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CGD Podcast: The Future of Development Finance with Leslie Maasdorp

July 23, 2026

As countries around the world cut aid budgets, development finance is increasingly caught up in larger debates about economic security and national interests.

Policymakers and experts have turned to development finance institutions (DFIs) to fill the gap, but the to-do list is long: mobilize greater volumes of private capital, increase investment in poorer and riskier markets, do more on climate, build local markets, support strategic supply chains, and more, all while preserving capital and generating returns.

Have DFI mandates, business models, incentives, and ways of working kept pace with everything we're now asking them to do?

On today's episode of the CGD Podcast, we tackle these questions with Leslie Maasdorp, CEO of British International Investment, the UK's bilateral DFI. Together we discuss balancing national interests with development mandates, setting reachable targets, and strategies for mobilization and prioritization.

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