School of Oriental and African Studies, U. of London

Brunel University

Team Leader - Accelerated Growth for SMEs in Zambia (AGS) Programme at NIRAS International Consulting

NIRAS International Consulting

Team Leader - Accelerated Growth for SMEs in Zambia (AGS) Programme

International Technical Advisor, Rural Finance Expansion Programme, Ministry of Finance, Zambia●	Advising the programme implementation office on the logical and effective implementation of activities and how to enhance the overall performance of the programme.●	Development of processes and systems for administering the grants.●	Technical advice to RUFEP and implementing partners on inclusive finance, including savings group linkages, agency banking and mobile money, and research into innovative products and services.●	Supporting the Ministry of Finance, Zambia, to establish and operationalise the Rural Finance Unit.●	Support to the Bank of Zambia on SME finance and gender disaggregated data.●	Identifying and advising on the capacity building needs of implementing partners in organisational development and inclusive finance, especially savings group linkages, and agency banking and mobile money.●	Providing technical advice to implementing partners on how to improve their products, processes and business strategies.●	Coaching and mentoring the National Technical Advisor in all aspects related to rural finance and the effective implementation of the programme.

Rural Finance Expansion Programme, Ministry of Finance Zambia

International Technical Advisor

- Working directly with financial institutions to identify technical assistance needs and develop terms of reference to; improve financial inclusion for smallholders, including savings-group linkages; SME product development; mobile money and agent channels; MIS selection and implementation; and risk management projects.•	Facilitating identification of innovation and best practices and providing funding support for documentation for knowledge sharing and dissemination of these best practices.•	Sourcing and managing consultants and technical assistance project budgets.•	Proposal submissions include: CGAP/World Bank, Oxfam Novib, and DFID.•	Developed and managed technical assistance projects in Benin, Burundi, DR Congo, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.•	Liaising with and reporting to donors on the performance of the matching grant facility.•	Development of financial management reporting and deliverable tracking tools for projects.

Triple Jump

Senior Adviser, Africa and the Middle East

- Lead the Livelihood and Food Security Technical Assistance (LIFT) project’s work in Nigeria. Including, training OVC implementing partners on economic strengthening fundamentals, providing support to the National Household Economic Strengthening Forum, developing an Economic Strengthening, Livelihoods and Food Security guidance resource, and providing technical support to key USAID/Nigeria projects, such as MSH/CUBS, Save the Children/Links and preparing for upcoming awards.•	Provide technical support to USAID’s office of HIV/AIDS (PEPFAR), USAID local missions, and implementing partners on economic strengthening activities that are appropriate for vulnerable households. A key component of these economic strengthening activities includes ensuring access to finance for households at various levels of vulnerability that are appropriate in supporting their livelihood strategies.•	Facilitate research on behalf of USAID’s office of HIV/AIDS in identifying effective referral systems that can link clients of healthcare facilities with economic strengthening programs.•	Provide on-going technical assistance to Save the Children country offices in proposal development and program implementation on issues related to economic strengthening activities, some of which include capacity building in  community managed savings and lending mechanisms (village savings and loans), targeted for vulnerable and marginalized populations. •	Providing technical support on economic strengthening to Save the Children’s Food by Prescription and TransACTION projects in Ethiopia.•	An Active member of the SEEP Health and Microenterprise Development and STEP-UP working groups. •	Delivered presentations on health and microfinance at the 2011 Global MicroCredit Summit in Spain, and at the 2011 and 2012 Annual SEEP conferences.

Save the Children

Senior Specialist, Livelihoods and Food Security Technical Assistance

- Developed concept note for OFDA for early recovery programs in Pakistan.•	Designed strategy for global economic opportunity interventions, including investment and governance of microfinance institutions, village savings and loan programs, agriculture development project, cash for work and asset restoration.•	Created policies and procedures for country level microfinance institutions.•	Delivered technical support to an agricultural development and village savings and loans program in South Sudan and Rwanda.•	Provided technical oversight to three microfinance institutions; Finance Salone, Sierra Leone; Liberty Finance, Liberia; and Finance Sudan, South Sudan.•	Served as the Chairman of Liberty Finance, Liberia and board member of Finance Sudan, South Sudan.

American Refugee Committee

Sector Lead, Economic Opportunities

- Successfully developed proposals for KfW, UNCDF, Terrafina, and Kiva.•	Development of strategic framework for economic development initiatives.•	Managing a network of nine microfinance institutions, three ‘Savings for Life’ community managed savings and loan programs, community interest agribusinesses, and value chain development programs.•	Overseeing a technical assistance team.•	Leading the integration of community managed savings and loan services with health programs.•	Managing proposal development process for USAID, BPRM, Churches and private foundations and serve as grant manager and primary donor liaison on behalf of World Relief’s economic development programs.•	Provide capacity building to senior managers and board members of microfinance institutions, as well as serving on five boards, BZMF, Kosovo; CREDIT, Cambodia; Turame Community Finance, Burundi; URWEGO Opportunity Bank, Rwanda; and Hekima, Eastern DR Congo.

World Relief

Deputy Director for Economic Development

June – September 2007Consultant, MFI Appraisal and Proposal Development, World Relief, Mozambique•	Coordinated the due diligence process for an international microfinance bank network looking to purchase World Relief Mozambique’s microfinance program.April – June 2007Lead Microfinance Consultant, Evaluation of WACT Program and New Program Development, UNDP, Pakistan•	Evaluated the effectiveness of UNDP’s Women’s Access to Capital and Technology (WACT) Program.•	Provided strategic advice for UNDP to strengthen its engagement within the local microfinance sector, including developing a strategy for promoting branchless banking in Pakistan to reach unbanked and vulnerable communities.

Independent Consultant

Microfinance Consultant

- Responsible for new business development, including expression of interest and proposal development.•	Primary representative to donor organizations including DFID, KfW and EIB, and at network forums including the Microfinance club of London, and the British Government’s All Party Parliamentary Group on Microfinance.•	Served as banking procedure development specialist for the First MicroFinance Bank, Tajikistan. Responsible for documenting all aspects of the bank’s procedures and providing technical assistance on the development and improvement of the procedures.

Maxwell Stamp

Financial Sector Development Economist

- Successfully developed proposals for UNCDF and BPRM.•	Managed grants, ensuring resources were allocated effectively and objectives achieved.•	Liaised with community leaders and other NGOs to successfully open a new branch of the program.•	Created a human resource function, developed new products and services for improved microfinance services delivery, updating the management information and accounting systems, and managed business planning and budget development. •	Revised the financial literacy curriculum for clients to provide appropriate training on the new products and services. •	Developed a savings scheme to reintegrate internally displaced people and refugee returnees back into their communities.•	Coordinated with the community, vocational trainers and other NGOs to deliver integrated programming.•	Successfully integrated savings groups into the formal microfinance institution.

LEAP Rehabilitation Manager, Liberia

Managed all outgoing communications for the Permanent Secretary, developed a web strategy for internal communication.Liaised with senior civil servants and politicians.

Department for Constitutional Affairs

Communications Officer, Permanent Secretary's Office

Managed a small microfinance program in Southern and Western Tanzania.Also supervised a community based rehabilitation program for supporting children with disabilities and their families.

Gareth Evans