The Grameen Foundation, a global non-profit organization that works to replicate the Grameen Bank microfinance model, has announced the election of Paul Maritz as chair of its board of directors. Mr. Maritz will replace Susan M. Davis, who will remain on the board after serving as chair for six and a half years. This is Grameen’s fourth chair of the board since its founding in 1997. Prior to Ms. Davis, Reed Oppenheimer and James F. Sams held the position.
Mr. Maritz became a volunteer member of the Grameen Foundation’s Technology Center Advisory Council in 2002. The following year, he joined the Grameen Foundation board, where he has served since.
Mr. Maritz is a former senior executive at Microsoft and has over 20 years experience in business and technology. He spent 14 years at Microsoft from 1986 to 2000, during which time he managed the development and marketing of System Software Products (including Windows 95, Windows NT, and Windows 2000), Development Tools (Visual Studio) and Databases Products (SQL Server), as well as the complete Microsoft Office and Exchange Product Lines. Mr. Maritz also served as a member of the Executive Committee that managed the entire company. Before working at Microsoft, Mr. Maritz spent five years at Intel Corporation. Prior to that, he worked as a researcher at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland.
Born and raised in Zimbabwe, Mr. Maritz attended the Universities of Cape Town and Natal in South Africa. He currently supports education and rural development initiatives in Zambia. Mr. Maritz is also CEO of Pi Corporation, a software company headquartered in Bangalore, India that he helped to found along with New York private equity firm Warburg Pincus in 2004.
The Grameen Foundation works with 46 local microfinance institutions (MFIs) in 25 countries worldwide. Grameen supports MFIs which extend small loans and other financial services to clients. The organization estimates that approximately 90 percent of clients reached are women. According to the 2006 Annual Report, Grameen had USD 18.9 million (pg 36) in total assets and USD 1.13 million in total liabilities.
Additional Resources:
Grameen Foundation News Releases: “Grameen Foundation Elects Paul Maritz to Chair Board of Directors.”
Grameen Foundation: Frequently Asked Questions about Grameen FoundationGrameen Foundation: Annual Report 2006
Pi Corporation: News and Events
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