CIFI's CEO highlights the strategic role of thematic bonds at Climate Bonds CONNECT 2025

During the Climate Bonds CONNECT 2025 event, held in Panama City on May 27, 2025, César Cañedo-Argüelles, CEO of CIFI, participated as a panelist in the session “Corporate Catalysts for Thematic Debt: The Role of Financial and Non- Financial Actors in Latin America and the Caribbean.” The panel, moderated by Olga Cantillo, Executive President of Latinex, brought together financial sector leaders such as Daniel Gracian, Director of Sustainable Finance at Scotiabank,and Azul Ornelas, Senior Analyst at S&P Global Ratings, to discuss the transformative role of sustainable finance in the region.

During his remarks, Cañedo-Argüelles shared CIFI’s experience as a pioneer in issuing green bonds in Latin America and the Caribbean, highlighting how this strategy has strengthened institutional reputation, aligned sustainability with funding strategy, and opened new opportunities for international liquidity. “Issuing thematic bonds not only provides access to financing, but also raises internal standards, improves governance, and positions organizations as impact leaders,”, he stated.

Since 2019, CIFI has issued more than 25 series of green bonds, channeling resources into sustainable infrastructure projects in renewable energy and waste management. This track record has allowed the institution to establish itself as a strategic partner for investors seeking financial returns with environmental and social impact.

The CEO of CIFI also addressed the challenges companies face when entering the thematic debt market, such as the lack of technical knowledge and the need for specialized assistance. In this regard, he recommended that organizations interested in issuing their first thematic bond “seek guidance from the outset, with legal firms, investment banks, and structuring experts.”.

Finally, Cañedo-Argüelles emphasized that the future of thematic debt in the region is promising, with an ecosystem increasingly aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals and new opportunities, such as the internationalization of issuances through innovative programs, including Phase II of Euroclear Bank’s iLink platform, which CIFI pioneered as the first private Panamanian issuer to access this mechanism.

CIFI’s participation in this event reaffirms its commitment to sustainable development and its leadership in mobilizing capital toward projects that generate economic, social, and environmental value in Latin America and the Caribbean.

For more information about CIFI’s green bonds, click here.