SIFEM - Swiss Investment Fund for Emerging Markets

Bubenbergplatz, 11
3011 Bern
Switzerland
Tel: +41 31 310 09 30
Fax: +41 31 310 09 39
www.sifem.ch

General Information

The Swiss Investment Fund for Emerging Markets (SIFEM) is the Swiss Development Finance Institution. It provides long-term finance to private equity funds and financial institutions in emerging markets. SIFEM's primary focus is on institutions investing in the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector. On a selective basis, SIFEM also invests in microfinance. SIFEM's investment philosophy is guided by the belief that investing in commercially viable emerging market SMEs can provide investors risk adjusted returns, as well as generate sustainable, long-term development effects in local communities. SIFEM is fully owned by the Swiss Confederation and managed by Obviam, a privately owned management advisory group.

Obviam website: www.obviam.ch

Instruments

To better respond to the market, Sifem plans to diversify into loan instruments, credit guarantees and direct investments. In regards to fund investments, Sifem participates in the range of 15 – 30%, usually between 5 to 7 million US dollars. Direct investments range up to 7.5 million US dollars. Sifem invests in developing and transitional countries, as defined by the World Bank, with a GNP per capita of under 6,700 US dollars. A large part of the investments will be made in priority countries of the Swiss Development Cooperation.