State building contracts

Hur Hassnain (MDS, MBA) is an evaluation specialist, author, Treasurer and founding Board Member at the International Evaluation Academy. Currently he is working as the Senior Evaluation Expert at Meldea, the European Commission DG INTPA, DG NEAR, and FPI’s external service on Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning, and Design supporting the headquarter units, and over a hundred EU Delegations around the world.

Hur has authored several internationally peer reviewed publications, including a book as lead author: Evaluation in Contexts of Fragility, Conflict and Violence published in 2021. It presents an interesting argument that “evaluation” – like development aid itself – can unintentionally exacerbate tensions in ways that can negatively affect people and institutions if care is not taken in designing and approaching it with caution and sensitivity.

Hur has over 20 years of experience of working in a variety of thematic areas including but not limited to gender equality, rural development, climate change, renewable energy, agriculture, women’s economic empowerment, education, and protection. He has lived and worked in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. Hur has designed, commissioned, and conducted research and evaluations for projects funded by UN agencies, the European Commission, private donors and the governments of the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Norway.

Hur is a staunch advocate of the Latin proverb "rerum cognoscere causas", signifying the pursuit of understanding the causes of things – a guiding principle that underpins his work and philosophy.

In 2018, I co-founded Inflection Finance, a boutique finance consulting firm specializing in Impact Investment solutions for developing countries. Our mission is to increase the flow of effective capital to achieve meaningful and sustainable development outcomes by bridging the gap between domestic and international finance. To accomplish this, we design, implement, and monitor innovative partnerships between governments and private entities (both for-profit and non-profit).

Our firm excels in designing and promoting long-term financing strategies for countries, assisting private corporations in strategizing their long-term expansion, and supporting foundations to maximize their venture philanthropy investments. We specialize in creating and implementing impact investment vehicles that blend concessional and impact capital. This includes issuing sovereign or private SDG-themed Bonds (Green, Blue, SLB, Gender), negotiating Debt for Nature Swaps, developing green and blue carbon-based financing vehicles, Social Impact Bonds (SIBs), and other innovative mechanisms to finance public goods development.

We have also developed advanced impact measurement systems that integrate satellite technology, machine learning, and advanced forecasting techniques. Our diverse clientele includes governments, private investors, and international Foundations. We have assembled a global team of highly experienced professionals dedicated to supporting our projects.

I bring over 30 years of experience as a senior development consultant, providing independent consulting services to multilateral banks (IADB, WB), multilateral cooperation agencies (UN, EuropeAid), and bilateral agencies (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Spain). My expertise has supported Presidents, Prime Ministers, Ministers of Finance and Planning, and Ministers of Education, Health, and Environment. My field experience spans 55 countries across four continents.

Additionally, I served as a senior advisor to the President of the IADB for over ten years. I have held high-profile managerial and advisory positions with international INGOs (Foundation of the Americas, the Prince of Wales International Business Leaders Forum, Levi Strauss Foundation, Esquel Group Foundation) and private corporations.

Nataša Rašković is a recognized civic leader from Smederevo, Serbia, with a strong track record in community engagement and grassroots activism. She is the founder of Pro.Tok21, a well-known civil society organization dedicated to environmental protection, youth empowerment, and fostering active citizenship. With a cosmopolitan outlook and a lifelong commitment to public communication, Nataša has led numerous local PR and advocacy campaigns that mobilize citizens and promote democratic values. She brings extensive experience in youth work, including mentoring, non-formal education, and capacity-building activities, with a focus on social inclusion and sustainable development.