Length: 6 weeks
Dates: April 5 – May 10
Structure:
- – Self-Guided Online Courses
- – Live Sessions
- – Digital Credential
Group rates available. Contact impactinstitute@iixglobal.com for more info.
Join us for a virtual masterclass designed to equip practitioners and financial professionals with the knowledge and skills to drive sustainable growth.
As the world comes to grip with the COVID-19 pandemic and what it means for our businesses, communities, and countries, there is a growing recognition that a new norm is taking shape—one defined by global interdependence, mutual obligation to each other, and an urgent need to accelerate sustainable solutions.
In this new era, innovative finance solutions continue to stand out as a way to address global development challenges at scale and to unlock private-sector capital for forward-looking initiatives. There is tremendous potential in leveraging the expertise of both development and finance stakeholders towards a common goal: achieving sustainability and resilience without leaving anyone behind.
Through this virtual learning journey, participants will uncover answers to the following questions in order to leverage innovative finance for social and environmental impact:
- – What is innovative finance?
- – What are the financial structures that can be used to fuel sustainability while balancing risk-return-impact?
- – What are some effective measures to bring in new actors into the equation?
- – How can innovative finance be used as a tool for building COVID Recovery, Resilience, and Relief?
Key Benefits

World-class faculty
Learn from leaders in the sustainability space from around the world

Gain real-time results
Immerse in sustainability and learn how to implement solutions to today’s biggest challenges – from climate change to COVID recovery

Blended learning experience
On-demand, self-guided courses to prepare you for insightful conversations with instructors and guest speakers

IIX Institute digital credential
Earn a verified digital credential from the IIX Institute that can be used as evidence of knowledge acquired
COURSE STRUCTURE
Take part in self-guided, on-demand courses
Tune into virtual sessions and connect with course instructors and guest speakers
Supplementary reading material to broaden your understanding
Modules quizzes and a final assessment to evaluate your learning journey
Upon completing the online course and passing the Certificate Exam (min. 70%), receive a verified digital credential from the IIX Institute
COURSE OUTLINE
This masterclass is designed to be bite-sized and digestible for working professionals through four modules of self-guided on-demand course videos, readings, and live sessions with guest speakers. At the end of this masterclass, you will emerge with an advanced understanding of how innovative financial structures and products hold the key to connecting back streets to Wall Street and be better equipped as a thought-leader in innovative finance. You will receive a verified digital credential from the IIX Institute upon completing the masterclass and passing the certificate exam.
Week 1: Pre-masterclass preparation
Week 2: Need and Potential of Innovative Finance
- – Analyze the SDGs and their current financing opportunities
- – Define innovative finance and understand the need and potential of innovative finance
- – Explore key innovative financing mechanisms
Week 3: Structures around Innovative Finance
- – Discuss possibilities of unlocking capital for the underserved communities through innovative finance
- – Explore the limitations facing existing traditional innovative financing mechanisms to make them work for sustainability
- – Learn about de-risking strategies available in innovative finance
- – Discover different types of innovative financial instruments for both for-profit and not-for-profit entities to drive progress towards the SDGs
Week 4: Fundamentals of Capital Raise
- – Explore how to apply traditional financial practices to impact investing
- – Outline the capital raise process and the financing options available for non-profits and for-profits
- – Learn about impact investing mechanisms and deal structures that are designed to support Impact Enterprises
Week 5: Building an Enabling Environment
- – Define the various ways public sectors can play a role in establishing an enabling environment for impact investing
- – Evaluate policy initiatives to support impact investing across the globe and gain an introductory understanding of the role of policy in supporting impact investing and innovative finance to finance the SDGs
- – Explore case studies of innovative cross-sector partnerships that have moved impact investing towards the mainstream and tackled the SDGs
Week 6: Review and Certificate Exam
INSTRUCTORS
Professor Durreen Shahnaz
CEO and Founder, Impact Investment Exchange (IIX)
Durreen Shahnaz is a global leader of social impact and impact investing. Born in Bangladesh, Durreen has built an international track record as a social entrepreneur, banker, media executive and academic at institutions, including Morgan Stanley (New York), Grameen Bank (Bangladesh), Hearst Magazines International (New York) and the National University of Singapore.
She is the recipient of 2017 Oslo Business for Peace Award, often referred to as the ‘Nobel Prize for Business’, amongst numerous other awards.
Professor Robert Kraybill
CIO and Managing Director, Impact Investment Exchange (IIX)
Robert Kraybill has over 20 years in the traditional capital markets as an advisor and investor, where he was previous head of Asian private equity for Marathon Asset Management and ex-head of investment banking, Asia ex-Japan, for Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein. Kraybill began his career at Morgan Stanley and Credit Suisse.
Kraybill leads all of IIX’s portfolio management activities, notably the launch of IIX’s first Women’s Livelihood Bond™ and is leading the team developing the $100 million Women’s Livelihood Bond 2™ and the Women’s Catalyst FundTM. He is also a member of the Innovation Working Group of the Task Force on Justice and Navigating Impact Investment Project.
GUEST SPEAKERS

Professor Rocky Lee
Finance, Technology and Innovation Specialist
Dr. Rocky Lee currently works and conducts research in the areas of strategic and financial innovation, technology commercialization, investment and forecasting analytics, and inter-disciplinary learning and knowledge management.
Dr. Lee’s international business career started with the management consultancies Corporate Decisions, Inc. (now Oliver Wyman) and Bain & Company followed by corporate and executive roles in the Fortune500 and FTSE100. Dr. Lee has also consulted to the World Bank Group in Washington DC and the Asian Development Bank in Manila as well as advised multiple technology and services start-ups, including several he co-founded. His professional expertise covers multiple sectors including financial services, health care, education, and consumer goods, and his in-market and project work has spanned all six continents.
Dr. Lee most recently served as a core faculty member in Finance & Accounting at the Asian Institute of Management where he also headed both AIM’s Washington SyCip Graduate School of Business and the AIM-JBF Center for Banking and Finance.
Dr. Lee’s Board experience includes the Board of Trustees for the Asian Institute of Management (Finance & Investment Committee, Risk & Audit Committee), the Steering Committee of the AIM-Dado Banatao Incubator, the Global Alumni Executive Board of The Wharton School (Lifelong Learning Committee), and the Board of Trustees of the Harvard Club of the Philippines (Project “Harvard Hands for Haiyan”).
Dr. Lee earned his PhD and his MBA from The Wharton School, and his AB with Honors from Harvard University.

Steve Melhuish
Co-Founder and Former CEO, Property Guru Group
Steve is an award-winning entrepreneur with 28 years’ building businesses, including 3 start-ups. He is passionate about entrepreneurship, climate change and social equality.
In 2007, Steve co-founded PropertyGuru and led the business as CEO for the first 10 years, growing it from 2 people into a leading proptech firm with 25 million monthly users in 5 countries. Steve has supported the development of South East Asia’s start-up ecosystem over the last 15 years and is an active angel investor and mentor. In 2019, he founded Planet Rise to help companies tackling climate change and social inequality. He’s a member of Asian Venture and Philanthropy Network (AVPN) and Top Tier Impact (TTI) and judge/investor for Temasek Foundation’s The Liveability Challenge, recognising the best sustainability tech companies globally. Previously, he founded Business2Profit in UK to help large enterprises to innovate, and support start-ups with funding/growth.
In 2007, Steve was awarded the “Spirit of Enterprise Award” in recognition of contributions to entrepreneurship in Singapore.

Kristy Graham
Director, Development Finance Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
FAQs
How can I make a payment?
Payments can be made online at IIX Institute using Stripe. If you would prefer to pay using other methods (e.g., bank transfer, PayPal, cheque) please contact impactinstitute@iixglobal.com. All payments must be received in full prior to accessing the course.
I am unable to make the full payment. Can I pay by installments?
Should you have difficulties making the full payment upfront, please contact the program coordinator at impactinstitute@iixglobal.com. Exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis.
What is the cancellation policy?
Payment is non-refundable. Where unavoidable, we reserve the right to change the speakers. If we cancel the course, we will notify you of the changes and endeavor to reschedule the course or we will refund the course fees in full (minus any bank transfer fees). We will not refund any other costs you incur as a result of the cancellation.
What is the certificate exam?
At the end of the course, you can test your knowledge with the Innovative Financing Solutions for Resilience certificate exam. This certificate exam consists of a series of multiple-choice questions that will be available on-demand during the last week of the course. Upon passing the certificate exam, you will receive a digital credential from the IIX Institute, which can be used as evidence of your knowledge and experience gained.
How do I get the IIX Institute digital credential for this masterclass?
Upon passing the certificate exam (minimum score 70%), you will receive a digital credential from the IIX Institute.