Meeting a Critical Need in Microfinance: Leadership for the 21st Century MFI

Glynis Rankin is to join the Panel at the 2010 SEEP Annual Conference the premier event for microenterprise development practitioners to connect on the challenges and opportunities they face. Glynis will be joined in Washington, USA, by Peg Ross (Grameen Foundation) and Kathryn Mayer (Women’s World Banking) to focus on leadership challenges facing CEOs and senior management teams of MFIs, and what critical skills need to be developed and enhanced to ensure that principled, visionary leaders can continue to deliver on the ‘double bottom line’ of profitability and social impact.

Across the globe, microfinance institutions (MFIs) are being stretched by hectic rates of growth, the increasing complexity of their business, and pressures to become more commercially-motivated. In some cases this has resulted in mission drift, a shift away from the original aim to provide credit to the poorest segments of society. It has also resulted in a dearth of qualified management, especially women, to steer MFIs through this period of rapid change and commercialization.

Glynis will draw on her extensive experience across the microfinance industry and on Creative Metier’s experience of providing Remote Coaching to MFI CEOs and senior leaders globally;  delivering the Coaching Program “Coaching for Mission Leadership and Performance” on behalf of the Women’s World Banking Center for Microfinance Leadership. Creative Metier also specialises in the provision of consultancy support to address succession challenges within Microfinance organisations and other NGOs.