Cooperative Financial Institutions, CFIs, face very specific challenges in addressing the impact of COVID-19 which stem from their cooperative nature as well as from their ability to access public resources to cope with the consequences of the pandemic. Following up on a webinar that was held in July of 2020 2020 (link to the event’s recording here; link to blogs on the event here and here, a distinguished panel of regulators and CFI representatives will have a dialogue to discuss the situation in their institutions and countries, looking at:
The impact and opportunities resulting from the ongoing pandemic on members and CFIs;
The effectiveness of the measures taken by CFIs and by the authorities to mitigate negative impacts on members and CFIs;
The challenges encountered by CFIs and supervisors in their quest to digitize their services and operations; and
The consequences of the pandemic for financial safety nets that cover CFIs.
Introductory and Concluding Remarks
Pim Mol, Managing Director, Rabo Foundation
Pim Mol (1957) has been working for Rabobank for nearly 10 years. Since January 2018 he is appointed as Managing Director of Rabo Foundation, which operates in 23 countries. Investing in people's self-sufficiency is our most important task. Not only in the Netherlands, but far beyond it.
Pim has a cum laude Master degree in Macro Economics from VU University Amsterdam, he started his career at Fortis MeesPierson, followed by various international management jobs. In July 2008 he joined Rabobank Group, first heading Rabobank Private Banking, followed by heading Rabobank Communication and Corporate Affairs.
Panelists
Konduru Ravinder Rao, President of the Telangana State Cooperative Apex Bank
Mr. Ravinder Rao is a very well known cooperator in India. He represents the Rural Cooperative Financial/Banking Sector at all levels viz; Primary level, Provincial level, and State Apex level.
He is elected President of the Telangana State Cooperative Apex Bank and a member of a number of Cooperatives at the National Level including the National Federation of State Cooperative Banks (NAFSCOB). He is also one of the elected Directors on the Board of International Cooperative Banking Association (ICBA).
Peter Njuguna, Chief Manager - SACCO Supervision, SASRA (Kenya)
Mr. Peter Njuguna holds an MSc. in Operations Research from the London School of Economics, UK, and a BSc in Mathematics. He is a holder of CPA (K) and a member of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya (ICPAK).
Peter brings over 10 years of experience from the Financial sector to SASRA having worked with Central Bank of Kenya as a Banker Examiner, as a Financial Consultant with NBC Kenya, as a manager with CIC Insurance, as a Financial Analyst Specialist and Project Director with World Council of Credit Unions in Kenyan projects.
Mr. Berhane Kidanu, Leader RUSACCO (Ethiopia)
Mr. Berhane Kidanu is the leader of the RuSACCO capacity building team at Ethiopia’s Agricultural Transformation Agency, which is in charge of fostering rural and agricultural development, with a strong focus on rural and agricultural cooperatives.
Mr. Kidanu has worked in the financial cooperatives sector for the last 16 years. Prior to joining Ethiopia’s Agricultural Transformation Agency, he served as a national program coordinator for the cooperative sub-sector in the context of the Rural Financial Intermediation Program.
Mr. Perlat Sulaj, CEO FED Invest (Albania)
Mr. Sulaj is currently CEO of the Savings and Credit Association “FED invest”. Mr. Sulaj has gained a rich and versatile experience in microfinance over two decades holding several Senior Management positions.
Mr. Sulaj’s areas of expertise encompass financial and risk management, organizational development, microfinance and SME credit management, product development, relationship management with donors and lenders. He holds an MBA from University of Nebraska and a graduate degree in Mathematics from University of Tirana.
Moderators
Juan Buchenau, Sector Specialist, The World Bank Group (WB)
Senior Financial Sector Specialist at the World Bank (WB); core member of the global agricultural finance team and leader of WB’s Community of Practice on Cooperative Financial Institutions, working on policy diagnostics and design.
Formerly in charge of several programs in support of financial sector authorities to improve access to finance in Latin America and the Caribbean. Before joining WB he designed and implemented commercially oriented programs of microfinance entities and financial cooperatives to provide financial services to migrants, for smallholder farmers and, more generally, in rural areas in Latin America, Africa and Eastern Europe.
Mr. Buchenau has an MSc in Agricultural Economy from University of Hohenheim (Germany).
Juliëtte Hensgens is a Project Manager at Rabo Partnerships Advisory Services (RPAS), a dedicated consultancy unit within the Rabobank Group, focusing on capacity building of (rural) banks, Agri finance development, supply chain financing and cooperative development.
Ms. Hensgens holds a Master degree in Law and Economics from the University of Utrecht and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and is an experienced banker with a background in credit risk and special asset management.
Ms. Hensgens is leading multi-year support programs and transformation programs in various African countries and has working experience in Africa, Eastern Europe, and Southeast Asia.
In recent years, Ms. Hensgens has been focusing increasingly on transforming & strengthening financial cooperative networks as these institutions are often well-positioned to leverage on their network and be a driving force for rural economic development and financial inclusion.
For any questions, please contact Juan Buchenau and Musakanyakombe Susan Mwape at cficop@worldbank.org
Calendar » Cooperative Financial Institutions (CFIs) in times of Covid 19: how have they fared? what is the road ahead? An updated dialogue
Cooperative Financial Institutions (CFIs) in times of Covid 19: how have they fared? what is the road ahead? An updated dialogue
Wednesday, December 9, 2020
09:00 am -10:30am (EST)
About the webinar
Cooperative Financial Institutions, CFIs, face very specific challenges in addressing the impact of COVID-19 which stem from their cooperative nature as well as from their ability to access public resources to cope with the consequences of the pandemic. Following up on a webinar that was held in July of 2020 2020 (link to the event’s recording here; link to blogs on the event here and here, a distinguished panel of regulators and CFI representatives will have a dialogue to discuss the situation in their institutions and countries, looking at:
Introductory and Concluding Remarks
Pim Mol, Managing Director, Rabo Foundation
Pim Mol (1957) has been working for Rabobank for nearly 10 years. Since January 2018 he is appointed as Managing Director of Rabo Foundation, which operates in 23 countries. Investing in people's self-sufficiency is our most important task. Not only in the Netherlands, but far beyond it.
Pim has a cum laude Master degree in Macro Economics from VU University Amsterdam, he started his career at Fortis MeesPierson, followed by various international management jobs. In July 2008 he joined Rabobank Group, first heading Rabobank Private Banking, followed by heading Rabobank Communication and Corporate Affairs.
Panelists
Konduru Ravinder Rao, President of the Telangana State Cooperative Apex Bank
Mr. Ravinder Rao is a very well known cooperator in India. He represents the Rural Cooperative Financial/Banking Sector at all levels viz; Primary level, Provincial level, and State Apex level.
He is elected President of the Telangana State Cooperative Apex Bank and a member of a number of Cooperatives at the National Level including the National Federation of State Cooperative Banks (NAFSCOB). He is also one of the elected Directors on the Board of International Cooperative Banking Association (ICBA).
Peter Njuguna, Chief Manager - SACCO Supervision, SASRA (Kenya)
Mr. Peter Njuguna holds an MSc. in Operations Research from the London School of Economics, UK, and a BSc in Mathematics. He is a holder of CPA (K) and a member of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya (ICPAK).
Peter brings over 10 years of experience from the Financial sector to SASRA having worked with Central Bank of Kenya as a Banker Examiner, as a Financial Consultant with NBC Kenya, as a manager with CIC Insurance, as a Financial Analyst Specialist and Project Director with World Council of Credit Unions in Kenyan projects.
Mr. Berhane Kidanu, Leader RUSACCO (Ethiopia)
Mr. Berhane Kidanu is the leader of the RuSACCO capacity building team at Ethiopia’s Agricultural Transformation Agency, which is in charge of fostering rural and agricultural development, with a strong focus on rural and agricultural cooperatives.
Mr. Kidanu has worked in the financial cooperatives sector for the last 16 years. Prior to joining Ethiopia’s Agricultural Transformation Agency, he served as a national program coordinator for the cooperative sub-sector in the context of the Rural Financial Intermediation Program.
Mr. Perlat Sulaj, CEO FED Invest (Albania)
Mr. Sulaj is currently CEO of the Savings and Credit Association “FED invest”. Mr. Sulaj has gained a rich and versatile experience in microfinance over two decades holding several Senior Management positions.
Mr. Sulaj’s areas of expertise encompass financial and risk management, organizational development, microfinance and SME credit management, product development, relationship management with donors and lenders. He holds an MBA from University of Nebraska and a graduate degree in Mathematics from University of Tirana.
Moderators
Juan Buchenau, Sector Specialist, The World Bank Group (WB)
Senior Financial Sector Specialist at the World Bank (WB); core member of the global agricultural finance team and leader of WB’s Community of Practice on Cooperative Financial Institutions, working on policy diagnostics and design.
Formerly in charge of several programs in support of financial sector authorities to improve access to finance in Latin America and the Caribbean. Before joining WB he designed and implemented commercially oriented programs of microfinance entities and financial cooperatives to provide financial services to migrants, for smallholder farmers and, more generally, in rural areas in Latin America, Africa and Eastern Europe.
Mr. Buchenau has an MSc in Agricultural Economy from University of Hohenheim (Germany).
Juliëtte Hensgens, Project Manager, Rabo Partnerships
Juliëtte Hensgens is a Project Manager at Rabo Partnerships Advisory Services (RPAS), a dedicated consultancy unit within the Rabobank Group, focusing on capacity building of (rural) banks, Agri finance development, supply chain financing and cooperative development.
Ms. Hensgens holds a Master degree in Law and Economics from the University of Utrecht and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and is an experienced banker with a background in credit risk and special asset management.
Ms. Hensgens is leading multi-year support programs and transformation programs in various African countries and has working experience in Africa, Eastern Europe, and Southeast Asia.
In recent years, Ms. Hensgens has been focusing increasingly on transforming & strengthening financial cooperative networks as these institutions are often well-positioned to leverage on their network and be a driving force for rural economic development and financial inclusion.
For any questions, please contact Juan Buchenau and Musakanyakombe Susan Mwape at cficop@worldbank.org
Visit the CFI Community of Practice here