> Posted by Center Staff
You’d be hard-pressed to list all the ways corporate governance can make (or break!) an organization. In the financial inclusion sector, strong boards ensure effective strategic planning, manage sustainable growth, bolster attractiveness to investors, balance risks, develop client centric products and delivery channels, and, increasingly, act as “strong digital sparring partners for management.” Yet, a recent study sponsored by the Sanabel Network and the IFC that inspected risks confronting the microfinance sector in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) found that half of their interviewees perceived corporate governance risk as “high” or “very high.”
Being a board member or CEO of a financial inclusion institution is a great responsibility, and can also be a complex task. All boards have different dynamics and governance best practices can sometimes be nebulous. To address these challenges, Calmeadow, FMO, Sanabel and the CFI are hosting a “Governance and Strategic Leadership Seminar” this March in Amman. This seminar brings together CEOs and board members of leading financial institutions serving the financially excluded in the MENA region to strengthen board capacity through peer learning and exchange. If you’re a leader in MENA’s inclusive finance sector, please consider attending this seminar to contribute your unique experiences and perspectives, and also to learn from the experiences of your peers.
The seminar will be held March 7-9 in Amman, Jordan. The highly-interactive two and a half days includes discussions guided by industry leaders, case-based dialogues examining pressing sector risks, collaborative simulations, and opportunities for peer-to-peer exchange. A diversity of topics will be covered, not limited to managing risk, board roles and responsibilities, managing sustainable growth, navigating challenging environments, client centricity, governance dynamics, and strategic leadership.
Why attend? Seminar takeaways include:
- A greater understanding of the key trends, challenges, and risks facing MENA’s inclusive finance sector – and how to manage them.
- An opportunity for participants to interact and network with representatives of other MFIs operating in the MENA region, working under similar geographic and social contexts.
- Access to first-class experts and industry leaders in microfinance with expertise in corporate governance and risk management.
- The ability to recognize early warning signals and key risk indicators.
- An increased awareness of corporate governance and risk management best practices and how to implement them.
The program builds on the successes of the Center’s Africa Board Fellowship (ABF) program, which works to strengthen the governance and risk management capacity of CEOs and board members of financial institutions serving lower-income clients in sub-Saharan Africa.
Register today! There are a limited number of seminar spots. To learn more about the MENA Governance and Strategic Leadership Seminar, and to register, click here.
*This post was modified from its original version on January 11, 2017. The original posting incorrectly indicated that one has to apply for the seminar, while one simply has to register. However, it’s important to reiterate that the seminar is only open to CEOs and board members of financial institutions serving lower-income clients in the Middle East and North Africa region.
Have you read?
Governance Challenges in MENA Microfinance Institutions
Are Youth-Inclusive Financial Services in MENA a Driver of Financial Inclusion?
What Can We Learn from Governance Success Stories in MENA?
Filed under: Center for Financial Inclusion, Events, Financial Inclusion, Governance, Investing in Inclusive Finance, Microfinance, Social Performance, Technology Tagged: Africa Board Fellowship, Calmeadow, Corporate Governance, Governance, Jordan, MENA, Middle East and North Africa, SANABEL
