Ep. 173: The Nexus of Financial Inclusion, Resilience, and Supervision
Fri Feb 06 2026
To mark Canada’s International Development Week, Toronto Centre hosted a virtual executive panel on building financial resilience.
The World Bank’s latest Global Findex survey shows financial inclusion is rising. 79% of adults worldwide now have a bank account, up from just 50% in 2011. In low- and middle-income countries, that number is 75%, due to mobile technology and digital banking. But access alone isn’t enough. True inclusion must lead to financial resilience, and financial supervisors play a critical role in making that happen.
The panelists discussed:
How supervisors should collaborate with regulators and providers to strengthen inclusion and resilienceStrategies and tools for supervisors to drive greater use of financial services and build resilienceEmpowering people to save to achieve education and health goals
Opening Remarks:
Barbara Curran, Director General, Social and Economic Development Programming Bureau, Global Affairs Canada
Panelists:
Leora Klapper, Lead Economist, Development Research Group, The World Bank
Mariela Zaldivar, Head, Market Conduct and Financial Inclusion, Peruvian Superintendency of Banking, Insurance and Private Pension Funds (SBS)
Rhodora M. Brazil-De Vera, Officer-in-Charge, Supervisory Policy and Research Department; Head, ESG Supervision and Surveillance Group, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
Moderator:
Lindsay Wallace, Executive Director, FINCA Canada; Managing Director, Social Investment Strategies, FINCA International
Watch the virtual panel session here.
Read the transcript here. Read their biographies here.
Écoutez le podcast en français ici.
Escuche el podcast en español aqui.
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To mark Canada’s International Development Week, Toronto Centre hosted a virtual executive panel on building financial resilience. The World Bank’s latest Global Findex survey shows financial inclusion is rising. 79% of adults worldwide now have a bank account, up from just 50% in 2011. In low- and middle-income countries, that number is 75%, due to mobile technology and digital banking. But access alone isn’t enough. True inclusion must lead to financial resilience, and financial supervisors play a critical role in making that happen. The panelists discussed: How supervisors should collaborate with regulators and providers to strengthen inclusion and resilienceStrategies and tools for supervisors to drive greater use of financial services and build resilienceEmpowering people to save to achieve education and health goals Opening Remarks: Barbara Curran, Director General, Social and Economic Development Programming Bureau, Global Affairs Canada Panelists: Leora Klapper, Lead Economist, Development Research Group, The World Bank Mariela Zaldivar, Head, Market Conduct and Financial Inclusion, Peruvian Superintendency of Banking, Insurance and Private Pension Funds (SBS) Rhodora M. Brazil-De Vera, Officer-in-Charge, Supervisory Policy and Research Department; Head, ESG Supervision and Surveillance Group, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Moderator: Lindsay Wallace, Executive Director, FINCA Canada; Managing Director, Social Investment Strategies, FINCA International Watch the virtual panel session here. Read the transcript here. Read their biographies here. Écoutez le podcast en français ici. Escuche el podcast en español aqui.