“With over one billion people around the world living in extreme poverty, donors and social investors will continue to experiment with microfinance tools and approaches, because they have the potential to transform lives.”
Dear Hazel,
The above statement was taken from a recent interview conducted by Finance IQ with Chris Page, Vice-President at Rockefeller Philanthropic Advisors (RPA).
In this interview, Chris tells us of the work his organisation has been developing over the past 10 years as investment advisors to philanthropic donors worldwide, and how the financial crisis impacted on their donations.
According to Chris, two trends emerged after the crisis: one, their donors began reducing the number of organisations in their portfolio and eventually the amounts given as well. On the other hand, there have been a rising number of requests for assistance in developing impact-investing approaches.
In reaction to the events in the Indian Market, he warns: “If we’re committed to providing the poor with access to safe, reliable financial services, then we must be certain that our investments promote responsible pricing and fair treatment and secure products.”
Finally – and most importantly – Chris reveals what he thinks are the three major forces at work in the global microfinance arena, and what plans RPA has in place to capture them.
The complete interview is now available to download for free:
Microfinance and Philanthropy in Turbulent Times: Reflections from Rockefeller
Chris Page, Vice-President of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, reflects on trends among philanthropic donors since the onset of global economic turbulence, reactions among microfinance donors to the recent events in the Indian market and future trends in microfinance systems.
Listen to Podcast
Read Transcript(direct link)
To hear more from Chris Page, join us at the Microfinance Investor Forum, taking place in London 1st-2nd March 2011, where he will present his Affordable micro-savings products for the poor case study.
Receive up to 500 GBP off standard rates when you register by Friday 14th January.
For more information or to register see microfinanceeurope.com, call Andrew Reeve on +44 (0)20 7368 9494, or email [email protected].
I hope you find this interview relevant to your work or research, and look forward to meeting you.
Kind regards,
Rosa Cortez
Marketing Manager
Microfinance Investor Forum 2011
Main Conference 1st- 2nd March
Post-conference Masterclass 2nd March
Le Méridien Piccadilly, London
microfinanceeurope.com