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One of the standout achievements of 2024 was our series of in-person events, most notably the Annual Alumni Reunion, which attracted an impressive 190 of you – up from 129 in 2023. This event gave you the opportunity to not only reconnect but also hold meaningful discussions on the Bank’s strategic priorities. And it seems that you enjoyed it – 65 per cent of you rated your experience as excellent as evidenced in the event survey.
Communication has been a cornerstone of our success, particularly with the redesign of our newsletter, now known as Alumni Insights. We've completely reimagined it to align more closely with the EBRD's mission, emphasising the themes that resonate with our mutual goals. The content has been diversified to appeal to a broader audience and we hope that the modern design also appeals.
When we launched the first issue of Alumni Insights in January this year, we achieved a remarkable open rate of 68.9% and a click rate of 15%, reflecting an engagement growth of 8.9% compared with previous year and 43% since I joined the Bank in 2021.
Two groups in particular have seen increase in participation, with the 18-24 age group rising from 1% to 1.10% and the 25-34 age group increasing from 5.9% to 7%. This demonstrates our commitment to inclusivity and innovation in our content, ensuring that all voices within our community are represented and valued.
But you, our alumni, are not our only readership. We have been promoting the Association internally – distributing the newsletter across the Bank, posting on the intranet and engaging with Bank leaders, encouraging them to leverage alumni expertise. We have also audited our alumni database by sector and made it accessible to decision-makers so that they can consider alumni talent for their strategic needs.
The launch of our closed group on LinkedIn has gone from strength to strength. Since its inception in 2022, membership has surged to 1,066 – an increase of 184 members in 2024 alone. This group has not only improved networking opportunities but also enabled targeted engagement with those currently active in their professions. And we’re committed to supporting you in your careers – we work with the Bank’s Talent Management team to advertise hard-to-fill roles on the alumni LinkedIn group.
Staying with LinkedIn, in March 2024 we rolled out Alumni Insights onto the EBRD's official page, a curated compilation of alumni content aimed at increasing our visibility and engaging with external audiences. This initiative achieved impressive metrics: 1,714 article views, a click-through rate of 2.1 per cent, and a total of 307,550 impressions across three issues, effectively reaching more than 43,000 members.
Our alumni have also played crucial roles in key Bank initiatives, for example serving as panel speakers at the EBRD’s Annual Meeting in Samarkand and enriching discussions with their insight and expertise. In addition, we partnered with the Nominee Directors Programme, which helped eight alumni to secure independent non-executive director positions, highlighting the exceptional leadership capabilities within our community.
Governance has been another area of focus, with significant gains made in promoting inclusion and transparency. We revised the membership process for our Advisory Committee, advising the Chair, and encouraging alumni to self-nominate. Regular meetings with the Advisory Committee fostered continuous dialogue, empowering alumni to take an active role in shaping the Association's direction.
This year we are preparing for the migration of the alumni members’ platform to ebrd.com, further embedding the Alumni Association in the Bank’s framework.
Our focus will shift to launching the new, modern and user-friendly alumni platform by 2026. The current platform will stay active until the migration resumes.
Reflecting on all these accomplishments, I’m proud that we have cultivated a thriving community that both reconnects former colleagues and contributes to the Bank's strategic goals. The growing collaboration between alumni and Bank staff underscores the mutual benefits of this relationship, fostering a network that enhances knowledge sharing and professional development.
View our 2024 Impact Report here.