Ahead of her special appearance at the ANDE 2025 Global Conference, we’re inviting ANDE members to submit questions for Nobel Prize–winning economist Esther Duflo. Her research has transformed the practice of development—and this conversation with ANDE Executive Director Devin Chesney is an opportunity to bring your voice to the table.
How do we build the ecosystems of the future? At this year’s ANDE Global Conference in Riviera Maya, we’ll explore this question with one of the most influential economists of our time.
Esther Duflo—Professor at MIT, co-founder of the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), and 2019 Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences—will join ANDE’s Executive Director Devin Chesney for a conversation titled The Evidence Effect: A Conversation with Esther Duflo on the Future of Development, Growth, and Entrepreneurship.
Her life’s work has shaped how we understand and address poverty, especially through the growing use of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and evidence-based policymaking. Now, as development practitioners face global challenges that transcend sectors—climate adaptation, economic informality, health systems collapse, gender and racial inequality—Duflo’s voice offers clarity, humility, and, most of all, rigorous optimism.
“The new challenges of our planet must—and will—become the new challenges of development economics,” she writes. “I cannot wait to be surprised by what comes next.”
At ANDE, we believe our community of practitioners, researchers, funders, and entrepreneurs should be part of this dialogue. That’s why we’re inviting you to submit questions you would like Devin Chesney to raise during the session. Whether you work on enterprise acceleration, inclusive finance, local capital markets, or climate-smart business models, we want to hear from you.
This interview will be featured during the ANDE Global Conference at Haven Riviera Cancún. It’s a unique moment for the ANDE network to reflect on where development thinking has taken us—and where it needs to go next.
Let’s make sure the questions that matter most to our work are part of the conversation. The interview will be recorded and presented during a plenary at the Global Annual Conference 2025.
Is there a topic you’d like Professor Duflo to address—on policy, firm growth, gender equity, or scaling what works? Submit your question and let us know if you’d like to be acknowledged.
If you haven’t registered yet, now is the time to secure your spot. We’re excited to welcome you to Haven Riviera Cancún from September 30 to October 2 for three days of meaningful connection, open dialogue, and genuine collaboration. Please note that ANDE has arranged with the hotel to offer a free night to members who register and book by July 25.
Learn more about the draft agenda on the event’s page
Let’s build the ecosystems of the future—together.
Interested in ecosystem transformation and not an ANDE member? Learn more about the benefits of membership. Subscribe to ANDE’s newsletter for updates on the agenda, speakers, and registration for the Global Annual Conference 2025.