MICROFINANCE EVENT: Women Advancing Microfinance NY Present Women’s World Banking’s new publication Panel Discussion New York, April 16th

Transforming the Landscape of Leadership in Microfinance: Maintaining the Focus on Women

April 16, from 6:00-8:00 p.m.

Where: White and Case, 1155 Avenue of the Americas New York

Due to building security restrictions, please RSVP name, company name, email, and phone number to wamnewyork@yahoo.com by COB on April 14. No cost to WAM NY members, $10 for others.

This publication introdouces Women’s World Banking new methodology for helping MFIs support gender diversity at all levels of their institution. WWB has expanded its Women’s Leadership Development Program, which works with individuals, to include a tool that focuses on the challenges and opportunities microfinance institutions face in the attraction, retention, and promotion of qualified women staff members – the Organizational Gender Assessment.

The publication offers concrete examples of policies and programs that can help institutions achieve gender diversity. Through a study of WWB network member Kashf Foundation (Pakistan), it shows that even those organizations with an ingrained commitment to diversity can benefit from an organizational
assessment. Based on these findings, WWB presents its prescriptions for creating and maintaining a healthy, gender-inclusive microfinance institution. The paper also presents findings from a survey of global participants of the WWB Leadership Development Program.

Panelists:

Kate McKee, Senior Advisor on Policy, Poverty Outreach and Aid Effectiveness, Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP) Kate McKee leads CGAP’s work on consumer protection with the policy and investor communities, and a special project on the performance of state-owned banks. Prior to joining CGAP, she served as the Director of the Microenterprise Development office at USAID. Kate is a founding member of WAM International.

Mary Ellen Iskenderian, President and CEO of Women’s World Banking.Ms. Iskenderian leads the WWB global team, based in New York, in providing hands-on technical services and strategic support to more than 50 top-performing microfinance institutions and banks in 30 countries in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. Ms.Iskenderian, who joined WWB in 2006, has more than 20 years of experience in building global financial systems throughout the developing world. Ms.Iskenderian is a leading voice for women’s leadership and participation in microfinance, and a strong advocate for the role of capital markets in the sector. Prior to WWB, Ms. Iskenderian worked for 17 years in senior management at the International Finance Corporation, the private sector arm of the World Bank, where her numerous leadership positions included Director of Partnership Development, Director of the Global Financial Markets Portfolio and Director of the South Asia Regional Department. Previously, she worked for the investment bank, Lehman Brothers.

Inez Murray, Vice President of Technical Assistance and Programs at Women’s World Banking. Inez Murray has overall responsibility for WWB’s technical assistance services to network members. Prior to her current position, Inez developed the market research practice of WWB which has enabled WWB to be a leading voice for low income women in microfinance. She also pioneered an innovative business development service called Servimicros which channeled large numbers of entrepreneurs in the sewn goods manufacturing sector into a small group of suppliers thereby being able to negotiate supplies at a significantdiscount. Before joining WWB in 1996, Inez worked as a Senior Consultant in the strategy practice of Booz, Allen, Hamilton in New York.

Elizabeth Lynch, Publication Author and Senior Associate, Women’s Leadership Program. Elizabeth Lynch is responsible for WWB’s women’s leadership program, working with network members to ensure that enabling environments exist for the attraction, retention and promotion of talented women staff at all levels of the institution. She also conducts market and client research to enable network members to better understand their customers and tailor products and services that respond to their needs. Prior to joining WWB, Ms. Lynch worked in the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, where she served on several intellectual property rights cases.

MICROFINANCE EVENT: Women Advancing Microfinance NY Present Women’s World Banking’s new publication Panel Discussion New York, April 16th

Similar Posts:

1 comment