MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX) Releases 2009 Benchmarking Report on Latin America and Caribbean Region

The nonprofit Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX) has released the 2009 Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) Microfinance Analysis and Benchmarking Report in English and Spanish.

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Chennai-based Microfinance Institution SMILE Receives $10m Investment from Developing World Markets

Developing World Markets (DWM), a US-based social investment fund manager, has made an INR 500 million (USD 10 million) investment in SMILE Microfinance Limited (SMILE), a Chennai-based microfinance institution (MFI).

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: XBRL International Publishes Case Study from The Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX)

XBRL International has published a case study from the nonprofit Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX) outlining MIX’s efforts to implement and develop an XBRL (eXtensible Business Reporting Language) taxonomy for microfinance.

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX) Releases Third Annual Global Ranking of Microfinance Institutions (MFIs)

The Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX), the microfinance information clearinghouse, recently released its third annual ranking of microfinance institutions (MFIs), The Mix Global 100.

MEET THE BOSS: Discussions on Microfinance Investment Vehicles (MIVs) and Impact Investing: Interview with Paul DiLeo, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Grassroots Capital

Paul DiLeo, Managing Partner at Grassroots Capital, plays a role in attracting private capital to the company, creating investment vehicles to address market gaps and raising funding to support new initiatives.  Mr. DiLeo launched and now co-manages the Global Microfinance Equity Fund and the Gray Ghost Microfinance Fund, which is a private, for-profit microfinance fund originally established to demonstrate the viability of microfinance investment.  He obtained his bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts (US), has a master’s degree from Boston University (US) and completed studies in business accounting and finance at New York University (US).

MEET THE BOSS: Interview with Craig Churchill, Head of the International Labour Organization’s (ILO’s) Microinsurance Innovation Facility

Craig Churchill serves as the Chair of the Microinsurance Network and as Senior Technical Officer of the International Labour Organization’s (ILO’s) Social Finance Programme.

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Aavishkaar Goodwell, Company Providing Equity Finance for Microfinance Institutions (MFIs), Seeks to Raise USD 100 Million for Second Fund

Aavishkaar Goodwell, a company that provides equity finance for microfinance institutions (MFIs), is attempting to secure commitments to raise USD 100 million for its second fund.

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Standard Chartered, an International Commercial Bank, Provides $1.6m Loan to Mitra Bisnis Keluarga Ventura (MBK), a Microfinance Institution (MFI) Located in Indonesia

Standard Chartered, an international commercial bank headquartered in London, has provided an IDR 15 billion loan, the equivalent of over USD 1.6 million, to Mitra Bisnis Keluarga Ventura (MBK), a microfinance institution (MFI) located in Indonesia.

MEET THE BOSS: Discussions on Microfinance Investment Vehicles (MIVs): Interview with Gil Crawford, Chief Executive Officer of MicroVest Capital Management

Mr. Crawford is Chief Executive Officer of MicroVest Capital Management, responsible for the development, management and growth of MicroVest, including developing and implementing business development strategies and supervising investment deals. He led the launch of MicroVest I, LP, a commercial private equity vehicle focused on microfinance in North America. He has over 20 years of experience with microfinance institutions (MFIs) and capital markets and has worked in Latin America, Africa and Asia. 

Previously, Mr. Crawford worked for the Latin American Financial Markets Division at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), created and ran Seed Capital Development Fund and was the Assistant Project Director for Africa Venture Capital Project. Mr. Crawford received his bank training at Chase Manhattan Bank in the mid 1980’s after working in Africa for the Red Cross and the US State Department. He graduated from Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) (US) in 1983 and Bates College (US) in 1980.

MEET THE BOSS: François Durollet, Managing Director of PlaNet Finance

PlaNet Finance Group is an international organization with the mission of alleviating poverty through the development of microfinance. The group consists of a non-governmental organization (NGO) called PlaNet Finance, which has historically been at the heart of the group and offers advisory and training services, as well as a set of social businesses. Among these, Planet Rating is a microfinance rating agency, PlaNIS is specialized in the structuring and management of microfinance funds, MicroCred is a microfinance holding company investing in greenfield microfinance banks and non-banking financial institutions, PlaNet Guarantee provides microinsurance and FinanCités is a venture capital company that invests in very small enterprises in French urban areas.

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Standard Chartered Bank Closes Its First Microfinance Deal in Philippines, $1.5m to CARD Bank

Standard Chartered has provided its first microfinance loan in the Philippines to CARD Bank, a microfinance institution (MFI) with over 205,097 active borrowers and a gross loan portfolio of USD 20.1 million as of year-end 2008.

MICROFINANCE EVENT: Microfinance Cracking the Capital Markets South Asia 2010

Event Name: Microfinance Cracking the Capital Markets Conference & Investment Marketplace

Event Date: June 23-24, 2010

Event Location: Delhi, India, The Taj Mahal Hotel

Event Website: http://www.centerforfinancialinclusion.org/Page.aspx?pid=1019&srcid=191

See Our Comprehensive Event Calendar Here: http://microfinanceassociation.ning.com/events

Cost: Conference Only:

Banks, investment funds, private investors, governments, IFIs, raters: INR 14,890 (USD 320)

South Asian MFIs and NGOs: INR 6,750 (USD 145)

Investment Marketplace Package: INR 27,795 (USD 597)

Summary of Event:

The conference will bring together institutional and private investors, leading microfinance institutions (MFIs), specialized microfinance investment funds, international and local banks, central bankers, and rating agencies to discuss successes, trends, and challenges of microfinance investment in South Asia, especially India.

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Microfinance Fund Manager Incofin Set to Raise $139m by Next Quarter

According to an article published on the Microfinance Focus website, Belgium-based microfinance fund manager Incofin Investment Management is on track to meeting its target of EUR 100 million (USD 139 million) for its second Rural Impulse Fund by next quarter.

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Bank of Namibia (BoN) Grants a Permanent Banking License to Microfinance Institution (MFI) FIDES Bank Namibia

The Bank of Namibia (BoN), Namibia’s central bank, recently granted a permanent banking license to FIDES Bank Namibia, a microfinance institution (MFI). According to a BoN press release, this entitles FIDES Bank Namibia to “engage in formal or informal banking activities with any person in Namibia, especially soliciting public deposits” [1].

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Lok Capital Takes Equity Stake in RuralShores, Potential Back Office Provider to Microfinance Institutions

Lok Capital LLC, a venture fund focused on the microfinance sector in India, recently announced an equity investment in RuralShores Business Services Private Limited, which provides outsourced data entry services to businesses within India and abroad.