Advisory Services in the areas Financial Inclusion// Retail Banking// Project Management// Trust Fund//Revolving Fund// Evaluation//Governance// Microfinance// Training.
We match up field experience in twenty-eight Countries and expertise in development finance issues with the recent economic & financial trends to design and apply viable and feasible business solutions for our clients. Economic and financial inclusion should be conjugated together to achieve countries’ inclusive growth, which is the message we detected from UN 2030 AGENDA FOR SDGs. Decision-makers have to empower people through either start-up and growth-up business and providing a remunerated job.
In the 80-90s last century, while in the field designing/managing/evaluating development projects credit oriented on behalf of donors/governments/funding agencies in twenty-six Countries we weren’t alone thinking that both the methodology and the practice were unsuitable. However, it wasn’t possible to elaborate new models because of the lack of countries’ institutional and organisation framework.
Eventually, in 2010 Basel III Committee released a document on microfinance activities filling the gap: https://www.bis.org/publ/bcbs175.pdf . Since then, the central banks in the emerging economies started regulating and monitoring the uncontrolled micro credit market. Taking inspiration from the document we worked out “Designing a credit model” that CGAP rated among the first three Papers consulted document in 2011: http://www.findevgateway.org/library/suggestions-designing-microcredit-model .
Then, in 2015 the WB-CGAP: https://www.cgap.org/research/publication/new-funder-guidelines-market-systems-approach-financial-inclusion phased out the old-fashioned microfinance idea and Basel III Committee released a document on financial inclusion introducing the concept of Unserved and Underserved Customers: https://www.bis.org/bcbs/publ/d351.pdf
A further and comprehensive step has been made with the release of UN 2030 Agenda with 17 goals and related targets: https://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/70/1&Lang=E
Taking from above sources, in 2016 we published Finance Inclusion with subtitle “Give people a job, not a loan” https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01ENJP37S?ref_=k4w_oembed_XABBfUDmCDeygV&tag=kpembed-20&linkCode=kpd and proposed a new approach in favour of poor people, who aren’t only those living for less the $ 2/d but also those who although integrated in the system asked a wider access to the financial resources.
In parallel with the changing goals and objectives (UN Agenda) a different way of doing business shall be implemented in order to adapt and adjust tools and techniques at macro, meso and micro level. We have assumed the Theory of Change applied to the Finance for Development as a process of a continuing negotiations among the Development Actors, who have different interests/aspirations/objectives and expectations in pursuing a development goal, which is prevalent in the economics’ theories at that moment in time: THE THEORY OF CHANGE APPLIED TO FINANCE FOR DEVELOPMENT http://reader.ilmiolibro.kataweb.it/v/1252660/the-theory-of-change-applied-to-finance-for-development_1268103
MAIN AREAS OF EXPERTISE :
- FINANCIAL INCLUSION
- DESIGN CREDIT MODELS
- NEW PRODUCTS
- MFI MANAGEMENT AND POLICY
- PROJECT EVALUATION
- IMPACT ASSESSMENT
- GOVERNANCE
- SME-SMI FINANCING
- CREDIT LINES ADMINISTRATION
- GUARANTEE FUND/TRUST FUND
- GRANT FACILITY
- INFORMAL FINANCE
- SEMINARS FOR EXECUTIVES & MANAGERS
SERVICES:
- Financial inclusion
- Investigation for markets opportunities & Launch new products
- Assist MFI decision makers to understand market position and take action
- Design, Manage, Evaluate Credit Projects – Trust Funds – Guarantee Funds
- SME financing & Private Sector Development
- Association in submission Tenders dossiers
- Project Management & Evaluation
- Drafting Technical proposals & Methodologies
- Review and revision MFI Strategy & Management
- Capacity building, Business development, Financial inclusion
- Downscaling & Upscaling operations
- Backstopping position to follow-up multiple field activities
- Manage financial inclusion at micro and macro level
- Design credit model
- Design new products
- Market segmentation
- Campaign new products
- Negotiate and link with digital providers
- Approach poverty matters
- Support Start-up and Growth-up business
- Link with other financial providers (banks, financial institutions, MFI)
- Funds raising
- Seminars & Colloquium with Executives & Managers
MIX-UP INNOVATION AND TRADITION
In 2016 in partnership with International Valuators we launched “ACCELERATORS TO HELP CHANGE THE BUSINESS THROUGH MORE JOBS https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/accelerators-help-change-business-landscape-africa-alaa-badran-icvs?trk=hb_ntf_MEGAPHONE_ARTICLE_POST
Former Chairman of the Rating Committee Unit – E.Watch Africa. African microfinance rating and Bank Financial Reporting Agency dedicated to evaluating and reporting performance and risk in microfinance institutions (MFIs) and Banks operating in Africa. http://www.ewatchafrica.com/cmspages/page/4
ONGOING PROJECTS
Since 2011: Provision of advisory services in the areas of financial inclusion business. Ongoing: TWO PROJECTS
In 2015 I launched “COLLOQUIUM WITH DECISION MAKERS” (https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/project-decisions-makers-africa-ascanio-graziosi?trk=mp-reader-card , which is neither training nor course of lessons, but a Colloquium on strategic issues with micro finance top Executives in their own hub; so they don’t need to travel to Rome, London and Paris. Upon request, they will receive the Document and the Budget. This is a very important Colloquium for those who like to step in the digitalisation of the financial services, based on informed decisions.
French version “COLLOQUE SUR L’INCLUSION FINANCIERE” https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/colloque-sur-linclusion-financiere-ascanio-graziosi?trk=mp-reader-card
“JAMBO” RISK FUND FOR AFRICA Proposed Fund to support financially underserved African entrepreneurs to both Start-up and Growth-up business. https://ascaniograziosi.net/2017/02/14/jambo-twofold-objective/
Overseas Activities
Team Leader & Mission Coordinator:
Burkina Faso, Swaziland, Somalia, Kosovo, (2), Cameroon, Tunisia, Albania, Romania, Russia Federation, Montenegro, Serbia, Morocco (2) and Algeria.
Project Evaluation – Impact assessment Supervision – Governance:
Netherlands Antilles, Cameroon, Mali, Caribbean, Kosovo, Guinea-Conakry, Azerbaijan, Malawi, Bosnia, Montenegro, West Indies, Niger, Algeria and Morocco (2).
Credit & Micro Finance & SME Specialist
S.Lucia, Curaçao, Cariforum Countries Malawi, Uzbekistan, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali, Albania, Swaziland, Somalia, Romania, Albania, Kosovo, Bosnia, Malawi, Russia Federation, Morocco and Algeria.
Credit guarantee fund/Trust fund/Grant facility:
Tunisia, Bosnia, Caribbean, Romania, Mali, Albania, Netherlands Antilles, Malawi, Algeria, Morocco Ghana and Russia Federation.
Consulting Lecturer in Rural Finance:
Azerbaijan, Albania, Guinea-Conakry, Nigeria, Burkina Faso and Malawi
Credit Co-operatives & Informal finance:
Capo Verde, Niger, Malawi, Mali.
Coordinator of FAO Study Team:
On Finance for Food trade business within the framework of the Program “Food into Cities”. Collaborated as Agricultural Credit Specialist from 1983 to 1998.
EXPERIENCE IN AGRICULTURAL CREDIT – MICO CREDIT- POVERTY ALLEVIATION
Dr A. Graziosi started the overseas career with FAO as Agricultural Credit Specialist and he worked in the following Countries: CHAD (1983), GUINEA CONAKRI (1985). CAPE VERT (1986), NIGER (1991), MALAWI (1994) and ETHIOPIA (1997) and 1998).
Long term assignments with legal resident status
He has been Resident Banking & Microfinance Advisor in the following Countries:
MALAWI. FED, 2005-06. Advisor. Management and administration of an Apex credit organization for on lending to NGO and farmers associations;
ROMANIA. EU, 1992-93. Strategist Coordinator EU-EBRD-WB,
Mission for Agriculture Privatisation
SOMALIA. ITA, 1966. Economist with Central Bank of Somalia. FED, 1998-90. Bank Advisor; Credit to small banana growers.
SWAZILAND. FED, 1986-88.Bank Advisor. Management and administration of 5 Micro Credit lines (2 EU, 1 FAO, 1 WHO 1 AfDB);
BURKINA FASO.Italian Cooperation, 1984-96. Bank Advisor; Micro credit policy for farmers smallholders and cooperatives;
Other short-term assignments on specific micro credit & SME financing:
AZERBAIJAN (2000 – 2001), Consulting lecturer Rural Finance
CAMEROON (2002), Team Leader & Evaluator Village Banking Project
MALI (1991-92), EU, Microcredit to farmers and 1998, World Bank, Grant Facility
MALAWI (1994), FAO/WHO/UNDP, Food security, Revolving Fund
ETHIOPIA (1997, FAO, Microcredit to farmers. 1998, Draft a Paper for Donor Funding
NIGER (1990 and 1995) FAO, Food security
BOSNIA (2001), UNDP, NGO’s training for field staff and 2002, World Vision Unit’s evaluation, Revolving Fund
KOSOVO (2001) – EU, Evaluation of non-banking financial institution lending to agribusiness
GUINEA CONAKRY (1996), Italian Cooperation, Microcredit project evaluation & Training cooperatives managers,
St. LUCIA (1998-99 EU, Microcredit to small banana growers, Revolving Fund)
MOROCCO (2008)Italian Cooperation, Evaluation of five micro credit organisations
BOSNIA HERZEGOVINA (2002) Evaluator , micro credit project. 2001 Training field staff
PROJECT EVALUATION – IMPACT ASSESSMENT – SUPERVISION – GOVERNANCE:
Netherlands Antilles (promotion & financing SME), Cameroon (micro credit institution), Mali (Definition credit policy to address private enterprises), Caribbean (Rice sector: trust fund & liaison with banks), Kosovo (Two evaluations: 1. micro credit institution – 2. Repatriation of refugees), Guinea-Conakry (cooperatives credit), Azerbaijan (SME export & capacity building), Malawi (revolving fund) Bosnia, (guarantee fund) Montenegro (Counterpart fund), West Indies(Banana sector: design a new credit facility), Niger (cereal banks assessment), Algeria (private sector development: SME), Morocco (Two evaluations: 1. Identification & Design & Formulation TA intervention in favor of five micro credit organizations. Draft TOR for TA – 2.Evaluation and proposal for a new intervention in favor of SME).
Ascanio Graziosi 