Conference Presentations:
TUESDAY, MAY 6TH, 2008
09:00 – 10:00 Opening Session & Regional Microentrepreneur Awards
Welcoming Remarks: Kris Besch, Interim Executive Director, Sanabel, Egypt
Speech: Essma Ben Hamida, Chairperson of Sanabel, Tunisia
Speech: Dr. Nabe Rasheed Mohamad, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Syria
Speech: H.E. Ali Chaouch, Minister of Social Affairs, Tunisia
Keynote Speech: H.R.H. Prince Talal Bin Abdul Aziz Bin Saud, President, AGFUND, Saudi Arabia
Introduction of Microfinance Ambassador: Sonia M’barek
Master of Ceremony: Fouad Abdelmoumni, General Manager, Al Amana, Morocco
10:00 – 11:00 Microentrepreneur Awards Ceremony & Conference Notices
Speech: Mr. Zaher Al-Munajjed, Chairman of Grameen-Jameel
Presentation of Awards
11:30 – 13:00 State of the Industry and Presentation of the Conference Themes
State of Industry: Ranya Abdel Baki, Transparency Manager, Sanabel, Egypt
Measuring and Managing Social Impact:
Martin Greeley, Research Fellow, Institute for Development Studies, United Kingdom
Developing Quality Products to Meet Customer Demand:
Mustapha Bidouj, General Secretary, Fondation Banque Populaire pour le Microcrédit, Morocco
Formalizing the Microfinance Sector: Integration into the Financial Sector:
Luc Rigouzzo, Chief Operating Officer, PROPARCO, France
Technology Revolutionizing the Industry:
Xavier Reille, Lead Microfinance Specialist, Consultative Group to Assist the Poor, France
14:30 – 16:30 Concurrent Sessions
Track One - Measuring and Managing Social Impact:
Social Performance in the Arab Region
Katarzyna Pawlak, Deputy Director, Microfinance Centre, Poland
Leïla Akhmisse, Director of Development, Fondation Zakoura, Morocco
Speaker/Moderator: Ozaina Aljundi, Social Performance Management Project Manager, Sanabel, Egypt
Track Two - Developing Quality Products to Meet Customer Demand:
Rural and Agricultural Lending
Marie-France L'heriteau, Project Manager, PROPARCO, France
Rula Nesnas, Advisor, PARC - REEF, Palestine
Hassine Cherif, President, ASAD, Tunisia
Moderator: Lillian Diaz, Lead International Consultant, SEEP, Vietnam
Track Three - Formalizing the Microfinance Sector:
Crunching the Numbers: Negotiating Funding Terms
Louise Schneider-Moretto, Capital Markets Group Sr. Director, WWB, USA
Youssef Chouk, Charge de Clientele, BIAT with Riadh Akrout, Finance Director, Enda Inter-Arabe, Tunisia
Bassem Khanfar, Executive Director, Al-Watani, Jordan
Moderator: Shawn Murphy, Executive Director of Fixed Income, Morgan Stanley, United Kingdom
Track Four - Technology Revolutionizing the Industry:
Using Technology to Increase Outreach and Decrease Costs
Samir Zghal, Executive Partner, OXIA, Tunisia
James Dailey, Independent Consultant, USA
Jean Marc Lagache, Banking Solution Manager, SOPRA Group, Tunisia
Moderator: Wassim Ali-Hassan, IT Officer, Grameen - Jameel, Dubai
DAY 2 - WEDNESDAY, MAY 7TH, 2008
09:00 – 10:30 Concurrent Sessions
Track One - Measuring and Managing Social Impact:
Training - Women’s Leadership Matters
Deborah Burand, WAM President, USA
Soukeina Bouraoui, Executive Director, CAWTAR, Tunisia
Track Two - Developing Quality Products to Meet Customer Demand:
Empowering Families: Housing and Eduation Loans
Momina Aijazuddin, Program Manager, International Finance Corporation, Dubai
Fatma Triki, Researcher / R&D Coordinator, Enda Inter-Arabe, Tunisia
Anna Gincherman, Network Relationship Manager, Women’s World Banking, USA
Moderator: Hassan Faried, Executive Director, DBACD, Egypt
Track Three - Formalizing the Microfinance Sector:
The Credit Bureau Experience in the Arab Region
Marwan Hamdan, Executive Director, Delta Informatics, Jordan
Arije Al Amad, General Manager, Microfinance Fund for Women, Jordan
Motaz El Tabaa, Executive Director, Alexandria Business Association, Egypt
Moderator: Mohammed Khaled, Managing Partner, MicroServe, USA
Track Four - Technology Revolutionizing the Industry:
Greater Outreach through Gov’t Supported Programs: Opportunities and Challenges
Lamine Hafsaoui, CEO, BTS, Tunisia
Osama Al-Shami, Head of Small and Microenterprise Development Unit, SFD, Yemen
Amal Dalati, Director Assistant, Syria Country Planning Commission, Syria
Moderator: Chedli Ounis, Enda Inter-Arabe Board Member, Tunisia
11:00 – 12:30 Concurrent Sessions
Track One – Measuring and Managing Social Impact:
Role of Arab Financiers in Advancing Microfinance and Social Impact
Randa Akeel, Economist, World Bank
Ibrahem Badawod, Executive Director, Abdul Latif Jameel Community Service Program, Saudi Arabia
Mohamed Bin Salah, Expert, Arab Bank for Development for Africa, Sudan
Jebrin Al-Jebrin, Director of Projects Department, AGFUND, Saudi Arabia
Moderator: Nasser Al-Kahtani, Director, AGFUND, Saudi Arabia
Track Two - Developing Quality Products to Meet Customer Demand:
Reducing Client Vulnerability: Microinsurance
Said Bourjij, Director, Epargne Sans Frontière, France
Ashraf Nassif, Executive Director, First Microfinance Foundation Egypt - The Aga Khan Agency for Microfinance, Egypt
Ali El Ghazawi, Director General, Development & Employment Fund, Jordan
Moderator: Youssef Fawaz, Executive Director, Al Majmoua, Lebanon
Track Three - Formalizing the Microfinance Sector:
New Financing Models in the Arab Region
Jean-Luc Perron, Head of Micro Finance Unit, Credit Agricole Bank, France
Casey Albert Santiago, Microfinance Partnerships Manager, Kiva, USA
Bassel El Hariri, Head of Microfinance, First Microfinance Bank, Syria
Moderator: Heather Henyon, General Manager, Grameen - Jameel, Dubai
Track Four - Technology Revolutionizing the Industry:
PEER DISCUSSION: Recruiting, Motivating, Retaining Staff in a Dynamic Environment
Facilitator: Ziad Al-Rifae, Chief Executive Officer, Jordan Micro Credit Company (Tamweelcom), Jordan
Facilitator: Deborah Burand, WAM President, Independent Consultant, USA
14:30 – 15:30 Concurrent Sessions
Track One - Measuring and Managing Social Impact:
Consumer Protection and Education: Developing Standards
Maria Perdomo, Technical Advisor - Financial Education, Freedom From Hunger, USA
Lillian Diaz, SEEP Consultant, Vietnam
Moderator & Speaker: Magdy Moussa, MF Advisor and Managing Director - Middle East, PlaNet Finance, Egypt
14:30 – 16:30 Concurrent Sessions
Track Two - Developing Quality Products to Meet Customer Demand:
TRAINING: Islamic Microfinance: Innovative Techniques for Greater Sustainability (in Arabic and English ONLY)
Trainer: Khawaja Amjad Saeed, Advisor – Training and Development, Al- Huda, Pakistan
Track Three: Formalizing the Microfinance Sector:
Regulations: Overcoming Obstacles
Michael Tarazi, Policy Adviser, Consultative Group to Assist the Poor, United States of America
Rainer Hartel, Senior Sector Expert / Financial & Private Sector Development, KfW Bankengruppe, Germany
Fadhel Moussa, Director of Programs and Training, International Development Law Organization, Egypt
Moderator: Mustapha Bidouj, General Secretary, Fondation Banque Populaire pour le Microcrédit, Morocco
Track Four - Technology Revolutionizing the Industry:
Measuring, Managing and Preventing Risk
Gregory Thys, General Manager, MicroRating International
Sadaffe Abid, CEO Kashf Foundation, Pakistan
Emmanuelle Javoy, Managing Director, Planet Rating, France
Moderator: Louise Schneider-Moretto, Capital Markets Group Sr. Director, WWB, USA
15:30 – 16:30
Track One - Measuring and Managing Social Impact:
Beyond Financial Services: Greater Impact through Business Development Services
Alia Farhat, Business Development Services Manager, The Lebanese Association for Development - Al Majmoua, Lebanon
Zakia Lalaoui, Director of Research and Development, Association Al Amana, Morocco
Hashim Hussein, Head, UNIDO-ITPO, Bahrain
Moderator: Michael Cracknell, General Secretary, Enda Inter-Arabe, Tunisia
THURSDAY, MAY 8TH, 2008
09:30–11:00
Plenary 2 – The Key Ingredient to Success: Quality Governance
Panelist: Nasser Al-Qahtani, Director, AGFUND, Saudi Arabia
Panelist: Samir El Gamal, Chairman of the Board of Directors, DBACD, Egypt
Speaker/Moderator: Martin Steindl, Program Manager, International Finance Corporation, Egypt
11:30 – 12:30 Closing Session and Transparency Awards
Transparency Awards: Hind Tazi, Lead Analyst, Microfinance Information eXchange (MIX)
Recognition of Top Performing MFIs: Ranya Abedel-Baki, Transparency Manager, Sanabel and Kris Besch Interim Executive Director, Sanabel, Egypt
Sanabel in 2008 and Beyond: Essma Ben Hamida, Chairperson of Sanabel, Tunisia
Closing