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Virtual Roundtable Series on COVID-19 Mitigation Efforts #19 - New Lending into a Crisis
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13 August 2020
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9 : 30
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WebEx
By invitation only
COVID-19 pandemic created new challenges for SME lenders, such as increased credit information asymmetry, changing government regulations on repayment moratoriums, delays in ascertaining collateral and others. Some banks were able to overcome these challenges and even pick up new SME customers along the way.
On Thursday, August 13, 2020, at 8 a.m. EDT, senior executives from member Palestine Investment Bank, a pioneering financial banking institution in Palestine; member Phongsavanh Bank, the first private commercial bank in Lao PDR; Madison Finance Company, a deposit taking financial institution regulated by the Bank of Zambia; and Grab, providing services in Singapore and neighboring Asian nations, will share their experiences on how they are mitigating the impacts of COVID-19, including in the loan origination process, and how they managed to lend to new SME customers during these trying times.
About COVID-19 Roundtable Series
In times of crisis, accurate and timely information is key. Sharing knowledge and practical experience are proven forms of investment that pave the path to success. With the purpose of helping our members build their own knowledge advantage, the SME Finance Forum facilitates activities and learning opportunities with the strategic approach of collecting and disseminating the best practices, while connecting SME finance experts and practitioners within our global network. Starting in late March, the Forum hosts weekly virtual roundtable sessions focusing on mitigation efforts used to cope with COVID-19, sharing those experiences in a continuous and real-time basis. Learn more>
What you will learn
• How SME data is being assessed differently post-COVID-19?
• What are the most important factors relating to risk?
• What are the biggest gaps/uncertainties?
• What are governments doing that is most/least helpful?
NEW: Extra Time with Speakers!
Want to learn more about an institution or speak directly with a panelist from the roundtable? Join our new Roundtable - Extra Time! This is 30-minute breakout session with one or two of the presenters from the roundtable. Microphones will be unmuted and participants can speak more conversationally, and ask direct questions to the presenters. Each session will be chaired by a SME Finance Forum moderator.
After the end of the roundtable, members can join the lively conversation with:
Speaker Phaiboun Phongsavanh, CEO, Phongsavanh Bank, and Titus N. Waithaka, Managing Director, Madison Finance Company, with SME Finance Forum moderator Matthew Gamser, staying in the main room.
Speaker John David (JD) Yap, Grab Financial Services, and Jessica Alfaro, SME Finance Forum, with SME Finance Forum moderator, Khrystyna Kushnir, register here>
Host & Moderator: Matthew Gamser, CEO, SME Finance Forum
About the Speakers
Samih Sabih is the General Manager at Palestine Investment Bank. Mr. Sabih was previously employed as a General Manager by Al Quds Bank and a Vice Chairman by The Arab Hotels Co. He received his graduate degree from The University of Jordan. He is an experienced professional in banking, management and finance expert with 28 years of experience in all aspects of banking, finance & management. Previous expertise was in the fields of top & strategic management, finance management, operation management & business development. He holds a Master Degree (MBA) in business /Accounting of University of Jordan – Amman Jordan and he is an Arab Certified Public Accountant from Arab Society of Certified Public Accountants (ASCA) – Amman – Jordan. 
Phaiboun Phongsavanh is the CEO of Phongsavanh Bank. Phaiboun joined the Phongsavanh Bank Limited in January 2012. As the Deputy Managing Director, he leads a diverse team and is responsible for the Branch Supervision function, Legal and Law departments. In March 2019, he was promoted to act as the Chief Executive Officer of the bank. He served as Chairman of the ISO Committee in where he successfully led the journey from application to implementation and certification of ISO 9001:2008 and laid the strong foundation of excellence, quality and service in the Bank’s operations. He also held leadership role as Chairman of the Procurement Committee and a member of the Human Resource Committee since 2013. With an entrepreneurial flair, Phaiboun actively defend and seek to grow the business. He received a Master of Business and a Bachelor in Business and Commerce from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. Among many recognitions, he received the First Class Labour Medal in 2016, CLMVT Bankers’ Leadership Program 2018, , Young Societal Leaders 2019 Singapore.
Titus Waithaka is the Managing Director at MFinance. Titus comes with a strong 14-year background in Microfinance. He has worked for many reputable organisations including, Faulu Kenya and K-Rep Bank in Kenya. His banking experience covers credit, Risk management in SME, Operations, Social Performance management and senior leadership experience of over 10 years. He was the General Manager Operations in M-Finance before he was made the Managing Director. Titus holds a Bachelor of Science, a Masters in Strategic Management and is currently pursuing his PhD in Strategic Management with two publications on micro- finance.
About the Discussants
John David (JD) Yap is the Head of Regional MSME Lending at Grab Financial Services. Based in Singapore, he works closely with country teams to develop and launch financial services solutions for underserved SMEs. He has close to 20 years of experience in the finance and tech industry. He started his career in the Philippines with an IT startup specializing in e-commerce and contactless payments before moving to Singapore to pursue his MBA under a full scholarship. After his MBA, JD started his career in the financial services sector focusing on credit risk management, financial planning and analytics for the consumer and SME segments. Before joining Grab, he was leading the regional SME analytics team at United Overseas Bank. He was also previously with Fullerton Financial Holdings and Standard Chartered Bank. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Management Information Systems from Ateneo de Manila University and a Masters in Business Administration from Nanyang Business School.
Jessica Alfaro is a financial sector specialist at the SME Finance Forum. She has over 10 years’ experience working with MSMEs and is an expert in lending, entrepreneurship and finance. Based in Madrid, she is currently a consultant with the World Bank Group and a Visiting Lecturer in the School of Economics and Business Administration at the University of Navarra in Pamplona, Spain. Previously, she has led and backstopped onsite technical needs assessments at banks in Africa and Asia, sourced and managed financial institution relationships for an international network of small business banks, and organized in-person and elearning training opportunities for bankers across a number of emerging markets as a Manager at CapitalPlus Exchange. She has been an Associate Director of the Illinois Small Business Development Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago, a Senior Loan Officer at ACCION Chicago and on the MSME lending team at Ithala Development Finance Corporation in Durban, South Africa. Committed to economic and financial inclusion, she has served on community Boards and committees, and volunteered with organizations that focus on improving access to finance for consumers and business owners.
