LICs: Adapting to a new External Financing Landscape

Deparmental Event

DATE: Apr 15, 2026

DAY: Wednesday

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

LOCATION: Meeting Halls A&B, HQ1-3-430A&B

Overview

Low-income countries (LICs) face high global policy uncertainties and a shifting external financing landscape. This panel will explore different perspectives on reforms LICs could prioritize and strategies for managing declines in concessional financing and fostering private sector investment, including the PRGT’s role.

LICs: Adapting to a new External Financing Landscape

Panelists

Mr. Christian Mumssen is Director of the Strategy, Policy, and Review (SPR) Department of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

In this capacity, he leads the IMF’s work on institutional strategy, policy design, and review of operations. Mr. Mumssen has previously served as Chief of Staff in the Office of the Managing Director, Deputy Director of the Finance Department, and Director of the IMF’s Europe Office in Brussels and Paris. His career spans nearly three decades in international financial institutions, with extensive country experience across low-income, emerging, and advanced economies in Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.

Before joining the IMF, Mr. Mumssen was Principal Economist at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). Mr. Mumssen holds a Master’s in Economics from the London School of Economics and a Doctorate in Economics from the University of Oxford.

Kenji, Okamura, Deputy Managing Director, IMF

Mr. Kenji Okamura assumed office as Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund on December 3, 2021. Before joining the IMF, Mr. Okamura served as Special Advisor to the Prime Minister of Japan on International Economic Policies. Prior to that position, he was Vice Minister of Finance for International Affairs from 2020-21, Japan’s highest civil servant position in international finance. In this position, he oversaw all international finance work of the Ministry and participated in IMFC, G7, G20, ASEAN + 3, and other meetings, representing Japan as the Finance Minister’s Deputy.

Faheen Allibhoy, Head of Development Finance & Advisory team, J.P. Morgan

Head of J.P. Morgan’s Development Finance & Advisory team, where oversees the firm’s coverage of multilateral development banks, facilitates transactions with development financial institutions and provides impact advisory to spur investment in emerging markets. Previously, she headed the J.P. Morgan Development Finance Institution. Faheen is a seasoned manager and investment professional with a deep understanding of emerging markets and the development agenda. She has sector expertise in infrastructure, renewable energy and industrials. Prior to J.P. Morgan, she spent 18 years at the International Finance Corporation (IFC) where she was responsible for business development, transaction execution and portfolio management including as Regional Manager for IFC’s investments, advisory operations and client relationships in West Africa. Faheen started her career at Merrill Lynch in Investment Banking based in New York. She holds a BA from Wellesley College and an MBA from Harvard Business School. She is a member of the Council of Foreign Relations, the Harvard Business School Advisory Council for Africa and the Wellesley College Business Leadership Council.

Co-founder and Managing Partner at Quona Capital—a $790-million venture firm focused on fintech for inclusion in emerging markets—where she leads investment strategies across Africa, MENA, and Cross-Border. As an entrepreneur and investor, Monica has launched various funds and products aimed at broadening financial inclusion. Monica’s career began in Silicon Valley, where she helped launch a $50 million multi-bank lending intermediary to finance small businesses. She has also worked at Calvert Ventures and Anthuri Ventures, early-stage equity vehicles in Bethesda and Cape Town, respectively. While in South Africa, Monica founded Anthuri Catalysts to prepare early-stage companies for investment. She holds an MBA and MA in Education from Stanford University and a BA in economics from Williams College. She currently serves on the boards of Khazna, Maxsoko, Verto, and Twinco and is a founding member of the GPCA Impact Council. She also chaired the Investor Representative Committee of LeapFrog I, the world’s first dedicated microinsurance fund.

Eyob Tekalign Tolina is the Governor of the National Bank of Ethiopia. Prior to that, he served as State Minister at the Ministry of Finance and headed the National Planning Commission. With over two decades of experience, He has played a pivotal role in shaping Ethiopia’s economic and social development through leadership positions in government, academia, international organizations, and the private sector. His career includes serving as Minister Counselor at the Ethiopian Embassy in Washington, DC, advisor to Ethiopia’s governors at the World Bank, and consultant for a global Fortune 500 company. He has held senior positions at key government institutions such as the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and led the Ethiopian Public Private Consultative Forum, the main platform for policy dialogue between government and business. Before rejoining public service, he was a director at SGI Frontier Capital, a US investment firm, focused on frontier markets. He holds a master’s degree from George Washington University and a PhD in Political Economy from the University of Maryland’s School of Public Policy.

Lindsey Whyte, Director General for International Finance, HM Treasury, UK

Director General for International Finance at HM Treasury (UK) since November 2021. Prior to her appointment, Lindsey was Director for Personal Tax, Welfare and Pensions and was responsible for significant parts of the UK’s domestic response to the pandemic, including design and implementation of the UK’s furlough scheme and self-employed income support scheme. Lindsey has held a range of roles in the Treasury and also previously spent time at the Ministry of Defence as a Finance and Strategy Director, and has held a range of roles in the Treasury including negotiating the new fiscal framework after the Scottish referendum, leading work on the world economy and IMF financing during the financial crisis, and as a member of the UK Delegation at the IMF and World Bank in Washington. She is an economist by background and has recently qualified through CIMA as part of the UK Government Finance Professional development programme.

LICs: Adapting to a new External Financing Landscape

Deparmental Event

Overview

LICs: Adapting to a new External Financing Landscape

Panelists

Moderator: Christian Mumssen

Opening Remarks: Kenji Okamura

Panelist: Faheen Allibhoy

Panelist: Monica Brand Engel

Panelist: Eyob Tekalign Tolina

Panelist: Lindsey Whyte

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Panelists

Moderator: Christian Mumssen

Opening Remarks: Kenji Okamura

Panelist: Faheen Allibhoy

Panelist: Monica Brand Engel

Panelist: Eyob Tekalign Tolina

Panelist: Lindsey Whyte