The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) hosted the launch event of the EBRD’s Transition Report for 2015-16, Rebalancing Finance, on 10 November at the Bank’s headquarters in London.

The report takes an in-depth look at the types of finance the transition region requires to move towards sustainable growth.

In the post-crisis era, growth in the region has come to a virtual standstill. As a result, there is little convergence with advanced countries and the report concludes that the region requires a variety of funding sources, as well as structural reform, to address the investment gap that currently exists.

It’s all a question of balance

The report assesses the balance between debt and equity financing, between foreign currency and local currency finance and between external and domestic funding. In particular, the report assesses in detail the role of private equity as a form of growth capital in the EBRD’s countries of operations. It also looks at whether the balance is right between public, household and corporate debt.

Finally, the report considers how the balance between traditional western European foreign direct investment and funding from further-flung regions might be improved.

This is the latest in a series of EBRD Transition Reports that take a stance on how to re-energise transition and growth in the EBRD’s countries of operations.

16:30 -16:40   Opening remarks: EBRD Editor in Chief Anthony Williams
16:40 -17:00   Presentation of the Transition Report 2015-16: EBRD Acting Chief Economist Hans Peter Lankes
17:00-18:00    Panel discussion and Q&A

• Radovan Jelasity, Chairperson of the Management Board of Directors, CEO, Erste Bank
• Professor Daniel Ferreira, Professor of Finance, London School of Economics
• Thierry Baudon, Managing Partner, MidEuropa Partners

Presentation was followed with a reception afterwards.