Beyond the Initial ‘Hype’:
The Future of Microfinance
Critics of microfinance argue that it is ‘over-hyped.’ However, numerous success stories have given it the status of an effective form of poverty alleviation when carried out under the right conditions. Boston International and the Boston Microfinance Club are pleased to host a panel of microfinance experts to discuss perspectives on the potential future challenges and successes on the horizon for the microfinance industry.
The Speakers:
Cristobal Marshall is a Program Manager in the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) Finance group. He also collaborates in J-PAL’s policy outreach and works in regional as well as thematic initiatives. As a former economic advisor to the Ministry of Finance Chile, he gained extended policy experience. Mr. Marshall holds an MPA/ID from the Harvard Kennedy School.
Kevin Saunders works as Associate General Counsel for ACCION International, a non-profit microloan organization, where he assists in the oversight of the organization’s governance, compliance, intellectual property, and risk management areas. He also participates in the Council of Counsels, a group of in-house attorneys working in the field of microfinance and co-teaches a course on microfinance at BU Law. Mr. Saunders received his J.D. from Boston University School of Law.
Dr. Guy Stuart is a lecturer in public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School where he teaches courses on microfinance theory and management. He also serves as a consultant to Microfinance Opportunities in Washington DC and is there principal investigator on microfinance studies using Financial Diaries and participatory research excercises in Malawi, Kenya, and Uganda. In the past he has conducted research on microfinance in India, Mexico, and Pakistan. Dr. Stuart received his PhD from the University of Chicago.
Linda Thomson-Clem currently serves as the Executive Director of Microloan Foundation USA, an international development organization providing microfinance services to poor women in sub-Saharan Africa. She has worked in the nonprofit field for more than 25 years, primarily in education and health related organizations. In 1986, Ms. Thomson-Clem founded the Rowley Public Education Fund and a year later Kids Kaleidoscope.
Logistics:
Bain and Company
131 Dartmouth St. (across from Back Bay Station)
Boston, MA 02116
Tuesday, June 21st, 7:00 pm