Center for Microfinance Leadership Alumni Webinar: Leadership and Product Innovation

September 20, 2013

The Center for Microfinance Leadership is proud to announce the next webinar in our All Alumni Webinar Series: Leadership and Management Implications of Product Innovation taking place on Monday, September 30, 2013 at 9:00am EST. The series brings Center Alumni together to talk through the leadership and management implications of current business or strategic issues faced by leaders. This real life case approach enables the audience to understand how their peers are using their leadership and management skills in the context of shared business challenges. We invite you to participate in our upcoming discussion.

About the Webinar

It is estimated that women comprise roughly 43% of the agricultural labor force globally, and yet rural women are far less likely than men to have access to financial products and services. The provision of rural finance has been hampered by limited penetration of financial services in rural areas and the challenging business realities of small farmers including lack of education and limited market access to sell their goods. These challenges among others call for innovative products which require strength and clarity in leadership.

Mr. Baboucarr Khan the CEO of Reliance Financial Services in the Gambia will speak about the development of Reliance’s agri-business portfolio for women and its importance for the institution as well in the Gambian context where women account for 50% of the agricultural labor force and produce 40% of total agricultural output. As a graduate of the Center’s Advanced Leadership Program, Baboucarr will discuss the leadership skills and management tools that were most relevant during the development of this portfolio.

Ms. Alejandra Rios, who works with Women’s World Banking’s Product Development Team will also share experiences from Women’s World Banking’s work in Latin America and the Caribbean related to agribusiness and rural finance. She will share the unique challenges faced in introducing this type of portfolio; and the leadership and management skills that the leaders she has worked with have used to introduce successful products.

The following webinar on the topic of Employee Engagement and the Role of the Leader is scheduled for December 11, 2013.

Please note that the All Alumni Webinars are open only to graduates of Center for Microfinance Leadership programs.

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