Miriam Koreen - (OECD)

Ms. Miriam Koreen is the Senior Counsellor on SMEs and Head of the SME and Entrepreneurship Finance Unit at the Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities of the Organisation for Economic Co‑operation and Development (OECD). She leads the OECD Platform on Financing SMEs for Sustainability. From 2011 to 2018, she was Deputy Director of the Centre and Head of the SME and Entrepreneurship Division. Ms. Koreen has worked at the OECD since 2000, when she joined the OECD as an analyst on entrepreneurship and SME policies. She has served as Counsellor to the Trade Directorate, Advisor in the Office of the Secretary-General and Senior Project Manager for the OECD Innovation Strategy. She also chaired the OECD Procurement Board from 2011 to 2015. Ms. Koreen holds a M.Sc. in Development Studies from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

SME finance in uncertain times: Forging a path to resilience

02 April 2025 Miriam Koreen - (OECD) and Maria Camila Jimenez - (OECD)

Reading Time: 3 minutesSMEs and entrepreneurs are at an important crossroads. Recent challenges like pandemic shutdowns, high inflation, and rising interest rates persist, keeping financing conditions tight. As uncertainty grows, businesses and governments must choose: halt investments at the risk of innovation and competitiveness or find new ways to access capital.

Unlocking venture capital to kickstart SME investments

26 June 2024 Miriam Koreen - (OECD), Marco Marchese - (OECD) and Maria Camila Jimenez - (OECD)

Reading Time: 4 minutesHigh inflation has driven SME interest rates up by 30% in 2022, making alternative finance like venture capital crucial for growth. Governments are working to develop VC markets.

From standards to action – Fostering a holistic approach to sustainable finance for SMEs

13 December 2023 Miriam Koreen - (OECD) and Marija Kuzmanovic - (OECD)

Reading Time: 4 minutesSMEs are key for a sustainable climate transition – there will be no net zero without SMEs. Find out more about how banks and other financial institutions have a central role to play in financing SMEs’ green and sustainable investments.

Delay now, pay later – why SMEs must not put off investing in innovation and greening

15 March 2023 Miriam Koreen - (OECD)

Reading Time: 4 minutesHigh inflation, skyrocketing energy prices, rising interest rates and supply chain disruptions are now falling hard on SMEs, setting them up for a challenging year.

We must unlock sustainable SME finance for a sustainable net-zero transition

04 January 2023 Gemma Peck - (BEIS) and Miriam Koreen - (OECD)

Reading Time: 3 minutesThere can be no route to net zero without bringing smaller businesses with us. Some will enable the transition directly, as suppliers of low-carbon goods and services, and all will participate in the unprecedented changes that will be necessary over the next few decades.

Is financial diversification the key to SME resilience?

29 March 2022 Miriam Koreen - (OECD)

Reading Time: 3 minutesSmall and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurs were hit extremely hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. To invest in growth and greening and play a full part in the recovery, we need to enable them to tap into alternative financial instruments.