The 5th Finance and Productivity Conference (FINPRO5), co-organised by the IMF, the University of Tokyo (CARF), Center for Business and Productivity Dynamics (IWH-CBPD), IWH-CompNet, EBRD, University of Amsterdam and CEPR, will take place on 24–25 April 2026 at the University of Tokyo.

Under this year’s theme, “Corporate Finance and Productivity in Times of Geopolitical Fragmentation,” the conference will examine how geopolitical tensions, economic uncertainty, and global realignments are reshaping corporate finance, firm behaviour, and productivity dynamics across economies.

Over two days, FINPRO5 will bring together leading academics, policymakers, and representatives from international financial institutions for a vibrant exchange of research and policy perspectives. The programme features a keynote address by Dr. Laura Alfaro (Chief Economist of the Inter-American Development Bank and Professor at Harvard Business School), as well as ten research presentations organised across thematic sessions on financial constraints, geopolitics, investment, climate and intangibles, and banking.

The conference will conclude with a high-level Policy Panel, bringing together Beata Javorcik (Chief Economist, EBRD), Elena Carletti (Professor of Finance, Bocconi University), Kenichi Ueda (Director, CARF, University of Tokyo), Laura Alfaro (Inter-American Development Bank), and Reint Gropp (President, Halle Institute for Economic Research). The panel will reflect on the broader policy implications of corporate finance developments in an increasingly fragmented global landscape.

By combining cutting-edge academic research with policy insight, FINPRO5 aims to deepen the dialogue between research and practice and contribute to a better understanding of finance-productivity linkages in challenging times.

Find the official program here.