James P. Scriven is the CEO of IDB Invest, the private sector institution of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Group, with a portfolio of $13.1 billion in assets under management and 385 clients in 25 countries. IDB Invest is a multilateral development bank focus on providing innovative financial solutions and advisory services for its clients, while achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals in Latin America and the Caribbean. A dual Argentine/British citizen, Mr. Scriven was previously Vice President of Corporate Risk and Sustainability at the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in addition to other leadership positions. Before joining the IFC, Mr. Scriven was Chief Financial Officer of Banco Hipotecario in Argentina. During the past two decades, he has concentrated his efforts on promoting the role of the private sector in development. Mr. Scriven holds a Master´s degree in Finance from Universidad del Centro de Estudios Macroeconómicos of Argentina, and a degree in Business Administration from the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina. To learn more, follow @JamesPScriven and linkedin.com/in/james-p-scriven.
Investing in preventative adaptation solutions can be more effective and less costly for the private sector than a late response. The opportunities available to adapt to climate change remain largely unmet.
Bold and immediate action is needed for businesses and economies to leverage the transformative power of the private sector as we strive to meet our net-zero commitments under the Paris Agreement.
Latin America and the Caribbean now faces a crossroads where we must work to optimize the many opportunities to build a different and better world.
The path that will lead our societies to prosperity can only be based on sustainability and inclusion. To achieve this, all of us should play a part. We men must remember that we are the other half of equality.
Open banking, allowing third-party service providers to access financial data from financial institutions through APIs, is growing rapidly thanks to secular global trends and the region’s thirst for innovation.
The pandemic has devastated Latin America and the Caribbean, putting a strain on government finances, leaving the private sector in a leading position for the recovery. But we cannot forget the bigger picture: building a more inclusive and sustainable region.