Anissa Bougrea awarded inaugural Public Banking Project Emerging Scholar Award

Anissa Bougrea was awarded the Emerging Scholar Research Paper Award on Public Development Banks for 2026.

The award was presented to Bougrea at the 2026 Development Banking Research Conference, an event included in the official programme of France’s G7 Presidency. This award was created by McMaster’s Public Banking Project in collaboration with the French Development Agency.

It celebrates innovative graduate emerging scholar research that adds to understanding of the important ways public development banks (PDBs) can contribute to climate action, social equity, and inclusive economies

How did it feel to be awarded the PBP Emerging Scholar Award?

I was, and still am, absolutely thrilled to have won this Award. At first, I was quite in disbelief and had to take some time to let it sink in. This is especially rewarding as I believe it is incredibly important to merge rigorous academic research with real-world policy insights. Receiving this award feels like a validation and encouraging affirmation of my efforts in this regard.

Why is an award like this important for emerging scholars like yourself?

There is no denying the extraordinary competitiveness in academia for early-career scholars. An award like this opens meaningful doors, whether on the path toward a professorship, or in building international visibility across both North America and Europe.

Beyond the practical career benefits, it also provides a valuable platform to engage with a broader community of scholars and practitioners committed to the same questions, which is especially important for work that sits at the intersection of research and public policy.

Could you describe your research areas as they relate to the award?

My research sits at the intersection of political economy, development policy, and development banking, with a strong underlying interest in questions of (de)coloniality and justice. My work engages with the technical dimensions of institutions such as the European Investment Bank, the World Bank, the IMF, and the AFD itself.

What I find most interesting is how much politics is “hidden” within these technicalities. The instruments, frameworks, and financial architectures that can seem dry on the surface actually shape profoundly political outcomes: poverty eradication, justice, green transitions, and the distribution of power in the global economy. I try to invest the time needed to understand these technical matters rigorously, rather than stopping at broad theorising, and then translate them back for a wider audience.

What do you think is so exciting about the potential of public banking?

Public banks are playing an increasingly central role in the global economy, as they have become key actors in mobilising private finance for development. What excites me is the opportunity and responsibility to ensure that as they evolve, they preserve the essential functions that make them distinctive, such as countercyclical crisis lending and long-term patient capital, while innovating to meet new challenges.

This is especially important at a moment when development finance is being enlisted for a widening set of objectives, from green transitions to security and geopolitical strategy. The potential is enormous, but so are the risks of mission drift.