Anders Berlin

Anders Berlin is the Director of the Least Developed Countries' Investment Platform at the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF).13 In this role, he manages financial support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), small infrastructure projects, and financial service providers in least developed countries (LDCs).1

Professional Background

Before joining UNCDF, Anders Berlin served as the Head of Unit for Loans and Guarantees at Sida, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency.23 This experience likely provided him with valuable insights into development finance and risk management.

Responsibilities at UNCDF

As the Director of the LDC Investment Platform, Anders Berlin oversees a portfolio of loans and guarantees focused on nurturing early-stage "missing middle" enterprises and projects in LDCs.1 His work involves:

• Providing catalytic capital and technical assistance to de-risk businesses
• Enabling access to additional blended and commercial capital for SMEs
• Managing financial solutions that offer flexible terms, including concessionary pricing, extended grace periods, and various risk coverage options

Approach to Development Finance

Under Berlin's leadership, the LDC Investment Platform aims to address the "missing middle" challenge in least developed countries. This involves:

• Establishing investment platforms that take on higher risk and invest in smaller projects with growth potential
• Offering financial solutions tailored to different stages of SME development
• Leveraging UNCDF's in-house expertise and resources to develop a pipeline of investable businesses

Anders Berlin's work at UNCDF is crucial in supporting businesses and projects that might otherwise struggle to access financing, thereby contributing to economic development and poverty reduction in the world's least developed countries.