TILMAN EHRBECK, CEO, CGAP
Mr. Tilman Ehrbeck is CEO of the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP), a policy and research center dedicated to advancing access to finance for the world’s poor. Prior to CGAP, Mr. Ehrbeck was a Partner with the global management consulting firm McKinsey & Company, where he held a series of leadership positions in the firm’s Banking and Healthcare Practices, working across Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America, including four years living and working in South Asia. Over the past 10 years, he has advised a number of governments, microfinance networks, foundations, and commercial players on a broad range of financial inclusion issues ranging from new services and products aimed at better meeting underlying end-user needs, to new business models significantly lowering operating costs, to enabling infrastructure and policy interventions.
Mr. Ehrbeck holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the European University Institute (EUI), the graduate school and research center sponsored by the European Union, and an undergraduate degree from the University of Hamburg. He started his professional career as a Staff Economist at the IMF.
RANYA ABDEL BAKI, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SANABEL
Ms. Ranya Abdel-Baki is an economist currently working at Sanabel – The Microfinance Network of Arab Countries, as the Executive Director since October 2009. Prior to working at Sanabel, she has worked as a Credit Analyst for five years at National Société Générale Bank and as an Urban Economist & Development Specialist in an environmental consultancy firm.
Ms. Abdel-Baki has done a number of consultancy assignments assessing the social impact and financial sustainability of development projects in Egypt. She has worked with various local and international organization and government bodies including the Social Fund for Development, Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, Danish International Development Agency, and the World Bank. Ms. Abdel Baki holds a MSc. in Urban Economic Development from University College London.
NASSER AL KHATANI, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AGFUND
Mr.Nasser Al-Kahtani, is the Executive Director of the Arab Gulf Program for Development – AGFUND. He holds a Masters degree from the University of Miami, Florida, in the United States of America, and considered to be one of the most distinguished Arab leaders in the field of international development. Assuming a number of advisory positions and membership of several boards in both public and private sectors, Mr. Al-Kahtani has won the confidence and high esteem of various executive councils functioning in human development and became well known as one of the most influential development leaders in the Arab world.
Mr. Al-Kahtani is currently the Director of AGFUND Team for establishment of the Banks for the Poor in the Arab world, besides his membership of the boards of many banks and financial institutions working in the field of microfinance in the Arab Region. He played a leading role and has bold contributions in the development and upgrading of micro, small, and medium finance institutions. Mr. Al-Kahtani is also a founder member of the GULF NAVIGATION COMPANY.
ESSMA BEN HAMIDA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ENDA INTER ARABE, TUNISIA
Ms. Essma Ben Hamida holds a university degree in geography and history (University of Tunis) and one post-graduate year in urban planning (University of Paris). Prior to her career in microfinance, Ms. Ben Hamida worked as a journalist/reporter in Tunisia, New York, Rome and Geneva and as a consultant for the United Nations. In 1995, Ms. Ben Hamida launched, with Michael Cracknell, the first best practice microfinance institution in Tunisia. With 130,000 active clients, a $40 million outstanding portfolio, 57 branches, and staff of 750.
Ms. Ben Hamida is a founding member of Sanabel, and was elected twice to Sanabel’s Board (2002 – 2008) serving as chairperson from December 2005 to May 2008. She has received distinguished decorations from the President of Tunisia (Officer of the Order of the Republic in July 2006 and the 20th anniversary of the new Republic in November 2008).
MOTAZ AL TABAA, CHAIRMAN, EGYPTIAN MICROFINANCE NETWORK
Mr. Motaz Al Tabaa is also the chairman of the Egyptian Micro Finance Network and a member at its steering committee. In addition to that, he is a board member in several investment companies.
Moreover, Mr. Al Tabaa is a financial and managerial consultant and trainer in the Arab academy for science & technology. He is also a senior trainer for CGAP, Sanabel and Planet Finance for many topics including but not limited to credit courses, product development, strategic planning, business planning, monitoring & supervision, marketing etc. Mr. Al Tabaa has more than six years of experience in microfinance with ABA and 7 years of experience in financial markets with EFG-Hermes. He also has 18 years of banking experience with Commercial International Bank (CIB) and American Express Bank.
Mohammed Al-Lai, CHAIRMAN, THE YEMEN MICROFINANCE NETWORK
Mr. Mohammed Al-Lai is currently holding the position of the CEO founder of Al-Amal Microfinance Bank, the first of its kind in the region, in addition to being Chairman of the Yemen Microfinance Network and board member of Sanabel and Al-Ebdaa Microfinance Bank in Syria. Mr. Al-Lai has conducted many researches and economic papers, some of which have been published on the Arabic Microfinance Gateway and other local and international magazines. In addition to that, Mr. Al-Lai has participated as speaker in many conferences and workshops related to Banking and Microfinance worldwide.
Mr. Al-Lai, is of accounting background. He perused his first Degree at Sana’a University, Yemen, and a Masters degree in International Banking and Finance from Liverpool's John Moors University, United Kingdom in 2004. Mr. Al-Lai brings valuable experience from the Yemeni Banking Sector. The positions held by Mr. Al-Lai includes working as the Deputy Governor for Banking supervision Sector to the Central Bank of Yemen, and Head of the Small and Micro Enterprise Development Unit (SMED) at the Social Fund for Development. Mr. Al-Lai was Chairman for Aden Microfinance Foundation and a board member on Al-Awael Microfinance Company. Mr. Al-Lai has participated as an Onsite Banking Examiner and has lectured in the Arab Academy for Banking Sciences in Evaluating Banking Performance.