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Melissa heads up AgDevCo’s legal team and has a background in international debt financing. Melissa and her team advise on the structuring and documentation of AgDevCo’s investments, on regulatory, compliance and governance matters applicable to AgDevCo in the UK and in its countries of operation in sub-Saharan Africa, and on the development of AgDevCo’s policies and procedures. Melissa sits on AgDevCo’s Executive Committee and is the Chair of AgDevCo’s Technical Assistance Committee. Prior to joining AgDevCo, Melissa worked at the international law firm Allen & Overy LLP for 12 years, where she advised on cross-border banking and restructuring transactions. Whilst at Allen & Overy, Melissa founded and managed its microfinance and social investment group and worked on a number of pro bono matters. She has also spent time on secondment to the emerging markets desk at Citigroup. Melissa has a BA in Oriental Studies from Oxford University and a postgraduate diploma in law from BPP Law School.
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Melissa Manzo
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Melissa Manzo
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In-House at GAIL
New for 2026: GAIL Launches Dedicated In‑House Group The Global Alliance of Impact Lawyers (GAIL) announces the launch of our new In‑House Group, created to support and connect in-house counsel who are driving impact law from within their organisations. In-house lawyers sit at the centre of how organisations make decisions – across governance, risk, contracts,…
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Blended Finance for a Just Transition
A deep-dive into legal frameworks for blended finance, exploring its role as a crucial financing tool for facilitating a just transition and launching a seminal GAIL report written and produced by a cross-jurisdictional working group of impact lawyers: “Unlocking Legal Pathways for Blended Finance: Case Studies and Global Insights”.
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Closing Plenary: Building Communities, Building a Movement
An interactive and discursive plenary session explores actionable strategies to enable lawyers to innovate in their practices, foster community collaboration, and drive impactful change across regions. Michael Ryland, Director, Centre for Social Finance Law and Vice-President, GAIL, Moderator (Australia) Christina Bartholemew, Co-Founder, Stories Evolved (UK) Karyn Polak, Founder, Shift the Prism Advisory and former serial…
