New York, NY, Sept. 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Against a backdrop of rising inequality and systemic risk, Bridgforte, in collaboration with the Aspen Institute Financial Security Program and ConsumerCentriX, will host the inaugural Bridgforte Dialogues Roundtable on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), spotlighting financial inclusion as a strategic imperative for global resilience and broader prosperity.
Titled “Financial Inclusion Towards 2035: Shifting Power, Shaping Systems,” the roundtable will take place on September 24, 2025, from 12:30pm to 3:00pm at the Harvard Club of New York City. It brings together policymakers, regulators, innovators, philanthropists, and private sector leaders to chart a bold new course for inclusive economic systems.
“Africa is not just at the frontier of global progress — it is shaping it,” said Aishah N Ahmad, CFA, convenor of the Bridgforte Dialogues. “The Roundtable curates the unusual conversations and unlikely coalitions needed to address enduring disparities and re-design financial systems with equity at their core. By bringing together regulators and innovators, philanthropists and entrepreneurs, we are moving inclusion beyond symbolic participation to structural transformation — rooted in Africa, yet vital to the world.”
“Our mission at Aspen FSP is to ensure that policy and market innovation in the financial sector evolves in ways that address critical financial challenges at the household level, while at the same time supporting strong and robust economic growth,” said Ida Rademacher from the Aspen Institute Financial Security Program. “This roundtable is an exciting step to align private, public, and philanthropic leadership and consumer-centered insights to build a more responsive, beneficial financial infrastructure for the future.”
“We’re looking holistically at what drives financial inclusion across the globe,” said Anna Gincherman from ConsumerCentriX. “How do we shape financial regulation that encourages innovation while setting appropriate consumer protection mechanisms? How do we scale ID and ICT infrastructure to reach all? How do we nurture a broader context of economic participation, inclusion and entrepreneurship? What are we missing? That’s our focus today and always.” With Africa and the Global South at a critical inflection point, the dialogue will explore how emerging technologies — from AI to decentralized finance — can be harnessed to build durable, self-sustaining systems and increase inclusion. Participants will explore blind spots in current inclusion efforts and co-create actionable outputs to accelerate meaningful financial inclusion. Confirmed lead participants include Adrienne Harris (Superintendent, New York State Department of Financial Services), Shola Akinlade (Founder and CEO, Paystack), Adalberto Palma Gómez (Senior Partner, Aperture, and ex-Chair, Mexico Banking and Security Commission), Gbenga Agboola (Founder, Flutterwave), Peggy Clark (Founder and Interim Executive Director of the Aspen Global Innovators Group, Aspen Institute), Gbenga Oyebode, (Chairman, African Philanthropy Forum) Rogério Zandamela (Governor, Bank of Mozambique), Bola Adesola (Chair, Ecobank), Dr. Susan Koech (Deputy Governor, Bank of Kenya), Adeola Azeez, (Partner, Sigma Risk), Soraya M Hakuziyaremye (Governor, National Bank of Rwanda), and Temi Popoola (CEO, NGX Group). The roundtable aligns with UNGA 80’s theme “Better Together” and anticipates the Second World Summit for Social Development, organizers of which have emphasized that inclusion must ensure that historically underrepresented voices have a meaningful role in shaping agendas and directing resources.
For further information, or to attend the Roundtable, members of the media should contact press@bridgforte.com
About the Bridgforte Dialogues
The Bridgforte Dialogues are a global forum curating unusual conversations that challenge orthodoxies, disrupt persistent inequalities, and reimagine financial and governance systems. Convened on the sidelines of major global moments, the Dialogues bring together policymakers, innovators, philanthropists, and private sector leaders to forge bold solutions for inclusive and resilient economies.
At the Dialogues, we believe the next chapter of inclusion will not emerge from incremental fixes to outdated models. It will be built by challenging entrenched assumptions, closing design gaps, and assembling diverse — sometimes unconventional — coalitions that shift power and deliver measurable transformation. Resilient systems are never accidental; they are designed, tested, and strengthened together.
About the Aspen Institute Financial Security Program
The Aspen Financial Security program works to ensure that households in America can afford everyday life, save for rainy days, and build enough wealth to achieve their dreams. Because when families are financially stable and secure, they increase their well-being—and that of their communities, too.
The transformational change we seek—to make financial security for all a top national priority—requires innovation, trust, and leadership across all sectors and systems. We help build the relationships and networks that enable this change through deep, deliberate dialogues and evidence-based research.
About ConsumerCentriX
ConsumerCentriX works with financial service providers and policymakers across 45 countries on translating consumer insights into market strategies and policies to reach the un/underserved.
We are seasoned experts in financial services, inclusive business models, digital solutions and data analysis and visualization. Our Mission is to develop scalable data-driven solutions and policy frameworks to improve the livelihoods of the un/underserved and create opportunities for economic growth. To accomplish this mission, we focus on Entrepreneurship and SME Development, Inclusive Finance (including gender-intelligent finance), and Policy Dialogue and Regulation.
Serena Pradhan Bridgforte press@bridgforte.com
