions, Critiques and Debates", focuses on areas ranging from sociological underpinnings to critical takes on markets, and the identification of specialized business models. Amongst ethical considerations, topics include the scaling of impact, an analysis of sustainability as risk prevention and comparative analyses of various methods of justification and measurement. In the third and final section, "Markets and Institutions", contributions range from various perspectives on sustainable banking to environmental marketplaces, and finally on to practical cases and country specific observations. This volume is essential reading for both academics and students in economics and finance. It is also of interest to those who study environmental economics, microeconomics and banking.

Developing countries need additional, cross-border capital channeled into their private sectors to generate employment and growth, reduce poverty, and meet the other Millennium Development Goals. Innovative financing mechanisms are necessary to make this happen. 'Innovative Financing for Development' is the first book on this subject that uses a market-based approach. It compiles pioneering methods of raising development finance including securitization of future flow receivables, diaspora bonds, and GDP-indexed bonds. It also highlights the role of shadow sovereign ratings in facilitating access to international capital markets. It argues that poor countries, especially those in Sub-Saharan Africa, can potentially raise tens of billions of dollars annually through these instruments. The chapters in the book focus on the structures of the various innovative financing mechanisms, their track records and potential for tapping international capital markets, the constraints limiting their use, and policy measures that governments and international institutions can implement to alleviate these constraints.