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Humanitarian Finance Summit 2027
Theme: Financing Humanitarian Action in A New Era
Humanitarian funding has plummeted to its lowest level in a decade, with nearly a third of total resources disappearing since 2023. This sustained contraction demands a different approach. While grants remain indispensable, the sector must use them more strategically, rethink risk management, and mobilise complementary capital to scale innovative models where they deliver effective impact.
Building on the 2026 Summit and AidEx Geneva, the 2027 Humanitarian Finance Summit offers a critical space for leaders to examine progress, address implementation realities, and forge institutional partnerships needed to scale credible financing solutions.
Join senior professionals from governments and policymakers, humanitarian organisations and local leaders, donors and foundations, DFIs and MDBs, banks, institutional and impact investors, fund managers, and capital markets practitioners to:
Explore how grants, public finance, philanthropy, and investment effectively complement one another, by identifying their different purposes and requirements.
Advance practical approaches to liquidity, risk sharing, local access to capital, and institutional resilience, connecting humanitarian actors with financing partners.
Place local and national perspectives at the centre of discussions, with diverse representation across geography, gender, and institutions.
Register your interest today (link will be posted soon)
Note: The programme may be updated and refined prior to the event.
Agenda Overview - 2027
1. The Humanitarian Finance Outlook 2027
Establish the funding context and distinguish structural changes from temporary pressures.
2. Making Innovative Finance Work: What Must Change?
Discuss the institutional changes, capabilities, and shared infrastructure required for wider adoption.
3. Where Does Innovative Finance Add Real Value?
Examine which humanitarian challenges suit innovative finance, with evidence of additionally, viability, and potential for replication.
4. Inside the Deal
Examine how a real transaction was completed, including costs, risk allocation, governance, and lessons for replication.
5. If Disaster Risk Finance Works, Why Has Adoption Remained Limited?
Explore the barriers to adoption and what funders, purchasers, and all stakeholders need to enable responsible and effective expansion.
6. Mobilising Local, Regional, and Gulf Capital for Humanitarian Resilience
Explore how humanitarian priorities can connect with local financial markets, Islamic finance, and private investment.
7. Priorities for Humanitarian Innovative Finance
Draw together the day’s evidence to identify financing responsibilities, institutional priorities, and practical next steps.
Case Studies with HIFHUB
Examine real financing structures, implementation experience, and the conditions for replication or scale.
IMD Workshop: From Humanitarian Problem to Structured Solution
Develop an initial financing and partnership proposition, testing its feasibility, governance, and practical implementation.
Note: The programme may be updated and refined prior to the event.
2026 speakers included:
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Kjell Forsberg
Assistant Director General and Head of Department for Trade, Private Sector & Financial Instruments
Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA)
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Nadine Saba
Co-Founder & Director
Akkar Network for Development, Lebanon
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Rt Hon Andrew Mitchell MP
Former UK Minister for International Development
Ministry for International Development
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Nena Stoiljkovic
Under Secretary General for Global Relations, Humanitarian Diplomacy and Digitalization
IFRC
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Thomas Husson
Head of Investing in Frontier Markets
Proparco
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Lev Plaves
Director of Investments
Kiva
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Dr Hanan Balkhy
Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean
World Health Organisation
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Martin Diaz Plata
Head of Private Equity Investments
BlueOrchard
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Rurik Marsden
Deputy Director
FCDO
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Jack Nichols
Senior Legal Counsel and Board Advisor
GAVI & IFFIm
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Michel Botzung
Head of IFC-UNHCR Joint Initiative
International Finance Corporation
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Christina Bennett
CEO
Start Network
How to get involved
Sponsorship/Exhibiting
The Humanitarian Finance Summit offers tailored packages to organisations with innovative, exciting ideas, projects, products or services that support event attendees and practitioners in the innovative finance space.
Sponsorship and exhibition packages offer visibility, networking and lead generation opportunities. To discuss these opportunities, you can contact our team by pressing the button below.
Delegate Ticket
Tickets provide full access to the Humanitarian Finance Summit content and exhibition, including all sessions, lunch, and networking opportunities. The event featured a full day of activities starting with a networking breakfast, followed by an opening keynote and multiple sessions deep-diving into humanitarian innovative finance solutions. Registration is yet to open, but for more information follow the link below.
Venue:
Queen Elizabeth II Centre
Broad Sanctuary
Westminster
London
SW1P 3EE
About AidEx
AidEx is the leading platform for professionals in humanitarian aid, disaster relief, and international development. It hosts a series of annual events for its global community, including the flagship AidEx Geneva and the co-located Development2030 in October, as well as the AidEx Nairobi satellite event in June, and sector-specific gatherings like the Humanitarian Finance Summit in February.
AidEx events bring together leaders from across the aid, relief, and development sectors to explore the latest innovations, engage with new suppliers, and foster meaningful relationships. In 2025, AidEx Geneva welcomed over 3,400 participants from 82 countries, including representatives from UN agencies, Red Cross and Red Crescent societies, local and international NGOs, donors, foundations, governments, and the private sector.
About Humanitarian Finance Forum
The Humanitarian Finance Forum was formed to connect humanitarian actors with resources to access funding through capital markets. We aim to gather leading experts from humanitarian institutions, international organisations, foundations, investment banks, insurance companies and governments, with a common mission to increase funding for humanitarian goals.
For participation enquiries, please contact:
Phoebe Frewin
Marketing Manager
E: phoebe.frewin@aid-expo.com
For exhibiting and sponsorship enquiries, please contact:
Iska Meyer-Wendecker
Commercial Director
T: +44 (0) 7545 540513
E: iska.meyer-wendecker@aid-expo.com
Interested in speaking, please contact:
Andreas Schonning
Content Director
E: andreas.schonning@aid-expo.com