lill Global Symposium
Unlocking innovative finance, fostering global cooperation. Policymakers, public finance leaders and researchers on finance and cooperation in a neorealist moment, hosted with the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment at the University of Oxford.
Save the date
The lill Global Symposium returns to Rhodes House in May 2028. Invitations follow in autumn 2027; the 2026 review, recordings and photographs are below.
The 2026 symposium in review
The 2026 Global Symposium at Rhodes House, Oxford, brought together policymakers, business leaders, civil society representatives and academics to address pressing global challenges. It featured keynote addresses from senior government leaders, panel discussions with the heads of public and private financial institutions, and academic interventions from leading researchers, with a particular focus on innovative financing mechanisms.
Programme
Programme (PDF)Day 1 · Tuesday, 5 May 2026
Opening remarks and keynotes
Prof Andreas Klasen, Director, lill Institute for Public Value · Tim Reid, CEO, UK Export Finance · Haytham El Maayergi, Executive Vice President, Afreximbank · Taneli Lahti, Director, DG INTPA, European Commission
Reconstructing global cooperation
Nan Li Collins, Director, UNCTAD · Alison Nankivell, CEO, Export Development Canada · Tim Reid, CEO, UK Export Finance · Edna Schöne, Executive Board Member, Euler Hermes · Dr Marion Jansen, Director, OECD
Break and networking
The future of trade and finance
HE Raja Al Mazrouei, CEO, Etihad Credit Insurance · Juuso Heinilä, CEO, Finnvera · Dr Heribert Knittlmayer, COO, SERV · Michael Maurer, Division Head Global Trade & Payments, LBBW · Dr Simone Krummaker, Senior Fellow, lill Institute
Inclusive growth in a neorealist moment
Yuichiro Akita, President, Berne Union · Shaimaa Al-Sheiby, Vice President, Public Sector, OPEC Fund · Carolina Lonetti, Head of Exports and Soft Loans, SIMEST · Janusz Wladyczak, CEO, KUKE · Dr San Bilal, Director, ecdpm
Group photo and lunch
Four perspectives on finance for development
Isabel Galdiz, Vice President, International Relations, US EXIM · Alex Michie, Managing Director, GFANZ · Dr Ben Caldecott, Director, Oxford Sustainable Finance Group · HE Eng Adeeb Y. Al Aama, CEO, ITFC, Islamic Development Bank Group
Innovative financing in times of multipolarisation
HE Abdulrahman Hesham Alsowaidi, CEO, Qatar Development Bank · Haytham El Maayergi, Executive Vice President, Afreximbank · Magnus Montan, CEO, SEK · Ángela Pérez, Chairperson and CEO, COFIDES · Marck Wengrzik, CEO, AKA Bank
Break and networking
Joint financing approaches
HE Eng Saad Alkhalb, CEO, Saudi EXIM · Michael Hugman, Lead Economist and Global Director Climate, CIFF · Faruq Muhammad, Global Head Development & Agency Finance, Standard Chartered · Martin Pfister, Head Credit & Political Risk Reinsurance, Swiss Re · Mariane Søndergaard-Jensen, DG INTPA, European Commission
New roles, new directions?
Åke Nordlander, Director General, EKN · Moritz Dörnemann, Global Head Structured Trade & Export Finance, Deutsche Bank · Dr Roseline Wanjiru, Senior Fellow, lill Institute
End of day one
Prof Henning Meyer, Director, lill Institute for Public Value
Dinner at Rhodes House
HE Prof Benedict Okey Oramah, lill Honorary Symposium Chair · Mike Sergeant, Introduction
Day 2 · Wednesday, 6 May 2026
Keynotes
Prof Sam Fankhauser, Professor of Climate Change Economics and Policy, University of Oxford · Daniel M. Best, President, Caribbean Development Bank · Prof Christian Kastrop, President and CEO, Global Solutions Initiative
Unlocking finance for the just transition
Tobias Behringer, Head Financial Advisory, Siemens Financial Services · Jacob van Gent, Director Strategy, Invest International · Dan Riordan, Head PR&C, MSIG NA · Romina Ventura, Global Head of Structuring & Product Development, Santander · Dr Anupama Sen, Head of Policy Engagement, Oxford Smith School
Break and networking
Three academic interventions
Prof Catherine E. de Vries, IE University and lill Advisory Board · Prof Kuno Schedler and Vera Hauser, University of St.Gallen · Paul Heaney, Secretary General, Berne Union
Future of global climate governance
Bianca Barilla, Policy Lead Sustainable Finance, CDP · Remco Fischer, Climate Lead, UNEP FI · Silvia Gavornikova, Head of Division, OECD · Prof Thomas Hale, University of Oxford and lill Advisory Board · Dan Sheriff, CEO, Exile Group
End of the symposium
Prof Andreas Klasen, Director, lill Institute for Public Value
Lunch and networking
Speakers
Yuichiro Akita
President, Berne Union
HE Eng Adeeb Y. Al Aama
CEO, ITFC, Islamic Development Bank Group
HE Eng Saad Alkhalb
CEO, Saudi EXIM
HE Raja Al Mazrouei
CEO, Etihad Credit Insurance
Shaimaa Al-Sheiby
Vice President, Public Sector, OPEC Fund for International Development
HE Abdulrahman Hesham Alsowaidi
CEO, Qatar Development Bank
Bianca Barilla
Policy Lead Sustainable Finance, CDP
Tobias Behringer
Head Financial Advisory, Siemens Financial Services
Daniel M. Best
President, Caribbean Development Bank
Dr San Bilal
Director, ecdpm
Dr Ben Caldecott
Director, Oxford Sustainable Finance Group
Nan Li Collins
Director, UNCTAD
Prof Catherine E. de Vries
Vice Dean and Professor of Political Science, IE University · lill Advisory Board
Moritz Dörnemann
Global Head Structured Trade & Export Finance, Deutsche Bank
Prof Sam Fankhauser
Professor of Climate Change Economics and Policy, Oxford Smith School
Remco Fischer
Climate Lead, UNEP FI
Isabel Galdiz
Vice President, International Relations, US EXIM
Silvia Gavornikova
Head of Division, OECD
Jacob van Gent
Director Strategy, Invest International
Prof Thomas Hale
Professor of Global Public Policy, Blavatnik School of Government · lill Advisory Board
Vera Hauser
Junior Researcher, IMP-HSG, University of St.Gallen
Paul Heaney
Secretary General, Berne Union
Juuso Heinilä
CEO, Finnvera
Michael Hugman
Lead Economist and Global Director Climate, CIFF
Dr Marion Jansen
Director, OECD
Prof Christian Kastrop
President and CEO, Global Solutions Initiative · lill Advisory Board
Prof Andreas Klasen
Director, lill Institute for Public Value
Dr Heribert Knittlmayer
COO, SERV
Dr Simone Krummaker
Associate Professor, Bayes Business School · lill Distinguished Fellow
Taneli Lahti
Director, DG INTPA, European Commission
Carolina Lonetti
Head of Exports and Soft Loans, SIMEST
Haytham El Maayergi
Executive Vice President, Afreximbank
Michael Maurer
Division Head Global Trade & Payments, LBBW
Prof Henning Meyer
Director, lill Institute for Public Value
Alex Michie
Managing Director, GFANZ
Magnus Montan
CEO, SEK – Svensk Exportkredit
Faruq Muhammad
Global Head Development & Agency Finance, Standard Chartered
Alison Nankivell
CEO, Export Development Canada
Åke Nordlander
Director General, EKN
Prof Benedict Okey Oramah
lill Honorary Symposium Chair · lill Advisory Board
Ángela Pérez
Chairperson and CEO, COFIDES
Martin Pfister
Head Credit & Political Risk Reinsurance, Swiss Re
Tim Reid
CEO, UK Export Finance
Dan Riordan
Head PR&C, MSIG NA
Prof Kuno Schedler
Professor of Public Management, University of St.Gallen · lill Distinguished Fellow
Edna Schöne
Executive Board Member, Euler Hermes
Dr Anupama Sen
Head of Policy Engagement, Oxford Smith School
Mike Sergeant
Leadership Communication Specialist, Sergeant Consulting
Dan Sheriff
CEO, Exile Group
Mariane Søndergaard-Jensen
DG INTPA, European Commission
Romina Ventura
Global Head of Structuring & Product Development, Santander
Dr Roseline Wanjiru
Associate Professor, Northumbria University · lill Senior Fellow
Marck Wengrzik
CEO, AKA Bank
Janusz Wladyczak
CEO, KUKE
Impressions
Supporters of the lill Global Symposium 2026
