Global SME Finance Awards 2025

Information Session on SME Financier of the Year

Be recognized, Share impact in SME FINANCE

The SME Finance Forum organizes the Global SME Finance Awards (The Awards) as a core part of its mission to create a unique platform for peer connections, knowledge dissemination, and innovations in SME Finance. The Forum’s extensive 240+ global network, crowds in financial institutions, fintech companies, development banks, policymakers, and industry experts from across the globe, fostering collaboration, knowledge sharing, and partnership building on a global scale. Hence, the Global SME Finance Awards has evolved into a pinnacle of global recognition for those making a real impact in the SME finance landscape.

Since its launch in 2018, The Awards recognize and celebrate the outstanding achievements of financial service providers in delivering exceptional products and services to scale SME finance in their respective markets. It provides an opportunity for institutions to highlight and share good practices, impact, knowledge, and be recognized amongst the global peer group of world leaders in SME finance and services. 

We are rolling out a series of Information Sessions during the 2025 Awards Season to share with Financial Service Providers (FSPs) and Industry Stakeholders the role and importance of The Awards in showcasing remarkable achievements and impact in the industry. The sessions also aim to provide information on the application process, respective awards categories, and related information on the awards. Speakers include industry leaders and practitioners from the Forum’s global network, as well as past applicants and winners.

MODERATED BY:

       Rajeev Chalisgaonkar, Head of Business Banking, Mashreq Bank

Rajeev Chalisgaonkar is the Group Head of Business Banking for Mashreq Bank, and he also heads Mashreq’s highly successful SME focused digital neobank, NeoBiz. He was previously Global Head of Business Banking at Standard Chartered Bank. Rajeev has more than 29 years of experience in Corporate, Commercial and Retail Banking across diverse geographies including Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and India. In his previous assignment, Rajeev was Head of Corporate Banking with Barclays Bank India and before that led the SME and Business Banking for Barclays Emerging Markets across 14 countries in Asia, Middle East and Africa. Prior to joining Barclays, Rajeev worked for Citibank and Export-Import Bank of India holding leadership positions in Central Europe and India. Rajeev completed his MBA at IIM Calcutta. His academic achievements also include a Bachelor of Engineering (Metallurgical Engineering) from Malaviya National Institute of Technology, India.

SPEAKERS:

Colin Sharp, Chief Sales Officer, C2FO

  Elizabeth Prado, Institutional relations and alliance management coordinator BBVAMF

She currently works in the Communications and Institutional Relations Department of the BBVA Microfinance Foundation. From 2020-2023 she wasDirector of Communications and Women's Empowerment Department at Microserfin, the Foundation's MFI in Panama, where she was responsible for pushing the Gender Equity strategy as well as the implementation of different programs for women entrepreneurs' economic, social and digital inclusion in the country.

Before being part of the BBVAMF Group, she was as a journalist in mainstream media in Panama and was also a communications consultant in public relations agencies where she had the opportunity to work with multilateral organizations such as CAF-Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, technology companies such as Google and ZOHO among others, with impact in Panama and in the Central American and the Caribbean region. She has a degree in journalism from the National University of Panama.

  Mete Önol, CFO, Tam Finans

Mete Önol serves as the CFO at Tam Finans, a Turkish commercial finance company offering factoring services to MSMEs, a role he has held since 2019. Leveraging his extensive expertise in financial management, Mete has been instrumental in driving Tam Finans’ financial strategy, such as:
- Achieving 23% annual asset growth over the last 4 years while increasing profitability
- Maintaining a network of +35 Financial Institution (FI) lenders from which Tam Finans has provided approximately 3.8 bn USD of financing to its customers
- Creating a 400 mn USD bond issuance program for the company, establishing an alternative unsecured funding channel
- Introducing an unsecured financing structure with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development of 10m EUR under their Trade Facilitation Program, a pioneering structure for a non-bank FI in Turkey
- Played an instrumental role in MNT-Halan’s acquisition of Tam Finans, one of the largest direct foreign investments in Turkey in the FI universe in the last decade.

Prior to joining Tam Finans, Mete spent 15 years at Intercity, a leading long-term operational car rental company, where he served as CFO. In this role, he focused on investor relations, international financial reporting and control, credit risk monitoring, and capital market transactions. His efforts contributed to securing over 2 billion EUR in funding and managing an average credit portfolio of 500 million EUR in collaboration with over 30 financial institutions. Since December 2012, he has also been a Member of the Board of Directors at Intercity.
After completing his undergraduate degree in Economics from Boğaziçi University and a master’s degree at the University of Delaware’s Business School, Mete worked for five years at Arthur Andersen and Ernst & Young, where he led audit and consultancy projects across various sectors.

  Susan Ndungu, Head SME, Commercial and SME Banking, Retail division, NCBA Bank Kenya PLC

Susan Wanjira Ndungu is a dynamic and results-driven banking executive with over 15years of experience in financial services, specializing in SME banking, business development, and strategic growth. As the Head of SME Banking at NCBA Bank Kenya, she is responsible for leading the development and execution of innovative strategies designed to empower small and medium-sized enterprises across Kenya. Her approach prioritizes sustainable growth, tailored financial solutions, and a deep understanding of local market dynamics to drive economic resilience within the SME sector.

Under Susan's leadership, NCBA Bank has won the prestigious best SME bank award with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), demonstrating tailored financial products that have significantly enhanced access to credit for entrepreneurs, business advisory and education that has led to their growth and sustainability. This has contributed to the bank's rapid growth in SME market share. She has also been instrumental in forging partnerships with development organizations and government agencies to expand financial literacy and advisory services, aiming to empower entrepreneurs with the skills and knowledge necessary for long-term success.

Susan holds a degree in bachelor of Commerce, finance option from the Catholic university of East Africa, is currently pursuing a masters of science degree in Entrepreneurship & innovation management at the University of Nairobi. She is also a diploma holder of Cooperative audit from Co-operative university of Kenya and CPA.
She is a corporate entrepreneur and is known for her strategic vision, customer-centric approach, and commitment to fostering economic inclusivity. She is a respected leader in the Kenyan banking industry and a passionate advocate for the growth of SMEs as a cornerstone of Kenya's economy.

Vincent W. Zheng, Deputy General Manager, WeBank

Dr. Zheng joined WeBank in 2018 and is now deputy general manager in charge of digital marketing for MSME banking business. His main business interests include prompting inclusive finance, and building AI native banking services for MSMEs. In WeBank, he builds online B2B advertising system and digital campaign system that currently serve over 50 millions of MSMEs. He is also building next-generation financial products with new AI-native designs, ranging from insurance pricing to micro-loan user experience etc. He obtained Ph.D from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in 2011.