Join us for a discussion with Center for Financial Inclusion (CFI) at Accion on how microenterprises grow to small and medium sized ones - and how well the financial industry and other relevant stakeholders are facilitating this growth. 

Christy Stickney, CFI Fellow, will highlight the characteristics of owners of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) whose businesses have overcome significant hurdles and grown from their micro size. Elisabeth Rhyne, CFI Managing Director, will address the challenges women owned businesses face in growing from microenterprises to SMEs. Momina Aijazuddin, IFC's Global Head of Microfinance, will discuss how microfinance institutions (MFIs) are organizing to cater to SMEs better. 

Opening Remarks:

Sharmila Hardi, Senior Manager FIG, IFC

Presenters:

Christy Stickney, CFI Fellow

Christy Stickney is an independent development consultant, and has worked in financial services and inclusive market development since 2010. She has been engaged in microfinance since 1993, having developed loan and savings products for women micro-entrepreneurs and then going on to design a variety of other types of financial products and services.

Elisabeth Rhyne, CFI Managing Director

Elisabeth Rhyne works to bring together diverse leaders to address challenges in inclusive finance. She is a co-creator of the Smart Campaign, a global movement promoting client protection in microfinance and beyond. Prior to joining Accion, she served at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) from 1985 to 1998, where she developed and led USAID's Microenterprise Initiative.

Momina Aijazuddin, IFC Global Head of Microfinance

Momina Aijazuddin covers IFC's microfinance investment and advisory activities globally. This includes oversight of the work in Responsible finance, institutional transformation, risk management and product development - to better enable MFIs and banks to provide diverse and reliable products and services to suit their clients' needs.

Moderator: 

Matthew Gamser, CEO, SME Finance Forum, IFC

Contact

Farah Siddique  | fsiddique@ifc.org

Nadia Afrin  | nafrin@ifc.org