Originally Published: October 13, 2007
Source: Women Advancing Microfinance (WAM-DC)
The Washington, DC Chapter of Women Advancing Microfinance (WAM-DC) organized an industry panel on October 2, 2007 to discuss the Initial Public Offering (IPO) of Mexican MFI Compartamos. On April 20, 2007, Compartamos completed a landmark IPO of 30% of its equity. The IPO was considered a huge success by any financial market standard: existing investors received about US$450Mln for their shares. The transaction’s significance as the first microfinance IPO has been hotly debated across the industry and beyond.
The panelists who shared their views on the Compartamos IPO and what it means for microfinance and other industries included:
- Kate McKee, Senior Advisor for Policy, Outreach and Aid Effectiveness, CGAP
- Monica L. Brand, Vice President and Program Manager, ACCION International
- Brad Swanson, Partner, Developing World Markets
- Andree Simon, Deputy Director, FINCA International
To access the audio recording of the panel, available on MicroLINKS, click here.
Other recent articles on the Compartamos IPO:
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New CGAP Focus Note Analyzes Compartamos' Successful IPO (11 Jun 2007)