The inaugural Island Finance Forum brought together senior financiers, development partners, regulators, top-level island political leaders and other influential politicians, and business leaders to share and exchange expertise on sustainable and inclusive financial structures in island communities.
The Forum helped to highlight the unique financial challenges faced by global island communities and the solutions for sustainable economic recovery and inclusive growth in a post-pandemic world.
With over 6,200 registrations and over 7,240 session views across all platforms, the Island Finance Forum is one of the biggest online events for island sustainability in the world. It is also an important complementary event to our annual Virtual Island Summit which itself had over 10,000 registrations at the 2020 edition. Representatives from islands across the world participated in the Forum from places as diverse as the Caribbean, Pacific, South America, Asia, Europe and beyond.
This four-day virtual event was accessible to attendees from across the globe in a variety of interactive sessions, including networking opportunities to meet and exchange ideas face to face or in small groups. Attendees were from a broad range of backgrounds representing entrepreneurs, the public sector, NGOs and academia.
- Total registrations: 6,205
Audience registered by region:
Note:
- America: North America (USA, Canada, Mexico) + Central America + South America (excluding the Caribbean countries)
- Pacific: PNG, Australia, New Zealand and all other Pacific Island Nations (except Japan, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, that are grouped in Asia)
Top 20 Countries registered at the forum:
Average Statistics on IFF marketing emails:
- New audience gained (non-Newsletter subscribers): 3,714
IFF Audience (25 emails):
- Open Rate: 24.99%
- Click Rate: 6.34%
Social Media Growth (during the week of the Forum):
Facebook:
Twitter:
Instagram:
1,018 accounts reached
283 content interactions
+20,6% follower boost
LinkedIn:
Company Page:
This event brought together sponsors and partners from many different locations around the world:
6 Sponsor Organisations
16 Partner Organisations
The Island Finance Forum included 67 speakers. They were as diverse as Prime Ministers, high-level government ministers, Ambassadors, founders of large and small companies, business leaders, academics and founders of non-profit organisations.
We accomplished all 3 main Island Finance Forum Goals:
1.Connectivity: The Forum helped to bridge the gap between sustainable development practitioners and financial stakeholders.
2. Free access: It helped islanders to access expert knowledge and the financial opportunities available to them.
3. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Sessions at the Forum showcased the economic opportunities available from investing in the sustainability sector on islands – particularly impact investing and ESG
Interaction, as well as continuity of the conversations, were also core aims of the IFF that we were able to achieve. Most of the sessions which were broadcast live via Zoom were characterised by attendees raising their questions to the panel of experts. Many sessions featured live polls where attendees could participate and provide relevant demographic information, and the chatbox allowed communication among attendees in addition to networking opportunities.
There were also daily networking sessions held on Remo in which attendees could discuss different topics on virtual tables in small groups or one on one.
Continuity of the conversations is important for talk to turn into action. The sessions covered a wide range of island-related financial topics and discussion does not need to end after the sessions have finished. Participants are encouraged to continue to interact with the Island Innovation community by using the Facebook Group and LinkedIn Group.
We are proud to have received an overwhelmingly positive response from participants for the Forum:
The Forum had a large global reach and was covered by several publications around the world including:
A partial list of our 2021 coverage:
- The Royal Gazette
- CoinGeek
- Caribbean News Service
- Revista Energia
- The Royal Gazette
- Antillean Media Group
- Cornerstone Asset Management
- Jamaica Loop
- The Barbados Advocate
- Impact Alpha
- The Royal Gazette
- Jamaica Observer
Leading experts offered diverse perspectives and solutions on pressing finance and sustainability issues:
Over 7,240 views across all sessions (via Zoom, Facebook and YouTube).
Financing a Blue-Green Recovery for the Caribbean (Roundtable)
New Opportunities to Access Capital and Investment for SMEs – Sponsored by NCB Capital Markets Ltd
Official Opening Plenary to the Island Finance Forum 2021
Investing in Transportation Electrification: Building the Business Case for E-Mobility – Sponsored by Nathan Associates
Economic Recovery and Inclusive Growth in a Post-Pandemic World: The Island Scenario
Pacific Islands Energy Roundtable (Invitation-Only) – Sponsored by Mana Pacific
Practical Applications of Blockchain & Cryptocurrencies for Sustainable Development on Islands
Financing the Green Energy Transition & Low-Carbon Infrastructure – Sponsored by CAMCO Clean Energy
Ministerial Roundtable – Economy and Sustainability for Global Islands
The Future of Innovative Finance Mechanisms for Ocean Conservation – Sponsored by Caribbean Biodiversity Fund
Debt and Access to Finance for Small Island Developing States in the Era of COVID-19 and Beyond
Insuring the Future – Creative solutions for risk management
Impact Investing and ESG – An Opportunity for Financing Sustainable Development on Islands?
Continue the conversations started at the Forum and keep in contact with fellow attendees with these networking opportunities:
- Virtual Island Summit 2021: Save the date for our next Virtual Island Summit, taking place 6-12th September 2021.
- Weekly Newsletter: You are all set to receive Island Innovation’s weekly newsletter, covering important topics around sustainability.
- Facebook Group: Connect with fellow Summit participants in our exclusive Facebook Group.
- LinkedIn Group: Connect with fellow Summit participants in our exclusive LinkedIn Group.
We look forward to your continued involvement in the Island Innovation community![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
